Introduction
My name is Mr. Aung Myo Myat from Myanmar. I studied Technology Management and MBA at Assumption University, currently a Senior Talent Acquisition at Seven Peaks Software.
Seven Peaks Software
Seven Peaks Software is an international software development and design company in Thailand that specializes in mobile & web applications, UX/UI design, cloud solutions, web design, and web development optimized for mobile.
Journey in Becoming an HR.
After graduating, I got the chance to work in recruitment but I was quite new to the field. One question that was considered really important, was whether I had “passion to talk with the people.” Personally as an expat, interacting with people felt normal and fun to me and in order to make friends, I had to initiate the talk most of the time.
This is important as an HR. You should have an open mind, listening to people as well as communicating. This will help with the process of finding the best fit for the team. As an interviewer, you have to go with the flow. We usually don’t have a fixed script for us to interview someone
Why the Tech industry?
Majority of people will have the mindset that in order to work in the tech industry, you will need to have a tech background. Although it can be helpful, it is not necessary. There are other aspects that you might want to ace such as the soft skills. It can be logical thinking or management skills but I think “passion” is one of the big influences in making you enter the tech industry. Your passion will lead you to learn about the field, open up to talk with the people which will make you grow as a recruiter as well.
Transitioning into Thai culture as an Expat.
Fortunately, I have experienced a lot of cultures in different organizations I have worked with. Each company will have their own ways of working and a clear hierarchy and it depends on the person whether you can fit in or not. So it is important to try as many cultures as possible to know which kind of culture you fit in with the best.
In Thailand, I have seen a lot of hesitation due to fixed hierarchies. Juniors are always agreeing with seniors since they might not know the most polite way to say “you’re wrong.” I advise you to choose the environment that allows your creativity to shine and that you are always ready to express your ideas. On the other hand, as a leader, always open up and take in every idea proposed.
The DNA That Can be Found at Seven Peaks Software.
Specifically at Seven Peaks Software, I have found a really great personality match here. A few weeks into the company, I have seen a lot of transparency within the teams and levels after getting to interact with the CEO and a few teams. Of course, if you are assigned at a certain level of the hierarchy, you will have to be responsible at that level. However, we don’t take advantage of others with the authority we were given. Every Level is respected.
At Seven Peaks, we always listen. It’s not like Top-down or Micro management. We give everyone the chance to grow their career but they should also acknowledge the responsibilities they are given as well.
In the general tech industry, the culture is similar to what we have here. Everything travels fast in the tech word. Innovative ideas that are successfully launched can become “disruptors”, which means a change for the better. Just like how we accept the new technology, Seven Peaks is always open for new ideas even if it is from the juniors which might have had less experience. We believe that purity and newness can also bring fresh ideas to the table.
Advice for the juniors, Directly from a Talent Acquisition.
Industry to Pursue
Different industries will have different expectations.
In terms of the industry you want to pursue in. As for the tech market, try to learn and make understanding of the technology the company is circling around. It can be the applications or the tools so that when you find the talent you are looking for, you make sure that they are on the same page as you. Same logic as for other industries as well. After knowing the field inside out, this can also help you find the best fit for ‘you’ as well.
Becoming an HR
Technically, If you aspire to become a Talent Acquisition, you might need to know the basic knowledge of ‘how to look for talents.’ By knowledge, I mean the “position.” What they are, what they will be doing and what they will be responsible for.
We are required to talk to individuals with different behavior with different mindset as well as from different technical backgrounds. For example, if you are given a task of finding a developer. We will have to study the characteristics of developers where a talented developer can lack in their presenting skills. As a recruiter, we will need to make an understanding and know how to weigh out their skills in order to conclude whether that candidate is the best choice or not.
The way to get information for these candidates is from experience. I would advise you to talk to a wide range of people from different backgrounds to understand what their common strengths and weaknesses are.
As a TA, Job descriptions don’t tell you about the job. They may act as the standards for who we are looking for. Only the candidates themselves will teach what the position really is, which is why I appreciate every candidate I talk to.
