A typical job hunting process

I started 2011 pretty badly, fever on Christmas and flu on New Year Eve completely destructed my new year mood which in turn lead to my pessimistic at the beginning of the year. But somehow, the God decided that I deserve something good to mark the beginning of 2011. Here is the story:

It's a norm that NUS business school students started looking for jobs even though they are still in school. The job hunting process can start as early as 1 year before graduation or even one and a half year earlier, depends on individual capability. Perhaps, this is attributable to the hiring process in Singapore. The companies here are so kiasu, worry that talented students might be employed by competitors, thus they start their recruitment season one year before the students graduate, especially banks as investment banks. While most of the students in NUS Business School aiming to enter the high paid industry, they have no choice but to apply for jobs early too.

In such setting and under peer pressure, me too, started my career search in last year August, right when my second last semester started. The job hunting process wasn't pleasant, applying a job doesn't mean just sending out your resume and cover letter. At first I thought it was this easy, then I get a taste of the consequences. Series of rejection emails, even just for an office executive position.

One day, when I was having a casual conversation with my friend, I get to know from her that there is no one-size-fit-all cover letter, each application must accompanies with its very own cover letter. I tried to make a change. First, I rewrite my cover letter, emphasizing more on my strength and highlighting my main "selling points" to the employer. But still, the situation didn't improve.

I had sent out least 30 applications, still a small numbers compare to some of the job seekers out there. Then I got discouraged because I didn't even being call for one interview. What depress me more was when my friends around me started to get their job offer, either through their internship or undergone the recruitment process.

But all in the sudden, the companies knock on my door, first it was IBM. A very popular IT companies looking for financial analyst. At least it still remain an attractive working place until I was siting in front on the interviewer. The interview only lasted for 15 minutes, 3 questions were asked. Tell me about yourself. Do you having internship with bank before? Do you know that your school get the information all wrong? Then the interviewer told me that he was looking for pricing analyst instead of financial analyst, the requirement of pricing analyst is different from financial analyst, implying that I wasn't the candidate he was looking for. The interviewer was very blunt, I mean, I am sorry that I wasn't the person you want but, for god sake in the name of IBM, you might want to be a little tactful when something gone wrong in the interview and you think I am the one to be blamed. Your company hire a agency to run the recruitment process and the agency approached my school career center. I don't know which part of the process went wrong but I applied according to the information posted on the career website. I feel bad that you wasted 15 minutes in your life talking to me, hey wait, I came because your company asked me to, I didn't pop up at your company lobby and ask for the interview. Maybe I should be the one showing attitude. Well, that was my first interview, and it was really no good.

Then the second and third came, Credit Suisse and Philips Electronic. Till now, you might notice how unselective I was when come to job application, an IT firm, a bank and a FMCG company. I was quite surprise that Credit Suisse called, the application was a few months old, I thought I was rejected. So when Credit Suisse invited me to their assessment center, I on one side very happy that I made through their first round, on the other side was so nervous cause it would be my first assessment center.

I attended mock assessment center in NUS Business School but never really prepare for it. I didn't even imagined I would be invited to the assessment center. Well, I am so fortunate that I have one friend who went to CS assessment center before and she really gave me a big help. Tips and what kind of strategy I can use in the assessment center, it really helps. I think overall, I was not very outstanding in the assessment center but I successfully proved to them that I have more thing I can show, I just need another chance to talk to you. Two days after the assessment center, CS called again, inviting me to the final interview. To be honest, I really spent time to prepare for the interview, with the insider information from my friend, I really think I can do well. However, on the day itself, the questions that I have prepared, none came up. I was so shock and get panic when I get other questions, probably I was too positive about the questions that would come up. What I think I did right was, I get myself re-organized, forget about what I have prepared and pay attention to their questions. It was tough, some of the questions I really answered poorly, freak out by the interview. Another lesson learnt, never rely too much on the tips, it will kill when you become too confident.

I felt so bad after the interview, I was very disappointed on my performance and felt so unsure. I knew the chance I could get to CS would be slim. Besides disappointing myself, I also failed the expectation of my friend. I know she really wants to help me to get the job, I felt so sorry for her.

In the following days after the interview, I comforted myself by saying, well, this won't be my last interview, I can still try other companies. What have done cannot be undo, just remember this is a lesson for you (me), and no point soaking myself in this negative emotion. Probably it was such a depressing moment, when I get the verbal confirmation from CS, I was so THRILLED and can't wait to share the good news with my friends. It was a very memorable moment, getting an job offer from the dream company, it really made me feel good. It's like finally somebody recognize your competency and they appreciate your value. All the hard work you pay during your school years finally reward you. The burden on your shoulder finally get lifted. The feeling is just AWESOME!

My process of getting a job is not tough, though at the beginning I might put too much stress on myself. In some sense, I feel that I was compensated (by God) from the bad interview I had with IBM. Of course, I consider myself to be lucky too, I knew some of the students have to go through several interviews and assessment centers to get the offer. For the job seekers out there, I truly wish you good luck in your job search, and may your interview experience be the pleasant one. Your time will soon come.

又新年了……

2011年的第一篇文章，根据传统应该写下对新一年的展望，或是充满朝气的文章。
但是，又新一年了，新年对成人来说并不是什么值得高兴的事，只是意味着来年的烦恼更多了。
一直很想分析最近闷闷不乐的原因，整理一下自己的心情。

首先圣诞和新年都在生病中度过，所以不管是平安夜或倒数都是在家里过的。
更准确的说，是在面子书上过的 ，很典型的21世纪宅女。
还有从越南回来后，一直都在写报告，写了好几十面，没想到上个星期见了教授后，得到的comment居然是，这些应该放在附录，不应该放在报告里。
囧囧囧囧囧，所以报告似乎又要重新写了……

而家里也发生了一些女佣风波，一年伊始，家里就炒了一个女佣。
好事坏事？不知道，只是隐隐约约觉得未来一年似乎会过得很漫长。
还有还有，找工的过程中也似乎有点不顺。
刚刚看到朋友写的一篇：机会是给有准备的人的。
心中的钟突然被人重重地敲了一下。
我问我自己：我有做好准备吗？我做好了。
但是为什么面试时依然表现得一塌糊涂呢？我不知道。
朋友在面子书上写：越想得到的东西就会越得不到。
也许，我实在太想得到了，所以就受到命运的诅咒吧。

最后，仔细想想自己最近都提不起精神的原因。
老了。
不是年龄上的老了，而是心境上的老了。
太多太多的事与愿违，不顾一切往前冲的冲劲也渐渐地冷却下来。
看着20岁的小孩，已经很难明白为什么他们可以有这么多的精力，难道80后和90后还真的有差别？！
真的只有小孩是天真活泼的，大人看着他们只能大口大口的喘气，然后气。绝。身。亡。

唉，新年尽说些不吉利的话，呸！

越南岘港之行

为了我的final year project，第二次去越南，这一次去了岘港（Da Nang）。

虽然两次都是以工作居多，但是两次分别去了不同的城市，也算是一种收获吧！

第一次去的地方叫会安（Hoi An）, 那里世界文化遗产之一，是座很漂亮的古城。

而这一次的岘港，虽然不及会安风光明媚，但是越南政府正极力开发的新旅游景点，主打美丽沙滩。

岘港沿着海岸线有很多正在兴建中的度假村，看见许多正在兴建中的度假村。

会安和岘港都位于越南中部，彼此相隔不远，大约只需要45分钟的车程。

上次会安之行正好是越南的旱季，特别的热，早上九点钟就仿如我们的中午12点。

而这一次却是越南的雨季，气温只有摄氏20度，十分凉快。

原本打算要到海边好好玩一玩的，但是没想到终于有空闲时间到海边玩的时候，我居然大病一场。

而且隔天一早就要搭飞机回家，我朋友都好担心我上不了飞机，回不了家~~~

为了不让自己遗憾，特别让朋友用相机给我拍了海边的照片回来。

没有亲自到过海边，但有照片看看，也算是弥补了吧。

海边真的很漂亮，刚抵步的那天晚上在海边旁的餐厅吃晚餐，之后沿着海边步行回酒店。

海边的夜景很浪漫，有很多到海边拍拖的情侣，而晚上的海边很安静，浪很大，跟我们这里的海边不一样。

越南凉爽的天气和漂亮的海边，也让我想起我在洛杉矶的那段日子。

同一片大海，隔着海的另一端就是美国西岸了。

如此漂亮的海边也让我决定我以后度蜜月一定要到有海的地方！！！

在岘港的3天里，也出席了我FYP的慈善机构的一项活动，把移动图书馆送到村子里的庙宇去。
活动里看到很多长得很漂亮的越南孩子。
当天出席活动的孩子里有一部分是孤儿，另一部分是村子里的小朋友。
虽然语言不通，但是跟他们相处得很愉快，他们初次见到陌生人，有点害羞。
但是找些东西和他们玩，玩一些不需要语言的游戏，再加上一些肢体动作，很快他们就变得很活泼。
孩子们都很纯真，为了我们的活动，庙方准备了很多零食。
对着那些没看过的零食，我当然每一样都尝了一遍，遇到好吃的，我跟那些孩子说我很喜欢，他们就拿了更多放到我面前。
他们都很喜欢笑，笑得很好看，我让他们把玩我的相机，拍了好多照片。
就送上照片一张吧。（噢，我开始想念他们了）

那些美丽的孩子