Osarieme415:
Can someone please enlighten me. I find it difficult to communicate a satisfactory answer when it comes to answering the "what are your strength/weakness" question. It simply unsettles me. How do I answer, without giving the impression that I am trying to impress or being dishonest

elantraceey:

peterveo:
Oya continue...Rationalmind

I have learnt something new...especially dat lie aspect

rationalmind:
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR COURSE OF STUDY.

I was just a raw job seeker, still serving, when I saw this job ad posted by MissIndependent. Fresh Corp members are needed at a firm in Ikoyi. Company was Montego Holdings.

Fast forward to the day of the interview, I was dressed in my favourite black shirt and black trouser with red tie looking like a ghost.

Full of confidence, I walked into the interview room to see a guy and a lady. In no time, the interview started.

So Mr rationalmind, you studied computer engineering? Yes, I answered.

So please tell us, what is computer engineering all about?

Right there in my mind I was like, what!!!, I spent the whole night reading about your company and common interview questions and all you're asking me is what computer engineering is all about?

I answered their question but I was so ashamed of myself. I struggled to explain a course I had spent six years studying (2 years in poly, 4 in uni).

After I finished, the guy looked at me and said, assuming my computer brings out a blue screen, what could be the likely cause?

I had no fucking idea. All I was taught in school were digital signal processing, artificial intelligence and a whole lot of courses that couldn't help me at that moment.

He then asked me another question which I got but it no longer mattered. They had seen all they wanted to see.

Right there, I learnt my first ever lesson. Which is to know everything there is to know about my course.

And of course, I was never called back

rationalmind:




What you have up there is just the summary. I could go on.

Glad you've gotten a job. Congrats

Oliviaarims:
A thoroughly inspiring and motivational piece. I already feel like I'm ready for the corporate world. Never going to forget these points.

Thanks for sharing Rationalmimd... Ksstrouds & Adeaks, the little things u guys chipped in were relevant, too. God bless you.

ksstroud:


Ma'am, Rationalmind is part of the greatleagues ...you may still read about some peeps hunting experience too...like he said, what you read here is just a tip of the iceberg but tis very fundamental..
PS: you can alienate with JV section very well, there's power in NETWORKING, what you need to get to google, Microsoft, jp Morgan and the likes; I bet you, you will get it there...
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Regards

rationalmind:




You're laughing ba? I wasn't laughing when I got the regret mail. I was crying

Been a while, you should be in 500L now, right?

yorex2011:
emma hw fa nw. nice thread you got here. following keenly

rationalmind:


Thanks boss. You still remember say na me.

I see you majorly on oil threads, schlum and shell. Seems those are the only jobs that interests you . I'm hoping to join the league of oil money hunters soon

rationalmind:


Thanks boss. You still remember say na me.

I see you majorly on oil threads, schlum and shell. Seems those are the only jobs that interests you . I'm hoping to join the league of oil money hunters soon

Oliviaarims:
A thoroughly inspiring and motivational piece. I already feel like I'm ready for the corporate world. Never going to forget these points.

Thanks for sharing Rationalmimd... Ksstroud, Dearpreye & Adeaks, the little things u guys chipped in were relevant, too. God bless you.

pretydiva:
Wonderful thread. Op ama pm u and others..pls u guys should respond 2 my pm's..i really need 2 tap frm ur knowledge. Tnx in advance

dearpreye:


Thanks for the kind words. It's being said smart people learn from the successes/failures of others.

I like your enthusiasm; the corporate world will always employ those who can demonstrate their value to them. There's enough to go round the world. Be prepared; be determined; be flexible; walk with the ambitious. Call us when the mega deal is done. LOL!

It's rationalmind thread. Compliments of the season .

rationalmind:
STRUCTURE YOUR ANSWERS, PREPARE BULLET AND DETAILED RESPONSES

I once read the diary of a joblander. Beau I think. She talked about preparing so hard for an interview with stanbic ibtc. It suddenly occurred to me just as she's preparing hard, others are equally preparing hard and interviewers won't take everybody. So it all boils down to who has the best response. In my experience, the detailed one is, the better.

What do I mean?

While I was being interviewed, A question came up. Rationalmind, tell us about your project in school.

I could have said, The tittle of my project is the design and construction of a 5kva voltage regulator. Incorporated in my design were four relays, a microcontroller.........

This was how I answered.

"You'll agree with me that in Nigeria, voltage fluctuation is a very common phenomenon. This voltage fluctuation results in conditions known as over voltage and under voltage. Over voltage occurs when the voltage level goes above the nominal voltage range which is 220-240V and under voltage is the reverse.

These voltage anomalies damage our household appliances and as such, a device that regulates voltage comes as a relief. As a result, I set out to design and construct a 5KVa voltage regulator also known as stabilizer. Incorporated in my design were four relays......" The interviewers obviously were pleased with my response.


You'll agree with me if two applicants were to be asked that question and they had the same project topic, the second will most likely get the job.

Another important thing is to prepare bullet responses. Have at least bullet responses to, why do u want to work for us? Where do you see yourself in five years time? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What do you know about this company?

I had bullet responses to all those before going in and was praying they ask one of them. Luckily, I was asked where I see myself in 5 years time.

By the time I finished, one of the interviewers asked if I wanted to be a governor? I asked him why?

He told me my answer was more of a brilliant manifesto and I should consider politics.

Another told his fellow panelists, "this guy really needs this job" he came very prepared

In my mind, I was like, you guys should thank your stars you only asked one of the questions I was hoping you'll ask. At that point, I knew the battle was won and it wasn't much of a surprise when two weeks later, I got a mail stating

You are one of 7 candidates selected based on your......

And before I end this, yes, I unleashed my passion weapon. Told them my love for telecoms made me volunteer to work in a telecoms firm without pay .

Follow all these hidden lessons especially the ones on passion, detailed and bullet responses and you're close to landing your dream job.

Oliviaarims:



Thanks again.. And yea, I'll let you know when I hit it big. Lol. Compliments of the season to u, too.

rationalmind:
BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT LIES, IT MAY RUIN EVERY GOOD THING YOUVE SAID DURING THE INTERVIEW

I picked myself up after the airtel disappointment, downloaded numerous videos on how to overcome fear and how to build confidence.

So when I got KPMG assessment centre invite, confidence was the least of my worries. I was well prepared, digested my course to a satisfactory level and was already looking forward to working with them cos I knew I was destroying the interview which of course I did.

The interview started in no time and everything was fine, I answered all questions extremely well until one tall, slim dark guy asked this question I'll never forget.

So rationalmind, how come you're having all C's in your neco result? He asked

I responded by saying it's even miraculous I passed the neco as it was waec I really prepared for and just wrote neco for the sake of writing since I was sure I'll pass waec.

When the result came out, as I had predicted, my waec result was very fine but unfortunately, I had a D7 in chemistry and that rendered my waec result useless. Since then, I've been forced to use my neco result.

How many A's did you have in your waec? he asked.

I could have told the truth but I lied, I told him I had two A's when I had none. All I had were B's. I felt since I had given them my neco result and the result satisfies their requirement, it doesn't matter.

The interview ended in no time, I thanked them and left.

The following day, I got a call from them. "Rationalmind, you told us you have a waec result with two A's yesterday" the caller at the other end said.

Yes, I answered.

Can you please send a scanned copy of the result to us now?

I paused and said I wasn't at home but will do that once I get home. I needed time to plan my next line of action.

I sent my waec result like that and explained it was a mix up bla bla bla

The result was a regret mail

rationalmind:
ACTING OUT PASSION WORKS

To start with, I'll have to say the ajasa4link method works. And I have to say a big thank you to him. I read his thread and how he landed his job then decided to try out the same thing.

I got a list of telecoms firms in lagos, got their contact line and sent a text message to about 20 of them. I told them I was a fresh graduate, passionate about a career in the telecoms industry and bla bla bla.

Luckily for me, an in house recruitment was being conducted in one of the companies and my text was replied. I was invited for a test. I would have loved to mention the name of the company but I can't as I'll be resigning in a few days and can't risk letting them know before collecting my December salary .

Shortly after the test, I was told to wait to be interviewed. I wasn't prepared as I was invited for a test and not an interview.

I went in and during the interview, I was asked the name of their CEO. How would I have known? . Told them point blank I didn't know. I wasn't performing so well but was waiting for an opportunity to unleash my weapon. The passion weapon.

Then the question came. Rationalmind, we take trainees for 6 months and pay them... thousand during the six months but most people leave before the end of 6 months when we haven't recouped our investment. They move to banks where they are offered better pay. How are we sure you won't leave?

I started, Sir, that's what happens when people look for jobs they aren't passionate about. To them, it's all about money. To me, it's about my undying love for telecoms. Matter of fact sir, I wrote three courses in telecoms as an undergraduate and had two A's and one B. My love for telecoms dates back to my undergraduate days and money will never make me leave for a bank job.

I saw them smiling. At that point, they obviously had forgotten I didn't know the name of their CEO and sent me a success mail few days later.

Like I said earlier, I know no interview weapon greater than showing than you're passionate about the job. It works.

rationalmind:


No prob miss.

ksstroud:



If you hear trolls from KPMG, pwc, Sahara, addax, transocean, schlumberger, unisell, NBC, nb, banks and many more.... You go laugh tire....
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How I wish you are at elegushi Now....

rationalmind:


Thanks miss. God bless you too

It might interest you to know I didn't share all. I failed up to 9 interviews before I started passing. I just highlighted the ones I feel are important.

SweetyZinta:


Hmmmmm, People R Suffering Indeed.
Lols @Elegushi, wats happening Dia?

An0nimus:



Thanks for this thread rationalmind. You did a great thing sharing your wealth of experience.

oluswaggz:
best christmas gift ever!!
more grease to ur elbow Mr rationalmind

ksstroud:


suffering kwa?
We are talking about experience oooo, not suffering...
And it is everywhere worldwide, landing a mouthwatering gig has its STRESS...unless you are a relative of the said business owner cums director...

rationalmind: