Monday, 3rd November 2026
"Hi Malcolm, this is KW. You almost got the job. You were shortlisted, but eventually they selected someone else who has the relevant real estate experience. Thank you for your time, and all the best in your job search."
That was what the headhunting recruiter from Orion Consulting said to me over the phone, sometime just after Chinese New Year, February 2008.
It was meant to be words of reassurance and comfort.
That I came so, so, very, close.
But it had the opposite effect.
It was like telling someone that they almost struck the lottery, or an Arsenal fan that they almost won the Champions League last season.
According to Webster's, the word "almost" is most commonly used as an adverb meaning, "very nearly", "not quite", or "not completely".
Back to that phone call.
Sometime in January 2008, Orion had sent my CV to Walton for their Financial Controller, Singapore position. My interview with S, the CFO, went very well and lasted nearly 2 hours long! He then brought me to see G, the MD, and that encounter lasted less than 3 minutes. All I recall was G saying to me was, "You ACS boy? I was from SJI." and then shaking his head and ushering me out the door of his huge room.
I thus had received mixed signals, and told my wife it went excellently with the CFO, but was not so sure how it went with the MD.
KW, the headhunter was supposed to get back to me on the outcome, but CNY was coming up so he told me he would do so after that.
I remember being crestfallen when he told me I "almost" got the job. But I thank God for prompting me to send S an email that same evening thanking him for the interview, and informing him that should any opportunity arise in future, he could let me know.
Well, guess what? KW unexpectedly called me the very next day! Initially I thought it was for another job opening, but he told me that "Walton changed their mind, and wants to see you again! Oh by the way, their office is no longer at One Fullerton, but at Republic Plaza."
I went to their new spanking office, and S asked me when I could start. I told him 1 April 2008. He then showed me the org chart, gave me an overview of the dynamics of the Finance department, and also a brief background of each of the 19 staff! And yes, he also pointed out the potential of vfs to me, even though she was just a junior accountant then.
After doing so, he brought me to G's room. This time around, G was much more warm and friendly, shook my hand, and even put his arm around my shoulder, telling me he was just teasing me about being from ACS. He told me he was a big Man U fan and did not like Liverpool, so as a Villa fan, I did not need to worry. He asked me what my expected salary was, and I replied that it was totally up to him. He offered me 10% higher than what Infineon was paying me, and that was sufficient for me to sign the letter of offer on the spot.
Subsequently, I discovered why S "changed" his mind. That email to him did influence his decision to a certain extent, but it was more because the candidate they had initially offered the job to (the one with real estate experience) declined it because his company had counter-offered him to stay on!
I was actually their 2nd choice, but in life, that is how God shows that He is ultimately sovereign.
For that matter, David was Samuel's 8th choice! He had considered Jesse's 7 sons before finally anointing David.
And that my friends, is the LORD ALMighty's answer to ALMost :-)
When God opens a door, nobody can shut it. And when He closes a door, nobody can open it.
He opened the door for me to join Walton in April 2008, closed it in August 2010 when the environment became too toxic, and then re-opened it in December 2011, only to close it yet again in October 2019, so that I could join RPG in December 2019 after taking a month's break to brush up on my golf.
Hallelujah!
