At PowerUpAsia in Hanoi, I had the joy of hosting a session that brought to life a topic close to my heart & am sure, many of us - how culture shapes recruitment across countries / borders. What began as a concept in my head, turned into a fully participatory, story-rich session thanks to the energy and openness of our members.
Every attendee engaged - sharing insights from their countries, and many humoured me by wearing their traditional attire, adding colour, pride, and warmth to the room.
We surfaced powerful, practical lessons:
- India, family influence is significant, and long notice periods are the norm.
- Vietnam, group interviews are rare, and salary negotiation is expected.
- Singapore, speed matters - candidates often juggle multiple offers.
- Indonesia, asking about family is common, but “yes” doesn’t always mean yes.
- Australia, casual doesn’t mean unprofessional - but swearing is a no-go.
- China, family input and even photos may be requested in interviews.
- Thailand, formality depends on the role level, and brand reputation matters.
- U.K., conversations are blunt and that in no way makes it any less professional.
- Taiwan, loyalty is prized - frequent job changes raise questions.
These insights reminded us that cultural fluency is not a soft skill - it’s a strategic one. It helps us build trust, avoid missteps, and create better experiences for clients, candidates, and colleagues alike.
It also struck me as the Chair of our Best Practices For Great Success committee, that requesting every member to give this topic a serious consideration before any collaboration would indeed yield great results & experiences for partners.
Let’s keep the momentum going. If you have reflections, or follow-up thoughts, I’d love to hear from you. We’ll be curating more stories and learnings in the months ahead.