Interview #3 The securities company

This post is a continuation of Getting Hired.
Read Interview #1
Read Interview #2

Before I begin sharing the general tips I've compiled, I think its a good idea to share my interview experiences. I haven't attended a lot, but every session I've attended provided me with valuable information and contributed to the next. So here's another that I've experienced:

Preliminary screening
Before the career fair began, students were encouraged to deposit their CVs online. That's exactly what I did. I then received an email from the institution, offering an interview slot during the fair. Was advised to bring along a copy of my latest transcript as well as the original copies of supporting documents.


I heard it's tough to get in. So I was understandably nervous when I met the interviewer for the first time. She was serious and blunt. She asked me to introduce myself as she analyzed my transcripts. As I was doing the talking, she interrupted when she needed clarification and she was so hardcore that if I were lying, she would have caught it. I was asked to explain, among others:

• Why I was there
• What I was studying
• Why I chose to further my studies
• Whether it was my own initiative
• How my skills may contribute to the organization
• My recent achievements
• What I've done to overcome a recent failure

Apart from that, I was also asked to elaborate on the roles of the institution, its mandates, divisions and the current news in Malaysia (at the time the New Economic Model was a hot topic, so she asked me a lot about that). Can't remember what other things that were asked, but I remember it being the most nerve-wrecking preliminary interview session!

Minutes after the interview, I was called to fill in my details because they were issuing a conditional letter of employment for me - the condition being that I should get at least CGPA 3.0 when I graduate, to be able to go to the next stage.

I did, so I contacted them again.

Case study and role-playng
After I graduated and returned to Malaysia I resubmitted my updated transcripts, CV, certificates and professional references (letters from lecturers stating how awesome a student is). I was invited to an assessment session at its office. The office got me stoked. It's so beautiful! With see through elevators and a concourse area, the place reminded me more of a posh shopping mall than an office.

I was brought to a discussion room and was given an article and a set of questions to answer. The answers weren't on the paper because they're not trying to measure comprehension skills, but one's level of critical thinking.

Once done, I was brought to a larger meeting room. There, I shook hands with two panels (friendlier than the one who interviewed me in Melbourne). I introduced myself briefly and was given another paper to read and answer on the spot. It was a case study on mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances - asking me to differentiate between the three and explain its advantages and possible disadvantages (I think it's something like that). That one, I answered without an issue. After studying several units and of international business studies, I should be able to! I had real-life examples at the tip of my fingers.

As soon as I was ready, they later provided me with a scenario and I was asked to solve the issue that was faced by this imaginary company. After answering, the situation would change, they'd twist it up a bit and I was asked to answer again and again, "How would you handle this situation?" For a while there, I was mind-blown. Man, these people are really trying to assess my decision-making skills! But I took my time, answered them, questioned and argued when I should. At the end of the session, (even when they say there's no right or wrong in answering), I asked them how well I fared compared to the other candidates and how they would answer the questions.

I think I did well. Next thing I know, I got an invite to go through their online assessment

Online questionnaire
This online assessment is basically a personality questionnaire. I don't believe there's a right way to do it, I suppose they just want to see how you will fit in the organization and what department may suit you best. It took less than half an hour to complete.

Medical check-up
I received an email, inviting me for a medical check-up at a panel clinic. Organizations do this to make sure that candidates are illness-free when they apply for the job, to stop the candidates from taking advantages of their insurance scheme (I assume).

At the time, I thought that this was arguably the most interesting and challenging interview process I've been to, ever. I repeat. Thought.