Irritating Interviews II

The next slew of interviews began to show some promising signs...

Interview #6
July 7th, 2009
Company: Genome Institute of Singapore
Category: A*STAR Research Institute
Position: Research Officer

What's Hot:
• High pay? (Well, all A*STAR research officers are paid more than decently.)
• "Exciting prospects" of progressing to laboratory managers, even without a Masters/PHD
What's Not:
• Extremely repetitive and routine genotyping work
• Biopolis... ...

Bing Factor:




Interview #7
July 8th, 2009
Company: MP Financial
Category: Financial Consulting Firm
Position: Liberty Intership Career Program

What's Hot:
• None
What's Not:
• Everything. I rather teach music than to take up financial consulting.

Bing Factor:
___

I didn't bother turning up for the interview anyway. Heh.


Interview #7
July 8th, 2009
Company: World Scientific Publishing Company
Category: Publishing Firm
Position: Marketing Executive

What's Hot:
• Medium-sized company with over 200 staff with offices in 8 countries
• Leading local publishing firm for Scholarly, Scientific, Technical and Medical (SSTM) market
• Possible links with my BioEngineering background?
What's Not:
• Direct sales constitute as part of the marketing mix.
• Taking charge of either Physics or Mathematics catalogue. *vomit*

Bing Factor:




This was one of the most gruelling interviews involving a panel of 4 interviewers, as mentioned in my past post. Yet instead of panicking, I managed to intersperse the interview with marketing terms and convinced them I was a budding marketer at heart.

I had indeed master the art of "wayang kulit".



Interview #8
July 13th, 2009
Company: Recruit Express Pte Ltd
Category: Recruitment Agency
Position: Recruitment Consultant Medical Staffing Executive

What's Hot:
• NONE
What's Not:
• I was tricked! Disguised as another name, I had unwittingly applied for it. Misled that the interview would be conducted by a recruitment consultant wanting to screen potential candidates for another job, I actually went for the interview... before rejecting it when all came to light.

Bing Factor:





Interview #9
July 17th, 2009
Company: Alert Life Sciences Computing
Category: Electronic Medical Records Software Company
Position: Regional Clinical Facilitator/Trainer

What's Hot:
• Portuguese multinational company albeit not in the billion dollar league
• 4 weeks training course in Porto, Portugal!
• Annual company retreat in... Portugal!
• Potential opening for supervisory role in Asia Pacific branch.
• Possible inter-departmental switch from frontline trainer to software programmer
• Working in a hospital!
What's Not:
• 8-hour shift work during software implementation in Emergency Room department
• 5 day work week, including weekends.
• Regional work with the first couple of years in Penang, Malaysia

Bing Factor:

Alert Life Sciences Computing is a Portuguese software company specialized in transforming paper-based hospital systems to a paperless electronic medical record system.

As a clinical trainer, it involves having to act as "a key facilitator agent between health professionals and ALERT® and assist users to become familiarized with usage of the company's software".

Majority of the time and effort is invested in on-site training, meaning that one has to literally hold the hand of doctors and nurses to convince them to make an effective switch.

Exciting eh? At least the interviewer Portuguese Pauline managed to stir my interest.

But unfortunately, this job requires one to be based at the hospital where ALERT has a project in. And in this case, at Penang Adventist Hospital!

OMP! (oh my piano)



Interview #10
July 20th, 2009 (10.30AM)
Company: World Scientific Publishing Company
Category: Publishing Firm
Position: Marketing Executive

I was happy but not exactly jubilant with joy when I was informed that I was shortlisted for the second round of interview. ALERT Life Sciences had effectively made the Marketing Executive role slightly less attractive.

So... Bing Factor (Updated):




For the second interview, I met with the Executive Director, Mr Max Phua and Mr Raymond. It was slightly awkward when Phua questioned how much I liked books.

My response:
Eh... I really really love them?

Or at least that was what I probably sounded like.

Convincing FAIL.

In any case, I and another potential candidate (China foreign talent) were then showcased to the array of books that were published by World Scientific. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Dr Phua, the Chairman was too busy to meet us.

After which, it was time to grab lunch and head to town for...



Interview #11
July 20th, 2009 (3.00PM)
Company: AstraZeneca
Category: Pharmaceutical Company
Position: Medical Representative

What's Hot:
• Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical MNC
• Comprehensive training programme
• Direct bus service to Wilkie Edge (Opp. Peace Centre)
• Each-a-Cup bubble tea outlet on ground level!
What's Not:
• Sales driven with sales target
• Required to purchase own transport *kapuk goes my bank account*

Bing Factor:



I was already exhausted but gulped down another cup of coffea robusta (AKA Kopi-O) to intoxicate the Z-monster. But I soon realized that my efforts would be washed down the drain.

The interviewer actually expressed surprise that I did not have any prior working experience.

Hello?! My résumé clearly stated that I had freshly graduated in July so how the heck can one interpret me to have past sales experience?!

Then, it dawned upon me that my application was recommended by some incompetent recruitment consultant from Recruit Express. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed my bubble tea from Each-a-Cup after the interview. Heh.

However, I must mention that this was the only company that rejected my application via snail mail.

Irritating Interviews I

If resumés are static photographs of one's abilities and skills, interviews are like windows from which an interviewer can peer into. Likewise, an interviewee can catch a glimpse of the workings of a company during this time too.

Of course, interviews are by no means an accurate gauge, and largely depend on one's ability to cast an effective and credible smokebomb of delusion.

With light finally visible at the end of this smoky tunnel, I've decided to release all details chronicling this long and arduous journey.

Interview #1
February 2009
Company: Recruit Express Pte Ltd
Category: Recruitment Agency
Position: Recruitment Consultant

What's Hot:
• My maiden job interview!
What's Not:
• Not in my field of study.
• Long working hours.
• Involves cold calling.

Bing Factor
(On a scale of 1-5; 1 being a crappy job & 5 means BINGo!):



I recalled that I was still having an early lunch at Megabites, when my phone rang.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized I would be having my first job interview. In a matter of hours, I had bought a copy of Fearless Interviewing by Markey Stein from the NUS Career Centre.

But my apprehension was unfounded as the interview turned out to be an informal chit-chat session. At the end of it, I was asked to complete a Harrison InnerView Questionnaire, to assess whether my personality profile would be a good fit to the job.

Days later, I received a phone call and email from the interviewer, informing me that I should redo the questions and resend it back.

As per spoken, please redo the Harrison Inner View Questionaire. There is nothing really wrong in the first test you did, but perhaps you may want to recall what I have mentioned to you in the interview about what we are looking for our consultant. For eg., we need someone who can work in a fast-paced environment. Or we need someone who has no fears in overcoming obstacles. Please redo, and return to me via email once you have completed. Thank you.

Of course, after doing the second round schizophrenically, I "passed".

One day before the second interview with the CEO, I backed out of it altogether... ...
.
.
.
.
.
.
as I was busy preparing for my Physiology II test.

It was only much later that I found out a typical recruitment consultant was paid $2200 with incentives. And subjected to pay cuts if minimum targets are not met.

Final Bing Factor for Recruit Express:





Interview #2
April 8th, 2009
Company: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
Category: A*STAR Research Institute
Position: Research Officer

What's Hot:
• Dr Edwin Chow's pet project
• Non-laboratory aspects such as coordinating clinical trials with doctors and researchers in NUH
• High commercialization prospect
• Fresh hot lemon tea at 3PM, from Mondays to Thursday
What's Not:
• Laboratory work
• Biopolis... AGAIN?!

Bing Factor:




During the interview, I made the fatal error of positioning myself as an overenthusiastic undergraduate keen on furthering my studies (yeah rite...) and publishing papers. Only to realize that the job post requires the exact opposite.


Interview #3
May 4th, 2009
Company: BES Technology Pte Ltd
Category: Biomedical Engineering Services and Distributor
Position: Sales/Project Engineer

What's Hot:
• LOCATION
Just located under a kilometre away at Lichfield Road, I literally walked to the company!
What's Not:
• Tiny company constituting of single-digit staff count, in a single shophouse.
• Doing sales isn't exactly my cup of tea.
• Name of the company is a sheer turnoff.
What kind of name is "BES Technology"? Surely, they're not trying to convince others with their name... What they really lack is a company cheer:

North South East West
Who's the Best?
BESTech BESTech is the BEST!

Bing Factor:





Interview #4
May 7th, 2009
Company: Achema Pte Ltd
Category: Life science and hospital equipment distributor
Position: Sales Engineer

What's Hot:
• Location? Jalan Pemimpin was a single bus service away.
• Bigger than BES Tech, though not much
• Less engineering and more life science
What's Not:
• Industrial warehouse environment, with the office thrown at a corner
• Thus, toilets weren't exactly the cleanest.
• Lush pantry was not in sight.
• Sales... again.

Bing Factor:





Interview #5
May 22nd, 2009
Company: Sanofi-Aventis Pharma Manufacturing
Category: Pharmaceuticals and chemical manufacturing
Position: Process Chemist

What's Hot:
• Multinational Company (MNC)
• Pharmaceutical MNC
What's Not:
• LOCATION: Gul Circle, AKA bloody TUAS.
• Ridiculous mismatched in terms of job scope

Bing Factor:



If you're thinking how the heck a Bioengineer like me is able to snitch an interview for a Process Chemist post, it was actually courtesy of my father pulling strings.

Unfortunately, those strings nearly strangled me to death.

Because the job post demanded a person with Chemistry educational background, I had to convince the interviewer that I was incredibly versatile and immensely gifted, even with my lack of relevant qualification.

Oh... How much I winced and cringed in my seat during the whole time.

And did I mention, I was given a chemistry test too? Not surprisingly, I failed with flying colours. :p

Dilettante Dilemma

VS

(And I can't believe I've to resort to blogging in html, with blogger getting so screwed up...)

I'm Not Your Mother

It was unprecedented and unexpected.
But without a doubt, I've morphed into...
.
.
.
.
...Stella Zinman.


(To Be Continued...)

怎麽办

What am I to do?

The second wave of interviews has finally drawn to a close last week, with the third beginning yesterday. And this has been one helluva rollercoaster ride.

I always liken interviews as examinations. You only have one shot at it, there is simply no second chance if you screw it up. So getting called back for a second interview is like passing it, albeit not acing it.

You might think that after going through so many interviews, I would almost qualify as a professional interviewee.

But sadly, I am not as interview-smart as I would like to be and at times, I would be totally caught off guard.

Like examinations carrying different modular credits, the potential reward behind every interview can differ widely.

Clinching second interviews from MNCs and hospitals are already worthy of celebration.

Then there are those SMEs providing specialized laboratory services and/or distributing life science equipment to biomedical research institutes or hospitals. Application for these companies tend to be fraught with reluctance, and preparing for such interview is sometimes viewed as tiresome.

And then, there is A********H, a SME inviting me for an interview with a dubious one-liner email.

It was no surprise I dreaded going for the interview since it had nowhere fulfilled my ideal criteria of a blockbuster job. I procrastinated until the very last minute before preparing for the interview.

Right up to the meeting place, I was still going through the products that A********H were carrying and figuring out what the heck I was doing here.

Then, at 10.30AM, I was offered the job.

I burst into a joyous fit of song and dance as I skipped gleefully from towards the car.
NOT.

Instead, as the CEO of A********H presented his decision, I somewhat panicked, while still maintaining a façade of restrained confidence and happiness.

I did not help that as I was being interviewed, my handphone was buzzing silently yet madly in my pocket. Upon returning the call, it was to schedule another interview for a separate job.

Agad.

My worst fears have finally come true.

I'm offered an "okay" job but the jobs I truly desire are still in the first phase of interviews.

As my dad would always cautioned, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". But would this bird in my hand be worth more than four in the bush?

Yes, I know. The local economy is in its doldrums and I should not be so picky, but the motivation not settle for mediocrity is almost irresistable.

For now, I'll try to play the stalling game as I attempt to delay the signing of the contract to the very last minute.

God Help Me.

Bungling Blogger II

That's it. I'm going to make a permanent switch to Wordpress since Blogger seem unable to get its act together.

But of course, I should be preoccupied with my morning interview tomorrow, especially with my H1N1-inspired symptoms blossoming from within.

This is gonna be the most ill-prepared interview I'll ever have. Pun intended.

Dubious Email

I found this sitting suspiciously in my email this afternoon.

Dear Kelvin

Would you be available for an interview??

A***
A********H

I was tempted to reply...

Dear A***

Yes!!

Kelvin
Psychobabble

Bungling Blogger

Is it me or is Blogger getting more screwed-up?

Posting an image typically involves me trying to log in to my account via either Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Microsoft Internet Explorer, and hoping that one of them will work.

Today, all of them failed.

Looks like it's really time to for greener pastures.

On and On

It continues...