Finally.

You know there's this search engine by Microsoft named Bing? Apparently, it's the next big thing. I know everyone loathes Microsoft and all, but it's always nice to try out new things yes? Ok, fine, it's not you wanted to read, so i shall just relate what has been happening to me these past few weeks.


I'm undergoing an internship at Mattel, 6 months, at the lower end of four figures a month. Not a bad deal. But honestly, i don't think i could stay on after that period of time, simply because i don't think there's much a progress in terms of rank due to the fact that it's a super tiny office - maybe 30 people or so, taking care of the entire South East Asia region. Talk about down-sizing.


Anyway, yea, i would have to murder someone in order for me to stay in the company. Oh well, i gave up on the hopes of being a criminal a long long time ago. Now i have a cubicle, a desktop, a barbie-covered access card, an official mattel email, and also the entire Malaysia's requirements of Mattel products under my fingers. Yea i know, what were they thinking putting an intern in charge of a whole country's needs? *Dont screw up Richard*


Perks of the job? I can name a few, let me list them out.

1. Free parking.
Well, not quite la, i haven't gotten my staff parking sticker, so i'm still illegally parked. And though i can pay for parking and claim it at the end of the month, i'm not exactly thrilled to pay RM10 a day. So please pray that sticker gets on the car windshield soon.

2. Free coffee. But it's nescafe. So, free - but quite unwanted.

3. Staff purchase!
Yes, i get to get Mattel stuff on the cheap. There's a limit though - but i have been eyeing that elmo for quite some time already. Hahahahaha.

4. Friday half day off twice a month.
Yup. Though so far, i have stayed back due to unexpected workload. Intern ya know, work them as much as possible. Malaysia very hard to take care of wan le.

5. Wear what you want.
Hahahaha. Not exactly. You can wear collared tees, and long pants any day of the week, and it's jeans day on friday. I usually wear shirts&slacks mon-weds, polo's and slacks on thurs, and jeans on friday. Gradually dressing down ya know.

6. Leave on time.
Basically, they would chase you out of office. Especially me. Cause i no key to lock up. So i kena halau to go back. Like yesterday, 2pm already halau me d.

"Richard, you still here ar? Ok pack your things, and save all your work, i wanna go back d, and you no key right? Aiya, today half day you work so much for what?"

LOL.

7. Nice people.
I mean like really nice people. They're like your extended family or something. So weird wan. And half of them are so polite, and the other half so funny, you can't fault them for anything.


Now for the bad news.

1. Workload.
I don't get out of my chair from 8.30 - 12.30 due to work, everyday. Then i go lunch. I go lunch, feel like going to plop my face into my food. =P

2. Filing.
Naturally, filing comes with the territory. But there's just a tonne of them. It's not that i'm complaining that there's a lot to file - i'm just worried i get tonnes of papercuts. Hahaha.


So that's about it lo. At least i dont have to wory about finding a job till next year - hopefully employment would be much easier then. ( =

That's about it folks. Tell me how you guys have been doing alright? And if you still have any childhood dreams of building your own hot wheels super track or stacking your closet full of barbies, or whatever other childhood fantasy that demands mattel toys - let me know:)


Cheers!

As guilty as a mad mad person

Assistant Financial Advisor. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Never mind that. I'm still unemployed. So sue me. Or hire me.What do you want me to do? I'll do almost everything! Except father your child, or scrub the dirt off your feet amongst other things. :)

So...i'm broke lo. How you expect me to keep posting stuff when i have no money to pay even for my coffee? :( sponsor me k?

AND hire me! lol. =P


cheers people.

I need a new title

I need a title generator. And RM80 to buy a Kaspersky anti-virus program. Actually, i just need the key, the program can download wan. Oh wells. I don't know how much my previous post has helped the citizens of malaysia, but i hope that it did, in some way. Hahahaha.

Ok, i'm now officially a bum living out of my parent's house. I am still unemployed. But it helps to know that jas makes employment sounds like hell, but it's not much comfort! Lol. Yes, currently rotting at home, with zero stuff to do. I know i would dread the day that i start work, and basically there's only two more interviews to go (hopefully, there's only one for IBM)

Anyways,How have you people been? I have a confession to make here and i dedicate this to an old friend of mine. Here goes

"You and i, have been together for the past 6,7 years - and boy, were they fun times. So much we have sacrificed for the cause, and so much blood and tears and sweat. We endured so much, the falls were admittedly more than that of the tears of joy that should have been.

The greed that caused you to go, i know it's not your fault, it never is. I had hoped that you would always be around, ya know, to lift everyone's spirits, to make sure that no one falls down - but i know there are forces at work that none of us can stop no matter how hard we tried.

I can only wish you the best, and hope that we grow stronger in your absence, that everything will be alright. I know there are a few that has been tempted, and with you leaving, they would never be the same. I do hope that they will not be lured away the way that you did.

Adios, Kaka. There will never be a 22 quite the same as you.


And to you, MR President. I know times are bad, and i know that money isn't easy to come by, and 60+million euros is a huge sum. But do know that there's only so much we can handle. Italians may have the patience, but do note that AC Milan isn't some backwater club that sells her players on a whim. I, now, put forth a few pleas,

1. Don't let Pato leave.
2. Kick out seedorf, ambro and sheva.
3. Get someone to partner Silva.
4. Don't hope for Beckham to save us (again) next Febuary.
5. Buy the Frenchman. Ribery, not Trezenogoals.
6. Give Leonardo your full support, like how we would.


forza milan.

Cheers!

Interview Questions

Alright. I've seen that this blog has loads of people clicking on it hoping to find some form of interview questions etc. So here i am to "service" all of you interviewee hopefuls. Note that this if for non-technical interviews only - and it's for fresh grads. (note: Malaysia only, plus these things you can already find on forum.lowyat.net)


1. Shell Interview
Look, i didn't get past the initial interview but here's what the initial interview was like (i can't put forth the real questions, but i can give you a general description). They will ask you on Life experiences. Yup. Nothing apart from that. Just how you have been in leadership roles, and how you handle yourself in certain sticky situations.

And then you will be given 4 questions, where you choose one, and elaborate on it. Think wide and big people. Say "If the company is doing THIS but want to venture into THAT, how would you proceed". Think fast, you have approx. 20 seconds to start talking:) Then it's all done.


2. IBM Interview.
Lol. Technically i haven't been to a face-to-face interview yet, but there i did go through an impromptu telephone interview beforehand. The usual stuff "Why do you want to join IBM?", "What are your plans if you get in?", and "What do you bring to the company?". Standard stuff. Then there will be two aptitude tests, one more skewed to reasoning, and the other more towards math. If you pass both, you'll be where i am now, waiting for that one last interview.


3. CIMB Complete Banker's Programme.
Now this is the kicker. First interview will be a face-to-face interview with the HR, usually max 3 people, and you might go in the interview with another candidate. Questions? The standard ones. But there's a little twist to it. It helps to remember the entire B.O.D, the operations that CIMB conducts, and the subsidiaries of CIMB group. In short, do your homework people. (and to those who aren't in the business line, you'd better have a good answer as to why you wanna do banking)

If you get through, you'll be asked to go to Deloitte Kassim Chan for an aptitude test - iq, spatial recog, math etc. Roughly 400 Questions in one hour. Good luck to you. My advice? Do what you can, and don't cheat. If you do cheat, you will be failed on the spot. This is the second stage.

Then if you pass it (my second stage results took a month to arrive), you'll be asked to present a presentation, the topic will be emailed to you probably one or two days beforehand, mine came in today. It'll be before 3 people, namely 2 from HR and one senior director (i think). You'll have 15 mins. Wish me luck. As for the topic, it'll be something you learn in your finance class, so don't fret. It's useless for me to tell you the topic as it would vary. This is the third stage.

The fourth stage, if you pass, would be a face-to-face interview with Puan Hamidah, Head Group Resources (maybe), with a few others. They'll see if you are suitable, then you get in:) There are 4 intakes in a year, March, July, Sept and entah. Lol. But they interview all year long.

4. Sunway's SMART Programme.

First, would be a phone interview. Please do not screw this one up, cause there's a tonne of applicants, and only so many places offered. Just some general questions about yourself, then they'll invite you for the face-to-face interview if they like you:)

Then, face-to-face interview. It's kinda like shell's, just getting to know you better. They'll ask some questions that they think people should know about SUNWAY, so once again, please do your homework. They will call you back if they like you:)

It will be a whole day group assessment next. 3 different business games, and at least one presentation in one of them. So be alert. Once again, it's useless to tell you exactly what they do there, cause it varies. But i do know they will feed you breakfast and Lunch at their Sunway Resort and Spa hotel. So be grateful k? :)

If you pass...then i don't know already. lol.


5. Colgate Trainee.

well, i'm not that knowledgeable in this one. What i know is that, there is a phone interview, then aptitude test, then assessment lo. Hahahaha.


That's about it folks, the 2009 malaysia top job interviews (i think). I did went for another one, but they just asked standard questions and nothing quirky.


Good luck to all of you and to me too.


Cheers!