Internships 2008/09 (2 Viewers)

[pete_mate]

Re: internships 07

i agree with not preparing answers, as in, not putting down sentances.

however, i think you need to at least think about types of questions they might ask and what examples your going to draw on, because it can take some time to dig through your life experiences and reflect on them. therefore you should at least think about how your experiences are relevant to certain attributes.

You seem to use your questions as another excuse to sell yourself.

Instead, i ask them detailed industry relevant questions that says "this guy knows his stuff and is keen" which isn't bad either.

Senior managers love to talk about their work and to be able to converse with them as a colleageue (provided you have the knowledge) i think is powerful too,

do you ever use the knowledge style question?


Hmm, thinking back on it tho, the MBA question is very clever. it says,

I'm keen to stay here for ages, therefore im a good hire.
I care about personal development
I like to think long term, lots of good things,

The knowledge style question only says 1 thing, that your knowledgable.

However, i think they allow you to connect with the manager more personally, through a genuine interest in their work, rather than just the comapnmy, which is more superficial, tough.

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

yep definitely. i use questions with a dual-focus: on one hand to find out more about the company (e.g. I asked the work-life balance, about their position as an employer of choice, about their processes for innovation, etc.) but also to sell myself (e.g. the volunteering question).

I assume the knowledge style question is about their processes etc.?
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I guess a lot of things depend on your own personal interview technique. For instance, I am a bit arrogant during my interviews, but justifiably so: e.g. I would say things like "I only want to work for the very best, because I've spent my life being the best in every pursuit - academically, as a leader, and even in sports". This worked very well for P&G as one of their organisational mantras is 'being the best'.

Basically, my approach isn't entirely to sell myself, but also to get the interviewer to recognise that they must sell the company to me, as I have offers from many other companies. Although this is a risky approach (and it won't work for people without the right communications skills), I received offers from every single place that I applied to. I've even managed to snag a grad offer somehow, despite only wanting internships
----

Oh and watch the Apprentice board rooms. I pick up a lot of techniques from there

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

I received offers from every single place that I applied to. I've even managed to snag a grad offer somehow, despite only wanting internships

just wondering when can I become that good....well for this yr I'm happy getting just one offer

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

for me it was simply about having the right communications skills, and also accumulating A LOT of experience since high school. I would do various positions for about 3 months in different companies. This allowed me to build up a 3.5 page table of work experience, and most importantly, it allows me to answer any question that they throw at me.

 

[pete_mate]

Re: internships 07

thanks for the tips.

maybe you can find out what the hell the deal is with those gillete power shavers.

Not the electric shavers, but the normal shavers that they've then made vibrate.

like, doesn't that make it harder to shave, like who honestly buys that, i dont get it.


anyway, i'm kieran's friend on comsoc camp, i know you in real life, never really mentioned bos in person cos of the nerdiness :rofl:

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

hahaha ohhh awesome this makes me moist. there were actually quite a few bosers at the camp

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

btw, wat are u gonna do with cba internship and the unilever grad offer?

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

well maybe u can reject them while u are in singapore:rofl:

 

[beverly]

Re: internships 07

for me it was simply about having the right communications skills, and also accumulating A LOT of experience since high school. I would do various positions for about 3 months in different companies. This allowed me to build up a 3.5 page table of work experience, and most importantly, it allows me to answer any question that they throw at me.

yeh I agree with stazi, it really isn't risky if you use it in the right way, and of course you need to be confident in your own skills to pull it off. I have found that I don't need to come up with contrived answers because I always have some example or anecdote to draw upon since I have experienced a fair number of things. Because it's genuine experience, I don't think it comes across as showing off. They've interviewed enough people to be able to tell

Though at the same time I know what you mean pete_mate, there is always the possibility that you luck out since you can't necessarily anticipate if the interviewer has individual prejudices or pet hates
eg. a senior manager and one-on-one interviewer for the place I will be working mentioned that he just doesn't like people who "do too much, work multiple jobs, do uni and extra activities on top of that" as he just thinks "when do they have time to do rest?". I get his point as often in an attempt to sell themselves, a lot of people will want to say they've had a lot of experience particularly if it's true (but often it is questionable)
This is probably more of a problem if it isn't a panel, as it's one person's decision only, but ultimately, if you sell yourself (and it's warranted), you're pretty much making it hard for them to reject you. In the least, they won't be thinking "what if we make the mistake of giving them a position and theyre no good" but rather "why would we not give them a position?". The risk is not in giving you a chance, but in not giving you a chance leaving them kicking themselves for letting you go (to another firm in most cases).

 

[Vagabond]

Re: internships 07

I don't see why an employer would be afraid that you're doing too much unless they're planning on keeping you stuck at the same desk.

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

yeh I agree with stazi, it really isn't risky if you use it in the right way, and of course you need to be confident in your own skills to pull it off. I have found that I don't need to come up with contrived answers because I always have some example or anecdote to draw upon since I have experienced a fair number of things. Because it's genuine experience, I don't think it comes across as showing off. They've interviewed enough people to be able to tell

Though at the same time I know what you mean pete_mate, there is always the possibility that you luck out since you can't necessarily anticipate if the interviewer has individual prejudices or pet hates
eg. a senior manager and one-on-one interviewer for the place I will be working mentioned that he just doesn't like people who "do too much, work multiple jobs, do uni and extra activities on top of that" as he just thinks "when do they have time to do rest?". I get his point as often in an attempt to sell themselves, a lot of people will want to say they've had a lot of experience particularly if it's true (but often it is questionable)
This is probably more of a problem if it isn't a panel, as it's one person's decision only, but ultimately, if you sell yourself (and it's warranted), you're pretty much making it hard for them to reject you. In the least, they won't be thinking "what if we make the mistake of giving them a position and theyre no good" but rather "why would we not give them a position?". The risk is not in giving you a chance, but in not giving you a chance leaving them kicking themselves for letting you go (to another firm in most cases).

It's actually interesting because I received a question from the head HR chick asking "you have been in executive positions for so many societies, are the top marketing student at your university and have also balanced up to two jobs at once...do you ever wish you had more than 24 hours in a day?"

It was strange because I rehearsed this question the day before in my head. Well, not so much the question but I planned to throw in that many people ask if I somehow have 30-hours per day at my disposal, then talk about how I cope with time management and prioritisation. So, it was the most perfect question possible for me

I guess they did like the person taking on that many commitments, as opposed to your interviewer. I think that's a very strange outlook: they don't want you having done numerous things at once at a high standard, as you don't get much time to rest

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

btw, wat are u gonna do with cba internship and the unilever grad offer?

well since unilever didnt actually send a contract, but merely said that ive basically got a job come grad recruitment time, and not as a grad, but as a 'career' employee, so that they have more room to increase my salary and benefits, I simply won't apply.

As for CBA, I'll call next week to decline the offer. They were quite well aware P&G were my number one choice, and it was something I voiced after the interviews

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

call next week to decline the offer. They were quite well aware P&G were my number one choice, and it was something I voiced after the interviews

it will be cooler if you call them from Singapore lol.

since colonial is aware of ur preferences, i would assume they hav a plan B, ie backup offers...its funny to imagine that some guy on the waiting list will receive an offer next wk and go: "wtf, 6wks after rejection and i still got the job as their backup???"

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

hahahah yeah that should be funny. although apparently the backup is a chick who got a p&g offer too (but in sydney, not singapore). ironically, she lost out to me by one spot in both companies

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

it is sure a small world....and it sure hurts to lose to the same guy twice.

on the other hand, colonial will be pretty screwed if they lose all their backups, ie everyone else on the list take other positions.

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

she was actually in my group for the Unilever-Lynx Marketing Competition that we won. now she's my evil archnemesis. Or rather I am hers

 

[velox]

Re: internships 07

it is sure a small world....and it sure hurts to lose to the same guy twice.

on the other hand, colonial will be pretty screwed if they lose all their backups, ie everyone else on the list take other positions.

Apparently Deutsche Bank had an interview day or something on the same as Macquarie.

DB were in a spot of bother when no-one turned up.

The story is something like that anyway.

 

[Vagabond]

Re: internships 07

Didn't know people rated Mac over DB!

 

[havy]

Re: internships 07

...maybe mac bank offers alot more positions = more chance getting in

 

[stazi]

Re: internships 07

i always thought that mac bank was like the p&g of banking. don't mac pay like a billion dollars for grads?