I've been told that those cable pulling policies and recommendation by managers to the directors are being slowly done away with professional methods by HR world.

Why? Bosses such as directors nowadays don't trust managers recommendations because of their distrust with their middle management.Who does they do a tag team to scam the company in future? Unless the director/top boss knows you in person and wants to directly hire you due to familiarity, he will also will have constant persuasion with the HR Dept head to be precaution with such hires.

Cables only work these days for low level positions not senior execs and managers unless you have the top director eyeing you or close contact.

Then comes age. When you're in late 30s or early 40s the job expectations is always very high on you. Those menial and non exec jobs such as uptp supervisors/technicians are almost out of your reach. At this stage if you're wanting to change industry, start new or find a stable career that you're confident to handle but employers don't think that way.

At your level they only want you to fill in senior execs and managers positions that have ridiculous expectations of being a flyer one day one you join the company if they decide to hire you.

That is almost impossible because if you're switching career, industry or even jumping to a competitor all their products, knowledge and methods differs tremendously which requires familiarization that will take months if years to become an expert especially if you're in technical role.

Ben Amirul It's very tough now if you're applying as a senior candidate or midlifer in a crisis today in 2025.
Low/entry positions they'll almost never hire you because you're overqualified and unmatching with the low requirements.
Exec positions are very competitive because young grads are flooding every year and there aren't enough to fill all of them
Manager positions, unless you're a very good match, have strong recognition by the industry, well known with very limited openings.

The higher position you apply the longer the evaluation/filtering will take. If entry level jobs they can decide on the day itself if they're short of manpower, execs/engineers may take weeks with approval from the hiring managers to filter out only the best.

Managers are the hardest, need recognition, familiarity, proven track record it may take months before management board agree to take a person on board and the final approval from the top CEO/managing director. Very unlikely if you're applying through public job sites and open interviews. This one only the top director who notices you or have direct preferences will call for your hire with advise from the HR Dept head.

This post has been edited by petpenyubobo: Jul 21 2025, 02:07 PM

When you're late 30s/early 40s with many years working experience, companies won't simply hire you for low level entry positions. Even if you're willing to take the job at lower pay, lower responsibilities, just have a stable career and confident that you can do the job well.

They will find hiring you is a waste when they can pay a little more hire a glorified technician instead without needing to pay OT, more responsibilities force on you and less training needed to make you run earlier on the job.

It's not like you have a degree/diploma and you willing to take the salary for say a toilet cleaner/store clerk/petrol station attendant means you'd certainly get the job with Asian mentality.

Some smart people with top degrees will want that because they know they want to avoid mental stress, take on less risky roles, avoid the corporate rat race and get a stable job that lasts. Psychopath employers however don't think like that. They think people like that are a waste in society.

Reality is very technical seniors in companies won't like teaching or not parting their knowledge to juniors that come in to work in the company. It's like their steel rice bowls that keep their jobs from being taken away. So if you're a midlifer who wants a career change or do industry switching, always try to stay low if you want to renew your career.

Getting a prestigious degree is far from securing you a stable job when old farts in the companies feel you're a threat to them if you start as a high position that threatens them. Even as an engineer at the start of my first job after graduation, I had already saw senior technicians that are already with the company playing such games on new engineer hires with zero knowledge joining the company. They won't tell you anything, teach you key information or even respect you while rejoicing seeing you get scolded by your seniors and failing in your tasks.

There you go on my insights.

It's changing again. Connections only if you know the big boss right up there who vouch for you like the CEO or MD who has ULTIMATE say in your hiring.

If VP/Senior Manager recommend for middle level management out of connections, the big boss will also become sus of you trying to tag team to reign supreme in his company. Later also gossips will end up going around of politics uprising on the particular person who is pulled in by cable but underperforms.

That situation not only the non performing person will get chopped his head, his recommender also will lose confidence by the boss in future assignments.

It's true what you mention applies to traditional office roles and positions like accountants, HR, clerical administration, procurement, etc.

Which ever company you jump to the work is generically the same an builds with numbers of years of experience.
The rules for accountancy, law, HR, procurement, office paperwork staffs is similar in every company so picking up the job and adaptation is quick once you are in the same job type no matter how many companies you jump.

But for technical and engineering based jobs, this is not true. Every company or similar industry you switch requires steep learning curve and its own methods/design and knowledge.

For example say electronics engineering, it's so widely covered such as semiconductor, IT computers, automotive, home appliances, communications, aeronautics, and many others..

Even if you have an electrical engineering degree, every company you jump to with different industry will reset EVERYTHING you learn from the previous company you're in. For example you jump from semiconductor company to a home electrical appliances manufacturer can you adapt in the shortest time?

Technical/engineering is very different from traditional office corporate work. Your knowledge cannot apply elsewhere unless you are lucky enough to jump to a competitor which does EXACT same competing product as your previous company.

Even that the adjustment for technical know-how can be complex and it's not one month you can resume like a runner when you hop companies.

Of course you need to match the level of your job position. Some companies won't even hire you as manager/exec if you drive Axia, old car or ride bike to work.

The higher you climb your boss's expectations will be much higher.

The recent news you hear even our local doctors are borrowing from ahlongs to join their peers in traveling and making holiday trips just to keep themselves among the group?

Doctor Pinjam Ah Long to Travel with Friends
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=5532876

Sometimes the simpler life is more meaningful even if you're a talented and wise person. You don't want to be in debt and everything else is just to survive without hardships. How much you can eat and a comfortable home is life's real priority.

This post has been edited by petpenyubobo: Jul 24 2025, 04:05 PM