Ahhh, just one more day to the weekends.
It has been slightly more than 6 weeks since I entered the corporate world and I must say it has been one hell of a ride (in a good way).
As I continued searching for a permanent job in the last 6 weeks, I have attended countless job interviews and needless to say, they have amounted to nothing. I'm not particularly discouraged because I believe everything happens for a reason but I suppose my mom is feeling more jittery than I am.
I had the most unpleasant job interview yesterday and it really left a mark. In fact, it left me wondering whether I deserved such unjustified treatment from whom seemed like a self-entitled high-handed hiring manager.
They say you get better with each job interview and I cannot agree more. So after months of job-hunting, I decided to pen down a couple of lessons learned.
1 Be you
No one should go into a job interview pretending to be someone else. Of course, we wished we were the perfect candidates who fit the bill to a T but there will always be someone better. Instead of deliberately trying to impress your interviewers, it is more important that you remember to stay true to yourself. You would want the interviewers to know who you are because that is how you find out the kind of person your interviewers are. In that process, you (and the interviewers) get to decide if you really suit the position.
2 Know your worth
I've gotten questions about my expected salary and it might be a little bashful or embarrassing to sell yourself but look at it another way: you are actually exuding self-confidence in your unique skill sets. In deciding how much my labour is worth, I looked at the university I graduated from. It might sound superficial but your interviewers measure your worth against your paper qualifications. That is perhaps the not-so-surprising reality in Singapore's society.
On top of which, I looked at my working experience. If I have relevant working experience, which I do in this case, then it's easy to use that to my advantage. You become more desirable if you've got relevant working experience because it means you don't have to be trained from zero and that is cost effective for your future bosses. But I also try to use my non-relevant working experience to argue in my favour. For example, my part-time position at the tuition centre, which no one considers as proper work experience, taught me people relations and that is an important soft skill in many jobs these days.
3 Pursue your passion
Or if you're completely clueless about your passion then find a job that lets you explore different areas of expertise so that you can later decide which field you want to go into but you would also have experience in other fields.
Your interviewers are going to ask you why you applied for the position and I know you would probably already have the ideal answer at your fingertips but how long can you stick with a job you don't actually feel passionate about?
I find many of my friends don't know or don't pursue their passion and I find such a pity because just how much fun you would have if your passion pays you? It's like killing two birds with one stone. I could possibly be one of the few lucky ones to work jobs that are in line with what I love but it is an incredible feeling. It is no easy feat working 4 jobs but I am so blessed to be able to do what I do. So run wild and chase the bigger dream.
4 Look ahead
But not too far ahead.
It's funny how some interviewers would ask me where I see myself in 5 years and I'd say, "5 years is a long time." And that is so true. You wouldn't know where you want to be in 10 years but you would know where you want to be 6 months ahead. And I'm sure you don't want to be stuck in a trashy job.
Look for a job that provides you opportunities to grow as a person and expand/fine-tune your skill set. Life is a continuous learning journey and you should not enter a job that stumps your growth. You should want a job that is stimulating and engaging, fulfilling and rewarding. So while being unemployed is a stressful burden to carry, you should always settle for one that's going to take you further than where you are now.
5 Do your research
Yesterday, my interviewer turned really nasty against me because I had little knowledge about the company. Her last words, and I will remember very clearly, were, "I hope you leave this room learning you should do in-depth research about the company before going for the interview."
I agree with doing research because you should know who you're applying to but you're not required to do extensive research, which is why I felt the interviewer was just being mean. Most interviewers don't expect you to know the number of departments there are or to recite the company's history but you should know the kind of place you are setting foot in.
Also, if you are aware of the kind of company it is then you would also be able to better decide if you really want to apply with it.
It has been slightly more than 6 weeks since I entered the corporate world and I must say it has been one hell of a ride (in a good way).
As I continued searching for a permanent job in the last 6 weeks, I have attended countless job interviews and needless to say, they have amounted to nothing. I'm not particularly discouraged because I believe everything happens for a reason but I suppose my mom is feeling more jittery than I am.
I had the most unpleasant job interview yesterday and it really left a mark. In fact, it left me wondering whether I deserved such unjustified treatment from whom seemed like a self-entitled high-handed hiring manager.
They say you get better with each job interview and I cannot agree more. So after months of job-hunting, I decided to pen down a couple of lessons learned.
1 Be you
No one should go into a job interview pretending to be someone else. Of course, we wished we were the perfect candidates who fit the bill to a T but there will always be someone better. Instead of deliberately trying to impress your interviewers, it is more important that you remember to stay true to yourself. You would want the interviewers to know who you are because that is how you find out the kind of person your interviewers are. In that process, you (and the interviewers) get to decide if you really suit the position.
2 Know your worth
I've gotten questions about my expected salary and it might be a little bashful or embarrassing to sell yourself but look at it another way: you are actually exuding self-confidence in your unique skill sets. In deciding how much my labour is worth, I looked at the university I graduated from. It might sound superficial but your interviewers measure your worth against your paper qualifications. That is perhaps the not-so-surprising reality in Singapore's society.
On top of which, I looked at my working experience. If I have relevant working experience, which I do in this case, then it's easy to use that to my advantage. You become more desirable if you've got relevant working experience because it means you don't have to be trained from zero and that is cost effective for your future bosses. But I also try to use my non-relevant working experience to argue in my favour. For example, my part-time position at the tuition centre, which no one considers as proper work experience, taught me people relations and that is an important soft skill in many jobs these days.
3 Pursue your passion
Or if you're completely clueless about your passion then find a job that lets you explore different areas of expertise so that you can later decide which field you want to go into but you would also have experience in other fields.
Your interviewers are going to ask you why you applied for the position and I know you would probably already have the ideal answer at your fingertips but how long can you stick with a job you don't actually feel passionate about?
I find many of my friends don't know or don't pursue their passion and I find such a pity because just how much fun you would have if your passion pays you? It's like killing two birds with one stone. I could possibly be one of the few lucky ones to work jobs that are in line with what I love but it is an incredible feeling. It is no easy feat working 4 jobs but I am so blessed to be able to do what I do. So run wild and chase the bigger dream.
4 Look ahead
But not too far ahead.
It's funny how some interviewers would ask me where I see myself in 5 years and I'd say, "5 years is a long time." And that is so true. You wouldn't know where you want to be in 10 years but you would know where you want to be 6 months ahead. And I'm sure you don't want to be stuck in a trashy job.
Look for a job that provides you opportunities to grow as a person and expand/fine-tune your skill set. Life is a continuous learning journey and you should not enter a job that stumps your growth. You should want a job that is stimulating and engaging, fulfilling and rewarding. So while being unemployed is a stressful burden to carry, you should always settle for one that's going to take you further than where you are now.
5 Do your research
Yesterday, my interviewer turned really nasty against me because I had little knowledge about the company. Her last words, and I will remember very clearly, were, "I hope you leave this room learning you should do in-depth research about the company before going for the interview."
I agree with doing research because you should know who you're applying to but you're not required to do extensive research, which is why I felt the interviewer was just being mean. Most interviewers don't expect you to know the number of departments there are or to recite the company's history but you should know the kind of place you are setting foot in.
Also, if you are aware of the kind of company it is then you would also be able to better decide if you really want to apply with it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe my mom's anxiety was rubbing off me and I was desperately applying to everywhere in hopes someone kind would employ me so I landed in places I didn't want to be. Now that I have no more interviews lined up, I have decided to take a break.
I've also decided to focus on making the best out of my 9 months with AVA. Although it is a temporary position and I will probably be jobless again at the end of my contract, I am just thankful I have a job right now.
It's a busy period and I feel more motivated to do a better job. (I've even planned what to do tomorrow, hoping I'll be able to take some stuff off my senior's plate.)
So here's to better days ahead!
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