What it does: Dialog Axiata is a subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad, specialising as a telecommunications service provider, as well as offering satellite television and broadband internet services across Sri Lanka.
Best known for: They’re best known for being the largest wireless network in Sri Lanka, with over 14 million users, accounting for 44% of the Sri Lankan mobile market.
Staff stats: Over 4,300 employees in locations across Sri Lanka.
The good bits: Management is open to new ideas and perspectives, and there are ample advancement opportunities.
The not so good bits: Heavy workloads (shaky work-life balance). Also, though it’s not always a deal-breaker, knowing English is sometimes a prerequisite for certain positions.
Hiring grads with degrees in: Finance, Accounting, Business, Management, Marketing, IT & Computer Sciences, Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering, Physical Science
Dialog Axiata is a relatively young company, first incorporated as MTN Networks (Private) Limited in 1993. Two years after their incorporation, the company began its first commercial operations by bringing GSM technology, which was superior to analogue networks, to South Asia.
Later, in 2005, MTN Networks Pvt Ltd became known as Dialog Telekom Ltd. In the same year, the company launched an IPO on the Sri Lankan capital markets. The IPO raised a total of LKR 8.55 billion (USD 77 million) in financing for the company, making it the largest IPO in the country at the time. The first day of trading landed them in the history books as the first Sri Lankan company to reach a market capitalisation of USD 1 billion.
The online application process for Dialog Axiata starts by selecting a position and sending a cover letter, resume and filling out the respective application (if applicable; some jobs only require a cover letter and resume). The entire 'processing period' takes around 13 days, at which point a hiring representative will contact you to schedule an interview.
The specifics are based on what position you're there for, but generally, the interview is straightforward. Most begin with a face-to-face talk with a manager or HR representative. They'll ask you questions related to your field, why you chose their company, and attempt to measure your capabilities throughout the interview. The post-interview decision takes between 1-2 weeks.
Since Dialog Axiata is heavily involved in the tech industry, there are plenty of opportunities available on a near-constant basis. Career advancement within the company is a bit more competitive than other telecom companies, though the pay-off is also more significant. The company is very welcoming to fresh grads; in fact, many of their jobs and internships are explicitly focused on gaining new graduates.
While a highly competitive environment is not necessarily a bad thing, it also means less margin for error and more stressful working conditions. The competitiveness at Dialog Axiata is stressful, but it’s not nearly as cut-throat as some financial institutions. Many positions also require a strong knowledge of English, especially customer service or care positions.
Dialog Axiata is an excellent choice for fresh grads who want to dive right into making money. Most initial positions within the company have high starting salaries for graduates. However, some typically coveted jobs pay oddly lower than others. For example, a telecommunications engineer at Dialog Axiata often starts at a lower wage than the industry standard—sometimes nearly 68% less (LKR 5.4 million or USD 30,000).
The culture at Dialog Axiata manages to combine competitiveness with a forward-thinking and progressive environment. While management isn't always as open to ideas as they may suggest, they are generally positive and actually care about the staff's mental health and wellbeing. Reportedly, management can also be picky or difficult to work with regarding who they choose to promote, but that understandably comes along with the competitive atmosphere.
Dialog Axiata deals exclusively in telecommunications systems—which means there’s an added layer of scrutiny regarding how they handle environmentalism. Dialog Axiata maintains a strict environmental-protection philosophy and has remained vigilant with its conservatism efforts.
To prevent mobile technologies—which contain components that require specific recycling methods—from reaching landfills, Dialog Axiata began its 'M-Waste’ initiative. Since its inception, the programme has grown into a full-scale waste management system. The initiative, which began with only 14 collection points, has grown to over 145 recycling locations spanning across Sri Lanka.
Aside from their environmental awareness, the Dialog Axiata Foundation contributes funds to a variety of social responsibility initiatives. These include scholarship programs, youth education, and their BeTechnologyWise initiative, which aims to educate the populace on the responsible use of technology and its impact on the world.
Dialog Axiata is essentially the forerunner of wireless network communications in Sri Lanka. They were the first to introduce vital new technologies to their country, and still attempt to maintain that same level of aggressive progression. As such, the workplace is highly competitive, and—though career opportunities are plentiful—they aren't easily handed out. Additionally, while some positions within the company pay quite well, certain positions (especially engineering-related) offer considerably less money than what you could earn elsewhere. Overall, the general vibe of the place is a forward-thinking environment with a heavy emphasis on utilizing new tech advancements and competing for greater rewards.