Quick Fire 10 with Vincent Yao

​ “Trust your gut and have a lot of grit in whatever you want to achieve.”

I had a few questions to ask Vincent Yao, associate director in Singapore and he shared what has kept him in the recruitment industry, keeping a work-life balance and why he chose to work at Eames.

​1. How did you get into recruitment?
I started in the educational project management and risk advisory space but didn't find there was much continuity. I preferred one to one engagement and tried out recruitment. I enjoyed introducing people together outside of work, be it for personal or professional capacity and thought this sounds like a recruitment consultant's role!

​2. What is your advice for someone just getting into recruitment?
Recruitment is a multi-disciplinary vocation. You should read widely and have good research skills. Understanding how macro and micro factors affect one another, and also the taxonomy of banking segments and related areas in your specialism definitely helps.

​3. What is it about recruitment that has kept you in the industry?
In parenting speak, there is this saying "it takes a village to groom a child" . I would say in recruitment and for myself, my family has been a pillar of support and working with colleagues who inspire me to be better. The entrepreneurial aspect (you've got to treat your own segment as if you're running your own business) keeps me moving. Of course, with clients and relationships forged over the years, it has provided more than just an angle of work in what we do every day.

​4. What is the proudest moment in your career to date?
There has been a few and it's hard to list just one. For example, crossing the 11th year mark with Eames Singapore, qualifying for the Monaco trip in 2016 with my UK colleagues, placing a CFO for a big client (who is now a CEO!).

​5. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career so far and how have you overcome that?
Shutting off from work would be one - there is a tendency to "keep up" even after office hours, given we have UK based clients, others who respond post office hours or late in the evening. Easier said than done, but having composure in any situation allows you to think properly.

6. What is your number 1 secret to success?
I do believe in an eclectic approach at work - learn the good things you see in others and apply them at work or personal development.

7. What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
Trust your gut and have a lot of grit in whatever you want to achieve.

8. What are you driven by and how do you stay motivated?
Having worked for several years and understanding myself better now, I'm the type of person who needs to believe in what I'm doing. What I do needs to be meaningful and fulfilling, these are rated high on my list. Believe in what I do and give it my best shot.

9. How do you keep a work / life balance?
I'm very conscious of the amount of time I have with my family, especially having three young kids. A senior candidate once told me that there are many regrets in his life, one of which is not spending more time with his family. It has stuck with me since and I make sure I have regular dinners, one to one daddy-child outings, exercising and also Friday movie nights with the family at home.

10. Why Eames?
Eames has the right ethos for someone who wants to both succeed in recruitment and genuinely enjoy what they do. I'm truly amazed to see not just hardworking individuals here but also people who are genuinely interested in the domains they specialise in recruiting for.

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​#TeamEames #WhatDrivesYou #QuickFire10