Andy moved from Taipei to Shanghai to join Robert Walters as a recruitment consultant in 2018. His first job after graduation, little has he expected himself to progress rapidly from a consultant to principal consultant in just two years. We asked Andy to share what it takes to succeed in a recruitment career.

I like working at Robert Walters. I can envision my future here. You’ll gain recognition for a clear long-term plan and hard-working spirit.

Why did you decide to move to Shanghai?

I have never stopped thinking about his future career before graduation after I had my first taste in recruitment as an intern at a recruitment agency in Taipei. This experience has ignited my ambition to develop a different future from his other peers.

My career journey with Robert Walters was serendipity. I was on a trip to Shanghai and dropped by the office at Kerry Centre back then for an interview and I didn’t expect that meeting would start my recruitment career. At that time the Industrial Sales & Marketing team has just established, and the management team was facing a challenge to find the right people for the team. Though Industry 4.0 was at the initial stage in China back in 2018, the discussion on “Manufacturing Automation and Informatization” and “Made in China 2025” during the interview kept popping up my mind, at the end I decided to give a go and accepted the offer!

The development of the industrial sector in China has fuelled the demand for top talent. As an international recruitment consultancy, Robert Walters can offer me comprehensive training and accelerated career development with transparent promotion process. At the same time the unique features of the industrial market posed a lot of opportunities – all these make me more excited and confident about my career path

Why do you enjoy being a recruitment consultant?

Steady growth, willingness to share, collaboration and trust are the DNAs of the industrial team, I have to say all team members are full of enterprising spirit! I guess this is fundamental for me to enjoy going to work everyday.

At the same time, the opportunity to offer clients the best candidates and provide candidates the better opportunities with his expertise is a great appeal to me. We are not just an “agent”, but a “partner” who try our best to understand clients’ needs and come up with professional advice based on the market trends and your own experience. I am very much inspired by the ‘commitment to quality’ at Robert Walters and I believes that integrity and expertise are the foundation of the relationship with clients and candidates.

What motivate you to keep up?

My idol Novak Djokovic, the world’s famous tennis player. Once you start a tennis game, you start fighting on your own and tackle all the challenges on the spot – that’s how I always remind myself when I face obstacles: fight till the end and never give up like a tennis match!

Being proactive and optimistic is the advice I would like give to those interested in the recruitment industry. When you are working under pressure, you can surely moan or cry, but not too much or for too long. As a professional recruitment consultant, you have to adapt to market changes and face pressure each day. Being resilient and thinking thoroughly when you face difficulties, and stay persistence are my key to success. You just cannot expect to reap without sowing!