Yup, i finally met May today - the woman that is always so panicky all the time. Hahaha. And also the rest of the people whom i talk to on the phone every working day. They all look so different that what i have imagined.
Anyways, updates..where should i start..
I'm in Sara Lee Malaysia now, and no it's not a cosmetics company, at least not in Malaysia. They house our very own (and probably very nostalgic) brands, Ridsect, Ambi Pur, Brylcreem and Kiwi Shoe & Kiwi Kleen. Yup, i'm in my second FMCG in less than a year. Good experience - a whole lot of fun (and non-fun moments as well of course).
But i am leaving Sara Lee, in the coming months. Why? See link
bloomberg. Anyway, so i began my search for a career move. And then i embarked on the lengthy yet efficient interviews that the financial institutions always have for fresh graduates (i'm considered fresh grad partly cause my convocation's only in July).
So i went to their training facility located somewhere in the outskirts of the Golden triangle area. Which i got lost. Which is exactly why if you are going to buy me a present, get me a GPS set. Anyway, yes, back to the story. I went to take their assessments, and there were roughly like 15? candidates there.
Then underwent the english, math and reasoning tests. And oh ho, there was this group debate thing where 8 of us were to be a "company's" HR team and we had to fire people. It was fun! Ok, not so much fun to fire people in real life, but in play-pretend, it's intense. We each had a candidate to defend and in the end we would have to choose only 3 to keep. So yea, intense debate.
I had one of my childhood friends at the assessment as well, vhey. Nice guy, and very easy to talk to, and no ladies (or gentlemen) he isn't available. Anyway, there was this girl who was super annoying and wanted to take control of the situation, she started off with defending her candidate, and then, she straight shoot people. Hahahaha. Then the other girl, feeling defensive, went and shoot her back immediately.
I sorta raised my hand (yes, school-kiddish, but it works), and proposed that we go in an orderly manner and not start bombarding each other as we were doing now. It went smoothly...until...it was time to "tembak" again. The two girls went at it, then another girl jumped into the picture, and next thing you know, they went and tembak vhey. Hahahaha. Luckily, he is good enough to stand up in a verbal contest with 3 girls (unless one of them is his gf).
So again...i raised my hand, and laid out the situation for them, and re-focused them towards choosing candidates to keep rather than choosing candidates to eliminate, which is very very messy. and again that girl kept going on and on. Her candidate is probably the most solid amongst all of us, but she was so annoying that i decided that i had enough and i went and sniped her. =P (figuratively speaking of course).
I didn't question her candidate, but rather her integrity. Which was easy, due to a blunder she made in assuming that the company that we are "working" for is a financial institution, but it was actually a manufacturing company. ( = so down she went. I do hope she got through though. I wouldn't know, i didn't see her at the next round.
The next round, again 8 people, two interview rooms with half stained glass walls. Vhey was again with me (i almost thought that he was stalking me, and i'm pretty sure he felt the same). Anyway, he went in to the room first, and then 10 mins later a girl went in to the other room. The girl's room...full of laughing ya know, and vhey's was so serious and all. I felt super nervous, in fact so nervous that i didn't even looked at the other candidates who were waiting like me.
The girl came out 30 mins later, and lo and behold, vhey only came out 10 mins after her. which means his interview was almost an hour. *die* then vhey came up to me and told me that i might be next to enter the room which he entered. the serious interview room. I was not too happy about that.
Went in, wished the two lovely ladies with the most cheerful good morning i could muster. Sat down, and laughed with them for an hour. Hahahaa. I don't know why, but they seem to be in good spirits and were very eager to talk to me. And at this point, i turned on what ever little charming skills that i had. And then they said i was so "interesting" that they did not had the chance to ask the standard questions. "like the candidate before you, mr.vhey". I told them that he was my childhood friend. Now they will think that all Tpg guys are "interesting". ( =
So that was the second round. Then came the 3rd round. Apparently it was a presentation and case study and interview. But when i came, and again vhey was there, we were told that it was only going to be an interview. I didn't know whether to smile or cry (especially with all that extra studying i did the night before). Vhey went in before me, then i was the last guy in (there were 5 of us).
Two head of departments were there to grill me. And they did. But mostly about myself and my family. When i went in the room "i imagined you to be taller, your picture looks really good". I smiled and said that i had a great photographer. Lol. THANK YOU AIMRAN! Anyway, we talked and talked a lot. Actually longer a bit than most cause i guess i was the last candidate, and they had time to spare cause they did "breeze" through the previous candidates.
So then...habis lo. Finished. I felt super tired and well, relieved that it was finally over and that i did everything i could. The next day, i had a call. "I wanted to call and tell you that you made it in, and we are happy to have you on board. But we have yet to finalize the offer letter because it's pending our director's approval and also your medical check ups and credit checks and criminal records check (huh?). - So it's about 80-90% done deal that you are in. I'd be the first to congratulate you once we have an offer letter ready".
So that was today. I should know if whether the director decides that my name is not as exotic as it sounds and would sign the letter already, and send me to the doctor, the banker and to the police to get myself checked out. ( =
i have no idea how to break the news to my boss. He will kill me, then bring me go out for a drink. lol. and you guys better pray that i get my letter k?
And which financial institution you ask? text me. I will definitely let you know over a cuppa.
Cheers!
