More Than Recruitment: How Michael Found Purpose and Growth at Reeracoen

Behind every successful placement is a recruiter who invests time, empathy, and genuine relationships to connect the right people with the right opportunities. At Reeracoen Malaysia, our mission of "Creating a Wonderful Future with Those Pursuing Happiness" is brought to life through the dedication of our people every day.

In this Employee Spotlight, our Recruitment Advisor Team Lead, Michael, shares his unexpected career journey, the lessons he's gained over nearly four years at Reeracoen, and what continues to inspire him to help both clients and candidates succeed.

From overcoming uncertainty early in his career to leading a team today, Michael's story is one of resilience, continuous growth, and the power of building meaningful relationships.

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your role at Reeracoen? How long have you been with the company, and what attracted you to join us initially?

Hey there! I am Michael, currently serving as a Recruitment Advisor Team Lead at Reeracoen Malaysia. I have been with Reeracoen for almost 4 years now.

My career journey didn’t start as smoothly as I expected after graduating from university in 2022. After completing my internship as an HR Generalist in a manufacturing company, I joined a semiconductor company as a Talent Acquisition Executive. At that time, I thought everything was on track until I received the devastating news that the whole team would be disbanded due to economic uncertainty, just 3 months after I joined.

To be honest, when I applied for the Recruitment Advisor position at Reeracoen through a job portal, I initially thought it was an internal Talent Acquisition role, which was more aligned with my career path back then. (I didn’t really go through the job description in detail because I was very eager to secure a new job, so I applied for several positions😅)

After comparing a few offers, I decided to join Reeracoen because I felt this was a place where I could learn a lot, grow myself, and challenge myself in a new field. Honestly, I never thought I would stay here for so long, but here I am, almost 4 years later and still happily enjoying the journey. Haha!

2. What is the most important responsibility in your job as a Recruitment Advisor?

For me, the most important responsibility as a Recruitment Advisor is to serve our clients and maintain a very good relationship with them. Being a Recruitment Advisor is not just about getting job vacancies from clients and sending resumes to them. It is a process that requires time, effort, communication, and understanding. Knowing what kind of candidates our clients are looking for actually takes a lot of discussion and alignment.

As a Recruitment Advisor, I believe it is very important to treat every client sincerely and always keep an open mind. Of course, we can't avoid some miscommunication or bloopers throughout the process, but the longer we collaborate with our clients, the better we understand each other, and everything becomes much smoother.

I still remember when I first joined Reeracoen. I had no idea what my clients really wanted, and I used the same approach to serve every customer. However, human beings are much more complicated than we think. Everyone has different personalities and different working styles, regardless of their job title. As time goes by and we work together more closely, we naturally learn how each client prefers to communicate and make decisions.

Today, I am glad that I have built very close relationships with some of my clients. Over time, we have developed a strong level of trust, and they will even share their hiring plans or job vacancies with me directly without me having to follow up much. To me, this is one of the most meaningful parts of being a Recruitment Advisor because it shows that they trust me and value the relationship we have built throughout our collaboration.

Another important responsibility as a Recruitment Advisor is definitely Business Development (BD). Besides maintaining good relationships with existing clients, it is also essential to continuously look for new business opportunities to grow both the company and ourselves. In the beginning, I was very scared and reluctant to do cold calling because I wasn't confident talking to people I had never met before. However, as I gained more experience, I became much more confident in introducing myself, understanding clients' hiring challenges, and sharing how our recruitment services could help them. Things became even more rewarding when existing clients or previous PICs came back to me directly for new hiring needs. 😊

3. Can you share one candidate or client story that has left a deep impression on you?

There are actually several memorable clients and candidates that I still remember today. Every placement comes with its own challenges, but one particular case really left a deep impression on me because the whole process took more than two years before we finally made a successful placement.

Back then, one of my clients was urgently looking for a Project Manager with very specific experience in a niche industry. We managed to identify a candidate whose background matched the requirements almost perfectly, and we approached him for the opportunity. The hiring process went very smoothly until after the second-round interview.

Even though the placement didn't work out initially, we still kept in touch closely, which is something we always do with our candidates because we never know when our paths might cross again in the future.

Interestingly, things changed about two years later when my client's business expanded, and they opened a new headcount for a Sales Manager. The first person that came to my mind was this candidate. I reached out to him again, and indeed he was casually exploring new opportunities at that time.

Initially, my client wasn't very interested in proceeding because they preferred someone "new." However, after quite a lengthy discussion and negotiation, they agreed to give him another opportunity.

4. What has been your most challenging experience in this role, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I would say as a Recruitment Advisor Team Lead is learning how to manage and lead a team effectively. To be honest, I don’t see myself as someone who has already mastered everything in recruitment. I still have a lot to learn and continue improving every day.

This is actually the first time in my career that I have had the opportunity to directly manage and guide a team. Previously, during my early days in Reeracoen, I was more focused on being an individual contributor (just purely focused on achieving my own targets). Transitioning from managing myself to helping others grow was a completely different challenge.

For me, being a team lead is not just about teaching people technical skills or spoon-feeding solutions. It involves helping recruiters understand:

• Becoming a Trusted Advisor: Understanding deep-level client and candidate needs rather than just closing placements.
• Providing Custom Solutions: Offering strategic hiring advice and consultative direction.
• Creating Long-term Impact: Building value that helps careers advance and businesses scale sustainably.

I am still learning and growing as a leader, and I see this as an ongoing journey. Thankfully, I am very fortunate to have team members who are highly capable, motivated, and committed. I am very proud to see their growth and achievements. Rather than taking credit myself, I believe their success is a reflection of their own hard work, dedication, and willingness to improve.

5. How does your role contribute to Reeracoen's mission of "Creating a wonderful future with those pursuing happiness"?

For me, being a recruiter is a very meaningful role because the work we do can create a significant impact not only on one’s future, but also on the growth of a company.

I believe in today’s society most people spend a large part of their lives working. Therefore, finding a career that brings purpose, satisfaction, and happiness is very important. As recruiters, we have the opportunity to support people during important career decisions. We are not just helping someone to find a job, but also providing professional advice, understanding their career goals, and guiding them towards opportunities that bring long-term growth and fulfillment.

At the same time, we contribute to organizations by helping them identify and hire top talent. By connecting businesses with the right people, we play a pivotal role in helping companies expand, strengthen team dynamics, and achieve their business goals.

Personally, every successful placement gives me a strong sense of accomplishment because I know that I have contributed something meaningful to both the candidate and the company. Seeing someone start a new chapter in their career while helping a business find the right fit always motivates me.

6. How have you grown personally and professionally since joining Reeracoen?

Definitely! Before joining Reeracoen, I was someone who just wanted to have a simple and comfortable life. I just did what I needed to do, but without a very clear direction or a strong sense of purpose. I did not really have a clear mission or long-term vision for myself.

After joining Reeracoen, my mindset changed significantly:

Maybe because I graduated in Psychology, I naturally enjoy observing and understanding people, but working in recruitment has really broadened my view of how different people have different goals, values, and motivations in life.

Professionally, I learned that recruitment is not just about selling a service. To be successful in this industry, you need to truly believe in the value you provide and be passionate about helping both clients and candidates. When I look back at myself a few years ago, I can clearly see how much I have grown. I am grateful for the journey so far!

7. Why would you recommend Reeracoen as a place to work?

If you are looking for a place where you can grow, meet people from different industries, and experience a strong sense of accomplishment, I would definitely recommend Reeracoen Malaysia as a great place to build your career!

Key reasons why Reeracoen stands out:

• Supportive Culture: Everyone is willing to guide, share knowledge, and help each other improve rather than focusing solely on individual targets.
• Safe Learning Environment: We are allowed to try, make mistakes, learn, and grow together—making it an ideal place for fresh graduates to kickstart their careers.
• Celebrating Achievements: We host regular team-building activities, achievement meals, and milestone celebrations to build strong bonds between colleagues.

Final Thoughts

Michael's story is a reminder that careers don't always begin according to plan, but with the right environment, challenges can become opportunities for remarkable growth. From unexpectedly joining the recruitment industry to becoming a trusted advisor for clients and a leader for his team, his journey reflects the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and genuine human connection.

At Reeracoen Malaysia, we believe recruitment is about more than matching resumes to job descriptions. It's about building lasting relationships, creating opportunities, and helping both people and businesses thrive.

Interested in Joining Reeracoen Malaysia?