MALAYSIA

A guide to resources for those

seeking employment in Malaysia

This guide is in 3 sections

1. The job market – overview

2. How to apply for jobs

• application & recruitment method
• interviews
• aptitude tests
• assessment centres
• other factors
•
3. Where to look for vacancies
• newspapers
• websites
• recruitment agencies
• magazines
• resources at the CCD
Malaysia

Careers Resources for those seeking

employment in Malaysia
The following resources are intended to help you find and prepare for
work when you leave the UK. They do not represent a complete list and
should be used as a starting point for your job search activities.

Further information on job searching in Malaysia, as well as general

information on living and working abroad, can be found in the ‘Working
& Studying Overseas’ section of the CCD Resource Area. A good
overview on the economic activities and situation in Malaysia can be
obtained from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) at
www.mida.gov.my. The site also provides some information which should
be useful for expatriates wanting to work in Malaysia.

1. The Job Market

Electronics, Telecommunications & Broadcasting

The electronics and semiconductor industry in Malaysia is very

competitive. Bayan Lepas, in Penang is no doubt the hub of electronics
and semiconductor industry, with many businesses expanding up to the
adjacent areas around the northern peninsular like in Kulim, Kedah. In
addition, some of the industry can also be found in the states of Melaka
Negeri Sembilan and Johor (Senai and Pasir Gudang).

Some of the well known companies in the industry include:

• Intel
• Infineon
• Flextronic
• Panasonic
• Dell
• Samsung
• Western Digital

In recent years, the telecommunication business has been expanding

rapidly in the country, with companies providing broad and diverse
services to customers, including expanding network coverage that by now,
virtually covers the whole nation. In addition, the strong emphasize on
information and communication technology has also promoted the usage
of broadband internet. Companies below are the big players in this
business:

• Maxis
• Digi
 • Celcom
• Telekom
• TM Net
• Jaring

Broadcasting has also been expanding rapidly, with the introduction of 2

new free channels since the past 5 years. Examples of the companies
involved in the broadcast media business:

• Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd (TV3, 8TV, Channel 9)

• NTV7
• Astro –www.astro.com.my digital satellite , television, radio and
interactive services
• Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM)

Service industries including, logistics & transport, leisure &

hospitality . - The services sector continues to generate growth in terms
of output and foreign exchange earnings. Much of this comes from ICT
and the tourism related industries, which have been allocated a Special
Tourism Fund with budgets approved for the development of hotels,
resorts, theme parks, transport and storage facilities.
Major companies within this sector:

• DHL Express (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

• Federal Express (FedEX)
• Dairy Farm Giant Retail Sdn Bhd
• Nestle(Malaysia) Berhad – www.nestle.com.my
• Resorts World Bhd – www.genting.com.my

Banking & Financial Markets - Career prospects in this sector are

looking good for graduates. The Malaysian economy has flourished in the
last four years, growing by 4.1% in the second quarter of 2005. With
most local banks now offering a wide range of products and services,
there are exciting and varied careers for graduates who are flexible.
Graduates also need to have flair and initiative, as well as a competitive
spirit, if they want to get ahead in this volatile sector.
Major companies within the sector:

• Maybank – www.maybank2u.com.my
• Citibank – www.citibank.com.my
• HSBC – www.hsbc.com.my
• Ambank Group - www.ambg.com.my
• Bank Negara Malaysia – www.bnm.gov.my
• OCBC Bank – www.com.my
• Public Bank – www.publicbank.com.my
• RHB Bank Berhad - www.rhb.com.my

Manufacturing – this sector now accounts for 30.4% of Malaysia’s GDP

and is highly competitive. Many industries are expanding their operations

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and creating new openings in the process. It offers opportunities for
graduates across a range of occupational sectors, both for local and
foreign graduates. Most of the manufacturing industrial areas are located
at central peninsular, mainly in the state of Selangor. Already present in
the country are international corporations such as:

• Nestle
• Procter & Gamble
• Unilever
• Kimberly Clark
• British American Tobacco
• ICI
• Unichema
• Akzo Nobel

Examples of major companies within the heavy industry sector:

• Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (Proton) – www.proton.com

• Perodua – www.perodua.com.my
• Modenas – www.modenas.com.my
• Naza Automotive Manufacturing Sdn Bhd – www.naza.com.my

Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals

The oil and gas industry presents itself as a strong asset to the economy
of Malaysia, with exploration and production activities now moving
towards the deepwater. The upstream activities are currently centred at
the offshore of Miri (Sarawak), Labuan and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) in East
Malaysia, and offshore Terengganu in the East Coast of Peninsular
Malaysia. The downstream activities such as refining, marketing and
distribution are located at Kerteh (Terengganu), Tangga Batu (Melaka)
and Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan). Several major oil and gas giants
which operate in Malaysia are:

• Petronas
• Shell
• ExxonMobil
• ConocoPhillips
• Murphy Oil
• Nippon Oil
• Amerada Hess

The petrochemical industry enjoys similar prosperity to the oil and gas
industry. Currently, Gebeng (Kuantan) is the main petrochemical hub of
the nation, followed by Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas (Johor). Bintulu
(Sarawak) boasts the biggest LNG and urea processing plant in Asia
Pacific and is a major exporter of natural gas to Japan, Korea and other
countries. Some of the petrochemical companies which are active in
Malaysia include:

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 • CCM Chemicals
• BASF
• Dow Chemicals
• BP Amoco
• Titan
• MTBE Sdn Bhd
• Tioxide Sdn Bhd
• Eastman Sdn Bhd

Agriculture and agro-based industries – The Government plans to

turn the country into a competitive global producer of high quality
agricultural products. A policy to increase food production and reduce
imports of food has been introduced.

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2. How to apply for jobs

Application and Recruitment Method:

Listed here are the application methods normally associated with

Malaysian companies.

1. standard application form (online or printed)

2. online application form and CV database (run by websites like
Jobstreet - http://my.jobstreet.com)
3. CV and covering letter (electronic submission or by post)

The standard CV and covering letter is common among most small and
medium enterprises or companies (SMEs). Nowadays however, most
companies, regardless of their size, favour electronic application methods.
I.e., some companies state that priority will be given to applications via
Jobstreet (http://my.jobstreet.com).

Most multi national companies have their own application forms which are
commonly in electronic form. Candidates are required to log online to their
website in the usual way and proceed with self-registration before starting
their application. However, some multi-national companies have been
known to advertise some specific graduate entry level positions in other
forms of media, including career websites such as Jobstreet and JobsDB,
while some other specific graduate vacancies are advertised in
newspapers such as The Star.
I.e., one multi national company in Malaysia was found to advertise
graduate positions recruitment for information technology vacancies
specifically in newspaper, and also on Jobstreet and JobsDB. The company
also at the same, also have a year long open graduate recruitment
application on their website which has been the established and standard
way of recruiting fresh graduates or people with less than 3 years of work
experience.

Notes on CV writing:

1. Malaysian companies are quite flexible about the style or format of

CV that the applicant adopts, (be it the 1 page resume following the
US norm, or the 2 page CV following the UK norm). However, a CV
and an accompanying covering letter is a must in most cases.

2. Commonly, some companies would require applicants to submit a

passport size photograph together with their CV. Make sure to read
the advertisement properly to see if photograph is required.

3. It is very important to include your high school results in the CV

This includes SPM, SPM(V), STPM, A-levels, Matriculation etc.

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 However, it is normally not necessary to give details, just the
aggregates or number of certain grades obtained will do.

e.g.:
- SPM aggregate : 6 units
- 7A1’s and 3A2’s

*notes:
a. SPM and SPM(V) are GCE ‘O’ Level equivalent
b. STPM is GCE ‘A’ Level equivalent

4. In some circumstances, companies may request that candidates

send photocopies of their university transcripts or other academic
information.

5. Speculative applications are common in Malaysia.

6. English is to be used in CV writing, some exceptions may exist for

public service posts.

Interviews:

Interviews are done via

1. phone
2. face to face

Where a face to face interview is required, it will take place in Malaysia.

However, some multi-national companies may conduct the interview in
the UK, provided that there is a regional office here. Technical interviews
may be held for some technical posts These are in addition to the main
interview.

Interviews are mostly conducted in English. On certain occasions,

especially for public service jobs, interviews will be conducted in Bahasa
Malaysia (Malay). Some companies may prefer to use a mixture of both
languages.

Walk-in * interviews are also quite common in Malaysia, particularly in big

cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang. Walk-in interviews
are usually advertised in national newspapers like the Star.

*similar to drop-in sessions in the UK, i.e. not prearranged.

Aptitude tests:

Some of the companies may adopt numerical and verbal reasoning tests
during the recruitment process. This may take place during the
assessment centre days or on a separate occasion.

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Assessment Centres:

Assessment centres are common in Malaysia, especially among big

companies. The assessment normally lasts only for one day. The elements
assessed at the assessment centre are often similar to those held by
companies here in the UK.

Other factors:

Networking is an important factor in securing a job, as are excellent

communications skills and a good command of English. A qualification
from overseas may also give a candidate the edge, especially when
applying to major/big companies and SMEs. However, most multi national
companies value competitiveness as one of the most important factors,
rather than the origin of the academic qualification itself. Hence,
graduates with overseas qualifications are often assessed on an equal
basis with their counterparts who graduated from the local universities.

Further Resources to help you with your applications

The following publications can be found on reference in the CCD
Resource Area

Graduan This as an excellent section on ‘career matters’ which

includes:
self awareness; career planning; writing CVs and covering letters;
applying online and interviews
TARGET ASIA – Banking and Financial Services has a section on
‘getting a job’
Reference Books at the CCD – There’s a range of reference books on
applying for jobs, writing CVs and going for interview and attending
assessment centres. These are not specifically for those wanting to
work in Malaysia, but you might find them helpful anyway
In-house Leaflets – ‘Writing a CV’, ‘At your interview’ Completing
application forms’ and ‘Writing skills for applications and CVs’. These
too, are not specifically for applying for jobs in Malaysian, but you still
might find them useful

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3. Where to look for vacancies

Newspapers:

1. The Star – www.thestar.com.my

Job advertisements are published daily. However, The Star releases
a dedicated section to job vacancies on a weekly basis and is
published on Saturday. The name of the section is ‘Star
Recruitment’ (in English).

2. New Straits Times – www.nst.com.my.

Job advertisements are published daily. However, NST releases a
dedicated section to job vacancies on a weekly basis and is
published on Saturday (in English).

3. Berita Harian – www.bharian.com.my

National newspaper in Bahasa Malaysia, the Malay language. Berita
Harian is a good source for job advertisements in the public
services).

4. Utusan Malaysia – www.utusan.com.my

Natianal newspaper in Malay Language. Utusan Malaysia also is one
of the best sources for public services related vacancies.

NB. The above are the four main newspapers in Malaysia. Other
newspapers were found not to advertise job vacancies as often as
those national newspapers quoted.

Websites:

1. Jobstreet – http://my.jobstreet.com

comment:
Jobstreet advertises an extensive, broad range of career vacancies
(graduate level and experienced level) and has been the choice or
sometimes, the only application method (online) for some
companies in Malaysia. The website is very up to date. Users can
select to register for the auto email notification for jobs matching
their searching criteria. Normally email updates are sent weekly.
In addition, the email notification also covers upcoming events
which are useful such as career road shows, exhibitions etc.

2. JobsDB - www.jobsdb.com

comment:
JobsDB is another well-known website for both graduate vacancies
as well as experienced vacancies. New job vacancies are updated

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 almost everyday. Users can register for the auto email notification
and can often receive daily updates of job advertisements. The
email notification also covers upcoming career fairs, and especially
career talks which may be free or with chargeable fees. JobsDB
advertises the most numbers of technical related vacancies,
commonly for electrical engineering, information technology and
mechanical engineering.

3. Graduan - www.graduan.com.my

comment:
Graduan advertises mainly fresh graduate entry level positions in
almost all fields. Some major multi-national companies have been
known to advertise their entry level vacancies here. Accessing
details of the vacancies advertised require users to register with
them.

4. The Star Jobs online (part of The Star newspaper and The Star
Online) - www.star-jobs.com

comment:
Star Jobs is established by one of the leading newspaper in
Malaysia – The Star. Vacancies advertised here are from
recruitment agencies (rather than the companies) only. The
vacancies covers a broad range of fields, but confined specifically
to the following states:
a. Johor
b. Kedah
c. Kuala Lumpur
d. Melaka
e. Negeri Sembilan
f. Pahang
g. Penang
h. Selangor

5. JobLinkAsia - www.joblinkasia.com

comment:
It is worthwhile to mention that JobLinkAsia normally advertises
more experienced work related vacancies. Although the website is
up to date, it rarely advertises graduate entry-level vacancies. In
addition, they don’t reveal the companies’ name.

6. Select Appointments - www.selectappointments.com.my

comment:
Select Appointments also covers experienced work vacancies. Their
main emphasis is on vacancies for the following employment
sectors:
a. Oil & gas / energy

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 b. Engineering & Manufacturing
c. Information technology
d. Telecommunications
e. Banking, finance & insurance
f. FMCG & retail
g. Pharmaceutical & healthcare

7. doctorjob - www.doctorjob.com.my

comment:
Doctorjob provides extensive career advice. Their Malaysian job
vacancy database covers both graduate entry level and experienced
work vacancies and was found to be directly linked to the vacancies
posted up on JobsDB (www.jobsdb.com). Nevertheless, they have
been known to concentrate on advertising career opportunities and
vacancies for banking & finance targeted at final-year and
graduating students. This website not only covers graduate level
jobs it also advertises internships by well-known corporations in the
following sectors:
a. Banking
b. Insurance
c. Accounting
Such information is also supplemented in the magazine ‘TARGET
Asia – Banking & Financial Services 2005’.

doctorjob also provides good information on other career fields via

their magazine publication called ‘Courses NOW!’. Details of the
magazines can be found in the magazine section of this document.

8. UK Alumni Network - www.ukan.org.my

For positions with the public services:

1. Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam – www.spa.gov.my

2. Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam – www.jpa.gov.my

NB. Vacancies advertised on these two websites may sometimes

not be up to date. Hence positions for public services are normally
best searched for in newspapers.

Recruitment Agencies:
List of active recruitment agencies in Malaysia.

* Sdn Bhd = Private Limited

1. Kelly Services Sdn Bhd

(including Kelly IT Resources and BTI Consultants)

Caters for job vacancies throughout the whole nation as well as

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 in other countries. For list of branches and offices throughout
nation, visit website at www.kellyservices.com.my.

2. Adecco Personnel Sdn Bhd

Caters for job vacancies throughout the whole nation as well as

in other countries. For list of branches throughout the nation,
visit website at http://www.adecco-asia.com/malaysia/index.asp

3. Tele-Temps Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd

Caters for job vacancies throughout the nation as well as in

countries of the South East Asia. Visit website at www.tele-
temps.com

Address:
1441 14th Floor Komplek Selangor
Jalan Sultan
50000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Tel: +603-2072 5588 / 2072 1426

Fax: +603-2072 8985

4. Chrisjac Sdn Bhd

Caters for job vacancies mainly in Peninsular Malaysia. visit

website at www.chrisjac.com.my

Address:
525, Level 5, Block A,
Damansara Intan e-Business Park
No.1, Jalan SS 20/27
47400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Tel: +603 - 7725 8832, 7725 8830, 7118 2255

Fax: +603 - 7725 8831

5. Virtue Associates Sdn Bhd

Caters for job vacancies mainly in northern Peninsular Malaysia

(i.e. Penang, Kedah, Perak, Perlis). visit website at
http://www.virtueassociates.com

Address:
52, 1st Floor

12
 Persiaran Mahsuri 1/2
Sunway Tunas
11950 Georgetown
Penang,
Malaysia

Tel: +604-2296986
Fax: +604-2276986

6. Intelek Sdn Bhd

Caters for vacancies in Peninsular Malaysia.

Address:
No. 3-1, Jalan Singa C, 20/C
Section 20
40000 Shah Alam
Selangor, Malaysia

Tel: +603 - 5542 8133

Fax: +603 - 5542 8831

7. PETROSphileo Sdn Bhd

Address:
No. 13A, Jalan SS15/4E
47500 Subang Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Tel: +603-56325384, 56319645

8. DanRic Management Services

Caters for vacancies in Peninsular Malaysia. Visit website at

www.danric.com.my (link sometimes down)

Address:
No. 26-2, 1st Floor, Jalan USJ 9/5Q UEP
47620 Subang Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Tel: +603 - 8024 9207/8

Fax: +603 - 8024 9206

9. Job Express Sdn Bhd

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Caters for job vacancies in Peninsular Malaysia, concentrating on
south Peninsular Malaysia (i.e. Johor, Melaka)

Address:
Suite 23.02, Level 23
City Square office Tower
Jalan Wong Ah Fook
80000 Johor Bahru
Johor,
Malaysia

Tel : +607 221 8833

Fax: +607 222 6699

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Magazines:

1. Graduan

comment:
Graduan is an annual publication on careers & employment for
Malaysian fresh graduates. It covers very extensive information on
career opportunities with the major companies in Malaysia and it
often includes multi-national companies. Students in the local
universities in Malaysia, see it as a reliable source reading material
and careers information, which always reflects the job
sectors/industries that are currently competitive in country.
Graduan can be obtained free only by final year undergraduates. A
few free copies are available each year at the Centre for Career
Development.

2. Careers in Asia 2006

comment:
This edition of Careers in Asia by Hobsons covers good overviews of
the major industry profiles in Asia. Good reviews about career
prospects in South East Asia and East Asia are also available.
However, the most valuable information from this magazine might
be the ‘Address Listing’ section, which covers more than 150
famous graduate recruiters in Malaysia itself! Free copies of the
magazine are available from the Centre for Career Development
while stock lasts. A reference copy is usually available in the
‘International Students’ section of the Resource Area.

3. Courses NOW! series

comment:
Courses NOW! is published by doctorjob (group Gti) – the same
publisher for the well known series of TARGET in the UK. The
magazines include related articles on specific job types, reviews,
and some company vacancy advertisements. Courses NOW! has six
series including:
a. Art, design & mass communication
b. Business
c. Engineering
d. Health & sciences
e. Hospitality & tourism
f. Information technology
Each copy of the series is priced at RM6.50 (RM = Malaysian
currency). Users must be registered with doctorjob.com.my in order
to make a purchase. However, no information on the frequency of
publication is known at the moment. Graduate recruiters or career
advisers wanting copies of their publication may write to them at

15
 sales@doctorjob.com.my.

4. TARGET Asia – Banking & Financial Services 2006

comment:
Don’t be misled by the title ‘Asia’ in this magazine. In fact, the
whole content refers to the banking and financial services in
Malaysia! A highly recommended magazine for those seeking a
career in banking, investment accounting, finance or even the
insurance industry in Malaysia. It effectively puts together reviews
from people within the industries themselves and there’s a strong
emphasise on professional qualifications. Although students may
find that the number of companies listed here are much less than
other publications, the magazine had actually successfully compiled
a list of high-profiled graduate recruiters in respect to the banking
and finance sector in the country.

* No other significant publication or magazines for career information is

available/identified.

Visual Media:

No other visual media (DVD, VCD etc) on career information is available

/identified.

Further resources available on reference in the CCD Resource Area

1. AGCAS Country Profile Malaysia

comment:
This profile gives an overview of the country, the job market,
working customs and application procedures. It provides lots of
useful contacts and resources, some of which have been covered in
this directory. A paper copy can be found in the CCD Resource
Area in the Working & Studying Overseas sector. It can also be
found on Prospects Web at: www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Abroad

2. Directory of International Employers produced by SOAS

Careers Service 2005. This is a directory of contacts and websites.
Pages 88 – 98 cover Malaysia. If you would like to look at this
publication, please ask at the Information Desk.

Researched by: Zairinfarid Zulhisham Faizal

Edited by: Margaret Gutteridge, Careers Information Manager
March 2006

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