aa

Read More

Been here, done that. Here is my current hit list at mid of June, currently I'm waiting for three companies for the last step before signing a contract. At this time, my life totally changed. From sleep at 3 am straight to 10 pm. I easily getting exhausted and sleep after been interviewed, and even forget my yoga classes. Every week I should attend a job fair, even I need to pay, and even it's located 40 km from my place. I don't care for everything except trying to be accepted in the best company even I need to do a small act of unethical one (I know this is not good but right now in this professional world, most of the people do that in order to get a job).

My target is MAP program, or it called as Management Associate Program, a quick program to learn about many division in the company to be prepared as a manager. There is a lot of things why I choose this which is:

1. Job exposure: By rotating every 3 to 6 months, you will learn various skill and experience
2. Mentorship: There is senior to track your progress, give you motivation, and most importantly, guide you to be on the right track
3. Challenge: Company made this program for only the talented one and if I could be one of them, it's a self-pride for me. The expectation of company also high so this will push me to work extra than others coworker
4. Acceleration: In career path, as you will be at least become an SPV after a certain period, and if you talented, you will become a manager in short time. While commonly in regular career path, a manager takes 3 to 5 year from the beginning. For the MAP, it usually takes 2 to 2.5 year
5. Flexibility: MAP can choose to rotate interdepartmental or interdivisional. From finance to operation, from key account to customer experience. One thing that regular job track could not have as they only can progress in one division.
6. Privilege: A company has its own program to keep their MAP happy and performing, and it comes from training to team outing.

With all these features, regardless of the difficulty to enter the barrier, I dare myself to be one of them.

(Updated: I finally choose the e-commerce industries in their management associate program)

April

Throw few applications through online job portal, has been to one job fair, though.

Company level: FMCG One of the best in the world
Process: Test- (failed)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: Any question related to working, always answer ideally (choose the best even you are not, they test on the candidates' motivation to work there)

Company level: Multinational Cigarettes
Process: Test-presentation-FGD (failed)
Applied for: Marketing SPV
Lesson: How to prepare the meeting, to be a problem solver during meeting, to be prepared a question

Company level: Fashion industry, operates in three countries
Process: Test-HR interview-presentation (didn't come up)
Applied for: MAP 2.5 years contract
Lesson: Prepare job-related questions after interview

May

spend most of my time in job searching, has attended some, and some rejected by phone calls. At this position, I feel I am suitable to work in production related job

Company level: FMCG, national
Process: Test- HR- User (failed, no follow up)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: Prepare specific question related to the job, no need to rush during explaining

Company level: Shoe manufacturing, national
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want to continue)
Applied for: Operation SPV
Lesson: just for experience, try not to be cocky

Company level: FMCG (mostly baby food)
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: Production analyst
Lesson: learn technical skill related to the job since some HR are experienced on detecting real expertise

Company level: E-commerce, Top 2 in China
Process: Test- HR - HR (again) - User (using Chinese) - failed (supposed to be CEO)
Applied for: MAP 1 year
Lesson: never trust HR fully they say about chances, set your standard

Company level: Gaming
Process: Test- (already sign a contract in current company, since they follow up after 3 months)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: nothing, only been called by their HR

Company level: Motors Multinational Company, No.1 in my country
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: just for experience

Company level: FMCG Group company, No.1 in my country
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want, didn't suit with contract terms)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: just for experience

Company level: FMCG (mostly baby food)
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: Operation
Lesson: just for experience

Company level: FMCG National level
Process: Test- HR- User - HR - (didn't want, the offering was too low)
Applied for: Warehouse SPV
Lesson: never trust job portal 100% of their salary review, most has been marked up

June

Karma does exist, learned the bitter experience dealing with HR. This time, I'm specified to apply just for MAP and in E-commerce industries

Company level: Multinational Beer Company
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: Production Associate
Lesson: just for experience, be prepared for the shift type of work (strange working hour)

Company level: FMCG (mostly tire & adhesive tape) World's top brand
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: Operations
Lesson: just for experience

Company level: Motors Multinational Company
Process: Test- HR- (didn't want)
Applied for: Salesman
Lesson: just for experience, never think that many people want to work in this field

Company level: E-commerce as one of the top company
Process: Test- HR- CEO - User - HR - accept the offer (finally)
Applied for: MAP
Lesson: Careful when doing tricks related to key person as this HR has a lot of connection.

Company level: Technology (smartphone) One of top brand in China
Process:  HR- User (in Chinese language) - HR (job offer) - Refuse
Applied for: MAP Sales
Lesson: having very bad experience with HR, as he uses tricks to get my interview intention. I believe the HR subjectively attracted with my qualification, and yet he wants to secure my position as I being contacted to sign up in two days. Later I refuse, He adds up my salary but I still refuse. I'm sure I got blacklisted from this company

Company level: E-commerce in logistic
Process: Test- (no follow up)
Applied for: Transportation consultant
Lesson: Make a specified qualification letter for this unique industries as they're too selective

Company level: FMCG (specialized in beverages, one of the famous brand in soft drink)
Process: Test- HR- User - Head - HR - refuse (as I currently on pending with 2 e-commerces)
Applied for: Supply chain Associate
Lesson: just for the experience, really feel bad with the HR since they are being too good, and also the head, that spends their precious time to this outcome. I honestly think that this is the option if I am not accepted in that e-commerce, even though this company has a low salary but their workplace and employee are happy and that really matters, though.

At the end, job seeking is a wonderful experience in my life. I have a little regret of not to have it on the first job. The competition in getting abroad with the great company is remarkable and this has changed my perspective a lot about facing a challenge. The next step is to compete in the workplace with the best talent gathered in the office.

Here is the flow chart for detail as I keep this as my memorable experience of finding a new job in these three months. Surely not easy but it really pays off. I only filter the company that I got called and at least on the HR interview, not the company that I applied for, which is more than hundred to be exact.Name of the company I applied is in initial because it's confidential.



Next post I will be posting on my first real job experience in this e-commerce company, which starts from next two week after I signed the contract or how did I do the whole process. See you.

Read More

Before applying for the job, make sure you can answer this question:

How far you know about the job you are applying to? There is 5 level in this question:
1. I can make a guess how it would be
2. I have friends work in this job and I could ask him about the job
3. I have read the job qualifications and I am confident I can do 60% of what it takes
4. I ever work in this field for 6 months, I confident the job would be similarly same
5. I know the details, the key person, and the trends in this industries

If you are lower than 4, you will probably fail, even if the job requires an entry level to operate. You will face many obstacles in your probation time and your mistake is, you could not show your best performance during that period. You will be getting cut down by your company as the wrong move to hire a people. I will teach you how to make yourself look as a qualified, even you are just on the first level.

People, as a human being, makes a connection to other based on similarity and same thing happen during the job interview. I believe you ever judge a person, the way they dress, speak and you automatically assume that this guy is what. Same thing during the candidate selection, they need an expert to fill in the position, they need a candidate that can answer effectively and feel connected with the interviewer and user, and it can be learned, even for the inexperienced candidates.

An old theory every said that people will judge everything during the first impression. First impression is the first key to be connected to people and this contribute to success. If you are applying for a marketing, dress as its. Second, your selection of words contribute to what expertise you are, the more you are using a specific term that commonly used by the position you are applying, you are proved to be that person. Third, your connection, study in Linked in or browse in the google of the company you are applying to and try to hit one or two key person/ name (ex: I met Davis in tech conference as we ever talked about industrial change in South Dakota) and this will automatically assume that you are an expert in the field, as you know the big player and the industry development.

At first, especially during job interview, you will feel uncomfortable since you are not get used to it and you faked it, as same thing happen to me on the first time but just ignore this feeling since you will come up with you need to be hired in this company. The more you practice, it will come naturally. This tricks will simply boost your qualification to be level 4 impression. Good luck on job searching and never give up.

Read More

Yes, at the end of May, I still not getting any job, I have done several company to do interview and some of them has the positive outcome that is passed to the next stage and I didn't think that the job seeking is very fascinating, as before I feared this much, meeting with other candidates, talked to the interviewer, work with test and discussion. I even set the job seeking as the top priority, and my yoga classes to be second. Its weird right? suddenly I feel in love with the job seeking process and if there is an interview tomorrow, I could not wait to be there. I could say that beating the interviewer questions is such an accomplishment for me.

Back at my first job interview, the process was easy as the company is my dad's friend, so no challenge there, I just met my dad's friend and have a talk for an hour, later he put me to the finance division. It was no challenge at all since I know the end result, and I don't need to be prepared.

But this time, different. As I have a clear sight in my mindset, after getting knock by the top cigarettes company, I sworn I should work with them, and be one of them. Work in reputable company, as I will proudly introduced myself to my friends about my new company, is known as qualified for the best candidates. I want to know how far I could be.

My schedule compared to last month is same, polished my interview skills, and attending job fair. Day by day, my confidence boast up as I know how to appear professional during interview, the tricks, and the courtesy before and after doing an interview. There was a job fair in one good university, as they are looking for journalist and the selection process was creative, the candidates need to be in stage, pretending as they are reporting to the media. I am up to that challenge and present myself confidently, I never felt myself can be this confident.

Until this time, I have done more than 5 interviews and all of them I refuse to sign to the end process. First of all, if you are the interviewer/ human resource guy, please forgive me to taking your time. Now back to the answer, you know why ? Because I don't want to be employed with them. I set my standard high, but I also put my CV to the small and medium company, as an exercise. The more acceptance email/ letter, the more confidence I will get. I believe the real interview process has ten times value compared to the interview preparation.

Before I doing interview, I always come up with this mindset, you have nothing to lose, you failed, you will learn but if you passed, you can take this as accomplishment. The other mentality that keep myself confidence; you are getting called, there is no turn back, so it's time to give it all. Third, success is success, even you failed thousand times before. With this mentality, I can easily push myself to the limit, without having a hard feeling.

Next post would be the job searching tips with detailed information.

Read More

I can't believe it, after two weeks with no job offering finally God has answered my pray. I get a chance to do a psycho test on Wednesday morning in one of the biggest tobacco players in my country. The test will begin at 8 am so I am preparing myself to be wake up at 5, then prepare everything and going there before six, just to make sure I will not be late.

I reached there at 7 and there is only one guy in a waiting room. Later we talked out and realized we are in the same purpose, to apply for a job. He looks polished, as an ex-banker with 3 years experience managing a small team try to seize this opportunity to be a field supervisor. He shares his experience when working in his previous company, and talked a lot about the current banking condition in my country.

People start gathering and in half hour, the room suddenly filled with many candidates, as I could count, is around 50 people there and finally, the company delegate shows up and tell us to move into a hall room. I sitting near windows and joining others table. There were 4 persons there including me, was introduced each other. One worked in the local bank, try to get opportunities here, same with a guy who works in stock exchange. The most surprising are one of us, I don't know if it's true, but he claims he is a manager in news station as a broadcaster. By talking with some of the people in this room, I understand the standard in this job is higher than other places.

Time has reached 8:30 and still, the interviewer did not show up, and the room is quite noisy as people just wait and has no other thing to do until 9, finally the examiner come up and said, today we will do a psycho test and will use rank system, for those who is falling behind, half of us must leave this place.

The first test is the combination of calculation and logic, which test your detail and creativity which is my strong point. I didn't see any problem since the exam just tests those two things. I passed on the first exam and the next step I need to bring a short presentation in next week, with three given topics: What is your best accomplishment? How you ever made a big mistake and how you fix it? When you have given the task to leading people and how you make them work for you?. I have lunch with those who passed at the burger joint and then bid farewell.

Well, this is my first time competing with many competitors, as 200 people were collected in that room and I passed even just in the first step is something I could be proud of.  I went back home cheerfully and then focused on my job seeking role. Since I didn't sleep last night, when I arrived home, I am overslept till night.

I use this whole week to study about FGD and panel interview, since I never done before, I opened youtube & search on google how to passed this test, I try to imagine myself be in the place. While it still in next week, I was busy job searching and prepare myself with interview question. Then, one week passed.

I was there one hour earlier, and many people were there, more than I expected since the first test has cut many candidates off. I talked with some candidates and what makes me surprise is they seems experienced and prepared with this kind of test, there is no fact about it because I know their body language shows confidence and most of the people has it.

Later we are grouped in one hall, there were around 100 persons in this room, and we get announcement from the interviewer to divide our group into 4 persons. My team was ex business consultant, one marketing agent and one fresh graduate. With this division, we are expected to be prepared to answer question in group. Everyone in this group seems has different way of thinking, as we are not talking much and more focused on what is ahead.

We moved to the meeting room, there was another team there that consist of 4 persons, one human resource, and 2 persons is the person who will be our investor in this game. This discussion is about business decision with two choices, to facing competitor directly or to hit the new market our competitor hasn't play. The company model we use is an FMCG industry, specialized in food and beverages. There was 3 questions in this game:
1. The strength of our company compared to competitor
2. The strategy to outperform competitor
3. How many we spend for this new product campaign?

We were given two sheets of data, filled with numbers and charts. Then one person initiatively want us to read about it for 5 minutes and discuss for 5 minutes, before discussing to other team and hand it to our investor.In 5 minutes I was focused more with the numbers and charts and make a conclusion related to it, other teammate seems following through. In the whole discussion, I remember the 3 moments when I gained the highest exposure in this discussiogn, there are;
1. Showing the key facts of competitor strength, and our position if we clash with that number
2. Giving suggestion that is not relevant to the investor question, which I regret it much. I was dead when the investor replying my suggestion and no one in my team, including me could answer it
3. Showing a forecast that empowering my teammate suggestion, however, I didn't consider this as good move since I am not the one who initiate the discussion

And this 15 minutes seems like forever, I never felt this tense during discussion, even the topic was not that serious, as most of us just giving the answer by their sense.

The interviewer then back to us, and told us congratulation for the name on this letter, and be prepared for the next round. It come first name, those who are very talkative in this room, then the second one, who also being talkative and the last one, surprisingly, the fresh graduates. I admit her as she comes up with two solutions, no one in this room ever think of and I believe she worth to be move to the next step. Only three was qualified and the rest, will have another chance next year.

I think this is the good experience for me even I failed, and I congratulates them then congratulating myself, as I went down this far by walking around the building. I feel extremely sad but one side, I want to be working with them, and be one of them.

Read More

So be it. I only have less than a month left to work here, before I am going to be totally unemployed. With the list I've been writing so far, combined with the expected workplace I dreamed for, I am ready to move on.

Day I spent in the office has changed, no more watching Youtube channel or e-news update, playing games on the phone but focused on the job searching. This time, I know the specification company I will be looking for. It should be well known, or at least some people know the name publicly, the job offers rotation for certain time, and most importantly, lot of challenges.

At the first week, I began to throw my CV through online and read job interview tricks, since I should know the update in the job test. I could say everyday I threw 5 to 10 CV through online channel. I make it personalized since it automatically enhance my professional writing skills and I believe there is different appreciation from the company if the letter was made personalized, depending on the job I prefer.

In the job seeking, I use three different way to put my CV and I could say this is the most effective yet efficient way to do it: First, through online job portal, search the dedicated one, as you can see the company listing is well known, or infamous. Filter down to arrange your working experience and job you want. Second, top level companies never show up on the job portal since we are the one who need them. The best place to find them is through their web portal, to get information of their activity, what is the career fair they will be (university or convention center), and the intake schedule. Next step I will see the selection process and absorb the information so when the information is sufficient, I hunt them in job fair. Job fair is taking much time, and energy as well since you will spend time in transportation, and also many people there. The best thing in job fair is the company delegates sometimes show up and you could have a kick start interview with them. Fair enough right?

The last thing is to bombard them through company email, and this is the only method I use, if the company is big, but has little to none online presence in search of new worker. I have experienced some companies offering the job by fill in your application through their website. To save time, I put the questions of my application and put it into one template, so any question I just need to do copy and paste.

There is many method you can try, as pay a head hunter to search a job for you or by leaving your CV through university website, since it has a slight chance for a company to look into your CV. But for me, three strategies is enough as I received at least one follow up letter in a week. I put extra effort for preparation as I aimed for the good company, the application process is also different from the normal company, for example presentation using Chinese language or focus group discussion.

I think that's enough for today and in the next post, I will post my first time experience attending the job interview in the one of the best tobacco company in the world, which left many impressions for me and such an encouraging experience to work in top level. See you.

Read More

I walked in to the front of my boss room, I knock the door and opened it. He was there, sitting while working with his computer. He asked, whats up dude? what can I help you in a very friendly voice. I knew it once I spit it out, his face would shocked.

(Last night, before that moment)

Finally, I decided to quit now. My current place has no career track and I think I still capable to find more challenging place, with a chance of making my life better. I have write everything in this resignation paper and prepare for the upcoming question, if he wants me to stay longer or question related to this decision. It's 4 am in the morning an I could not sleep comfortably, knowing that something is going to happen tomorrow.

So boss..

Yeah ?

Sorry if it's too sudden but I would like to say that I will quitting soon.

Are you sure? Why? 

I consider working in this company is such a worthy experience, that contributes to my skill and experience. However, I think now it's my time to go, I will consider to take a higher education or else which can support my career progression.

If that so then..

Then we were talking like a close friend for about 10 minutes, the job, the next thing I want to pursue, and his advice as he always say "don't keep it personally". So be it. I will stay in this company till the end of month, due to the company regulation. While at the moment I will be busy preparing for the job seeking.

If you guys were asking what am I doing in this place, well I could say that 90% administrative (controlling) and 10% auditing, which I love the most. The reason why first I came to this place is because I have nothing left after I graduate, no job, no income, the willingness to be independent from my parent is the main reason of why I apply anywhere and take any kind of job that is paying well. Later I found out that this job is a dead end since the company only hire those who can work in a certain position, so there is no career progression and once I learn about anything, I began to lose interest.

But over is over and no need to talk about it, time to prepare with my job seeking!

Read More