Maxis: Daring To Be Different

Are you Maxis-proof?

Maxis is Malaysia’s leading communications service provider. It is a key player in a market where “the most significant gadget ever invented” – the smartphone, has become an indispensable part of our daily life. And it is becoming even more so each and every day.

How exciting is it working in this field?

“It’s incredibly exciting,” says Adzhar Ibrahim, head of people and organisation at Maxis. “It has everything you can ask for – opportunity to work with cutting edge technology, fantastic sales and service roles, as well as incredible marketing and branding challenges. All in one company.”

While Maxis keeps a sharp eye on the Malaysian telco market, it is also increasing focus on the future.

“The future of mobile telephony is going to be very different from what it is today. Nowhere does technology and market shifting happen as fast as it does in this sector, especially the parts that has to do with mobile Internet.”

The drive to always stay abreast with the latest innovations and leveraging on them to bring out the best has earned Maxis the winner title for the coveted Malaysia’s 100 Leading Graduate Employers (M100) Award 2015 for telecommunications. This year marks their fifth win.

The talent test

“The kind of talents we’d need in a few years’ time will be quite different from what we need today,” stresses Adzhar.

The organisation is very clear on the types of people it wants – positive, passionate and collaborative people. These are in-line with Maxis’ values.

“We are also very sure about what kind of leaders we want.

“They have to be people who can lead great people, people who can be a role model for our values and people who can drive change.

“In terms of skills and capabilities, we are clear that we want people who can explore and innovate, who can build bridges with the right partners and those who can make things happen.

“We call them the Discoverers, the Connectors and the Builders,” explains Adzhar on the type of people Maxis wants.

“We have started to focus on these qualities, especially for our young talents,” says Anisha Sasheendran, head of young talents, people & organisation who handles Maxis’ young talents portfolio.

“We have revamped our young talent programmes, especially our scholarship, internship and management trainees programmes. We obviously want the smartest and those with the closest match to our values, but we also want them to be ‘digital natives’ – people whose second nature is an ‘Always On’ Internet world,” says Anisha.

Maxis has just completed its 2015 scholarship selection, and has awarded six scholarships for recipients to study in top universities in the UK, US and Australia.

Instead of choosing purely on academic results, Maxis looked broader and deeper into the characters and personalities of the candidates.

“We had them on stage facing our selection team, some distinguished business people from outside of Maxis, some Maxis employees and even their scholarship fellow candidates. They were asked to present and debate on interesting and controversial topics.

“Earlier they were asked to do a one-minute video introducing themselves. We had some really unique and creative videos! We then put them through a quirky group interview session with some interesting case studies.

“Unlike typical interviews putting nervous candidates through a series of “tell me… tell me… tell me” questions, we chose to ask candidates questions to see how closely they meet our values,” elaborates Anisha.

“As we pursue the ‘What’s Next?’ step, it’s important that we have the right values and talents in place,” says Adzhar.

“The young talents of today are our future, and we want to have a head start by targeting those who can help us deliver our dreams and ambitions. And theirs too!”

5 Types of people who shouldn’t join Maxis | Here are what the Maxis management associates say:

1. Allergic to fun
“Maxis keeps me energised and engaged all the time. There are so many great activities, the hard part is choosing which to join. It’s also fun because no one is a wet blanket here, everyone joins in the fun!”

— Leyla Nor – BSc (Hons) Business Mathematics and Statistics, London School of Economics

2. Hate working with others
“There are always plenty of opportunities for us to collaborate across various teams in Maxis – from launching new products to organising companywide events; we’re all in it to win it, TOGETHER!”

— Sharifah Alia Alsagoff – Bachelor of Commerce (Finance & Marketing), University of Melbourne

3. Hate trying out new things
“It’s not only about ideas; it’s about making ideas happen. There’s no limit as to what you can achieve here at Maxis, as long as you dare to dream – then be prepared.”

— Arvin Loh – Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electronics, majoring in Telecommunications, Multimedia University

4. Hates wearing casual clothing to work
“No strict dress code means I get to dress according to my mood and my style. There is space for creativity and adventure, and that all translates into how I work at Maxis.”

— Phoebe Lim – Law LLB, King’s College London

5. Hates sitting at open spaces together with the manager
“At Maxis all employees including the CEO, practises hot desking. No closed door rooms, only free seating. I love it! It’s the best way to socialise with anyone you wish.”

—Sindhu Rajindran- Mechanical Engineering, University of Nottingham

Geared up to pursue an exciting career at Maxis, which promises growth in the most creative and innovative manner? Step up and visit www.maxis.com.my/careers today. For more Company Profiles, click here.