Tag Archive for: AI

The Irreplaceable Human Element: Why Headhunters Remain Essential in the AI Era

WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2025 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved

By Wesley Hui, Founder of Wisenet Asia

The AI revolution currently sweeping across industries is perhaps the most significant paradigm shift that will fundamentally transform how we operate. As an entrepreneur who has spent two decades building businesses in Southeast Asia, I’ve observed a curious narrative gaining traction: that AI will soon replace headhunters and traditional recruitment professionals.

Let me be direct – this perspective fundamentally misunderstands both the limitations of AI and the true value that elite headhunters bring to organisations.

Beyond the Algorithm: What Truly Drives Successful Placements

When we started Wisenet Asia, a talent acquisition firm in Singapore, our initial growth was constrained not by capital or market opportunity, but by talents with the right characteristics (experience is secondary due to the nature of the work). We had the capital, the vision, and the strategy – what we lacked were the right people in key recruitment positions. It is crucial for headhunters to have some key traits and be good at it, for example, reading human beyond speech and understanding cultural nuances.

What differentiates elite headhunters from AI-driven recruitment platforms isn’t simply their ability to match credentials to job descriptions – it’s their capacity to evaluate the intangible human elements that determine long-term success.

Consider this: AI excels at pattern recognition within defined parameters. It can efficiently match keywords on CVs to job descriptions and identify candidates with relevant experience. But exceptional talent acquisition involves much more than credential matching. It requires:

  1. Cultural Intelligence: Elite headhunters assess not just capability but compatibility. They evaluate whether a candidate’s working style, values, and aspirations align with your organisation’s culture and leadership approach.
  2. Contextual Understanding: They recognise that a candidate’s potential value isn’t merely judged by their past work experience, but how their unique experiences translate to your specific challenges.
  3. Relationship Networks: The best placements often come through established relationships and reputation-based referrals – not from analysing publicly available data.

The Singapore Context: Why Human Judgement Remains Paramount

In Singapore’s multicultural business environment, the best candidate for your organisation might come from any background, culture, or region. Elite headhunters navigate this complexity by applying human judgment honed through years of experience. They understand that leadership qualities manifest differently across cultures, and can identify potential that might be overlooked by algorithmic approaches.

At Wisenet Asia, we’ve observed that our most successful placements came through our headhunters who took the time to understand business contexts, strategic challenges, and cultural dynamics of our clients. These weren’t candidates who necessarily appeared optimal on paper – they were professionals whose unique capabilities addressed specific needs in ways that no algorithm could have predicted.

The Economics of Human-Led Recruitment

Beyond the qualitative advantages, there’s a compelling economic case for maintaining human-led recruitment processes, particularly for key positions.

The cost of a mis-hire at the executive level extends far beyond recruitment fees. According to our internal analysis at Wisenet Asia, a failed senior appointment typically costs 5-15 times the position’s annual salary when accounting for direct recruitment costs, lost productivity, team disruption, and strategic opportunity costs.

Elite headhunters significantly reduce this risk through:

  • Deep due diligence beyond reference checks
  • Assessment of leadership capabilities in context
  • Evaluation of soft skills that determine success
  • Understanding of market compensation dynamics
  • Negotiation expertise that secures commitment

While AI tools have dramatically improved efficiency in certain aspects of recruitment, they remain fundamentally limited in their ability to mitigate the most significant risks associated with executive hiring.

The Hybrid Future: AI-Enhanced Human Judgment

The most sophisticated approach to talent acquisition isn’t choosing between AI and human expertise – it’s strategically combining them.

The elite headhunters of tomorrow will leverage AI as a powerful tool within a human-led process. They will use technology to expand their reach across global talent pools, gain deeper insights into market dynamics and streamline administrative aspects of recruitment. However, the critical judgments that determine successful placements will remain fundamentally human.

The Path Forward: Strategic Partnership

For CEOs and business leaders across Singapore and Southeast Asia, the implications are clear. Rather than viewing recruitment as a function to be automated, consider it a strategic capability to be enhanced.

The most successful organisations are establishing long-term partnerships with elite headhunters who develop deep institutional knowledge of their business context, culture, and strategic direction. These partnerships deliver compounding returns over time as headhunters build networks specifically aligned with future talent needs.

At the same time, these organisations are investing in AI-driven recruitment technologies – not to replace human judgment, but to expand its reach and impact.

Conclusion: The Human Element Remains Irreplaceable

As AI continues to transform industries, certain functions will undoubtedly be automated. However, the core value that elite headhunters provide – human judgment informed by experience, contextual understanding, and relationship networks – will remain irreplaceable for the foreseeable future.

In Singapore’s dynamic business environment, where talent is the ultimate competitive advantage, the most successful organisations will be those that embrace technology while recognizing that the human element of recruitment remains essential.

The future belongs not to organisations that replace headhunters with algorithms, but to those that strategically combine human expertise with technological capabilities to build world-class teams.

—End—

Top Interview Tips from the Experts

WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2022 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved

This article was originally published November 2020.  Updated September 2022

Over the past few years, our experts have carefully studied the hiring process of top companies across various industries. We have learnt how the AI interviews are being structured, the most common skills they’re looking for and what you can do to land your dream job. Keep reading to find out more about the top hacks to have a successful interview.

The rise of AI in the job market

Many Asian companies are now switching to virtual interviews and recruitment webinars when it comes to hiring new talent. Most of these companies are now using artificial intelligence(AI) to hire candidates as well. This is due to the time-saving benefits that come with AI in the hiring process. It has the potential to automate most of the processes and help companies save a lot of time. The recruiter could easily arrange and organize many files, positions and applications at once.

AI is now becoming one of the most widely used recruitment techniques by companies in Asia.  It is being used in the initial stages of sorting, ranking, and shortlisting candidates. This process usually involves the usage of past data from successful and unsuccessful applicants. This data is used to train the AI machine for the hiring process.

AI is being used by most of these companies to collect the data of candidates and students that have been recorded over the years. This will help them in making accurate decisions when it comes to selecting candidates.  Companies are regularly testing the collected data to ensure that the objectives and goals that they need are being met by candidates. It is believed that the application of AI will become more popular in the coming years.

How to have a successful job interview

One of the things that many job seekers fear is rejection. This is why so many job seekers get nervous especially when it’s their first interview. Having a successful job interview is not just about the qualifications and experience that you have. It’s also about being confident and understanding how the process works.  By following the best practices, you will build your confidence, answer questions comfortably, and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

Do your research

The most important thing to do before going for an interview is to make adequate research about the company.  Look out for as much information as possible to make sure that it is a company you would like to work with. Look out for their successful projects, their financial stability and how well the employees are being treated.

Prepare your questions

This is one of the interview hacks that a lot of job seekers seem to miss out. Going for an interview doesn’t mean that you will only be answering questions. There will be a section of the interview where the employer asks if you have any questions for them.

When you ask questions, it shows them that you are interested in the position and you have done your research. Saying ‘No’ at this point can stand against you and affect the rest of the interview. To have a much higher chance of winning the interview, try preparing some questions ahead.

Dress for success

This is another important factor that can determine the success of your interview. Aside from your qualifications, make sure that you are well dressed for the interview. You don’t have to wear expensive suit, so just pick something that makes you feel confident. Try picking the clothes you want to wear a night before the interview day so that you won’t need to rush. Ensure to stay clean and confident.

Take important files and arrive on time

Another interview hack is to always prepare copies of your work portfolio when going for an interview. Even if you have sent it as an email, you need to show them proof of your skills and experience.  By bringing it along, it will build your credibility and make it easier to tell your story. After preparing all the important files, make sure that you respect the schedule. This means that you should not arrive too late or too early. The best practice is to arrive 10-15 minutes before the start of your interview. This helps in making a good first impression on the recruiter and gives you more edge over other candidates.

Stay positive during the interview

You must maintain a positive conversation throughout the interview. Try as much as possible to avoid negative remarks when asked about your past experience. Focus on the lessons you learnt from the experience and don’t try to blame anyone from your past. This shows the recruiter that you are confident in your skills and experience.

Watch your body language

To win a job interview is not just about the things you say. You need to understand how to respond to a professional environment. Your recruiter will closely observe your body language during the interview. Make sure to speak, smile, maintain a good posture and shake hands when necessary.

Tips for a successful interview with artificial intelligence

Always study past questions

One thing that is common about AI interviews is the repetition of question format. The questions won’t be repeated word for word, but it usually has the same structure. Study the recommended texts that were used for the same interview by previous candidates.

Stay focused throughout

When it comes to AI interviews, you must remember that you will be staring into a camera throughout. If you make too many mistakes, the machine automatically disqualifies you. Therefore, make sure that you don’t occupy your mind with distractions, stay focused and try your best to answer the questions. You can try practicing a few times in front of the mirror. By doing this, you will learn more about yourself and discover some habits that need to be changed. The bots have been trained to study all mannerisms and facial features that you may have.

Record your answers

Some companies will give candidates a limited amount of time to answer the questions. Not finishing your answers on time means that you get cut off the section with only a few chances left. Develop your answers and make sure that they are short, succinct and effective. Even if the company promise to give a second trial, respond to the questions as if you only have one shot. You can also try to record your answers during practice. Listen to them over and over again and look out for areas that need corrections.

Conclusion

Winning an interview might be easier than you think. A lot for people keep failing interviews because they don’t prepare enough. Always prepare your mind for any interview you want to attend. Stay confident that the outcome will be positive and make sure to put in your best. You can also seek advice from people who have successfully passed the interview in the past.  This will keep you ahead of the competition and make it easier to land your dream job.

—End—

Soft skills that every employee needs to be successful

WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2022 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved.

The widespread use of artificial intelligence in many organizations undoubtedly made the way we live and work more efficient, but this efficiency comes with the need of eliminating human jobs across many different industries, the highly impacted fields would be manufacturing, retail and customer service. Jobs that are mundane and repetitive are highest at risk to be automated away.

Hence, it is crucial that fresh graduates and professionals should start developing skills that automation can never replace, and they are – soft skills. These are the type of skills that will make an individual employable regardless of how the job market and circumstances turn out to be.

It is true that technical skills are important in the workplace and far more learnable than soft skills, but not all hope is lost as any individual can start building or polishing their soft skills such as the ability to communicate effectively, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  These are all significant leadership traits and they are key to a professional’s success.

As time goes by, it is evident that the job market is constantly changing and jobs are ever evolving. In today’s workforce, having one skill or capability is insufficient for an employee to guarantee a successful career, one must possess at least three or more skills in order to survive in this ever-competitive job market.

Here are five soft skills that are most advantageous in the workplace and cannot be automated away:

  1. Effective communication

Effective communication can be challenging between individuals because we translate messages differently neurologically. Communication is a two-way street; it is about relaying and receiving information. How do we make it effective? The objective of effective communication is ensuring that the intended meaning of a message is being comprehended correctly by the sender and receiver.

We have to acknowledge that we all have cognitive biases. An individual’s perception of reality by nature, is bias. We need to be open to the possibility that in reality, other individuals possess different perspectives and perceptions – in other words, not everyone think like us, that is where effective communication comes into play. The more we have the ability to communicate with different mindsets, the more effective our communication will become.

  1. Critical thinking

Employers are always on the lookout for individuals who can analyze situations and make informed decisions that are supported with rational and logical thinking. Critical thinking is also useful in data analysis, coaching and mentoring of juniors as well. Studies have shown that employees who often think critically have a strong sense of self awareness and reflection, more independent, competent and efficient in their work.

A critical thinker not only accumulates information well but they are able to deduce important facts and outcomes by connecting ideas to logical thoughts. By conceptualizing outcomes, critical thinkers are said to be better at solving problems than those who just blindly memorize information.

  1. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to understand and manage our and others’ emotions. The skills that are correlated with emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-reflection, self-regulation, empathy, interpersonal skills, motivation and perseverance. It is beneficial if everyone in the workplace starts to embrace the nuances of human emotions in the workplace. When an organization has employees that embodies emotional intelligence, they are better in collaboration, prioritizing team work, better ways of conflict resolution which leads to a more conducive working environment.

Emotional intelligence is intricately blended into the decisions and actions made in the workplace. It could be in a basic instruction for the team, or in a massive organizational/structural change. Therefore, individuals with higher emotional intelligence can easily navigate the workplace more effectively, build and drive successful teams to be agile and responsive than those who have lower emotional intelligence.

  1. Active listening

The best communicators are not just good at articulating their own thoughts, they are also superb listeners. Active listening can be defined as “giving your complete, intentional focus to what someone has to say, not interrupting someone midway through, and having the ability to hear what isn’t being said by watching facial and body language or reactions.

Active listening is the key to getting the most out of a conversation which allows a person to reap personal and interpersonal relationships. A study conducted by York University found that individuals who “listen to understand” are able to forge better and happier relationships with their peers, colleagues and direct supervisors.

  1. Great work ethics and moral compass

Work ethics are generally defined as “well-founded fundamentals and principles of an individual”. Ethics are used to determine right from wrong, and it usually dictate our course of action throughout our daily lives.

Characteristics such as honesty, discipline, respect, integrity and accountability are highly sought after by employers. In the long run, having a workforce that encompasses these traits will improve the company’s business and reputation while raising the overall morale compass of employees which will subsequently result in positive returns.

This would lead to increased employee performance, job satisfaction which would shape the organization’s culture and behaviors to include altruism, conscientiousness and courtesy.

Those who wish to become un-automatable should have the ability to communicate their domain effectively and understand the context of who they are communicating with, be it with their team members, direct supervisors or colleagues in the company.

These days, companies look for individuals with strong emotional intelligence as it is essential to develop strong interpersonal skills if they want to succeed in any industry.

Having the right soft skills in the workplace enables employees to communicate effectively, problem solve, work together in teams and organize successfully. The modern employee will have to work on developing soft skills in tandem with strengthening their technical capabilities.

Furthermore, professionals should also strive to be effective leaders, coaches and mentors and build a large network of human connections, in and out of the workplace. Possessing a moral compass will be crucial when artificial intelligence machines start to make morally weighted decisions, but as the saying goes “It is never too late to start now”.

—End—

 

 

 

 

 

AI is Shaping Our Future and it is Not Slowing Down Anytime Soon

WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2021 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved.

Tech Trends in 2022 and Future

Brace yourself, the next big thing in the tech sphere that could ultimately impact our life is when artificial intelligence (AI) teaches itself to achieve goals that humankind have yet to achieve, or have a hard time achieving.

2020 and 2021 are no doubt the toughest times for many generations – from baby boomers, millennials to Gen Z. Though there are still lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which causes fear, uncertainty and doubt in humankind, it is not surprising that people may think that the world’s progress have reached a plateau, or worse declining.

However, on the flipside, scientists have made huge advancements through research on artificial intelligence in the recent years. Many people still associate AI with science fiction robots, but in reality, AI improves and streamlines our day-to-day processes, eliminating repetitive and mundane tasks, allowing us to accomplish more in less time.

AI makes it possible for machines to learn from experience and perform human tasks, from customer service, to self-driving cars, from tools aiding us in avoiding traffic, instant translation of machines, offering books, movies and music recommendations are just some forms of examples that AI has taken up today.

Here are five interesting AI trends that will change our lives in 2022 and beyond:

  1. Bigger, bolder and better language modeling

Language modeling is a process that allows machines to comprehend and communicate with humans in a language that both understands.

Data scientists and engineers have been working on this for years and it seems to be coming into fruition, the most plausible and logical way of achieving this is by taking natural human languages and turn them into computer codes that can run applications and programs.

This is one step closer to being able to create a universal language and hold conversations that are indistinguishable from those of humans.

  1. Shifting the Future of Working

With the occurrence of a sudden pandemic that has shifted the ways of how we work, with employees being accustomed to remote working, organizations are going to need to leverage technologies seamlessly to enable collaboration for all employees regardless of location.

With tools like Slack, Zoom, Cisco, Discord, Microsoft, Google and Salesforce, we can expect to see a software and hardware boom that will continue to advance where new operating systems for work will be built to improve meeting equity and enable a level of unmatched collaboration.

The work shift is also changing how we interact and function to enable us to be more productive. More tools are going to be deployed rather than just employees living in their inboxes, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and traditional productivity tools.

  1. Effective self-driving cars powered by lithium-ion batteries

Over the coming decade, AI will inevitably guide autonomous cars, aircrafts and other moving vehicles that is going to revolutionize travel and society.

Based on an research article by WHO, approximately 1.3 people die of traffic accidents every year, and 90% were caused by human errors. When the public starts adopting the use of autonomous cars, the rates of traffic accidents will decrease tremendously.

As effective autonomous cars start penetrating into the automobile industry with further good news, Tesla says that its cars will demonstrate full self-driving capability by 2022 but more testing has to be done prior before it can be sold to the public and ready for general use.

  1. Increased adoption of Creative AI

It is a known fact that AI is being used to create art, music and video games, but 2022 will be a game changer, Google Brain, who are literally the brain behind Google’s AI research team under the umbrella of Google AI, a research division at Google dedicated to AI – they are set to redefine the boundaries of what is possible, as we can expect more creative output from them.

For instance, when AI is increasingly being applied to routine creative tasks, such as designing logos and infographics and more. Creativity has long often been seen as a human skill but we are now experiencing these capabilities appearing in machines, meaning AI is moving a step closer in terms of scope and function in what we constitute as genuine, authentic intelligence.

  1. Advanced AI in Cybersecurity

In 2021, World Economic Forum identified cybercrime as a potentially significant risk to society than terrorism itself.

This comes as a shock because physical weapons used in warfare used to be the biggest threat among all but ever since technology advanced in such an unprecedented rate where machines have almost total control of our lives, hacking and cybercrime have inevitably become a major nuisance for governments, businesses and individuals. For example, every connected device we add to a network is a potential risk where a hacker could use against us.

Here is where AI intervenes to save the day, by analyzing network traffic and learning how to recognize patterns that suggest nefarious intentions, regardless of locations, smart algorithms are playing a vital role in keeping our data and ourselves safe.

AI relies heavily on natural language processing and deep learning, not only is it just a technology but it has gradually but steadily seep into our daily lives. Many find it fascinating that AI has fully become intertwined in our lives and existence, we rely on technology on a daily basis in our lives without even realizing when did it occur.

Though unfamiliar to many at first but through curiosity and our willingness to adapt and learn, we have successfully embraced tech into our daily lives without hesitation due to the benefits it brings.

Artificial Intelligence is impacting the future virtually in every industry, and also humankind. AI is the main driver of great technologies like big data and robotics, needless to say, AI will continue to act as a technological innovator for the foreseeable future.

—End—

 

 

 

 

 

Rise of the Robots in Asia

WiseNetAsia Knowledge Center
Copyright © 2021 WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd.  All Rights Reserved

Would Artificial Intelligence be the catalyst of jobs losses in the future?

One of the most controversial aspects of today’s technological revolution is the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and human capital with the US being the leading country affected by this crucial shift. When would this revolution catapult Asia to being parallel with the US? Are human jobs undoubtedly going to be obsolete in the coming years? Are we heading towards a bleak outcome of the future?

According to a report by MIT and Boston University, an estimation of about 2 million workers will be displaced from their jobs in manufacturing alone by 2030. 11 Asian markets are thoroughly studied, 12% of jobs are at a high risk of being automated away in the next few years. It is of no doubt that if your job is repetitive and routine based, it is substantially at risk of automation. You might subconsciously ask yourself, could a machine possibly do my job? The answer is relatively subjective. It varies from different work sectors that one is in, with these listed jobs being the highest in the automation food chain, for instance, food and preparation services (81%), production operations (79%), office and administrative support (60%), transportation and material moving (55%) as reported by Brookings Institutions.

Could a machine possibly do my job? The answer is relatively subjective.

Many highly skilled jobs in developed markets will definitely benefit and be augmented by artificial intelligence’s (AI) existence (11%) than in less developed economies with a mere (6%). For less developed countries with a salaried workforce that fall under the high-risk category are mainly from Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Data from these statistics have been extracted and measured against different countries’ and industries’ forecasts on 17 categories of various emerging technology.

Based on the International Labour Organization (ILO) employment statistics, for specific job-related tasks, the data showed that AI’s effect on job automation would be massive on wealthier economies than the poorer ones (14% as opposed to 10%). Labor constrained countries like Singapore, China and Japan are highly likely to be the fastest to seize various jobs opportunities created by AI, this is particularly accurate as to which degree a job is required and enhanced is solely determined by a country’s different economic and social structures and its technological readiness.

Labor constrained countries like Singapore, China and Japan are highly likely to be the fastest to seize various jobs opportunities created by AI

An interesting excerpt from the book by author Daniel Susskind “A World Without Work: Technology, Automation and How We Should Respond”, “Machines don’t fall ill, they don’t need to isolate to protect peers, they don’t need to take time off work.” This noteworthy statement acts as a revelation to all, where one should constantly upskill themselves and be multifaceted in this everyday fast paced environment, one skill is insufficient for what is yet to come. Underdeveloped countries with specialized skilled workers find themselves wrangling on low wage labor needs to reposition themselves.

The human lineage has been constantly evolving since major events took place during the evolution of modern human species which have since begun approximately 4.2 billion years ago. It is inevitably now the race of the survivability of the fittest and that is us – homo sapiens. In reference to the book “Blueprint” by Robert Plomin, Plomin emphasizes on the significance of environmental forces where the fate of individuals and societies are relied upon structural, experiential, and historical factors. How did homosapiens gain dominance? It prominently stemmed from our ability to adapt from mild circumstances to extreme environments and our goals to achieve and strive towards a better future.

In practice or in theory, AI and automation should unbound humans from everyday mundane, monotonous or even threatening tasks that might put their lives at risk. In this day and age, humans should take on more intellectually stimulating and value-added assignments and jobs, companies would flourish, be more efficient and productive thus workers’ wages would subsequently be raised nonetheless.

As Andrew Yang mentioned in his book “The War on Normal People”, it is the government and corporate entities responsibility to identify displaced workers over a range of industries thus having the resources to pay for mass retraining regardless of age, but this notion and idea may be immensely far fetched as not every person would have the physical and mental capacity to be retrained in an in-demand field. To retrain young adults might not be that hard of a feat but the real challenge comes with retraining middle aged workers. The success rate for retraining retrenched middle aged workers due to automation is merely (15%). Effective dissemination of information by the government has to be done in real time, there needs to be employers who are looking to employ a large number of newly trained middle aged workers.

The success rate for retraining retrenched middle aged workers due to automation is merely (15%). There needs to be employers who are looking to employ a large number of newly trained middle aged workers.

Technology will continue to be deployed, employees should be given abundance of time to transition into new roles and pick up on new skills. An opposing fact to the above whereby circumstances might not be aligned with what the corporate firms or government might have in their agenda, those who are unfortunate in losing their jobs would have to seek for retraining and uplifting of skills within their own means by using severance pay or unemployment benefits to work in various other fields not within their expertise.

Automation will ultimately eradicate certain jobs, but as the world is at a constant pace of change where technological advancement will continue to prosper, more jobs will be needed when it comes to working alongside robots – data scientist, quantum machine learning analysts, augmented journey reality builder, genomic portfolio director. However, not everyone has the right skill sets or learning capabilities to take on source, channel or cryptographic coding, that may be difficult to grasp. However, jobs like teachers, therapists, artisans, healthcare professionals are to be high in demand. All of these jobs require a copious amount of social intelligence, creativity, compassion and empathy – jobs that prioritize emotional human attributes that AI have yet to fully manifest or maybe AI could embody these attributes in more decades to come and that is for us homosapiens to eventually find out.

—End—