Employer
Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd
Position
Talent Acquisition, HR & GA
Qualification
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology & Communication, Upper Iowa University (UIU), US, 2016
Has been with the company for
1 year and 6 months
How has the covid pandemic affected your graduate recruitment efforts?
The pandemic has undoubtedly influenced talent movements in the market. By now, navigating through unprecedented times requires unprecedented measures.
We have not reduced the number of fresh graduates that we hire because it simply does not adhere to our People values. So, we continue to offer different avenues for young talents out there such as our Internship, Apprenticeship and Management Associate programmes.
The unprecedented measure that we took is by making our selection more stringent. This in turn helps us to recruit the best-aligned talents to be part of the Samsung family.
How would you advise a candidate to make a good impression during a virtual interview?
The most important criteria that most organisations would agree on is the way a candidate carries him- or herself during an interview. It is, without a doubt, impossible to achieve direct contact between the interviewer and interviewee during virtual interviews. Despite the lack of physical presence, virtual interviews should be taken seriously.
Interviewers appreciate when candidates are on time, dress professionally and come prepared for the session. Additionally, candidates should never forget to make eye contact with the camera and exhibit positive body language (e.g., smile and lean forward).
Most importantly, candidates need to be responsive upon the completion of the session by dropping a thank you note to the recruiter and reaching out for feedback.
What is the one skill (or quality) you think is more important for fresh grads to have now compared to pre-pandemic times?
The market is only getting more competitive and the pandemic certainly heightens its complexity. The key quality for fresh grads to have during this uncertain time would be agility.
Like many other companies, Samsung aims for sustainable growth and success. Therefore, our talents, whose responsibility is to achieve this aim together as one, need to be swift and consistent in getting the job done, even when faced with ambiguity at times.
These young talents will soon be our future leaders. Thus, to remain relevant in the market, one must always be equipped with a growth mindset and a can-do attitude.
How would you recommend students increase their chances of landing a job in our tough times?
Students are understandably panicking during these uncertain times. We would suggest graduates be open to accepting any opportunities that come their way.
Scholars should always keep themselves in the know of the outside market. Young talents should not limit themselves but instead, take any opportunity as a way to grow.
Students should also keep themselves abreast with not only technical competencies but also transferable skills. Often, so much attention is paid to the former but not the latter. The imbalance between both skillsets can limit their choices, thus delaying their chance to step into the working world.
How feasible and/or effective are non-face-to-face internships? How has your organisation prepared for this?
The feasibility of remote work does not lie solely in our technology; it also depends on the readiness of the people to make the transition work.
That said, we strive to ensure that the talents in Samsung, be it interns or full-time employees, are well equipped with the right tools and mindset.
Moreover, we deeply involve our interns in our projects to provide them with a first-hand immersive experience within the organisation. They are regularly engaged in team calls and are actively participating in our business meetings.
