Balik Kampung Success Story: Nicolas Yong

Having received a scholarship to do his Master's in Business Administration at Yonsei University, Nicolas Yong moved to Seoul, South Korea in 2017 and continued to stay there even after graduation. Despite enjoying his time in Korea, Nicolas decided it was time for both him and his wife to settle down. As a Singaporean, it’s more advantageous for them to start their family planning back in the sunny island, where they get to enjoy parental care benefits, affordable housing and lower tax rates. 

In terms of career progression, Nicolas felt that he had hit a glass ceiling as senior positions were usually reserved for local employees, so he was at a disadvantage as a foreigner. He then tried applying for an internal transfer at the MNC he was working for as well as applying for positions via LinkedIn but had received minimal callbacks.

Turning his sights back home, he found that Singapore being a financial hub in Asia would provide him with plenty of opportunities to develop his career. This is especially beneficial since he was looking for a career in the Financial Services Industry, specifically Financial Crime Compliance.

However, he was concerned that it would be difficult to find a position that's the right fit for him, given that he had chosen to take a path less taken, by working in the financial services industry in Korea. The regulations there are vastly different from that of Singapore, and he was afraid that he could not adapt.

Ivy, International Candidate Manager, Robert Walters Singapore, reached out to him to connect and share with him the Robert Walters’ Balik Kampung campaign.

“Ivy shared with me that the concerns I had were very similar to other returning Singaporeans and gave me tips on what to expect. It was comforting to know that I was not alone in the process”. 

Throughout the process, Nicolas felt that the personalized bespoke service offered by Robert Walters was very commendable. He shares, “I felt that they had my best interest at heart and never pressured me to take a role which I felt I was not suitable for”.

His advice to anyone who’s thinking of coming back home? “Don’t make rash decisions, take time to discuss with family and friends and decide for yourself if this is truly what you want. Also, start preparing early and give yourself plenty of buffer time - the number of administrative tasks associated with moving to another country can be overwhelming!” 

Find out how you can Balik Kampung to exciting career opportunities back home. Contact Ivy Low at ivy.low@robertwalters.com.sg today.