S3, E21 | How Aunty HR Became the Voice of Malaysia’s HR Community

Before she became known across LinkedIn as “Aunty HR,” Sim Ling Ku never planned a career in Human Resources. She didn’t study HR, she learned people. Growing up as the middle child in a humble family, she naturally stepped into the mediator role, the listener, the one everyone turned to. When she entered the working world in admin and support roles, the same thing happened: colleagues came to her with problems they didn’t dare voice elsewhere. Long before she held the title, she was already doing HR without knowing it. When she finally stepped into HR officially, she brought something most don’t learn from textbooks, a people-first instinct. HR wasn’t policies or paperwork to her; it was the emotional labour of caring for humans at their most vulnerable. She handled everything from workplace conflict to employees battling depression, often being the only safe person they could turn to. That empathy, mixed with her courage to say the unpopular but right thing, shaped her into the leader people trusted. That’s how “Aunty HR” was born, not from age, but from warmth, protection, and the belief that HR should be human. Today, Aunty HR is one of Malaysia’s most relatable and authentic HR voices. She speaks openly about burnout, toxic leadership, and the unseen weight HR professionals carry, topics many shy away from. Her story reminds us that you don’t need the “perfect” background to lead; you just need heart, resilience, and the willingness to stand up for people even when it’s hard. And in this Hello Mentor episode, she opens up about that journey, the truth behind the title, the battles no one sees, and why HR, to her, isn’t just a job but a calling. Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin:  https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor