"The detour that led me to the best job yet”

For Esteban Garcia Jr. or “Jay-Ar” data privacy isn’t just a job. It’s a cause he’s dedicated to championing. After a rewarding run heading up the information security and data privacy team for the Philippine market at a Southeast Asian tech unicorn, Jay-Ar moved on in search for the next career high. Instead, some unexpected developments forced him to make a detour.

Soon after joining his next company, a change in leadership resulted in a new direction for the business. Priorities shifted and Jay-Ar's role became less strategic.

“Alignment with an organisation’s purpose is important. I know I can be fully committed to my role when I’m in the right environment, because I’ll feel empowered to succeed,” says Jay-Ar. Sensing limited growth opportunities where he was at, Jay-Ar decided a change was in order.

Mapping out what his ideal job would look like, Jay-Ar identified a few conditions. First, the company must have meaningful long-term goals. It should have strong management support for what he hopes to achieve. The company should also recognise the value of his work as an expert in the field, and respect diversity and religious freedom.

All of this he laid out to Sarah Bon, Manager at Robert Walters Philippines, when they first connected in September to explore options. He was pleasantly surprised that she understood his vision and moved straight into action. “Three days from our meeting, Sarah matched me to a role. By day five, I was booked for an interview,” he marvels. “They really valued my time.”

If there was any time that Jay-Ar had to wait, it was for feedback from the hiring managers, but even this was expertly managed. “Sarah and team were transparent and communicative with all the status updates. All in all, the recruitment process was seamless.”

So seamless, in fact, that Jay-Ar soon signed off on his new offer as the Vice President of Privacy at a global financial services corporation. By December – a little over two months from his initial meeting with Sarah – he started his first day on the job with a call from the Robert Walters team to cheer him on as he embarked on an important milestone.

Now, Jay-Ar considers his current position the best job he’s had yet, and it’s thanks to the help he got along the way. There are many recruitment companies out there, but Robert Walters sets the bar high.

“ I felt genuinely supported at every turn and they helped me find my dream job. I know I succeeded because Sarah and her team believed in me.”