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So, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share my experience to people who are interested to join and tips in working in a fast paced company. I believe AirAsia is a great place to learn and work but despite that, I still think it depends whether you suit the working environment and what the job is asking out of you. I won't say in detail (I believe I should not disclose too much information, best you find out on your own) but generally how it's like working in this company. Do note that the culture may differ slightly depending on the department you work in and the bosses/managers you're under.
Fast paced working environment
Airline business is a very competitive market and I believe that one of the reason AirAsia is so successful right now is how their staff is able to adapt with their environment and churn out work quickly in such a short span out time. Since that's the case, it's not surprising if bosses were to suddenly come up to with a project and say "yeah, I needed it yesterday". And so stress ensues.... There were many times when I question my seniors how do they do it? and they would answer, "We're all like ducks. Calm on top and paddling like crazy under water."
So, huge tip when working there, (1)know how to prioritize and delegate your work.
Note that you will be given a lot of work and they will give you as much as you can. Before you know it, you will be drowning. But if it's too much and you are dying, bosses (well, mine was) are understanding people (If they're not, make them understand). If you can't do it asap with the workload you have, compromise with them whether you can have extra time or hit the pause button on the "we need it now!" project he/she gave you earlier.
So, (2)know what your capabilities and your limits are but be aware that everyone else also has a lot of work. So, don't go yoga everywhere, delegate when and where is necessary(I stress on where as people might yoga some work to you when it's not your job to do). Don't get caught up being too nice and doing other people's work when you can't handle your own work. If you're free, help whenever you can. If you too busy, reject.
Friendly co-workers and open-door bosses
What I think kept me in the company was the people. My colleagues were very friendly and helpful. You'll definitely meet a lot of fun and interesting people there!
AirAsia is also a flat structure so there's no individual office rooms for bosses. I remember where I sat, my colleague was sitting in front of me and right behind my colleague was my boss's cubicle and right next to me was my manager's seat. It's pretty much an open-door policy there. There's isn't a large hierarchy above you. So, it's easier to talk to bosses compared to most big companies.
Learn on the go
There's no "Oh, by the way, here's a hand book on all you need to know about your job and the company". You'll be learning everything on the go. Although they won't be explaining everything to you when you just started (because they're just too busy) but my colleagues were willing to drop what they're doing to help me when I had a question.
So, my tip is (3)don't be afraid to ask questions. You may embarrassed of having to ask too many questions, but know that it's okay. That's the way you learn. But do try and find out on your on first cause sometimes the answer might just be in front of you.
Also, (4)get to know as much people as you can from different department. Be nice, be helpful(but do take note of tip 2) and spend some time to get to know them because I am sure that there'll be
Being up-to-date and constant research
Get to know as much as you can on the company and do some research on things related to your job because this will not only help you during the interview but also in your working life in the company. A background on the company helps you understand the company's culture and learning the scene like airport codes and your competition is vital. So, (5)know your stuff and continuously do your research. I would recommend reading the AirAsia Story and the AirAsia Story 2 as a start.
On standby 24/7
I'm sure some of you have that experience where there's that one what's app group that you wished you could get out off. Well, in the marketing team, you're always on standby. But don't worry!! You won't always be working on weekends but there will be times when bosses need you to get things done asap. So, do expect you might get what's app messages on weekends once in a while and having events during weekends as well.
Other perks in working in AirAsia
Travel benefits
Definitely the biggest perk of working in an airline is the travel benefits! You will definitely have an awesome privilege when it comes to air tickets (I won't go into details on what exactly). And if you're in marketing or PR, you might have opportunities to travel because of work.
Events and free stuff
If you're in marketing, there's the social events and some other freebies. And for all staffs, you'll have free credits on your card which you can use to purchase meals in the cafeteria and some restaurants in klia2.
But one of the big highlights of the year is the annual party and when it comes to AirAsia, they go big. Last year, they had a performance that K-pop fans would definitely enjoy. And as usual free food, dance floor and lots of fun. But what most Allstar are eager every year is their prize-giving lottery at the end of the night. Your jaws will drop if you find out what the grand prize winner will get!
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It was an roller coaster ride for me in AirAsia. Made a lot of mistakes but learned a lot along the way. Hope my lessons may help you as well.
All the best!
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