About 16 years of schooling period is over and now its time for job hunting. This is such a boring stage in life and it had been extremely difficult for a choosy person like me. Since I realise Biomedicine was a bad choice, now I'm trying to change my entire field. Well, I don't think my degree is waste as I'm still being offered jobs and salary equivalent to a degree holder. So, I started to look for jobs which requires degree in any disciple. I had so many options as my career pathway but my first preference was customer service (CS). I find this as one of the most demanding and fast growing industry so, I started applying for all the available vacancies in CS. I got called for interviews...only god knows how many times (too many till I can't remember). From what I can remember, I seceded in all of the interviews which I attended for CS (its not hard to get a job in CS), except for one.
This is my experience during that interview. I received a phone call from the recruitment agent (Adecco Jln Ampang) at around 9 am on that morning. She told me that there's a vacancy in a bank (refused to specify the bank) and asked if I am interested. I said yes and she asked me to be there at 10.30 am, if I wanted the job. I asked her if we make it later on that day or another day? She replied me in a raised and arrogant voice "you are looking for a job right?" I agreed to go even though she made me feel as if I'm a useless unemployed graduate who had been desperately looking for job even though at that moment I already have few job offers in hand! The first interview session was with Ei Leen (I don't know if I got her name spelled correctly) who is the rude agent who called me earlier. Don't be fooled by the name, its not a Chinese, its an Indian lady! The interview was very brief and went on fine. Finally she revealed the name of the bank (Citibank) and asked me to go there for the next round of interview. Upon arrival, I called the HR manager via the intercom but there was no answer. I waited for nearly 20 minutes (keep trying to call every 2-3 mins) before a lady (not the HR manager) answered. Then, she came out, brought me in explained to fill up the particulars form and also to do the test. She was talking at the speed of ....I think 150 words/min. Maybe she though I'm stupid and wont be able to understand anything told at that pace. It took me around an hour to complete and submit the whole thing. Then, I was left unattended for an hour. I was sitting and looking at all the tables, chairs, doors and posters on the wall. Then, I approached the lady and asked her, how long do I have to wait? She said, the HR manager is busy so u follow me. She brought me to one of the staffs, passed me the headphone and asked me to listen to the conversation with the customers and she left. I was cursing in my heart saying that I'm here for an interview not a training!!! I was doing this for almost 40 minutes. It was 2.30 pm, my tummy was rumbling as I didn't even drink a drop since morning because the agent rushed me to be there. I couldn't stand it anymore so I went to that lady again and asked her how long more its gonna take? She was uncertain. I told her that I had a very important appointment and I cant wait any longer. She rescheduled the interview the following week.
So, as per the appointment, I went for the interview after a few days. I called the HR manager via intercom and thank god, I was attended within minutes. The interview went on smoothly and the HR manager praised me saying that I can speak fluently and that I have great communication skills. Then, I was asked to undergo the second interview with the CS manager, Mr Baskar (Indian again!). I waited around 20 minutes and a man approached. He introduced himself and started the interview session. The questions he asked were very common and simple. I answered him confidently and everything was fine.
After around 2 weeks, Ei Leen called me and asked if I am still looking for job. She did not mention anything regarding the feedback from Citibank till I asked her. She said I failed the interview. I wasn't shocked instead I laughed. I said "what, failed the interview...huh"?Then, she offered me a temporary 2 months admin job. I said its ok, I'm not interested. She said "You're unemployed right? So why don't you just accept this offer?"I told her that I'm not interested and hung up. Damn!! I'm unemployed but its not that I haven't received any job offers! I have received plenty of it and I declined those offers cause I feel that they are not good enough for me. But this lady expect me to accept temporary admin job? When I told my mum I failed the interview with Citibank, she said "that Indian guy must be scared that you'll take his place if he hires you". Even my sis said the same thing. I don't understand what is the problem with Indians. They can never see or accept another Indian doing better than them or even respect each other. I mean, it was such a simple interview session and the position applied for is a CS exec which is impossible for me to fail! All you need is good communication skills in which I over qualify and above this, I have a second class upper degree and few months experience in CS! Yet I failed? PLL-EEAAS-EE!!! I went for so many other interviews, mostly conducted by Chinese and I suceeded. The reason? Chinese seek for real talent and ability unlike Indians, who can never accept another Indian's victory. I bet, if the CS manager in Citibank was a Chinese, I would have passed that interview!
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