Coming Home

Recent or imminent entrants into the Malaysian job market have a couple of lucky stars to thank. The financial crisis that ravaged economies of the US, the UK and Europe at the tail end of 2008 left Malaysia relatively unscathed. Therefore, as a graduate returning to Malaysia armed with a degree from abroad, you will find many opportunities to flourish. With a positive attitude and robust temperament, the conditions are ripe for you to advance your career with employers who can take you far in your field.

 

Brain drain to brain gain

It appears that the Malaysian government is finally taking the need for attracting and retaining world-class talent seriously. One of the key strategies outlined at the 2011 Budget was to intensify key human capital development, reflected in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

 

For example, under new policy initiatives announced, selected Public Service Department scholars will be allowed to serve their bond of service with a broader range of organisations, including Government Linked Companies and private sector companies.

 

Under the Returning Expert Programme, non-Malaysian spouses and children of Malaysian graduates will be given PR status within six months of submission of complete applications to the Immigration Department. Personal effects and cars brought back to Malaysia will be exempt from tax. Other benefits accrue to the returning expert as Malaysia seeks to make the transition to a knowledge-based economy.

 

In view of this, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (popularly known as TalentCorp) was established under the Prime Minister’s department to facilitate initiatives that will meet the labour needs of the country. Malaysian graduates from abroad have been identified as one of the key subsections of the pool of labour to fill a proportion of the 3.3 million new jobs created by the ETP.

 

Opportunities galore

In the new landscape of Malaysia’s job market, certain companies are actively targeting holders of foreign degrees. Accenture is one such organisation. Its ‘Return Home Program’ offers internship and graduate opportunities to Malaysians currently living, working or finishing their university studies in Australia, the UK or the US – a chance for these graduates to embark on a career in the comfort of their home country.

 

Maxis is also trying its best to entice Malaysian graduates to return home for employment. Their ‘Management Associate Program’ gives ‘consideration…to second upper class honours [graduates] from top foreign universities’ for a fast-tracked managerial path towards taking up senior leadership roles in Maxis.

 

KPMG’s ‘Internship Program’ welcomes Malaysian undergraduates in their second year of study in both local and overseas institutions. Their internship program is a good way of exploring your options in a top professional services firm during your summer break. This program is particularly appealing to students from overseas universities as they take into account the various vacation breaks of universities around the world.

 

Take full advantage

A 2008 survey conducted in Malaysia showed that ‘graduates from overseas universities earn about 12 percent more than local graduates’ (New Sunday Times). You should recognise the strength of your overseas degree and prepare to make it a key selling point at interviews and job applications.

 

Returnees from the US, the UK and Australia should emphasise and demonstrate their proficiency in spoken and written English. Indeed, a strong grasp of the English language is highly attractive to prospective employers, especially those who have global aspirations.

 

Of course, effective communication is itself a subset of ‘soft skills’, a group of skills that many employers have found to be a particular strength of the overseas graduate. Besides superior oral and written communication, employers recognise overseas trained graduates to have strong computer knowledge, problem-solving, human relations, and leadership and delegation skills. Be prepared to highlight and demonstrate these attributes when the opportunity arises.

 

Lastly, any work experience you may have accumulated in a foreign country should be emphasised to the hilt. Your exposure to a different corporate or working culture – however brief – is valuable to employers, who will be anxious to assess your adaptability in an unfamiliar environment. Besides, employers would be interested in the new perspectives that you could bring to the organisation.