updated on 12th April 2014
WHile thinking back , I figured out there were some which I have omitted.
For all the companies that I went through interview, they would inevitably asked
1. Have you found/plan your accomodation?
2. How do you come here?
Now when I thnking back, I guest they all these to literally know about the information, and maybe how well you have prepare or maybe how confident/determine/serious you are in getting in job. I simply answered frankly. Cause I really did search for accomodation and transport!
ALso, some companies, like AStro, they would request you to have CGPA 3.0 and above. By saying this, I didnt despise those who scored below 3.0. Last few weeks ago, when I had conversation with this one of the HR executive from one company during the career fair in UTAR, he also agree having an excellent result might show that you are smart, but it also show that you
1. you take ur study seriously (meaning you might take ur work seriouslly also)
2. you could at least manage your time, juggling between study and doing your favourite hobbies.
3. You are not smart, but you are hardworking.
Just my 2 cents. WOuld update here more if I got more opinion from the credible one =D
The Original Post
(the magazine I got from MYC after interview)
Harlo~~~ It's week 10 now, and as a UTAR student who is going for industrial training aka internship next semester, you have to get all your document, confirmation, indemnity letter ready before week 13. Argh~~ although I am not feeling uncertain, but I certainly looking for the best.
Alright, let's not get off the track.
I wish the share my experience with those who will go to intern in any future. Hope it's useful!
Background:
As you all know, internship is the best opportunity to explore in the field who you think you will work in the future. Although, there's a saying that what you study in school won't necessary become your job. It's True, but since we are given the chance, we should thrive for the best, don't we?
Since I am taking English Language, (which I cannot intern as a teacher =( , and minor in Journalism. I quite interested working in mass media field, be it magazine, newspaper, online portal anything about the mass media.
Unlike most of my friends who sent about 30-50 companies, I sent to only about 25 companies. Because I am quite indecisive when it comes to too much choices.
FYI, I went through 3 times face-to-face interviews with
So in this post, I am going to share with you the top 5 things that you need to know.
1. Compulsory Asking Questions
1. Tell me about yourself (MYC, WIS, Mk)
2, Did you know anything about our company? (MYC, Mk)
3. Why you want to be a journalist? (Mk)
4. What you want to do after your graduation? (WIS, Mk) (To test our career motivation, and direction)
Mk: For me, Steven Gan is a man of wise. He will of course ask you the latest issue in Malaysia. LIke he asked me "What is the issue that you are most angry of?"
At the end of the session, the interviewer would also ask you.
2. Anything else you want to ask?
This is your chance where you get to know anything you want FROM THE PERSON: THE PERSON FROM COMPANY TOP MANAGEMENT (Like STEVEN GAN, the co-founder of Malaysiakini interview you, get it get it? ). Leave basic questions/ Or just ask the secretary HR staff later (allowance, working hour) at the end.
P/S: I actually plan to take a selfie with him after the interview, but the interview room is so transparent that if we take selfie, all the employees outside for sure will turn their head, and stare at me..better don't degraded my image, hahaha.
I just felt like I am so stupid that when Steven Gan give me this chance. I only asked him the stupid basic questions, which I quite regret later.
Some the questions that you can ask :
1.How is the working culture of this company? (What I wanna ask is---the office politic here seious not)
As you are going to interact with your potential colleague in the company. I would prefer to ask
(I really wander how Steven Gan would answer me this question)
2. What’s expected of me when I take on this role?(taken from timothytiah.com)
3.Who would I be reporting to? What he or she like? (taken from timothytiah.com)
I actually quite puzzled about what else I can ask. Anyone want to share your experience ?
My personal questions that I wanna ask out of curious.
1. Any other competitor of your company?
2. Sir, you ask me just now what is the issue that I am most angry about. What about you? ( Super regret I didn't ask him this!! Coz imagine that you get to see how Steven Gan give critic commentary on all these)
Although , I not very sure that he would answer that question or not, due the limited time, there are still other candidates after me.
3. Focus on oral presentation rather than written portfolio:
1. My job in MYC and Mk is mostly deal with writing. So, the HR staff from MYC asked me to prepare a writes-up for the interview. So below is the documents that I have prepared for the interview.
Left: My Written production to let the interviewer evaluate, not evaluate lar, just to see how far I can write. Honestly, I don't much confident on writing, but I just have to write. So I picked from of the latest work of me, and during my degree life. Not very thick, just 3 or 4 copies of writing only.
Right: The portfolio about my achievements, with all the documents like SPM, STPM results, Sijil Berhenti Sekolah and paramount of certicates.
For the purpose for these interviews, I went on to add my working history and put inside. (you can click the photo to enlarge)
And a piece of recommendation from ex-boss.
I thought all these can help to impress the interviewer. But nope, I am wrong. I am so naive that I thought each of them would flip through or browse through my portfolio and writes-up page by page, but NO, They don't give a damn on that.
It's only when I explain to them what my course allow me to do, I only flipped to the transcript and showed them the subjects that I have taken, that capable me of doing this~~ this~~ this~~~
4. Others
1. No need to prepare so much on document, unless they request, cause they don't have time to flip through them .
2. Impress them orally. Speak confidently, but stick to your capability. Don't brag too much until you cant do it in the end.
3. Make sure you know what you are writing putting in the writes- up. I was once asked by an interview, what is my FYP proposal (which I include in the writes-up) about, I was quite blank, and but I managed to give them the core answer lar~~ apparently. So you really need to know what you are writing, and prepare how you are going to present your work to them without making it tedious, and make it short.
4. Be witty, humour and nimble (think fast and respond quickly). As I am too busy with all the assignments, I dont have much time to prepare for the interview. I felt that my respond to " Tell me about yourself" is a bit too simple, I only present myself with all the facts, but no any personality or achievement like that.
Also, when you stop speaking, some interviewer also pause awhile before they continue, as in signal you to elaborate more. I ended up looking at them, waiting for them to continue. I want to speak more.....but I really lost of words , I afraid if that I speak without prepare, I would say wrong things, or something that I shouldn't say.
5. Interviewer is not the people from HR department, but the Head of the department which you are going to work to.
Before VS After
Came across a Utarian Journalism student, Christine! OUr happy faces before interview.
Our insecure face, lame, worry face after the interview.
To avoid you all have such as big emotional roller coaster, please remember to
Prepare Well before Internship Interview yea!!
It's utterly important. As important as your assignment that you are going to handle tomororow!
Last but not least, good luck for all who is going for interview! Hope my tips would benefit you!
that's all my opinion. I believe different people has different way of tackling all these. What's your experience? Share with me here too!
Came across this post from timothytiah.com: 5 mistakes that I made at my first job interview
I decided to splurged some of my ideas here.
1. I didn't show ENERGY
I did show my energy , enthusiam, but I am too honest. Cause when the boss of Malaysiakini, Steven Gan me to write a short article on "Why I deserve a journalist job in Malaysiakini?" The first paragraph I am actually just to briefly go through the history of my ambition shift. And I wrote, until now I still never lost hope on teaching. I think that's what turn him off.
If you were looking to more of this similar post,
this post is quite useful for me, i think you would love it too!
