Monday, May 31, 2010

And then, it happened.

It had finally happened.

For almost six months, I had waited for the opportunity to throw in that letter.In that period, I witnessed friends, acquaintances and colleagues take the plunge. And I could only view with increasingly envious gaze.

It was inexplicably tempting to take the easy way out and settle for a low-hanging fruit. Like a ticking time-bomb, I viewed the impending graduation of the next batch of university graduates with trepidation and angst.

As the months came and went, the protracted ennui grew tiresome and tedious. It certainly did not help that my colleague who joined the office a week earlier than me, had left for greener pastures.

Interviews came and went. Hopes were raised and dashed, as simply as the capricious wave of an unseen hand.

I became obsessed with the manner with how I would leave my present job. I conjured out scenarios of how I would throw in the letter. I vicariously relished each moment of surprise when I inform my colleagues of my escape route.

And then, it happened.

The long-awaited moment arrive packaged in a nifty little phone call. A week later, I had put my name on the dotted line. A new chapter had begun, and it was time to close the existing one.

Hooray!
Or... Not?

The joy I expected to derive out of informing everyone of my impending move never came to pass. Instead, the process was fraught with hesitance, guilt and trist, far from the scintillating bursts of delight I had expected.

These were the people who have made the lackluster nature of administrative work tolerable, with a generous dose of warmth and no holds barred good-willed bi**hing.

With my letter, the Research Office had lost one person, but life grinds on with or without me. Yet I can only hope that I continue to be blessed as I have been in NUHS.

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Irritating Interviews IV

Sadly, blogging is now turning out to be a rare luxury with increasing workload and impending piano examinations. Nonetheless, I must persevere and complete the choleric chronicles of my inane interview adventures. Ha.

Interview #16
August 7th, 2009
Company: All Eights
Category: Laboratory Diagnostics System Distributor
Position: Technical Marketing Executive

What's Hot:
• Located off Upper Paya Lebar Road + 3 direct bus services = 20 minutes public transport time
• Although situated in one of those industrial warehouse-like building, it boasts of a "proper" air-conditioned office, furnished with meeting rooms and cubicles. (Unlike ACHEMA... Haha.)
• Impressive training opportunities for marketing exectuives, both local and overseas, funded by All Eights, SIM and external companies.

What's Not:
• EEeee. Not one of those sales job again...
• Asked to do an impromptu mock sales pitch. I felt as if I was caught with my pants down.
• Speaking of pantless interview, All Eights sounds like... (Clue: Think HIV)

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




Interview #17
August 11, 2009
Company: AITBIOTECH
Category: Genomic services provider and Life Science Equipment Distributor
Position: Customer Support Specialist Product Specialist

The invitation for an interview came from a dubious-looking email:
Dear Kelvin

Would you be available for an interview??

A***
AITBIOTECH

After a few exchange of emails, I noticed A***'s abstinence of periods and commas, while consistently use of double question marks. But I shall resist the temptation to reproducing more emails.

That aside, it was great timing that my parents were away from Singapore, allowing me free reign over the family car. Especially after considering that AITBIOTECH is cruelly located at Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate!

Expectedly, it was one of my most ill-prepared interviews ever.

A sales-based job in a SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) was a double turnoff for me, compelling me to employ my black belt of procrastination. Right up to minutes before the interview, I was still mugging rushing through my notes about AITBIOTECH.

YET...

If the Sanofi-Aventis interview was a catastrophic failure condemned forever to bring shame to Kelvins in the world, then the interview at AITBIOTECH could be likened as a spectacular Nobel-Prize, Pulitzer-Award winning success.

Halfway through the interview, I realized my random unprepared babble about "meeting new people" had fortuitously struck a chord with A***. It all past in an unexpected blur and a quick tour of the laboratory-office premises.

Before I left, A*** had outrightly offered me the job.

Shell-shocked and cornered, I whipped out my wisdom tooth card. That was, my plans to extract my wisdom tooth before commencing work proper.

As I left the Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate perplexed, I received another call from Recruit Express, which led to Interview #19.


What's Hot:
• Extremely amiable CEO: A boss I believe I could work well with
• Monthly salary of $2500: Meeting my minimum cutoff salary
• Although Under EDB's Local on-the-Job Training (LOT), A*** had chosen not to enforce the mandatory one/two year bond.

What's Not:
• Sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales sales
• Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate is simply not friendly to public transport users.
• Monthly salary of $2500: Sorely insufficient since I was expected to have more own tranport

Bing Factor:




Interview #18
August 12, 2009
Company: Singapore - MIT Alliance
Category: University Research
Position: Executive (IP/Research)

My second interview in NUS was in the heart of Engineering. The walk to the Office certainly brought back more memories as opposed to that at School of Medicine. For the umpteenth time, I was filled with disgust, bitterness and nostalgia as I saw engineering muggers sprawled lifelessly on the tables outside Dilly's Creation. Heh.

Ironically, the ubiquitous muggers lay buried in their books, I too was "blessed" with a 2 question-test, designed to gauge how boomz my England would be.

After an hour of scribbling legibly (at least to my best effort), I awaited for Part II, which thankfully featured only two interviewers (K**** & FL).

While the interview was not as spectacular as that in AITBIOTECH, I was cautiously confident that I had made at least a positive impression on FL. (That apparently had unexpected implications later on... but I digress.)

While the interview was not as spectacular as that in AITBIOTECH, I was cautiously confident that I had made at least a positive impression on FL. (That apparently had unexpected implications later on... but I digress.)

What's Hot:
• Non-sales, FINALLY.
• Postulated higher starting pay.
• SMA Office would be located at NUS Faculty of Engineering. Which means... Great food at cheap prices! Techno Edge (AKA Engineering Canteen), Olive Cove, Dilly's Creation, Pavilion Cafe, and McDonald's...

What's Not:
• Administrative, logistical and desk-bound. ZZZZzzzz.
• NUS... Not exactly looking forward to the protracted bus/mrt/bus journey.

Bing Factor:




Interview #19
August 14, 2009
Company: MW Medical
Category: Mobile Clinic
Position: Management Trainee

This was one interview I was initially extremely excited because I had somehow comprehended that the post was some management trainee position at a French multinational company.

Then Au**** from Recruit Express informed me of the salary allowance, which would be a literally groundbreaking S$1800.

All hopes shattered when I googled "MW Medical".

That day was a sleepy morning, and I took the Circle Line to Marymount for the first time. I arrived rather early so I detoured to Shunfu Mart to get my extra caffeine fix from a cup of Kopi-peng (Ice Coffee).

I arrived 15 minutes early to a boring looking clinic in Sin Ming Plaza. It was one of those moments where I spot another candidate already seated and filling up a form.

"Ah-ha! Rival spotted."

As I proceeded to fill up the application form, I heard "Kelvin!".

Oops. It was a fellow NUS BioEngineering mate! Talk about tiny Singapore.

In short, the interview was rather forgetable, but much more should be said in my next entry post.

What's Hot:
• Management Trainee = Great potential for rotation to different departments
• Located walking distance from Marymount MRT Station, slightly over half hour in journey time

What's Not:
• Management Trainee = Great potential for sai kang (AKA shit job)
• $1800 Allowance

Bing Factor:

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Sunday, August 30, 2009

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.

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Monday, August 24, 2009

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

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Dilettante Dilemma

NUH
VS
SMA,Singapore-MIT Alliance


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

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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.

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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

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

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Monday, August 03, 2009

On and On

It continues...

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Monday, July 20, 2009

Astra Zen

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Reprise

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Monday, July 06, 2009

The Hunt Begins

Maintaining an updated blog has turned out to be rather ironic.

The deeper I'm buried in work, the more time I'll manage to find to rant here. So unsurprisingly, I actually post more entries during the examination period than during the holidays.

Almost a month after I've returned from Greece and Turkey, I cannot seem to find enough time to do a proper entry.

In fact, I've been busy busy busy...

For all the WRONG REASONS.

I have actually been spending more time and effort, in researching on what to spend than where to earn.

Yes, even after blowing thousands on my graduation trip, I was still busy buying furnitures, vitamins, skincare products, earphones, running shoes, spectacles and handphone. And then there's the endless slew of outings, badminton games and piano practices.

At the end of each day for the past weeks, I would send a couple of resumes to convince myself that I was trying my best to get myself employed.

But apparently, I wasn't.

So today will be the day that I declare my official job-hunting journey.

I would stop procrastinating and let Singapore know that a very talented BioEngineer/Singer/Writer/International Star known as Kelvin is ready to enter the job market.

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