Before Interview

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I am sure that everyone must at least facing this throughout their life. Actually it sucks that we have to go through interviews especially in the environment that we could not tell how does it look like. I had gone through like two or three interviews after my A-Level certification for jobs like court translator with two interviewers and one of them is a snob, attending an interview immigration department interpreter for Chinese passengers during the rumors about China lady being bullied in this country's police station that made the Foreign Affairs Minister being sent to China to apologize and to prostrate to China but it turns out that the lady squatting was a Malay lady with fair skin like a Chinese and the move is unnecessary anyway, haha. I had also tried to answer the exam for pharmacist training conducted by the Ministry of Health and I passed the paper but I refused the admittance letter than made my mother outraged at me. I also had refused the invitation of my colleague to join him to be a government officer in the federal office because I think I need to further the study a little bit more which turns out to be a regret, hahaha. Now I am applying for a position related to humanitarian work in a cross-boundary organization. I think I am suitable to help others and I love to help others, then making friends with people around.

Interview Questions

I don't like to predict anything but somehow we need to do this especially when we have to. Their questions would be:

1. What makes you interested or what makes you a suitable candidate for this position? Why should we take you for this position? What is your strength? Tell us about yourself? Maybe we could use the same pattern of answers????

Then to answer them perhaps, I would say I am in deep passion for humanitarian job. Then tell them how I serve the previous organization. I would answer, although I worked as an interpreter for Chinese speaking passengers in the immigration office in international airport, but I also practiced the principles of humanitarian where I served flight passengers who do not speak in Chinese for example the migrant workers who just arrived from Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia. It is totally out of my job scope but I was willing to do that since I am passionate to help others and putting my self in their shoes.

While in the university doing my undergraduate, I learned the basic language of law and I use to apply what I had studied into real life. I traveled to Bangkok in Thailand around the end of July 2011 to see how social work being conducted in Bangkok as I heard that they put great emphasize on social work. I saw how social workers walking along the streets and also some others cooperating with Buddhist monks to promote charity in society every morning. I made friends and contact with some of social workers in Bangkok and get to listen to their experience. Some of them also conducted researches in my university and they advised me to step out of comfort zone and seeing the real life. I am thankful for their advise.     

I also went to few seminars related to gender equality in Pulau Pinang, feminism issue seminars in women development research center, world conflict seminars in the center for policy research and international studies and also to sustainability seminars conducted by the school of social science in the university as Science University of Malaysia is promoting sustainability growth and development. It taught me many things related to peaceful co-existence and about being open-minded. 

2. Maybe they would ask me, basically how does my previous job look like? Describe more to us?

I would answer... My previous job scope is to interpret and to translate the documents which were brought by Chinese passengers if they have programmes in Malaysia or interpreting for detainees in the office and in the prison. I would help the officers in the office to tell detainees about the procedures that will follow after they are detained and they should also respect the law as it is for everyone's good. I would continue the job and being absorbed into the department as an officer but after that I received the offer letter to further study so I think that knowledge is also crucial for me to understand the life better. Sometimes I would have to help immigration officers to make call to detainees' embassy and consulate to deal with the issue as to ensure that their rights being protected and not being neglected since immigration department has to deal with many issues at the country's main gate. I might also help stranded passengers especially those from rural areas in China and India with food with my own expenditure as a charity. I worked five hours a day with two shifts day and night. In a week I would roll the schedule with my colleagues. Sometimes I would work up to 8 hours if my colleagues have to take leaves to cover the flight peak hours and helping to cover the officers at the counters when they face problem with communication.    

3. It seems like you had two years gap after the graduation. What did you do in this gap terms?

Damn, this is a killer question! Well, maybe I would stay true to myself though it might jeopardize me, huhu. I attend the postgraduate studies in Science University of Malaysia majoring in European studies from 2010-2012 and I am still working on my thesis after finishing all the classes. While in the gap time, I also did some translations and editing job for other students for some pocket money. For the lack of organizational work experience, I think this is the substitute for it as I am not staying idle even when I study. I travels around and joining voluntary jobs around Penang island for example of Tzu Chi Foundation distributing food during festivals.

4. What is your expected salary?

Well, when the times come I think I would agree with reasonable amount. But I would expect the salary that reflect my experience, the given position role and qualifications. What range that you have in mind? 

5. So, do you have any questions before we end?

I would like to know what career growth opportunity or training offered to the staffs? 

Then before we end, I might have to say thank you for the session. I am looking forward to hear from you soon. 

Ending

Whoa, it's like five questions and answers and first two is quite long. Maybe it combines few answers for few combined questions.Ya Allah, help me tomorrow I'm so nervous lar!!! I need the job for further life experience! I think I need to print this page out to read them as to get the points. Tomorrow ya AbdAllah please take note, think slowly speak slowly. They will listen to you. Don't speak like a bullet train. That's my problem as I wanted to end everything fast.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!