Interview Guru

Yes, I am the interview Guru. Not Love Guru, though I would love to watch that show, but an interview Guru. I have counted and I realised that it has been 3 months since I had my last exam. Technically, I've just graduated cos the commencement was in July. But it's been 3 months since I had my last acedamic work over at NUS. To add oil to fire, I've been through no less than 15 interviews so far, including 2nd rounds. That worked out to be 1 per week on the average. Well, I am happy to say that I have found a job and will be starting soon. As for the company and designation, I'll leave that to another time.

I can officially declare myself an interview guru cos of my experience in interviews, as an interviewee of cos. At times, when I see the interviewer struggling to ask quesions, I really want to help them and tell them that you're suppose to ask this and i am suppose to tell you this.. ha. Interviews are no fun. Perhaps it's just a conspiracy amongst all the companies to make interview process so irritating so as to lower the turnover rate. Preparin for interviews is hard work...

First you must set up your resume and cover letter and then find out which are the companies recruiting and then do research on that company and know what are the likely questions that would be asked during interviews. Homework needs to be done. having said this, it is of cos based on the fact that you know what are the job types you really want. There are many catogories... The very interested and the 'if you offer me I can also take' category... You must also know that some resumes sent yield no response. If you're sucessful, then it's the trip down to the company itself and you'll have to find out how to get there. For the first few interviews, you'll be very careful with your dressing, making sure you're neat and tidy, hair is ok, smells good, look fresh, good breath etc.. After like 8 rounds,you kind of relax the standard. By the 15th interview, you really want to wear slippers and go. I must say that disappointed is naturally the feeling at that time. But as Aunty Shirley always says, God is in control and His ways are higher. So, I keep on pressing on.

Reaching the place, there are forms to fill up. All the forms look the same but every company has their own format. Some ask you to place your latest school first, some earliest school first, some has the school name then the qualification obtained, some it's the other way round. Some ask for your family details, some not so detailed. Some need photo some dun. Some need u to write an essay abt yourself, some dun. Anyway, I think I have seen about all sorts of forms there can be...

They will then all ask you to describe yourself. Some interviewers will just do the talking and then expect you to understand all, while some will want you to do the talking. Some are fierce and some are very friendly. It doesn't make a difference. Cos at the end, it's the job that you're after.

When you're going for sales interviews, make sure u use words like 'driven, never give up, never say die, never give up, excited all the time, service oriented, positive mentality, optimistic'. These are basically words that you would want to describe the 'disillutioned, unrealistic, just wishing to make it big one day, willing to do anything just to suck up' you.

If you're going for engineering jobs, tell them you are 'systematic, logical, process oriented, steady, willing to work shift work'. Use them to cover up your 'square packness, lack of creativity, inability to see breakthroughs, inability to think out of the box, and no life other than work'personality.

*Disclaimer* I have nothing against these jobs but just that all interviews are but just a show. You're suppose to act according to the needs of the company just to get in first. Let's face it, noone show their true colours during an interview. All will find their shortcomings and project their best image.

To sum them all up, some interviews give you false hope and some give you false disappointment. Some make you think you made it, some make you think you fail. Some tell you they reject you just to select you later. Some tell you they select you but just to reject you later. Some jobs sound glamourous but when you see for yourself, you'll be shocked. There is no perfect job in this world, every job has it's down side. that is of cos assuming you 're not born with a silver spoon. there are people whose job is only to enjoy life. that's another story.

Some people asked me y am i not a pilot? Why didn't I go for that since my passion is in aviation and I have a pilot's license. Well, to answer that, I must say that I did try for that position with SIA. Did I pass the interviews? Yes I did.. Ha, but I shall not go into further details as it is pretty sensitive. But then some stuff happened and then again I find a solution to the barrier of which I think I will be about 70% successful in overcoming it. Anyway, I chose not to venture further due to certain reasons. 1. What's going to happen to W302? 2. What's going to happen to my family and loved ones? 3. there are always pros and cons to every job. the cool off period really helped me to evaluate that career option and see if it fits me. I must confess something that the moment I decided to give that up, I was able to step into love with Huiqin again. Yea, we're in love but I always had some reservations as I didn't want my departing in the future due to the nature of work to be a big blow to her. it's like not daring to love someone cos you know that you have limited time. You dun want to build it up just to see it falling down. Well, after making the decision, I dared to love 100%. That's one major and immediate difference. Then I also did a project on this topic in uni before. In the conclusion, it mentioned that if you're after money alone, then pilot is not the right job, cos it no longer draws the high income as maybe 30 years ago. Many other jos can pay well too. One thing good abt being a pilot is that u get to travel. However, i've realised that it is not where u go but who u go with that is the most impt. Also, I want to watch my kids grow up. Looking at denzel, I know that he is not close to me cos I only see him for that few hours a week. I dun want my son to grow up in that state. Having thought about all, the most important factor was that I cannot find an answer to a question I have been searching for an answer for so long. Why is it that most pilot's son, do not want to be a pilot themselves when they grow up???

With that, i'll leave the discussion on pilot.Dun get me wrong,being a pilot is good, working for SIA is just awesome as it's a great company. However, given my personality and kuan and persona, it may not be a good fit. There are too many commitments that will keep me grounded. Ha, maybe all these will all change one day. I'll never know.

So that's the stuff about interviews. I'm glad that it's all over. Wise Old Mother Shaun told me recently that I will be so glad once these interviews are over. She is indeed right. She is indeed knowlegable and not only she gives good advice to me but to Huiqin as well, go check out her blog and she mentioned shaun there too. Hmmmm, seems like being a mother has indeed made you older (wiser)......