P. S. I. - Good Luck Peeps!

Many have been asking me. "Izza. Nak tips SI.". "Izza, cane nak pass interview nih?". "Izza busok~~". Oke yang last tu takde kaitan.

So. Since musim interview dah start kat UTP tu, I'd like to share my own piece of experience on P's Structured Interview. Seriously, just because I'm currently working in P, doesn't mean I know all the slicks & ticks of the SI ye. If you ask me how I passed, I'd answer "Luck".

Now. You're done with the Online Ability Test. No theres no pass/fail result for that. So don't go waiting for it. You're then asked to complete the Personality Test. Again, theres no right/wrong in answering this test. Its just to see your personality & match with your future (hopefully) working Skill Group - to identify which job best suit you.

So your name comes up on the list of names for the next interview session. Its like the Grand Finale of the Structured Interview system la konon kan. If you got your name up while you're still in UTP, well congratulations. To those who have not, good luck in waiting for your turn for interview in KLCC. No theres no saying when you interview dkat UTP you hebat, and yang interview lambat tu P interview untuk cukupkan syarat je. No. I got a couple of friends who went to interview same batch with me back in UTP, recommended, but still got no placement. Meanwhile, another friend was interviewed in KLCC (since the semester has ended), yet she has been offered a placement already. So people, theres no different when & where you're interviewed - its just a matter of queuing.

Okay. So how is it during the interview? Basically, its divided into three (3) sections. All three will be conducted concurrently, and should take around.. 1 to 1 and a half hour. If the interviewer(s) love you so much, you'll be in there for about 2 hours plus.

Section 1 - Case Study
Section 2 - Role Play
Section 3 - the conventional interview lah

Can't recall in detail of my experience, since I had mine back in March 2009. But. Iyea. As far as I can remember.. About 5-6 of us were called in to the waiting room. There were lots of form to fill. Then they briefed us on the interview structure. Then we were each given a case study. Some of us got the same topic. Guess they got several sets of cases. Mine was Home-schooling. A friend's was Paperless Hospital. Thank God mine was like.. boleh goreng la. Logically lah kan. Home-schooling = bersekolah di rumah = tak pergi sekolah, belajar di rumah. So what do you do once you get your topic? Get your pen & start scribbling ideas! You've got about 15 ke 30 mins to prepare. List out the norms lah : definition, pros & cons, your personal opinion, blablabla. If you got current statistics is even better.

Then they call you in. As I walked in, confident & smiling (tho hands are TOO COLD), I greeted my interviewers. Being professionals, they firstly introduce themselves - a lady from HR, & a senior from marketing. It was said that you're unlucky if you got to be interviewed by someone from HR - whats more a lady HR! They're like so strictly-by-books/rules type. Kononnye la kan. Anyways. While I had 2 interviewers, some had only 1. So, it depends la.

And so. "Tell us about yourself". Try google this in the internet & you'll find lots of tips on tackling this ever-famous question. My answer scheme : I'd repeat my full name again (I know, its ridiculous - they have ur resume there DUH! but it seemed like a habit. biarla.). I'd talk about my current status - ICT, final sem, master in yadayada, minor in yadayada. I'd talk about my education background - I just had to recite that I'm from a Chinese Kindergarten (its kinda like a bonus, i guess). No I did not brag about being an all-time Dean List-er - its well bragged in resume kan kaan?. Then I highlighted that I had my 8-months internship in Accenture. I'd talk about my hobby & interest - jangan la cakap hobi pancing ikan ke main kucing kan, yg konon intellectual la sket punya hobby. If takde, takyah la mention. Then I stopped. I dont know what else to tell about myself. Then the HR lady asked "What about your family?". ow ockay. I thought some career advisor don't recommend us talking about family in interviews kan? But since the lady asked, I cerita la.

Done with then. Then we'll go to the 1st section - The Case Study. "Tell us what you understand about home-schooling?". They'd let you talk forever. They won't interrupt you, until you pause because you're out of idea on what to say. Then only they'll ask questions and try to criticize your ideas, interrogate and irritate you. Just keep your cool & answer logically. Do not try to be funny - its childish and unprofessional.

Then the interviewer announced "thats all for case study, we shall now proceed with the role play. are you ready?". So. I picked a card. A few minutes is given to prepare and set your mind with the new role. Now this is interesting. I got 2 different role play cases - others had only 1. Some had up to 6! Anyways, the number of cards you took doesnt mean much. Sometimes you get to take only 1 card - it might mean they have understood how your mind works, but whether its a good or bad understanding, Wallahualam. If you're offered more than 2 cards, it might be the interviewer is really interested in you, while it might also be they could not understand just yet how your mind works.

Case 1: You are a manager of a multinational company, currently based in Vietnam. Your workers claim that your company is under paying the local employees. They demand for pay rise. They even went to the extent of attacking your shareholders. The shareholders are asking you why such demeanor are happening.

Lebey kurang camni la kan skema soklan die tu. Tapi in a more proper susunan ayat la kan haha. So. The interviewers will be the shareholders - and they're acting seriously! I lak terhegeh tergelak2 wth. So take lessons from me ye, you dont wanna make fool of yourself. The card says you're a manager, so be one. BE IN YOUR ROLE. They'll start integruing & provoke you. Try to calm them. Offer solutions. Think like a manager. I think I did quite badly for this case, which is why they offered me a different case. I think la.

Case 2: You are a manager. The wives of your employees are complaining that their husband's salary is too high, which leads to bad habits. Their husbands would come home late, drunk, and beat the wives and kids. The angry wives demand you to lower the employee's salary.

Cam kelakar kan case ni? I pun agak tergelak time dapat. Anyways. So my interviewers jadi the angry wives (the senior from marketing senyum busuk je - he's a man yg terpaksa jadi angry wife oke haha) Tapi case ni memang best la. We debated for quite some time. I kate jugak thats your personal family matter, & I can't just suke hati lower my employees pay eventho it benefits my company's financial - but they shall be paid as they deserved la kan? Anyways. Always offer solutions. Dont just argue je. I propose la buat family day lah. Bring your wife & kids to office day lah. Splitting the employee's account lah. Even if its sounds illogical, just propose some solution. Any solution!

Then its section 3 - the normal interview lah. They ask you questions, you answer. Mind them might ask "Why do you want to work with P?". Ha goreng la ikut sedap korg. They'll ask whats your work preference. Do have a look at the various skill groups they offer from the company's website. Marketing ke. Finance ke. Admin ke. HR ke. Some specific technical position ke. & they'll also ask your preferred location. Name 3. But basically when they place you, it depends on vacancy. So don't go throwing tantrums when you're not getting as you specified la kan. I wanted admin, HR & procurement kot.. but the senior from marketing said I seem to fit the marketing field. So. Yea. My Skill Group (SKG) is marketing, but somehow I'm doing Planning & Business Development now hurm.. But I'm happy working here anyways :D

So. Ockay. I guess thats all. & owh. Some asked me what to wear, is baju kurung okay? If you ask me. Well. Someone, I cant recall who, advised me before. Its something like.. wearing baju kurung is like showing you're somewhat abit conservative? please, no offence to anyone. I wear baju kurung to KLCC too on Fridays. But for interview. Its best to groom yourself in a corporate look la. So my advise? Wear crisp-ironed shirts & slacks/pant suit. No its not poyo to wear your jacket/suit. Its corporate looking. & P does put weigh on their employees grooming - they always want to appear professional. If you want to land yourself in Marketing especially, pakai la habis stylo ye.

The interviewers are humans too. They can take humor, they can laugh. Try smiling & be at ease. Be friend with them. Ask questions by the end of the interview. Ask like you're really interested. Most importantly, dapatkan restu family. Especially ibu bapa. This is something I've always believe in la. Everytime I nak masuk exam, I would sms my parents. Takde la ayat Islamic gila like "ayahanda, bonda, ku pohon restu mu. ananda hendak masuk dewan peperiksaan ni. doakan ananda ye.". No. I would text something like "Its my 2nd last paper today, wish me luck!". Just to inform la. Same goes to when I'm going for interviews. Always mintak restu parents. Kalau malu nak cakap pun, cakap je "Ma, I really want this job. Pray for me ok".


No this is not some professional's tip. Nor a perfect solution. Its just plain me, sharing my experience. Take what you think is right, & leave behind what you think is wrong.

All the best to my dearest friends! May I see you all soon in KLCC :D