15/08/2026
A few days ago, I read another story about Malaysians being lured overseas by job opportunities that eventually turned out to be linked to scam operations.
It made me think about something a mentor told me when I was in my twenties:
“There is no such thing as easy money.”
At that age, I didn't fully agree with him. I thought perhaps his generation was simply too conservative and didn't believe that something “too good to be true” could actually be true.
Years later, I understand his words very differently.
Most of us will face financial pressure at some point. With inflation, rising expectations and social media constantly showing us stories of fast success, it is understandable that a job promising significantly higher income with less effort can become very attractive.
Sometimes we are also surrounded by messages such as “work less, earn more”, “financial freedom quickly” or “there must be an easier way”.
There is nothing wrong with wanting a better income or a better life.
But perhaps we should also ask:
Does the opportunity make sense compared with the skills, experience and market value I currently bring?
If an unfamiliar company suddenly offers several times our normal income for very little work, without clear responsibilities, proper verification or a logical business reason, that should encourage us to ask more questions — not fewer.
Working in hospitality has also made me think about another side of this issue.
Our industry sometimes struggles to attract local talent, even though hospitality can provide something that is difficult to see immediately: a foundation.
You learn people skills, negotiation, commercial thinking, operations, leadership, problem solving and relationships. These may not create overnight success, but over time they increase your market value.
Perhaps one of the best protections against unrealistic opportunities is to keep investing in ourselves.
Build real skills.
Understand our industry.
Keep learning.
Increase our market value.
Know what our experience is genuinely worth.
And when an opportunity comes, don't only ask:
“How much can I earn?”
Also ask:
“Why are they willing to pay me this amount, and what value am I expected to create in return?”
I still want to grow. I still want better opportunities. ....
But today I understand my mentor's advice better:
There is usually no shortcut to sustainable success.
Build your foundation, increase your value, verify opportunities carefully, and never allow financial pressure to stop you from asking whether something truly makes sense.
Sometimes the advice we dismissed when we were younger becomes the wisdom we understand only after living through a few more chapters ourselves.