Sanny's Blog

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Beggars Can't Be Choosers sanny @ 2:43 PM

Yesterday I attended this recruitment seminar by a world-renowned company (they even have a channel in SCV...ok I'd better stop here in case I'm found out)...Let's just say...the experience was...great, but lacerated with many a doubt in my mind.

The whole thing felt like a scrutinization exercise. The recruitment process of this company goes on many levels. First, you send your resume online and they'll select the ones they want to 'size up'. You then get invited to the company for the recruitment seminar, which I went to yesterday (they even take your photos as you first step in-you're tagged, tagged, tagged). After which, you get selected for an interview with the department reps; after which, again, you're connected by phone to be 'grilled' by their New York boss; scary, huh. The candidate who survived all these get selected; normally, they hire about a few employees (0 to a rare 10, I heard) per recruitment event, out of the group of candidates (there were about 40 of us yesterday, and I was like one of the two or three fresh graduates there; it's unnerving.)

Back to the event, which started with the office tour. It was a revelation; the office is, simply put, one of the most attractive I've seen; the pantry looks like a mini 7-Eleven with a phlethora of drinks and snacks (heard they even provide breakfast etc-the tour guide mentioned that the girls could save on the meals and use the money to buy shoes). As I've said before, owing to their televised nature, they even have news anchors coming in to do TV interviews and what-nots.

So, big company, good employee remuneration, what's the catch, aside from the grim possibilities of you getting hired, that is? Well...being the blur-kid that I am, I thought, I'm applying for the entry-level position of their Global Service desk (which every employee goes through); but in fact, in the company, employees are groomed into their sales department in charge of promoting and selling their core product which is used by professional companies and institutions worldwide (the sales department manager is a sibling of a TV personality-and a few of us mentioned that she's prettier than her sis even). That really intimidated me because it kinda feel like I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I don't like the idea of sales at all. But on the other hand, they are a huge company, the exposure will be enormous, and your CV can do with a work experience at a top international MNC. But again, that idea of sales really puts the brakes on me; this afternoon, surprisingly, I'm called back for the interview; I'm excited that I should be considered at all, yet, I wonder if this is really what I want to be doing. On the other hand, my professor had told me that we should try anything and that exposure is always good; my mom tells me that I can always quit if I don't like it (wonder if they have contract clauses and such)...my other self tells me, beggars can't be choosers, should I get this job, I would at least be eligible for PR status and that's a load off my and my parents' mind; plus, there's extra kitty in the form of salary.

I'm apprehensive about it all; but since they already called me, I suppose I'd just give it a shot, then? Either way, I can gain something out of it. Shudders.

comments

Anonymous said...: 8:43 AM

♥ Put your finger in the pie ♥