1. What has your Page journey been like – when did you first join? Your role back then? Current role? What is your learning in PageGroup?

After my Master’s degree, I joined Michael Page as an associate consultant in Financial Services team. After building up a team of Financial Service Middle/back office consultants and being promoted to manager, I switched to the Finance recruitment team as a manager and currently manage 2 teams: Finance CBD and Finance East.
My learning in PageGroup is very different in every phase of my career. That being said, the most important lesson I’ve learnt is probably to never stop learning, growing & developing yourself. 

2. Any interesting stories or journeys within your professional career?

One interesting story would be – from my first year at work I developed a new client through a very small case, with very long process and painful salary negotiation. Although in terms of revenue, the case was quite minimal, I was still very proud to sign the first contract, make the first placement with this client in China, and thus get to know their HR director. 
After a while, this HR director moved to another company where I was also consulting with. At that point, this company’s business performance was in a difficult situation, but given the successful experiences earlier, the HR director gave a lot of trust and sharing without much prior communication cost. In the end, we dealt with many crucial & difficult cases for this firm, and this client became one of the biggest clients of that year. Recently, I received a call from this HRD, who let us know that she moved to another company, and she is very willing to cooperate with us. 
In total, I successfully placed candidates for 3 companies that the HR director worked in. Funny thing is due to several last-minute changes, we never met each other during these years, and the relationship was built purely on the professional services and the partnership attitude throughout. 
Other than this successful story, there were many more occasions that we tried hard to provide the best services but the results didn’t appear. But in the recruitment business world, if you keep professional and helpful, the client will remember you even if there is no placement. 

3. You’ve interviewed many candidates. For everyone, changing a career is an important decision which may alter their lives. Can you share with us a story that impresses you the most?

During interviews, although we essentially focus on reviewing candidates’ career history, it would in many ways review one’s personal life history, and on many occasions, we earn trust from candidates to share with them our own personal challenges.
For one particular case, after meeting a candidate, I’ve managed to identify a right opportunity and help the candidate successfully achieve the offer. Before on-boarding, I was called up and asked for a private talk at lunch, during which I was – to my surprise - consulted about how to mention his family status to new colleagues, as this candidate has an overseas single-sex marriage. I was impressed and touched with the trust I was given. I tried to give as much constructive/helpful advice as I could, as a recruiter as well as a friend. Finally, the candidate found useful advice and quickly adapted to the new environment. 

4. What are some the ways you stay productive/ positive/ motivated during a busy day?

On a daily basis, reaching the office 20 minutes earlier and having a cup of hot coffee is important for me to have a productive day – you could have a quiet period of time to make good preparation for the events of the day and sort out some last-minute arrangements.
Generally, after taking management responsibility 2 years ago, helping develop the team and improve all individuals to a next level has always motivated me.
I do enjoy the recruitment activities very much (although I have limited time now for it) because I have the opportunity to reach the dynamic business world.

5. What are some of the things that have surprised you most about recruiting?

That how complicated a decision-making process could be, both at a corporate level and at a personal level.

6. Tell us 3 things that you’ve learned throughout your time so far at PageGroup. 

- Never give up 
- Don’t judge too easily
- Have fun at work 

7. What advice will you give to those who want to be a recruiter? 

Always try to understand others. 

8. Apart from work, what would you like to spend time? Hobbies or volunteering work or anything you want to share? To make a vivid story.

After work, I enjoy travelling and good food. This year I had a trip to Tanzania and spent a week in Serengeti National Park with wildlife, which was quite memorable. 
I was a Board member in the Overseas Student Education Fund for past 7 years, which was initiated from a volunteering teaching trip in one of the most impoverished areas in China when I was in university.
After I started my career, I still actively engage in the fund and attend board meetings several times a year to discuss funding projects, in hopes of helping children and teenagers in undeveloped areas have equal development opportunities.