I know some if not most of you would be nervous if you can face an interview or not. A 10-minutes interview would feel like a 10-hours interview if you keep on getting nervous, or worst if you panicked out. Therefore, I really suggest you to get ready for these 'confrontations' as its probably the most important part of getting a scholarship. Once your application is accepted, they won't judge you by your marks or grades anymore. Its YOU they're gonna judge. So be prepared inside and out! These are some links that I have researched which contains high quality words of knowledge to successfully pull an interview. So, good luck!
http://bhuvans.wordpress.com/2006/08/19/50-common-interview-qa/ (for Q&As)
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm (more Q&As)
http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/aceinterview.htm (this is good but its more for jobs interview. worth a read though)
http://www.articlesgarage.com/college-scholarship-interview-tips-for-success/ (for what to wear, but its written by a non-muslim i think. so for the ladies part, er you know)
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_2126254_prepare-college-scholarship-interview.html (bullet-style articles. good read. simple and compact)
http://www.scholarshippreparations.com/how-to-give-a-great-scholarship-interview (good tips before, and during interviews)
Quoted from http://spmleavers.blogspot.com
Unveil the mystery of scholarships
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Interview with Bank Negara Malaysia Scholarship Recipients
Name: Ammar Faris
Age: 21
Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Course: Computer Engineering
Scholarship awarded: Bank Negara Malaysia
Tell us why you chose that particular body to apply for a scholarship.
My strategy was to apply for as many scholarships as I could. I believe the bodies/companies that I applied to, Bank Negara Malaysia being one of them, have good reputations and funding. Besides, Bank Negara is the Central Bank of Malaysia and therefore makes it a good place to start a career after graduation.
Why apply for a scholarship?
Studying abroad costs a lot of money. Coming from a middle-class family and having a number of siblings, my parents could not afford to pay the expensive four-year tuition fees and other related fees. Why burden your parents when you have the chance to at least try your best to receive a scholarship?
What does it take to be a recipient of the particular scholarship?
I would say that at least to get to the interview stage you have to have a good academic standing (good scores in SPM) plus you have to be active in at least one or two extra-curricular activities and hold one or two leadership positions. Self-confidence, quick and smart decision-making, team work, and great English speaking skills are the vital attributes needed in order to succeed in the interview.
How did you find out about it?
I found out about it through the newspapers and online.
How did you apply for it? (obtained forms online, did you have to pay for the form, etc.)
I applied for it online without paying any fees.
What was the application procedure?
Wait until the application is open (usually right after the SPM results are announced). They will advertise on the website as well as in the main newspapers. Then, go to the link that is provided in the newspapers, or go to their main website (www.bnm.gov.my) and find the link that directs you to the application page. You have to create an account at the application page. Then, you key in your details which include basic information about yourself, your academic grades, extra-curricular and leadership positions, and other relevant details. After that, you submit the information and wait for Bank Negara to contact you if you are shortlisted.
Describe the interview process.
It is a little bit different from MARA and JPA since it has more than just the basic interview component. The Bank Negara interview consisted of four parts – the individual presentation, a group presentation, an interview (three interviewers to one interviewee), and two written essays (one in English and one in BM).
What were your preparations for the interview?
I have attended one or two interviews prior to my Bank Negara interview and thus, I considered that as one of my preparations. Moreover, I did some research pertaining to Bank Negara which included its mission, role and functions and its business areas. Knowing more about the company makes it easier for you if they ask a company-related question(s). Besides, before the interview, I role-played with my friends and family members. I also searched for useful information on the Internet such as interview tips and dress code. Not forgetting my final preparation (the night before the interview) – the outfit that I was going to wear, compiling all my certificates and documents that I was going to bring in a file and directions to the venue of the interview.
During the interview, be sure to…
Be calm and don’t panic. Yes, I felt nervous too. But let me put it this way; the other candidates were also nervous. You just have to try your best. Be sure to address the interviewers/officers accordingly. Make sure that you follow the instructions specified by the interviewers. Smile and be polite always (to everyone).
Be sure NOT to…
Be late. Dress improperly. Show disrespect to the interviewers or your teammates/other interviewees.
Interviewee ethics?
Be punctual! Dress appropriately, address interviewers correctly, don’t sit without asking for permission or without receiving a “please sit” from the interviewers.
Advice for those who don’t get the scholarship.
Chill!!! It is not the end of the world. There are always other scholarships available out there. I advise you to apply to as many scholarships as you can. Make sure you also apply for JPA or MARA since they provide more scholarships which will give you a higher chance of getting one. Besides, you can always apply for a scholarship while studying at local universities. If you are yearning to study abroad, you can try applying after your STPM or Matriculation.
Do take note that it does not matter where you study, what really matters is your education and how you cope and ace it and how it will affect your future.
Age: 21
Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Course: Computer Engineering
Scholarship awarded: Bank Negara Malaysia
Tell us why you chose that particular body to apply for a scholarship.
My strategy was to apply for as many scholarships as I could. I believe the bodies/companies that I applied to, Bank Negara Malaysia being one of them, have good reputations and funding. Besides, Bank Negara is the Central Bank of Malaysia and therefore makes it a good place to start a career after graduation.
Why apply for a scholarship?
Studying abroad costs a lot of money. Coming from a middle-class family and having a number of siblings, my parents could not afford to pay the expensive four-year tuition fees and other related fees. Why burden your parents when you have the chance to at least try your best to receive a scholarship?
What does it take to be a recipient of the particular scholarship?
I would say that at least to get to the interview stage you have to have a good academic standing (good scores in SPM) plus you have to be active in at least one or two extra-curricular activities and hold one or two leadership positions. Self-confidence, quick and smart decision-making, team work, and great English speaking skills are the vital attributes needed in order to succeed in the interview.
How did you find out about it?
I found out about it through the newspapers and online.
How did you apply for it? (obtained forms online, did you have to pay for the form, etc.)
I applied for it online without paying any fees.
What was the application procedure?
Wait until the application is open (usually right after the SPM results are announced). They will advertise on the website as well as in the main newspapers. Then, go to the link that is provided in the newspapers, or go to their main website (www.bnm.gov.my) and find the link that directs you to the application page. You have to create an account at the application page. Then, you key in your details which include basic information about yourself, your academic grades, extra-curricular and leadership positions, and other relevant details. After that, you submit the information and wait for Bank Negara to contact you if you are shortlisted.
Describe the interview process.
It is a little bit different from MARA and JPA since it has more than just the basic interview component. The Bank Negara interview consisted of four parts – the individual presentation, a group presentation, an interview (three interviewers to one interviewee), and two written essays (one in English and one in BM).
What were your preparations for the interview?
I have attended one or two interviews prior to my Bank Negara interview and thus, I considered that as one of my preparations. Moreover, I did some research pertaining to Bank Negara which included its mission, role and functions and its business areas. Knowing more about the company makes it easier for you if they ask a company-related question(s). Besides, before the interview, I role-played with my friends and family members. I also searched for useful information on the Internet such as interview tips and dress code. Not forgetting my final preparation (the night before the interview) – the outfit that I was going to wear, compiling all my certificates and documents that I was going to bring in a file and directions to the venue of the interview.
During the interview, be sure to…
Be calm and don’t panic. Yes, I felt nervous too. But let me put it this way; the other candidates were also nervous. You just have to try your best. Be sure to address the interviewers/officers accordingly. Make sure that you follow the instructions specified by the interviewers. Smile and be polite always (to everyone).
Be sure NOT to…
Be late. Dress improperly. Show disrespect to the interviewers or your teammates/other interviewees.
Interviewee ethics?
Be punctual! Dress appropriately, address interviewers correctly, don’t sit without asking for permission or without receiving a “please sit” from the interviewers.
Advice for those who don’t get the scholarship.
Chill!!! It is not the end of the world. There are always other scholarships available out there. I advise you to apply to as many scholarships as you can. Make sure you also apply for JPA or MARA since they provide more scholarships which will give you a higher chance of getting one. Besides, you can always apply for a scholarship while studying at local universities. If you are yearning to study abroad, you can try applying after your STPM or Matriculation.
Do take note that it does not matter where you study, what really matters is your education and how you cope and ace it and how it will affect your future.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Another JPA interview tips
Don't be nervous.Stay calm.
Do the interview as if you are having a casual talk with the interviewers.Just roughly talk about for your self-intro.highligh what is your achievement in co-curricular activities in schools.You do not need to go in details but just tell the panel the high achievement and you are active in co-curricular activities.For the year 2010,most of the panel will ask you to give self-intro in Bahasa Malaysia.So,answer in Bahasa Malaysia also.For my experience,i'm nervous to left out some international competition i had participated.but it doesn't matter.They just want you to speak.Be confident what you have done in school.Nothing is weird.Dont have a thinking like you're boosting yourself because you're not cheating anyone,you really had participated in it so don't be afraid to speak.Nothing is weird.For the group discussion,focus your mind,keep thinking about what you can talk on the topics given.If your mind really went blank and you can't really think up a good point,it's ok.You just have to agree with what others say and have a little elaboration on it.
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Jackieknight Yap: JPA scholarship 2010 "story" =.= (8-4-2010)
Well,Just Intro
I m writing tis because ....boring..==
k, story begin with , once upon a time, there was a princess.........==
Ouuhh...!!!
back to JPA ...
any mistakes , i wish i could acquire your forgiveness cuz i m writing tis informally and "cincai-ly"
There r 5 days for the interview session this year ....which is fron 5th april to 9th april....
i goin on the 8th at morning 8.00a.m(a.m. stand for afternoon morning) ...=.= cuz the time i being interviewed was alr 12.00 ...haiz
today morning, i woke at 6.00(morning) ...
the funniest is , my brother was the one who woke me as i had ordered him to do so, after he woke me, he talk to me in cantonis, i just answered:' no cantonis pls "....LOL...then the fellow paused a while, then the conversation continue in BM and BI , just a fool la...haha if u all feel comfortable to go tis way ^^, yes u could...
then , of course get my teeth brush b4 i went la....lol....in the car, i switch the radio frequency to Malay FM also just for nothing....when i arrived at the building named MBI....duno why, no feeling of stress or wat la..mayb i know the fact that i will NOT be one of the 1500 (no. candidates to be sent oversea) out of 10400(no. applicants coming for the JPA interview)....
after entering, i straight away go to level 2 .....then we were told to sign our name on the board which there were few name list pasted there....those who din c u name at 1st, dun panic, just review u surat panggilan , if u came on the date the letter stated , then u just wait for the list to be pasted on later, cuz i was like tat...^^....b4 u sign u name on the list, ensure tat tat is u name, and remember which panels are u goin ....IMPORTANT
after tat , we moved as the order from Tuan was given. after tat, if u r the 1st group, for me, i will say congratz to u ...^^, i m not sure hw other will feel about tat, for me, it is great to be the 1st group to be interviewed.
i m the last group....tat mean ....== wan tidur semula liao...fortunately , the other candidates over there were talkative , they r richard , lcd, ong, ammar and yen mun,(the name do not arrange according to level of frenship....i feel nice to meet u all !!! anyone i left feel free to complain ...haha )so , get uself into the conversation and u will feel better, converse in BM and BI,....
3 hours passed, we were finally called to submit our clear folder to the handsome guy to check for the document (sijil kelahiran ibu bapa,diri yang asal, pengesahan pendapatan, semua benda yang disenaraikan dalan surat panggilan ) and the coco certs....
* the interviewers WILL NOT SEE ALL U CERTS cuz u won't bring into the interviewing room
we were given number then, i m number 2 ^^ .....yen is no. 1 , mus hold no.3, richard is arranged as no. 4 and ammar is no.5....after tat , we were asked to sit on the chairs tat in front of the interviewing room...the chair tat i sat, is a bit cacat ....==..... lol...
then we have "relax talk " with each other in front of the interviewing room, really happy to meet them ^^.....as they willing to cooperate to produce a relax situation...talk about movie, dance, music hobby....haha
after the group b4 us had came out, they were giving us their last support ^^ by shaking hand.....
after i went in , i kept pulling my lips like McDonald all the time ^^ , then the interviewers also smile to us....
THE 1ST QUESTION FOR US :
Memperkenalkan diri anda dalam BM, jawapan anda mesti mengandungi:
nama
nama sekolah
later belakang keluarga
pendapatan keluarga
aktiviti koko yang disertai dalam sekolah
jawatan diambil
pencapaian
kursus yang dipilih
kenapa ?
siapa yang memberikan ilham / dorongan ?
negara mana yang ingin dimohon ? kenapa ?
Adakah anda akan balik semula ke MALAYSIA dan menyumbang tenaga kepada RAKYAT MALAYSIA ? Bagaimana ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA menukarkan kursus yang anda pilih, adakah anda akan menerima ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA menukarkan negara yang anda pilih, adakah anda akan menerima ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA hanya menawarkan biasiswa kepada anda untuk belajar di dalam negara , adakah anda akan menerima ?
(i m not sure whether the interviewers wana evaluate u firm standing or u flexibility , for me , they din ask...haha....of course , u can answer logically and commonly.....but REMEMBER, to show u r unique, tis is one of the way u can show !!! )
then , the interviewers gave a topic for us to discuss (i hardly remember the whole sentence for the topic but wat i state here is just the idea of the discussion tat we were given)
"what do u think that girls are more excellent than boys in academic as the top 30 SPM 2010 students are mostly female? how can the government balance it ? in fact , the government has given equal access opportunities to the malaysian student irrespective of gender, race, religion, the colour of the skin "
then we were asked to discuss in 2 versions which is BM and BI.
after the discussion,we were asked to place our seat to the original position, then the next question was:
If the scholarship will be given to any one of u, who do u think he/she is deserved ? why ?
*if u try to recommend uself, think twice b4 u said. u can tell if u really different from other, and recommend uself in a CREATIVE way !!!
Then , the session has almost come to the end, the interviewers will ask whether we have any questions to throw back to them ....lol....normally the candidates will ask, hw the scholarship r given la...and blah blah blah..(by ke$ha !! nice song)
we went out after saying bye bye to them.
the interviewers are nice, there are 3 of them, one indian man(always attack us one) , one malay man (very gentlemen ^^ i like him) and one malay women (also a nice women ^^) , so , dun be feared of them.
after tat , we r feeling totally relieved !!!! As wat a normal homosapiens will do, which is, give our last support to the next team ....by ONLY handshake also =.=.....haha
MY ADVICE !!!
dun try to be arrogant, be natural, if u wana boost u impression to the interviewers, use creative, and humorous way !!!
smile NATURALLY all the time and keep looking confident
nod u head when u agree with others statements / opinions / views and points.......(this to show u r humble)
don't try to memorize thing, just know wat the contents u have to tell is enof ^^
The answer for the questions, erm..... u can just comment if u think u need aids to answer the questions....^^
BECAUSE the only way to create a creative answer, is by only answering the question uself
have u ever heard of
"give a man a fish, u feed him a day; teach a man to fish, u feed him for life" ?
THANK for taking u precious time to read my STORY ^^
Rating ? do facebook has such thing ? lol
leave a comment ? i m always happy whenever there is a comment ^^
report it ? haha dun do tat la..blek...
^^ i hope i could be on the plane flying to FRANCE and further my study !!! as well as others whether to those who r applicants SPM 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 ,......onwards? after 2012 still gt ppl ah ? haha just joke, hope all the applicants all the BEST of the BEST
I know a few new friends there,when i was waiting for my turn to interview.Jackie is one of the friends there(dont misunderstand,my new friends are all guys,no girls ok?).And thanks him for allowing me to paste his experience from facebook and share it here.
I m writing tis because ....boring..==
k, story begin with , once upon a time, there was a princess.........==
Ouuhh...!!!
back to JPA ...
any mistakes , i wish i could acquire your forgiveness cuz i m writing tis informally and "cincai-ly"
There r 5 days for the interview session this year ....which is fron 5th april to 9th april....
i goin on the 8th at morning 8.00a.m(a.m. stand for afternoon morning) ...=.= cuz the time i being interviewed was alr 12.00 ...haiz
today morning, i woke at 6.00(morning) ...
the funniest is , my brother was the one who woke me as i had ordered him to do so, after he woke me, he talk to me in cantonis, i just answered:' no cantonis pls "....LOL...then the fellow paused a while, then the conversation continue in BM and BI , just a fool la...haha if u all feel comfortable to go tis way ^^, yes u could...
then , of course get my teeth brush b4 i went la....lol....in the car, i switch the radio frequency to Malay FM also just for nothing....when i arrived at the building named MBI....duno why, no feeling of stress or wat la..mayb i know the fact that i will NOT be one of the 1500 (no. candidates to be sent oversea) out of 10400(no. applicants coming for the JPA interview)....
after entering, i straight away go to level 2 .....then we were told to sign our name on the board which there were few name list pasted there....those who din c u name at 1st, dun panic, just review u surat panggilan , if u came on the date the letter stated , then u just wait for the list to be pasted on later, cuz i was like tat...^^....b4 u sign u name on the list, ensure tat tat is u name, and remember which panels are u goin ....IMPORTANT
after tat , we moved as the order from Tuan was given. after tat, if u r the 1st group, for me, i will say congratz to u ...^^, i m not sure hw other will feel about tat, for me, it is great to be the 1st group to be interviewed.
i m the last group....tat mean ....== wan tidur semula liao...fortunately , the other candidates over there were talkative , they r richard , lcd, ong, ammar and yen mun,(the name do not arrange according to level of frenship....i feel nice to meet u all !!! anyone i left feel free to complain ...haha )so , get uself into the conversation and u will feel better, converse in BM and BI,....
3 hours passed, we were finally called to submit our clear folder to the handsome guy to check for the document (sijil kelahiran ibu bapa,diri yang asal, pengesahan pendapatan, semua benda yang disenaraikan dalan surat panggilan ) and the coco certs....
* the interviewers WILL NOT SEE ALL U CERTS cuz u won't bring into the interviewing room
we were given number then, i m number 2 ^^ .....yen is no. 1 , mus hold no.3, richard is arranged as no. 4 and ammar is no.5....after tat , we were asked to sit on the chairs tat in front of the interviewing room...the chair tat i sat, is a bit cacat ....==..... lol...
then we have "relax talk " with each other in front of the interviewing room, really happy to meet them ^^.....as they willing to cooperate to produce a relax situation...talk about movie, dance, music hobby....haha
after the group b4 us had came out, they were giving us their last support ^^ by shaking hand.....
after i went in , i kept pulling my lips like McDonald all the time ^^ , then the interviewers also smile to us....
THE 1ST QUESTION FOR US :
Memperkenalkan diri anda dalam BM, jawapan anda mesti mengandungi:
nama
nama sekolah
later belakang keluarga
pendapatan keluarga
aktiviti koko yang disertai dalam sekolah
jawatan diambil
pencapaian
kursus yang dipilih
kenapa ?
siapa yang memberikan ilham / dorongan ?
negara mana yang ingin dimohon ? kenapa ?
Adakah anda akan balik semula ke MALAYSIA dan menyumbang tenaga kepada RAKYAT MALAYSIA ? Bagaimana ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA menukarkan kursus yang anda pilih, adakah anda akan menerima ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA menukarkan negara yang anda pilih, adakah anda akan menerima ?
*sekiranya pihak JPA hanya menawarkan biasiswa kepada anda untuk belajar di dalam negara , adakah anda akan menerima ?
(i m not sure whether the interviewers wana evaluate u firm standing or u flexibility , for me , they din ask...haha....of course , u can answer logically and commonly.....but REMEMBER, to show u r unique, tis is one of the way u can show !!! )
then , the interviewers gave a topic for us to discuss (i hardly remember the whole sentence for the topic but wat i state here is just the idea of the discussion tat we were given)
"what do u think that girls are more excellent than boys in academic as the top 30 SPM 2010 students are mostly female? how can the government balance it ? in fact , the government has given equal access opportunities to the malaysian student irrespective of gender, race, religion, the colour of the skin "
then we were asked to discuss in 2 versions which is BM and BI.
after the discussion,we were asked to place our seat to the original position, then the next question was:
If the scholarship will be given to any one of u, who do u think he/she is deserved ? why ?
*if u try to recommend uself, think twice b4 u said. u can tell if u really different from other, and recommend uself in a CREATIVE way !!!
Then , the session has almost come to the end, the interviewers will ask whether we have any questions to throw back to them ....lol....normally the candidates will ask, hw the scholarship r given la...and blah blah blah..(by ke$ha !! nice song)
we went out after saying bye bye to them.
the interviewers are nice, there are 3 of them, one indian man(always attack us one) , one malay man (very gentlemen ^^ i like him) and one malay women (also a nice women ^^) , so , dun be feared of them.
after tat , we r feeling totally relieved !!!! As wat a normal homosapiens will do, which is, give our last support to the next team ....by ONLY handshake also =.=.....haha
MY ADVICE !!!
dun try to be arrogant, be natural, if u wana boost u impression to the interviewers, use creative, and humorous way !!!
smile NATURALLY all the time and keep looking confident
nod u head when u agree with others statements / opinions / views and points.......(this to show u r humble)
don't try to memorize thing, just know wat the contents u have to tell is enof ^^
The answer for the questions, erm..... u can just comment if u think u need aids to answer the questions....^^
BECAUSE the only way to create a creative answer, is by only answering the question uself
have u ever heard of
"give a man a fish, u feed him a day; teach a man to fish, u feed him for life" ?
THANK for taking u precious time to read my STORY ^^
Rating ? do facebook has such thing ? lol
leave a comment ? i m always happy whenever there is a comment ^^
report it ? haha dun do tat la..blek...
^^ i hope i could be on the plane flying to FRANCE and further my study !!! as well as others whether to those who r applicants SPM 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 ,......onwards? after 2012 still gt ppl ah ? haha just joke, hope all the applicants all the BEST of the BEST
Latest updated group discussion topics tips for JPA interview 2010
1.The jpa’s scholarship should be given based on the financial status or the economic status?
2.There is a research that the male graduates in the universities is decreasing.There are much more female graduates than male graduates nowadays.Please give your opinion and ways to improve the number of male graduates in universities.
3.Cancer
4.Global warming affects health
5.how insurance earn money for government
6.measures to reduce negligion of government hospital
7.if we send you torural areas,what will you do?
2.There is a research that the male graduates in the universities is decreasing.There are much more female graduates than male graduates nowadays.Please give your opinion and ways to improve the number of male graduates in universities.
3.Cancer
4.Global warming affects health
5.how insurance earn money for government
6.measures to reduce negligion of government hospital
7.if we send you torural areas,what will you do?
My personal JPA's interview experience 2010
Venue:Majlis Perbandaran Ipoh
Subject applied:Teknologi Maklumat/ICT
Today is my interview day--8.8.2010.it's at 8morning.I reached the majlis perbandaran
building at about 7.30am.The journey to ipoh has never been so ….,u know what I said,because I normally went to ipoh with my family to travel,or have some wedding dinner,etc.never been encountered in my life—went there for INTERVIEW.indeed,this is first time in my life for such serious interview,I think.My heart was pumping upside down.
Well,as I stepped down from the car,there’s an guy,taller than me I think.he’s with his day,oso just stepped down from the car.His dad is even taller,kinda like European guy.i think he’s like Indian guy,but I guess he’s completely pure Indian.the first impression I saw his dad was,I had an idea that he is one of the panel.but I was wrong,he was a parent,came with his son for interview.the son automatically shook my hand,I was shock because I don’t know him at all.later,I wished him good luck.
I entered the ground floor.there is a section where parents were not allowed to go in.i followed the guard’s instruction,went to the second floor.There were too much interviewee using the elevator,so we went up using the emergency path.I was relieved and felt better after I saw my friends from the same school,like winson,khai wei,huey ling,juo yin,and hong chian.we went up to the second floor,checking our names there,but my name and two of my friends name were not there in the name list.the person incharge ask us to wait for a while.so we went down ground floor again,search for toilet.the toilet at the ground floor was locked,so we went up second floor again,after asking the guard that there are toilets available at the second floor.
After we went to toilet,we came across a guy who’s sitting at the registration area,and the guy ask us to check our names again.yeah,we found our name’s there.so,there are 5 panels for my day.different panel,they have different rooms for interview.so,don’t be surprise if you found out that the second panel have to go up till the ninth floor!for me,I’m lucky enough to stay on the same floor.
I was in the third group.so,for two hours,we chat with our new friends there.exhanging ideas on how the questions may asked,and the current issue.(we even exchange our facebook!)well,I did know new friends there,two of them are from ipoh,and the other one is from gunung rapat.so,hong chian and me sat together and chat with the 3 new guys we just know.at first,we thought we were in the same group.but,after the second group came out from the interview room,we only discovered we were not in the same group.hong chian and me were the same,but not the other 3 guys.it’s such rather down because we plan to cooperate when the panel shoot at us.(haha…)well,my new group consisting of two guys,and 3 girls.one of my friend from st,george,he’s in the second group.i managed to catch some opportunities to ask some questions from my friends who were out of the interview room.
First,greet the panels.good morning,selamat pagi..etc.I saw one of the interviewer,and the whole group,I was the only one,greeting him with tamil—kalleh varnekem.maybe this is one of the advantage for going ns!haha…the first thing was Introduction .the panels will give the guidelines like yourself,names,family background,koko activities and course applied and the reason for applying the course.The first Chinese girl started off.i think she’s quite tensed,and so am i.she introduced herself,and the family background.blahblah blah…I cant remembered quite well cause I’m tensed at that time!i planned to shake hands with the interviewers,but cant!because there’s a big round table in front of us,we cant reach them.the first girl applied for applied science,and she applied for PIDN,not PILN.so,it went on for the second girl,which is also Chinese.she applied for tourism.she did quite well for her introduction,and she was tensed too.she applied for tourism.in between when the girls talked,I listened to them,planning what am I going to talk,and I nodded my head to agree with them.through this,I managed to calm myself down magically.it was my turn as I was the third person to make self –intro.i uses malay as it was required.’’Salam sejahtera kepada panel dan rakan2 yang baru saya kenali kat luar.Salam 1 malaysia.Nama saya lim chip dong.masa kat plkn saya lebih dikenali sebagai lcd,nama samaran saya.saya tak kisah kalau panggil saya lcd’’I make my self-intro quite well,and I’m confident for my self-intro.I talked about family background…and koko activities,in the aspect of badan beruniform,club and socities and sports.but I was to nervous that I left out for the competition –including the web designing competition and essay writing competition.i went on to my course.why I apply for IT.i gave two reason,the first one is because I am really interested in computer.(you have to really been interested to the course you’re applying for.you cant just memorize the course u wanna studied and the reason why you studied.it’s too dangerous as you will be too tensed to forget all your points.Ns do trained my BM quite well.thanks to it.)I gave some examples like I love to creating websites(it’s true,no lie at all.please be sincere when you gave the reason)I learned some basic html language by myself by reading up
some books.so the interviewer asked me whether can I create software or not.i answered none,I’m more fond of creating webpages.and he asked do you have a blog.this time,my answer is ‘’YES’’.
(tips:don’t answer yes if you cant really do the things.they will shoot at you with questions!dont forget,they’re professionals and you cant fool the panels.do answer yes for what you know.My advice is,be honest when answering questions.dont keep answer yes,even you cant do it,just to get the scholarships.so take up some hobbies and read up articles related to your course.it helps.and most importantly,you’re interested in what you ‘re applying for.no pressure from others like parents.the future is in your hand.think carefully.have the enthusiasm with it and you’ll success.)
The second reason I gave was related to the government’s policy.i talked about the governments are releasing some very exciting policy related to the field of IT recently.and it’s a great potential to study IT.
I’m too nervous again,to left out the third reason,regretted.
The panel did ask me some questions,like are you going to study local if not given overseas scholarships?my answer is yes,as long as I can solved my financial problems of the family.but I still prefer to study overseas.and the panel didn’t shoot me for this questions.they also ask me some other things like,what country do you prefer to go?i answered US.my first choice is US,and luckily the jpa offered US for me also.then they asked why?i answered, relate it to the apple ipad.US is advanced in IT.we can see that some crazy apple fans are willing to sleep in the tents,which they set up outside the apple stores,just to buy ipads.the panels asked about the same thing,if occurring in Malaysia.i am conscious enough for apple ipads and iphones.because I’m one of the crazy apple fans. =) I answered,well,ipads still haven’t being sold in Malaysia.this time,the other panels answered,no,I mean apple iphone.i said’’this situation don’t happened in Malaysia.but the IT field in US growth tremendously,it’s not only the governments who’s doint the job.this requires the cooperations from the private sector also,and the publics.
(for my interview,the panels ask mainly in BM,I mean,for my questions.)
My self-intro was over.beside me was a Indian girl,who’s applied for accounting.she did make a quite well reasonable answer for her family economy status.she said that her family already sent her brother abroad,so her family cant afford to send her overseas again.)but I believe what she said is sincere,and please again,please don’t give this reason if this does not happen in you family.be sincere to yourself.explain the truth happening in the family.face your conscience and you should not feel a sense of guilty after all if you tell the truth.
The last interviewee is my friend,hong chian.he applied for civil engineering.he talked less but the interviewer do give th chance for you to express your opinion.so don’t worry,be relax.
Later,the panel ask us,IF you are given the chance to choose,only one of you will be sent for PILN.you can choose yourself,or your friend.but you scholarships will be dropped,changed into PIDN.what’s your choice?the girl applied for PIDN does not required to answer the question.so,only four of us are answering.
I chose the girl beside me,who applied for tourism.i don’t want to express myself too selfish.i cares for others,and actually I do.the girl is so tensed so I pity her,yeah.i related my points with malaysia’s potential in tourism industry,and the kuala sepetang’s mangrove forest.then it’s the Indian girl’s turn,she chose herself,giving reasons like economy problems.and hong chian too,he chose himself because he’s confident that civil engineering will contribute greatly for the country.And both of them kena teruk for choosing themselves.the panels shoot them with questions like there are many accountant and civil engineers in Malaysia.so why should you deserve this?and the panel even questioned the Indian girl,like many economy crisis is caused by accountant because they’re doing the fake accounting work.so…..blahblahblah.In conclusion,my advice is,be firm to defend your points when you choose youself,when answering this type of questions.You must have a strong proof that you really deserved for the scholarships.
The panels went for the second section—open discussion.I did quite poor for this part.i’m expecting them to ask questions like are you willing to go to rural areas to serve or current issue.Well,they didn’t ask.they asked us to sit in semi-circle.they threw out a statement,it sounds like this:what is your opinion and research,claiming that the patriotism among youngsters are declined.I thought the panels are giving time like 2 minutes for us to discuss among ourselves.But it happened too badly.i only managed to answer a few things,just like add ons.i’m not giving any points for this questions.the girls were dominating it.LOL,I just do too bad in this part.
The interview was over.it just happened too fast,and I thought that they will continue and I will be able to express my ideas.this don’t happen,anyway.the panels did give us some time to ask question.and we knew that we’ll be able to see our results online on the 12th of may.the interview ended here.
Thanks to all recomers,I get myself prepared from the articles shared.and thanks to my friends too,for sharing their experience during the interview.also,I appreciated your help and support much.Thanks!hope all of us good luck!
Subject applied:Teknologi Maklumat/ICT
Today is my interview day--8.8.2010.it's at 8morning.I reached the majlis perbandaran
building at about 7.30am.The journey to ipoh has never been so ….,u know what I said,because I normally went to ipoh with my family to travel,or have some wedding dinner,etc.never been encountered in my life—went there for INTERVIEW.indeed,this is first time in my life for such serious interview,I think.My heart was pumping upside down.
Well,as I stepped down from the car,there’s an guy,taller than me I think.he’s with his day,oso just stepped down from the car.His dad is even taller,kinda like European guy.i think he’s like Indian guy,but I guess he’s completely pure Indian.the first impression I saw his dad was,I had an idea that he is one of the panel.but I was wrong,he was a parent,came with his son for interview.the son automatically shook my hand,I was shock because I don’t know him at all.later,I wished him good luck.
I entered the ground floor.there is a section where parents were not allowed to go in.i followed the guard’s instruction,went to the second floor.There were too much interviewee using the elevator,so we went up using the emergency path.I was relieved and felt better after I saw my friends from the same school,like winson,khai wei,huey ling,juo yin,and hong chian.we went up to the second floor,checking our names there,but my name and two of my friends name were not there in the name list.the person incharge ask us to wait for a while.so we went down ground floor again,search for toilet.the toilet at the ground floor was locked,so we went up second floor again,after asking the guard that there are toilets available at the second floor.
After we went to toilet,we came across a guy who’s sitting at the registration area,and the guy ask us to check our names again.yeah,we found our name’s there.so,there are 5 panels for my day.different panel,they have different rooms for interview.so,don’t be surprise if you found out that the second panel have to go up till the ninth floor!for me,I’m lucky enough to stay on the same floor.
I was in the third group.so,for two hours,we chat with our new friends there.exhanging ideas on how the questions may asked,and the current issue.(we even exchange our facebook!)well,I did know new friends there,two of them are from ipoh,and the other one is from gunung rapat.so,hong chian and me sat together and chat with the 3 new guys we just know.at first,we thought we were in the same group.but,after the second group came out from the interview room,we only discovered we were not in the same group.hong chian and me were the same,but not the other 3 guys.it’s such rather down because we plan to cooperate when the panel shoot at us.(haha…)well,my new group consisting of two guys,and 3 girls.one of my friend from st,george,he’s in the second group.i managed to catch some opportunities to ask some questions from my friends who were out of the interview room.
First,greet the panels.good morning,selamat pagi..etc.I saw one of the interviewer,and the whole group,I was the only one,greeting him with tamil—kalleh varnekem.maybe this is one of the advantage for going ns!haha…the first thing was Introduction .the panels will give the guidelines like yourself,names,family background,koko activities and course applied and the reason for applying the course.The first Chinese girl started off.i think she’s quite tensed,and so am i.she introduced herself,and the family background.blahblah blah…I cant remembered quite well cause I’m tensed at that time!i planned to shake hands with the interviewers,but cant!because there’s a big round table in front of us,we cant reach them.the first girl applied for applied science,and she applied for PIDN,not PILN.so,it went on for the second girl,which is also Chinese.she applied for tourism.she did quite well for her introduction,and she was tensed too.she applied for tourism.in between when the girls talked,I listened to them,planning what am I going to talk,and I nodded my head to agree with them.through this,I managed to calm myself down magically.it was my turn as I was the third person to make self –intro.i uses malay as it was required.’’Salam sejahtera kepada panel dan rakan2 yang baru saya kenali kat luar.Salam 1 malaysia.Nama saya lim chip dong.masa kat plkn saya lebih dikenali sebagai lcd,nama samaran saya.saya tak kisah kalau panggil saya lcd’’I make my self-intro quite well,and I’m confident for my self-intro.I talked about family background…and koko activities,in the aspect of badan beruniform,club and socities and sports.but I was to nervous that I left out for the competition –including the web designing competition and essay writing competition.i went on to my course.why I apply for IT.i gave two reason,the first one is because I am really interested in computer.(you have to really been interested to the course you’re applying for.you cant just memorize the course u wanna studied and the reason why you studied.it’s too dangerous as you will be too tensed to forget all your points.Ns do trained my BM quite well.thanks to it.)I gave some examples like I love to creating websites(it’s true,no lie at all.please be sincere when you gave the reason)I learned some basic html language by myself by reading up
some books.so the interviewer asked me whether can I create software or not.i answered none,I’m more fond of creating webpages.and he asked do you have a blog.this time,my answer is ‘’YES’’.
(tips:don’t answer yes if you cant really do the things.they will shoot at you with questions!dont forget,they’re professionals and you cant fool the panels.do answer yes for what you know.My advice is,be honest when answering questions.dont keep answer yes,even you cant do it,just to get the scholarships.so take up some hobbies and read up articles related to your course.it helps.and most importantly,you’re interested in what you ‘re applying for.no pressure from others like parents.the future is in your hand.think carefully.have the enthusiasm with it and you’ll success.)
The second reason I gave was related to the government’s policy.i talked about the governments are releasing some very exciting policy related to the field of IT recently.and it’s a great potential to study IT.
I’m too nervous again,to left out the third reason,regretted.
The panel did ask me some questions,like are you going to study local if not given overseas scholarships?my answer is yes,as long as I can solved my financial problems of the family.but I still prefer to study overseas.and the panel didn’t shoot me for this questions.they also ask me some other things like,what country do you prefer to go?i answered US.my first choice is US,and luckily the jpa offered US for me also.then they asked why?i answered, relate it to the apple ipad.US is advanced in IT.we can see that some crazy apple fans are willing to sleep in the tents,which they set up outside the apple stores,just to buy ipads.the panels asked about the same thing,if occurring in Malaysia.i am conscious enough for apple ipads and iphones.because I’m one of the crazy apple fans. =) I answered,well,ipads still haven’t being sold in Malaysia.this time,the other panels answered,no,I mean apple iphone.i said’’this situation don’t happened in Malaysia.but the IT field in US growth tremendously,it’s not only the governments who’s doint the job.this requires the cooperations from the private sector also,and the publics.
(for my interview,the panels ask mainly in BM,I mean,for my questions.)
My self-intro was over.beside me was a Indian girl,who’s applied for accounting.she did make a quite well reasonable answer for her family economy status.she said that her family already sent her brother abroad,so her family cant afford to send her overseas again.)but I believe what she said is sincere,and please again,please don’t give this reason if this does not happen in you family.be sincere to yourself.explain the truth happening in the family.face your conscience and you should not feel a sense of guilty after all if you tell the truth.
The last interviewee is my friend,hong chian.he applied for civil engineering.he talked less but the interviewer do give th chance for you to express your opinion.so don’t worry,be relax.
Later,the panel ask us,IF you are given the chance to choose,only one of you will be sent for PILN.you can choose yourself,or your friend.but you scholarships will be dropped,changed into PIDN.what’s your choice?the girl applied for PIDN does not required to answer the question.so,only four of us are answering.
I chose the girl beside me,who applied for tourism.i don’t want to express myself too selfish.i cares for others,and actually I do.the girl is so tensed so I pity her,yeah.i related my points with malaysia’s potential in tourism industry,and the kuala sepetang’s mangrove forest.then it’s the Indian girl’s turn,she chose herself,giving reasons like economy problems.and hong chian too,he chose himself because he’s confident that civil engineering will contribute greatly for the country.And both of them kena teruk for choosing themselves.the panels shoot them with questions like there are many accountant and civil engineers in Malaysia.so why should you deserve this?and the panel even questioned the Indian girl,like many economy crisis is caused by accountant because they’re doing the fake accounting work.so…..blahblahblah.In conclusion,my advice is,be firm to defend your points when you choose youself,when answering this type of questions.You must have a strong proof that you really deserved for the scholarships.
The panels went for the second section—open discussion.I did quite poor for this part.i’m expecting them to ask questions like are you willing to go to rural areas to serve or current issue.Well,they didn’t ask.they asked us to sit in semi-circle.they threw out a statement,it sounds like this:what is your opinion and research,claiming that the patriotism among youngsters are declined.I thought the panels are giving time like 2 minutes for us to discuss among ourselves.But it happened too badly.i only managed to answer a few things,just like add ons.i’m not giving any points for this questions.the girls were dominating it.LOL,I just do too bad in this part.
The interview was over.it just happened too fast,and I thought that they will continue and I will be able to express my ideas.this don’t happen,anyway.the panels did give us some time to ask question.and we knew that we’ll be able to see our results online on the 12th of may.the interview ended here.
Thanks to all recomers,I get myself prepared from the articles shared.and thanks to my friends too,for sharing their experience during the interview.also,I appreciated your help and support much.Thanks!hope all of us good luck!
General: Interview Tips
1.Dress well
Clothes give the most important “first impression” that you present; therefore, it is all-important to look smart and presentable. And by that, I don’t mean dress as if you were to go clubbing. These interviewers will usually work in an office environment, and they will be used to being surrounded by people dressed in smart blouses or dress shirts. You will not make a good impression if you show up in your faded and torn, super-super-low Levi’s. For girls, knee-length skirts or dark trousers with covered-toe shoes and a loosely fitting button down shirt would be the best bet. Baju kurung would also be a good option, as most offices in Malaysia encourage their employees to wear the traditional Malay garb; however, don’t go all out and wear your special, once-a-year-only baju kurung kerawang with gold trimming. Simple clothes work best. For guys, it’s relatively easy. A nice dress shirt with trousers and black shoes, and a tie if you’re feeling particularly spiffy. Also be conscious of your entire appearance. Too-long, unkempt hair or too many facial piercings may be distracting to an interviewer.
2.Do Your Homework
Maybe you breezed through college and have been able to “wing it” better than most, but when it comes to job interviews, if you don’t spend time doing your homework, it could cost you the offer.
If you want to make a favorable impression, take time to research the organization, the industry in which it belongs, and even competitors. Doing a simple “Google” search on the organization, or looking at their corporate website to learn more about the staff, can provide you with valuable information and give you a ton of leverage.
3.Other First Impressions
There's one thing that interviewers usually look out for and that's your handshake. By shaking your hand, the interviewer can make a decent guess about your character. A firm handshake, with a good grip, denotes confidence while a weak handshake denotes the opposite (of course). But, I'd advise not to overdo it. Firm handshake, but no longer than about 2-3 seconds. If not, you might seem a bit overzealous. So, yeah, handshakes do count and are a pretty good indicator of your confidence level.
Another thing that most people tend to overlook is your walking style. Do you timidly trotter into the room (check out the alliteration - haha), march military style into the room or stride into the room? A good walk, positive, head up and facing the world is usually a good sign. Slouching, dragging your feet, and a very slow walk won't be much good. The cliche term "Keep your head up" is a really useful term though. So, stride into the room, all guns blazing, head up and give your interviewer a firm handshake. Show him or her that you mean business.
4.Just Be Yourself
Now that we've gotten the first impressions out of the way, let's sit down and talk. Over drinks, or over notes that I am scribbling. For 15 minutes, or for 3 hours. In a sterile office environment, or in McD's Bangsar, or next to the pool in a condominium complex. I might be taping your reasons WHY you want to attend The Ivy University of So-and-So, or I might be making ambiguous "Uh-huh." or "Of course." comments, while filing my nails and yawning from time to time.
Interviews are all different, but each one you attend will have one constant: you. No matter what the environment or the interviewer is like, this is essential - you must always be yourself.
When I say "be yourself" I don't mean speak to the interviewer as you would speak to your buddies. He/She is NOT your buddy; they are a figure of authority and should be treated with respect and deference. What I mean by "be yourself" is to speak decisively, to clearly state what you mean and not to lie just because lies sound better than truth, and to be SINCERE.
If you really do not enjoy math, please do not cover up by proclaiming effusively your love for triple derivatives. Instead, be sincere about what you do like - art, chemistry, history, business - do not apologize for who you are because your acceptance into a college will be based on who you represent yourself as in the interview.
I know this sounds obvious, but when you are nervous and do not really have any idea what to say in an interview, you tend to err on the side of untruth. The interviewer may ask "Why do you want to do Economics? Do you like Math?" and, thinking about the fabulously low score you got on your last Math test, you blurt out "Yes!! I've always been very good at Math!!" And what would you say after that? Absolutely nothing - because you honestly do NOT like Math, you HATE it. How can you elaborate on your untruth? You would end up sounding insincere and unpassionate about your "dream" or "interest".
In situations like this, the best thing to do would be to calmly say "I don't really like Math that much, but I do enjoy the theoretical workings of economics and thinking about its application. I would love to work on public economy and government policy - which is the reason why I'm interested in the Econs major."
In a nutshell - don't try to be the perfect interviewee, because there is no such thing. You are different and unique in your own right, and the most perfect you can be is yourself.
Clothes give the most important “first impression” that you present; therefore, it is all-important to look smart and presentable. And by that, I don’t mean dress as if you were to go clubbing. These interviewers will usually work in an office environment, and they will be used to being surrounded by people dressed in smart blouses or dress shirts. You will not make a good impression if you show up in your faded and torn, super-super-low Levi’s. For girls, knee-length skirts or dark trousers with covered-toe shoes and a loosely fitting button down shirt would be the best bet. Baju kurung would also be a good option, as most offices in Malaysia encourage their employees to wear the traditional Malay garb; however, don’t go all out and wear your special, once-a-year-only baju kurung kerawang with gold trimming. Simple clothes work best. For guys, it’s relatively easy. A nice dress shirt with trousers and black shoes, and a tie if you’re feeling particularly spiffy. Also be conscious of your entire appearance. Too-long, unkempt hair or too many facial piercings may be distracting to an interviewer.
2.Do Your Homework
Maybe you breezed through college and have been able to “wing it” better than most, but when it comes to job interviews, if you don’t spend time doing your homework, it could cost you the offer.
If you want to make a favorable impression, take time to research the organization, the industry in which it belongs, and even competitors. Doing a simple “Google” search on the organization, or looking at their corporate website to learn more about the staff, can provide you with valuable information and give you a ton of leverage.
3.Other First Impressions
There's one thing that interviewers usually look out for and that's your handshake. By shaking your hand, the interviewer can make a decent guess about your character. A firm handshake, with a good grip, denotes confidence while a weak handshake denotes the opposite (of course). But, I'd advise not to overdo it. Firm handshake, but no longer than about 2-3 seconds. If not, you might seem a bit overzealous. So, yeah, handshakes do count and are a pretty good indicator of your confidence level.
Another thing that most people tend to overlook is your walking style. Do you timidly trotter into the room (check out the alliteration - haha), march military style into the room or stride into the room? A good walk, positive, head up and facing the world is usually a good sign. Slouching, dragging your feet, and a very slow walk won't be much good. The cliche term "Keep your head up" is a really useful term though. So, stride into the room, all guns blazing, head up and give your interviewer a firm handshake. Show him or her that you mean business.
4.Just Be Yourself
Now that we've gotten the first impressions out of the way, let's sit down and talk. Over drinks, or over notes that I am scribbling. For 15 minutes, or for 3 hours. In a sterile office environment, or in McD's Bangsar, or next to the pool in a condominium complex. I might be taping your reasons WHY you want to attend The Ivy University of So-and-So, or I might be making ambiguous "Uh-huh." or "Of course." comments, while filing my nails and yawning from time to time.
Interviews are all different, but each one you attend will have one constant: you. No matter what the environment or the interviewer is like, this is essential - you must always be yourself.
When I say "be yourself" I don't mean speak to the interviewer as you would speak to your buddies. He/She is NOT your buddy; they are a figure of authority and should be treated with respect and deference. What I mean by "be yourself" is to speak decisively, to clearly state what you mean and not to lie just because lies sound better than truth, and to be SINCERE.
If you really do not enjoy math, please do not cover up by proclaiming effusively your love for triple derivatives. Instead, be sincere about what you do like - art, chemistry, history, business - do not apologize for who you are because your acceptance into a college will be based on who you represent yourself as in the interview.
I know this sounds obvious, but when you are nervous and do not really have any idea what to say in an interview, you tend to err on the side of untruth. The interviewer may ask "Why do you want to do Economics? Do you like Math?" and, thinking about the fabulously low score you got on your last Math test, you blurt out "Yes!! I've always been very good at Math!!" And what would you say after that? Absolutely nothing - because you honestly do NOT like Math, you HATE it. How can you elaborate on your untruth? You would end up sounding insincere and unpassionate about your "dream" or "interest".
In situations like this, the best thing to do would be to calmly say "I don't really like Math that much, but I do enjoy the theoretical workings of economics and thinking about its application. I would love to work on public economy and government policy - which is the reason why I'm interested in the Econs major."
In a nutshell - don't try to be the perfect interviewee, because there is no such thing. You are different and unique in your own right, and the most perfect you can be is yourself.
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