My #FrazerJonesJourney – May-San NG

Singapore, the international hub 

“I have always been intrigued by Singapore’s growth and its international relationships.” 

I have always been intrigued by Singapore’s growth and its international relationships. When I was given the opportunity to take on contracting work with the US Embassy in Singapore, I didn’t hesitate and spent five enjoyable years with their agriculture department, understanding and learning how multinational companies identify Singapore as a hub. As such, when an international recruitment company did a career talk on how they identify talents for companies, my classmates thought that I would enjoy such a role where my outgoing personality might fit. Needless to say, they were right and I never looked back since.  

My Frazer Jones journey 

“I was amazed by their passion for the HR community and how much work was done behind the scenes.” 

My journey into Frazer Jones was after reconnecting with Sean Tong, whom I knew from a previous company. After changing my specialism from finance to HR recruitment, I sought out a new company to flourish. Sean’s expertise stood out across my network, so I knew I was in good hands and I was ready for a change to step into an executive-level search. What motivated me to join Frazer Jones was the leadership and the team. I was amazed by their passion for the HR community and how much work was done behind the scenes. They fully invest in their people’s development and network in meaningful ways. It was striking how people just had a good time and formed lasting relationships. 

“There is always natural banter and we have fun together.” 

I always prioritise the people I work with. My current team brings me joy – we see one another as an extended family where we celebrate each success, no matter how big or small and support one another in trying times. This goes beyond just Singapore offices where I get to work closely with my colleagues in Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the US on international searches. There is always natural banter and we have fun together. 

A culture that champions individuality  

“Frazer Jones promotes goals, consensus and personality.” 

The Frazer Jones culture is a mix of elements combining a family-orientated and respectful environment that champions individuality. Many companies would want you to fit in a certain mould, whereas Frazer Jones promotes goals, consensus and personality. What also stood out for me was how understanding the leaders were. One of the first things I mentioned in my interview was my first and most important job is to be there for my children, which means clear boundaries in time management. Yet, I didn’t want to take a step away from my career due to my family life. Sean and Alex Wiseman understood and did not hesitate to support me. 

As such, I have never felt like my capabilities were less than those in different personal situations and this support has echoed throughout the company.  

The power of the wildcard 

“Sometimes, it is the wildcard candidates, that bring great satisfaction.” 

Recruitment isn’t just about sales – working with people gets me excited. Candidates come from all kinds of circumstances with personal stories. Companies have their own narratives that they wish to achieve. I get to learn about these narratives and personal stories to try to find the best fit. My job as a recruiter is to find the right person to fit into the company’s narratives and find their personal fulfilment.  

Sometimes, it is the wildcard candidates – individuals whose experience did not fit into the “ideal” candidate of the role, that bring great satisfaction. To be able to influence a client’s decision to take a bet on these wildcard candidates, is truly empowering and speaks of the trust of my partners. Singapore is a destination with a tendency to prioritize candidates with existing local market experiences. This makes it hard for experienced professionals to secure a role and can be tiring and demoralising, so I encouraged clients to have explanatory discussions and consider the diversity in perspectives.   

A piece of advice 

“Having a good team that you can rely on is crucial when times get hard” 

My philosophy is not to take things seriously and have a sense of humour. At the onset of my career, I would blame myself for certain outcomes. Over time, I realised that I am dealing with people with their own narratives, be it clients or candidates. We cannot control all aspects of a search, so you need to know when to move on and always be ready with an alternative plan. Having a good team that you can rely on is crucial when times get hard.  

Lastly, be sincere and remain authentic in your every day. Don’t sacrifice relationships for money and never hesitate to laugh.