Okay, so, I was that candidate that forgot their contact details right.. Well there's more to that actually.
How I looked for jobs was through UKEC's Career Fair. I think about this time of the year they'll ask you to submit your CVs, and then somehow it'll be sent to quite a number of large firms in KL and interested firms will give you a call and schedule an interview.
Because this time of the year was usually exam season for me, I submitted in my old CV, after updating my last internship section.
I got zero calls when Cik P was getting like 3 calls in a week (or at least two). I swear she had no idea how jealous I was at that time.. I mean, I'm happy for her of course! But I started questioning, "Why am I so unemployable? :("
Months passed, Mummy had to listen to me going, "Mummy... Why am I not getting any offers? I sad.." at least once a week and she would always tell me "It's okay, rezeki tuh in God's hands. Go lah do sembahyang hajat..". And I think I did (I can't remember, last January-February I did so many sembahyang hajat that I lost count - tough start it was for both me and my extended family early last year).
The CV
One day, I decided to look back at my CV.
And that's when I realise.....
That my phone number was not right. I forgot that my old CV was created in 2013, with a little note that said I can be contacted through my Malaysian number post July 2013..... -________________-'
After that I immediately amended it and started spamming lots, and I mean, lots of companies. Any big firms I can think off that offers a fresh-grad programme, I submitted my CV to them.
I remember my first call for an interview came from Sunway for their management trainee programme.
They said they were going to be in Sheffield that week and they would love to meet me. They told me that about 4 hours before and I was having breakfast.. But nevertheless, I was so excited I was actually jumping around in the kitchen and what not. I was telling my family, "I GOT AN INTERVIEWWWWWW" and I swear both my parents were prepping me as I was eating #asianparents lol
Because it was so last minute, they were unavailable to squeeze me in for an interview that evening. The lady from Sunway told me that they'll see me in London instead during the GRADUAN Career Fair.
I made it a point that I'm really going to hunt for jobs when I'm down in London that last weekend in March. Zawir advised me that I should compress my CV into a max of 2 pages (because his academic advisor told him that recruiters are only going to spend a few seconds looking at your CV, aligned to what Yazmin Azman said). So I did, I spent an entire night compressing it and making it two pages at most, I also prepared another longer version with notes to support my short one so in case of an interview, I can prep myself.
That's how my CV looked like.
The longer one elaborated what being in all those clubs has thought me and what I did during those time I served as Captain/Event Manager etc that helped improved my skills.
The Hunt
When I went down to London I brought like 20 copies of this with me. Along with my certificates (that was a miracle too, I totally forgot I had my certificates with me).
That weekend at UKEC I really did went to each and every booth that I think I'd like to work with them and gave them my CVs. I remember preparing a Must-Visit-Booth list. Made sure that I visited those booths and dropped a few others at booth that suddenly sparked my interest. By the end of the day I was only left about a max of 5 CVs if I'm not mistaken, lol.
During the UKEC, I had a few on the spot interviews, some scheduled an interview for me the following Monday (hence why I had back-to-back trips to London that week) and some I scheduled it for when I'm in Malaysia during Easter Break (I remember scheduling one follow up -post the one that I had on the spot that morning- interview as I was in my cab back to catch my train to Sheffield, lol).
Seriously, alhamdulillah.
The Interviews
My back-to-back trip was actually for an interview with PwC and CIMB. I am forever grateful for these two interviews (because CIMB sorta-it was verbal, nothing verbal can ever be taken to court in case of anything..- gave me a conditional offer on the spot) and PwC trained my for my next interviews.
I will now forever look at the CIMB office in Knightstbridge and remember that was where I had my first interview and got my first verbal offer. :") In case you're wondering, yes I was really tempted to stop by Harrods and treat myself to something nice after the interview, but I really had to run to catch my meeting with PwC.
During my interview with a PwC Partner, he told me what were my strengths and what were my weakness during the interview. I took what he told me to each and every interview I went to, by focusing on my strength and making sure I minimise my weakness. So thank you both CIMB for giving me my confidence back(I AM employee material) and thank you PwC for the training! xx
Upon returning to Sheffield I was already in a good mood. That weekend as I was packing for my trip home, I remember still scanning and emailing prospective employees scheduling my interview or just giving them soft copies of my certificates. EY was one of them.
In Malaysia I went for two really interesting interview. One asked me to draw something that describes me. Guess what I drew?!
I drew a pair of heels.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha! The interviewer asked, "Why a pair of heels?".
I told her "You know the saying, give a girl the right pair of shoes, and she can conquer the world? Yeah, that's how I feel in my heels, like I am able to overcome any task given at me, like I am in control and ready to take on the world! It elevates my confidence"
.... Seriously, please polish your on the spot thinking before going on for interviews okay, so you don't babble like me!
I also got hit on during another interview, and before you think I perasan sorang-sorang, the guy actually asked me, "So if I were to ask you out, how should I do it?" .......
Whether he was testing me or not, I don't know but now every time I see the company's logo, I laugh out loud. Also if you tell me you're working with that company... I will giggle in my head thinking about your HR Senior General Manager because I think I know quite a lot about him (he told me his family story and all -__-')
My interview with EY actually was done over the phone as EY missed me while I was in Malaysia.
They actually called me as I was cracking my head for my 20% quiz for one of my classes, a month after I submitted all my certificates to them.. They scheduled an interview for me a few days later.
I was supposed to dial in to a con-call with one of the Director but somehow I couldn't connect (I swear EY Remote Connect hates me sometimes -___-') & he couldn't help as it was pass working hours and his staffs were no longer around to assist, so, -til this day, I believe this is why I got the job-
I suggested to the Director to have the interview through Viber instead.
OUT OF THE BOX THINKING PEOPLE!!
I was actually still in my pajamas as I was having that interview okay, hehehehe 0:)
The Offers
PwC-CIMB gave me my first official conditional offer about a week after I finished up my interview with them.
I remember them calling me nearing to Maghrib time and I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs after I ended the call, but you know.. Maghrib..
Then I thought about "It's almost Maghrib and he's still at work.....? O.O".. #whatwasIexpectingreally? -__-' They gave me an offer that is subject to me graduating and graduating with a certain grade.
EY on the other hand took about a month to get back to me with my offer. Their offer letter didn't even state that I needed to graduate.. Lol. I had to read twice, gave Zayana to read one more time and snap shot it to my mother asking am I reading it correctly. Hahahahahha! It was that unconditional!
One of the firm which I had an interview on the spot at UKEC rejected me saying, "She's a bright and good kid, but I think there'll be a conflict on interest because her mother works in the same industry".. The CFO of that firm is my Mum's friend. Hahahahaha, at least her staff admitted I'm bright!
Post graduation and after signing both contracts (yes, I was that girl that signed both offers but of course I declined one after deciding which one to go with lah!), the firm that asked me to draw an object to reflect myself called me back stating that they're interested to follow up with me for another interview. I was quite shock! I didn't hear anything from them for 3 months so I thought it was not going to happen. Turns out they were waiting for me to graduate to call me back for another interview.. How cute that they kept an eye for me for 3 months, thank you! :')
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So yeah, that was my journey to employment. A bit slow in the beginning, but alhamdulillah, I managed to secure a job after graduation.
Wanna know something funny?
Til this day, I never had my interview with Sunway. Hahahaha! They kept rescheduling me!
