10 Things I Look For When I Interview People

What do I look for in my candidates? To start off with, let me point out there is a slight difference between wearing the hat of a Recruitment Consultant/Headhunter for an employment agency and that of the Interviewer/Hiring Manager for an internal hire. Here’s why: the Recruitment Consultant has more than one client/employer that he/she is servicing as compared to a Hiring Manager that interviews a candidate for a specific job and position. In the latter, certain specific behaviors in line with the culture of the company would be a very important factor to look out for, which may not be the case for a Recruitment Consultant.

For someone donning the hat of a Recruitment Consultant, the things I look for would be more general in nature and any serious job seeker would have the following checked:

1. Well-groomed – say whatever you like but good grooming gives candidates a great advantage. To me, this is a simple principle. People that take time to choose what to wear for interviews are serious job seekers and give respect to the occasion. So, I say thumbs up to ladies that wear make-up and men that choose to wear a tie even under a hot day. Nothing beats a good first impression!
2. Display a “likeable” disposition – likeable does not mean being charming or cute or even trying to flirt with the interviewer. It simply means wearing a genuine smile, be polite, make the right greetings, wait before you are asked to sit, good eye contact and etc. No one is totally comfortable with strangers, including the interviewers. A smile can melt ice and it’s true. So before any question is asked, smile!
3. Good posture – do not underestimate the power of good posture. It projects the person’s energy and enthusiasm. If you can’t even sit upright during an interview, you probably can’t do that on any occasion. This reason alone may not cut you off immediately but you certainly would not want your interviewer to doubt your personality.
4. Clear expression of thoughts – verbal communication is key to a successful interview. You may have a lot of knowledge and experience but if you are unable to express them clearly, you lose marks. Technical people such as Programmers and Engineers seem to struggle quite a bit in this aspect. To be able to explain clearly is a skill. If you know this is your weakness, my advice is that you take time to practice it before hand. Write them down or find a partner to practice. If your partner can’t understand what you are sharing, most likely the interviewer can't too.  
5. Quiet confidence – Being confident does not mean you have to shout every word you speak. Quiet confidence comes from within. If you know your stuff and able to explain it well, you will naturally exudes confidence. In other words, this ties closely with what you know and your ability to communicate that.
6. Answer the questions posed – seems an easy feat, isn’t it? Unfortunately, some candidates choose to give answers to their own questions. And it can be rather embarrassing because it means two things: either you are not listening or you did listen but were not able to comprehend what was asked. My advice is if in doubt, do not be afraid to ask the interviewer to clarify the question.
7. Listen then speak– although in an interview setting, the candidates are expected to speak more than the interviewer but that does not mean you do not know when to stop and listen. Speak up only when you are given the cue. A bad habit is when the candidate interjects on every sentence or trying to finish off the question by the interviewer. 
8. A few good stories – arm yourself with some good stories. Questions such as “What was your greatest achievement?” “Please elaborate a challenging task that you managed to overcome” and etc. would require you to tell a story from your past. 
9. Good preparation – it means you bring along your updated resume, photo, original and copied certificates, and other related documents. 
10. Ask appropriate questions – I appreciate candidates that ask questions, albeit appropriate ones. That shows the candidate had done some thorough thinking before the interview, an indication that he/she is serious about the job.

The key is this: work with your Recruitment Consultants or Headhunters by being cooperative. Your goal is to ensure you are “marketable”.

Booming Industries For Job Seekers To Take Note

A while ago, Forbes.com released the latest list of the richest men/women in Malaysia. We like to look at the list and be in awe of them. 

But lets not just look at the names and stop there. For job seekers that are looking to be part of a successful and hopefully an enduring career, the businesses that they represent might provide some hints on where you want to send your next job application.

The type of business/industry they represent:-

1. Palm Oil
2. Shipping
3. Property
4. Telecommunication
5. Casinos
6. Banking
7. Real Estate
8. Construction
9. Power
10. Oil & Gas
11. Automobile
12. IT Software
13. Chemicals
14. Manufacturing - Synthetic Gloves, Food
15. Ports
16. Airlines
17. Timber
18. Retail
19. Insurance
20. Lotteries

It’s interesting to note that 17 out of the 50 names are involved in property or real estate business. 

Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Accept A Job Offer

 

You received the good news - you are hired! Are you going to sign on the dotted lines and call a party for celebration immediately or take some time to do a bit of thinking work first? Although we hate to admit it, most often than not, we allow our emotions to get the better of us and rule most decisions. If you find yourself accepting an offer when… “I think I’ll take the offer since the hiring manager is so gorgeous”, then this is a red flag. Knowing this is part of our human flaws, we should develop some kind of formula to help us to be as objective as possible so that our decision will be a “thought-through one” backed by good common sense.

So what are some of the relevant questions you should be asking? Perhaps this list will be helpful.

1. Is the job scope what I’m looking for?
2. Can I perform the job? [to be found incompetent can be a stressful ordeal]
3. How stable is the company? Have I done enough research?
4. Can I work with my immediate superior [usually the Interviewer]? Do I think we have a good working chemistry?
5. Is the location appropriate? Can I see myself traveling to the office day in day out in the next few years and will not be affected by the distance?
6. Does this job provide me the opportunity for growth? If I have to leave the job in two years time, what kind of opportunities await me? [similar to if you are buying a new car, the question is,  what’s the resale value?]
7. Am I fine with the business philosophy or ethics practiced by the company?
8. Is the package offered a fair and reasonable one?
9. I started out hunting a new job with this reason – is this being answered upon me taking this offer?

If your answer is “Yes” to all or at least 80% of the questions, then you should open your champagne to celebrate. But if you answered “Yes” only to 50% or less, this opportunity is probably a questionable one. If that’s the case, take some time to evaluate again. This exercise seems simple and sensible enough and the questions are by no means exhaustive. You might want to add a few more that are unique to your situation. The purpose of this approach is simply to make you think.

Do not accept an offer without much thinking and when another better offer comes along, you change your mind. That’s bad job ethics. Never accept an offer when you are not sure you are going to start work for certain.

This Is The Best Time To Find Jobs

It’s November going to be December soon. This is the time when the schools are on holiday and most professionals will also take the opportunity to clear their leave by taking long vacation. In the recruitment world, this is usually the quiet season.

But if you are a job seeker, is this the time to wrap your arms around and do nothing?

Some companies and HR Dept. with outstanding vacancies have to ensure KPIs or targets met by filling up the vacancies before year-end. So, what better time to get yourself noticed when time is running short for the Hiring Managers?

Some companies with policy of “use it or lose it” budgets, might also want to quickly speed up their hiring process before year end. If you happened to be the guy that fits the job, you might be offered right away.

Your chances are higher is also partly due to lesser competition. Many job holders might want to wait for year-end bonus before they decide to make any move.

Precisely when so many temporarily stop their job search, it makes this time of the year a good if not better time to double your job seeking efforts.

The advice is this: don’t take a break from job hunting at this time of the year. For all you know, the unexpected holiday gift may be in the form of a new job offer.

Top 10 Talent Trends In Malaysia For 2013

What’s in store for 2013 in Malaysia? I’m no prophet and do not wish to make speculations that at best remain as guesses but one thing for sure, General Election is certain to take place. And because it’s GE, the results would have some impact on the general economy and that ultimately would very much affects everyone that is either in business or in employment. Whether the after effects of GE will generate positive results or not, we shall wait and see.

If you desperately need some forecasts, there’s one from the Malaysian Government: they had predicted a slow growth across the services sector and oil and gas with more modest growth in manufacturing and construction.

And from this website, Hays  gave their take on the top 10 talent trends for 2013. This is what they think:

1. Use of expats: The Malaysian Government is rolling out changes to its Immigration Department including a new Expatriate Services Division to officially open in early 2013. The new agency will manage services related to in demand expatriate workers. As part of the pre-launch activities, the government issued Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) status to 21 corporate leaders in “National Key Economic Area” sectors such as business services, oil and gas, financial services and education. This type of Malaysian visa allows people to work for up to 10 years and will be offered to expats with the right skills signalling continuing demand for expat talent.

2. Economic outlook: Domestic demand for goods and services strengthened in 2012 and is expected to increase further in 2013. Malaysia’s GDP is expected to grow by at least 3.8 per cent next year, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Economists from Bank Negara Malaysia and the World Bank are optimistic projecting growth of more than 4 per cent while the Malaysian Government expects GDP growth of up to 5 per cent if global conditions improve.

3. Continuing skills shortage: Skills needed in Malaysia cover both white-collar and blue-collar roles. These include ICT and knowledge workers and those with finance skill sets, as well as building sector trades, particularly welders.

4. Staff turnover: The outsourcing sector is still seeing higher rates of staff churn than many others sectors and this is expected to continue next year. Many younger workers in this sector are increasingly mobile as they search for better pay and conditions in new job roles.

5. Rising salaries: Malaysia this year introduced a minimum wage for the private sector with businesses having until January 1, 2013 to comply. “I would have to agree with economists that setting a minimum wage could help address wage inequality and encourage greater workforce participation rates here,” says Chris. Overall, salaries are expected to see modest growth over the coming year with the largest increases expected for a range of “in demand” roles such as ICT roles, some manufacturing jobs, engineering roles, banking and finance roles and jobs in the pharmaceutical sector.

6. Focus on female workforce: The Malaysian Government has set a target of increasing female workforce participation to 55 per cent by 2015. It is currently about 47 per cent. “Boosting the female workforce participation rates is a way of increasing productivity and addressing skills shortages,” says Chris. “However, Malaysia has a unique problem. Unlike other Asian countries where women leave the workforce to raise families and then return later in their lives, Malaysian women tend not to return.”

7. Need for staff development: The report, Learning, Talent and Innovation in Asia, compiled by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management and the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and reported in the latest edition of the Hays journal, analysed the talent challenges in six parts of Asia, including Malaysia. It advises Malaysia to follow the Chinese example of investing in talent strategies and helping staff develop business skills, particularly leadership and people management capabilities.

8. Public investment: Malaysia’s public investment, increased by almost 30 per cent in the quarter to June 2012 largely off the back of $450 billion worth of new infrastructure projects. These projects will continue to take shape in 2013 creating jobs and domestic spending.

9. Social media: Malaysian job hunters, particularly Gen Y and Gen X, are increasingly comfortable using social media as part of their job search and personal branding efforts. Malaysian candidates of all ages also appear to have a good awareness of the career perils posed by social media such as posting inappropriate remarks online. Employers are also being encouraged to include social media as part of their recruitment mix but to seek expert guidance to ensure they protect their brand and adequately test claims candidates make in their online profiles.

10. Unemployment Going into 2013 the unemployment rate across the Asia and the Pacific will continue to hover above 10 per cent, but in Malaysia the rate remains very low by global standards. Unemployment increased from 2.8 per cent in mid-2012 to 3.4 per cent for the year but is expected to hover around three percent in 2013.

From the Recruiter’s point of view, I believe growth will continue albeit modest. As for which jobs are in greater demand, I can tell you point 8 on public investment is seeing results - the market is already witnessing a higher demand than usual for construction related jobs. So if you happened to be a Civil Engineer, you can look forward to a good year ahead. Probably a good time to make a move if you have been toying with that idea. Needless to say, when the demand is high and supply is scarce, you certainly have a greater bargaining power. All the best!

The Lost Art Of Honoring What You’ve Signed

You were offered a job. And a letter of offer was issued. At the end of the page, you will see the last sentence that ends something like this:-

I, ________________________________(NRIC No.: _______________________) have read, understood and agreed to the aforesaid terms and conditions of service and I hereby accept your offer for the position of xxxx with ABC Sdn Bhd.

How many job seekers truly understand the seriousness of what’s stated? I guess not much in view of many that do not honor what they’ve signed.

Welcome to my world.

In my line of work, I had witnessed more occasions than I care to admit when job seekers simply did not take what they had signed seriously. Employers have every right to make a legal case out of this but not many are willing to go that far citing a waste of time. I don’t blame them. It’s even more disheartening when employers waited for three months to be told by the candidate that he/she is no more interested in the job.

And this was exactly what happened to my colleague recently.

It was for a Head of Department post with an educational institute. The offer letter was signed. The employer was excited to finally fill this new position - purchased a new PC, getting the office ready and all ONLY to be told, “I’m not joining!”, a couple of days away from the commencement date. Needless to say, our client was furious. We are equally bothered. Hey, this is a senior post, not a job for a fresh graduate!

What's wrong?

That’s the problem. Not many people see this act as wrong - that the right word to describe is - Breach of Integrity.

I personally encounter candidates that tell me they have accepted another offer but would still like to try for the job that I am working on. No eye blinking, no tinge of embarrassment in the voice – as though this is totally a normal request.

Job hunting ethics, does anyone know they even exist?

Passion Verses Money

Do a job you love and you do not have to work a day in your life! 

The above has been quoted by sages and management gurus for ages. We envy people who love their jobs or make a living out of what they love doing.

How come some people can be so lucky and I’m not one of them!!


Not all people have that kind of luxury. Yes there is a handful that live out their passion and that’s great. But the rest of us should not view it as a failure that we do not do what we love for a living.

Being a practical being and due to my background whereby money is scarce, I do not have the luxury to choose what I love to do immediately after my high school. The post high school study that I had chosen has to be one that’s reasonably priced, locally available and promised some kind of career security. The latter is absolutely important as I or at least the people from my generation are expected to “pay back” to our parents via monthly allowances when we start working. I know lots of people from the younger generation might not be very familiar with such “commitment” but that’s how it is.

So, I’m not ashamed to say that money is fairly important in choosing a career but I’m not ready to say that I’ll let money to have the final say in my decision-making. So yes, there is a middle ground here but I guess one can choose to do something that combines money and passion (well, at least not something that you dread doing) but along the way, if you believe your passion can get you somewhere, go for it.

Furthermore, I truly believe passion can be cultivated over time. Don’t box yourself up and buy in the idea that certain things are just not my cup of tea. In desperate times, you don't have the luxury to choose. So I don't believe being a whiner! I believe in making the best of what is available for me. And don’t underestimate our ability to adopt and adapt. You might amaze yourself :)

I like one blogger that says you are a practical person who knows that no one can do the stuff they are passionate about if they are worrying about food and rent. Support yourself somehow first, and then explore your passions from there.

I personally feel one is very lucky to even have a passion to start with. There’s always a choice whether you wish to put money or passion first. So either way, you are in a fortunate position. Anytime better than people who do not have a passion for anything – that I would say a sad state indeed.

BN Youth Job Fair Offers 7,000 Employment Opportunities

The BN Youth Job Fair 2011, starting July 15 at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Convention Centre, Hotel Zenith here would offer 7,000 employment opportunities.

Umno Youth, young workers secretariat chairman, Nazir Hussin Akhtar Husin said, 150 private sector and government linked companies (GLC) would be taking part in the three-day fair.

"The BN Youth Job Fair will be opened by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, and is on from 10am till 8pm," he told reporters here.

"Future graduates can also register under the 1Malaysia Training Scheme. Diploma holders will receive a RM900 monthly allowance and those with degrees, RM1,200," he said.

"If the GLCs are satisfied with the candidate after the one year training, they would be absorbed as permanent employees," he added.

"A complaints counter will also be opened from 9.30am till 7pm to provide advice on work related issues," he said.

Source: Bernama

Job Site Versus Employment Agency

For a job seeker, use both. You should not limit yourself to only one channel. In fact, you should try all relevant channels - apply direct, through your connections, job fairs and etc.

But as an employer, which is better?

Well, as a former HR Manager and now owning a job site as well as a recruitment agency, I’ll say it depends. The nature of the vacancy, budget and time are three main factors you should be concerned with. If I were a HR Manager again, I’ll use both because the main objective is to get the best talent. So, why should I restrict myself to a certain source or method of hiring?

Let’s look at some pertinent differences and find out the benefits and disadvantages of both methods.

Job sites or online job portals usually offer a job posting or resume access package or a combination of both. You post/repost a job. If you are lucky, you get a system that does pre-screening for you. You can either login or get your applications via email. You check through the applications, short list the ones you think are suitable and interview them accordingly. It’s DIY all the way although some sites offer help in posting the jobs on behalf of employers.

Job Site’s benefits:
• Cheap
• Get direct candidates
• Able to promote company’s brand to a large audience

Disadvantage:
• Time consuming going through all the applications
• No guarantee period offered

An employment or recruitment agency usually assigns a Consultant to take charge of your account. You provide all the necessary details such as job description and requirements, and even some information that may appear sensitive to be put inside a job advertisement. The Consultant work on the job by checking out their database, post the jobs online and whatever means they can find. The goal is short list candidates that meet the criteria of the job. Candidates will be interviewed or assessed accordingly (e.g. personality assessment or test) before they are forwarded to their clients/employers. In other words, taking over the “leg” work of a Human Resource Practitioner of a company.

Employment Agency’s benefits:
• Save time
• Pay only upon successful hire
• Guarantee period offered – free replacement if found not suitable or candidate resigned within a stipulated period

Disadvantage:
• More expensive than using a job site
• Service given not up to par

As you can see, both have their benefits and disadvantages. My advice is to use both but having said that, some common or general positions are best advertised on job sites as it’s cost effective.

BN Youth Job Fair 2011

BN Youth wants to make a difference this year. To ensure the young generation is provided with enough job opportunities, the idea of organizing the largest career fair event ever came up. This job fair is going to take place from March 25th to 27th 2011. They are expecting 500,000 job seekers to flock to Putra World Trade Centre on these three dates and hope to break the Guinness World Record - an ambitious feat but not possible.

The companies participating in the fair are from various industries ranging from manufacturing, agriculture, services, hospitality, banking, engineering, IT, medical to civil service.

So to all the unemployed and job seekers that are looking for better opportunities, besides applying jobs via online, print media or through referrals, a good avenue is through career fairs such as this. Yes, if I were you, I’ll make sure I’ve a date with BN Youth Job Fair 2011 on these dates.

Besides meeting with prospective employers, there are other attractions that include on-the-spot creation of video resumes, resume clinics, internship opportunities, career talks and a 'skill enhancement corner'.

As always, admission to the event is free.

Good luck, job seekers!!

Holiday Season...Can't Concentrate At Work

I like this time of the year. There are a lot of glitter, colors, and beautiful carols at the background wherever I go.

And most of the time, I felt a sense of “winter” (the song white christmas and decor in shopping malls kinda persuaded my mind to think so) and I can’t help but imagine myself being transported to another place, skiing and playing with snow.

But wait a minute, I’m in the office.

I should be working instead of day-dreaming.

This season dubbed as the holiday season makes concentration on work difficult. I'm sure I'm not alone.

So, are we less productive during this period? Should employers be concerned?

Surprise! A new survey from Accountemps said the week right before a holiday break can actually mean greater productivity at work!

One-third (34 percent) of senior managers surveyed recently by Accountemps said their employees are less productive the week before a major holiday. This compares to 44 percent of executives who cited pre-holiday productivity declines in a similar survey five years ago.

It seems the trend has changed for the better - that people are more productive than before!

Kathryn Bolt, an Accountemps executive, attributed this to many people working better under pressure.

“Although the results may seem surprising at first, it is evident that the need to stay focused and get as much work done as possible before [a holiday] break is a priority amongst many employees,” Bolt said in a statement. “To enjoy the season’s company parties, family festivities and other activities, it becomes greatly beneficial to put in that added effort during the work hours leading up to the break.”

Phew…that’s a great relief to employers!

Anyway, if you are in the retail industry, this is a joke! Who has time to think about holiday? The best time to earn big bucks is now...:)

Check out who’s hiring during the holidays? Click here

Jobs On The Decline

As technology advances, more work can be automated and slowly some jobs that we used to see today will be disappearing soon. What are some of these dying occupations?

1. Typist – I think they are already dead. But mind you, typists were in huge demand not very long time ago.

2. Petrol Pump Assistant – only found in rural areas but they will disappear anytime soon.

3. Stenographer – what's that?

4. Filing Clerk – what do they file when the office is going paperless?

5. Cashier – slowly replaced by automatic scanners.

6. Travel agent - who needs them anymore when air-tickets and holiday packages can be purchased online?

7. Real Estate Broker – again, blame it on internet.

8. Stock Broker – yes, the culprit is the internet.

9. Assembly Line Worker – replaced by robots.

10. Toll Booth Operator – I can’t figure out why there are still people refusing to use the Smart Tag. But I’m sure this will change pretty soon.

11. Telephone Operator – already been replaced by voice machines.

12. Store Assistant – when physical stores are slowly taken over by online stores.

13. Mail Sorter/postal service – who still send snail mails in ten years time?

14. Newspaper Man – blame it on online news portal!

What other jobs are in danger of dying? Is your job affected? If yes, get ready to learn new skills before it's too late.

Meanwhile, it’s interesting to note new position titles appearing in recent years – SEO Specialist, Blogger, Social Media Executive, Chief Greening Officer – who would have imagined that ten years ago?

Top 10 Hot Jobs And In Demand

Freelancers Advertise Service For Free - Allyhunt.com

Freelancing has fast becoming a trend in the market place nowadays. Besides counting on current clients or friends for jobs, where else can a freelancer make his or her service known?

Allyhunt.com, launched in July 2007 and now one of the fastest growing job sites in Malaysia has a unique feature not available in other conventional job sites. They have a “Freelancers” section that allows job seekers the option to advertise their services as freelancers. The service is provided free. There are 8 skill groups, i.e., design, editorial, education and training, financial and business services, health and grooming, IT, media and entertainment, and sales and telemarketing for freelancers to choose their area of expertise. Freelancers have the option to put a link to their websites, besides the opportunity to upload their work samples into their profiles to vouch for their credibility. They can also name their price, i.e., displaying their hourly rate.
Employers or anyone for that matter who are interested in outsourcing a piece of work to a freelancer can scan through Allyhunt pool of freelancers that are in the hundreds now. The contact details of the freelancers, either in the form of an email address or hand phone number is displayed prominently at the top of each freelancer profile, making the connection with the respective freelancers easy and convenient. Besides, this is a FREE service extended to employers, with no commission charged.

Freelancing is getting more popular nowadays. With more work that can be carried out with a mere lap top and an internet connection, employers see the benefit of outsourcing some project work to freelancers instead of hiring additional full-time staff. With the employment landscape changing according to times, it is important for Allyhunt to precisely serve the various needs of employers and job seekers.

And should the employers be interested in advertising a freelancing job, they can do so through purchasing a job posting package via Allyhunt. Good news to employers who are scouting for “value for money” package as Allyhunt is offering a package of one year unlimited job postings at a special rate of RM500 only that also comes with FREE resume database search of their 50000 job seekers and growing. Employers can post their full-time, contract, part-time or freelancing jobs with this package.

Allyhunt can be accessed at www.allyhunt.com

Are We Having Too Many Holidays?

Tomorrow is a public holiday for Malaysia. Again? For the first time in the history of Malaysia, we are celebrating Malaysia day. For those that had enjoyed an off day on Monday and on a five-day working week, they only need to clock in 3 days this week.

I did a bit of counting and noticed I am enjoying a whopping 18 public holidays this year!

Are we having too many vacation days? I did a google search immediately and guess what, Malaysia is not at the top of the list, not even close.

According to a survey from Mercer Consulting which was published in CNBC.com, the two countries that had the most overall holidays are Brazil and Lithuania. Brazil enjoys a statutory minimum of 30 days for vacation and 11 days for public holidays. And Lithuania has a statutory annual minimum of 28 days off and 13 days in public holidays. Some of the countries and their vacation days are listed below.

Austria has a statutory mimimum of 25 days for vacation and 13 days off for public holidays.

United States doesn't have a mandatory requirement for vacation days, but typically gives 15, according to Mercer. The US has 10 public holidays.

France has a statutory minimum of 30 days for vacation and 10 days of public days off.

India only has 12 days as its minimum, but has a high amount of public holidays with 16.

Russia has a statutory minimum of 28 days leave, plus 12 days for public holidays.

United Kingdom has a statutory minimum of 28 days off, but only 8 public holidays.

Poland has a statutory miminum of 26 vacation days and 10 days for public holidays.

Greece has a statutory minimum of 25 days for workers to take time off.

Singapore has 14 days off as a minimum and 11 public days.

Finland has a statutory minimum of 30 days for vacation, plus 10 days of public holidays.

Denmark has a statutory minimum of 25 days for vacation and 9 days for public holidays.

The statutory minimum number of vacation days in Switzerland is 20, but the alpine state also has 9 public holidays.

New Zealand has 20 days vacation as its statutory minimum, but 11 days off as public holiday.

South Korea has 19 minimum vacation days, but enjoys 15 days in public holidays.

Taiwan only has 15 days as its statutory minimum, but has 13 public holidays.

Hong Kong has 14 days mandatory vacation, plus twelve days off as public holidays.

Canada has the least number of overall days off with only 10 as its statutory minimum and 9 in public holidays.

China matches Canada with the lowest number of vacation days at 10, but has 11 public holiday days.

In Malaysia, employees typically enjoy an average of 14-18 days of annual leave (vacation days) and about 15-18 days of public holidays (depending on the state you are working and may I also add, the company you are attached with as not all companies observe all the gazetted holidays).

Are we having too many holidays? Nay... Ask any employee - no one will send a note to complain they are sick of the long holidays ahead…:)

Well, to all Malaysians, Happy Malaysia Day!

Take the Friday off and you can enjoy another "4 days 3 nights" vacation somewhere... (life is good, eh)