UEM Scholarship 1st Stage Interview

Mid-morning, during binge watching Avatar:The Last Airbender ( 2000 kids can relate) after doing chores I was interrupted by a random call ( I never answer random calls) but I had a sudden urge to take it and I was informed that I was selected to be present for the interview. I was shook! I was so happy and grateful but also anxious at the same time. I didn't know what to do! So I googled for past year experiences and the latest entry was from 2016, I was disappointed. That gave me the will to share my experience for 2018. Also, I did research about the company itself.

The e-mail I received after the phone call. (Please check your spam)

Moving on, the day of the interview. I arrived with butterflies in my stomach, I really dislike using idioms but I literally felt like that, so why not. Yup, I'm the person who becomes extremely anxious at the last minute even though after countless preparations made but through years of experience I managed to control it or express it through other emotions😁. I was appointed for the morning session plus around 10 other candidates. The interview was scheduled for both morning and evening. The interview lasted until the day before GE14 which is the 9th of May. Minus weekends the interview was held for 6 days and approximately around 100 candidates were shortlisted for the 1st stage.

After a while which didn't seem that long waiting in the lobby we were directed to the 7th floor of Mercu UEM. Imagine yourself, an awkward teenager that seemed like he or she could have a panic attack at anytime using the lift alongside professionally dressed corporates. We were greeted by a facilitator  and told to fancy ourselves at a chic lounge before the interview starts. Content yourself, Show some smiles, shake some hands, break the ice. There's a chance the other candidates might become fellow scholars. Around after five minutes we were guided to one of the meeting rooms. There were 3 meeting rooms behind a divider that separated the rooms from the lounge. The CEO of the company was having a meeting in the meeting room at the middle. We were following the facilitator and we passed the middle room and I gave the CEO my most awkward poker face. I thought to myself, what was I doing! I was still pretty hazy that morning.  As we were seated in the meeting room everyone was mining their own business. It was pin drop silence until a fella that's also a fellow scholar decided to start a conversation. Then, the facilitators asked for the documents that we were supposed to bring and  then we were given an English (circle the answer) test and a Mathematics test that had to be completed in 30 minutes. 

Pass year entries stated the Mathematics test only contained SPM-level Add Math questions

In my mind I was shook! The math test contained very unfamiliar and unrecognizable questions. So, I just answered the questions with all the math knowledge I have. My strategy was that I answered the English questions as fast as I could because in my opinion they were really easy (around 5 minutes) and continued to answer the Math questions until the 30 minutes has ended. In my opinion the number of questions was quite reasonable with the time given so don't worry. After starting to look into A-Level Math, I found out some of the questions were really a continuation of SPM-level Add Math in a more advanced form. After passing up the questions papers back to the facilitators they stated that the test was actually an entry exam for KYUEM. After that we were called for the interview. Before our names were called, the facilitators invited us for some refreshments that was prepared for us at the lounge. The refreshments were an array of Malaysian breakfast foods. No, I'm exaggerating! They did had char kway teow, basic fried noodles alongside beverages of coffee and tea. Even though the food was there for us, no one dared to even had a plate of noodles. Everyone was nervous for the interview but some actually managed themselves to get a cup of milk tea.

Well, I was SUPPOSEDLY the 2nd name called for the interview. I'm a very impatient person, a few moments passed and I still wasn't called. Actually, I was just very anxious because non of us knew whether we should invite ourselves into the room where they held the interview or our names are going to called when we reach our turn. So, I hastily dragged myself out of the room and saw the facilitator in-charged dilly-dallying on the couch next the interview room. I confront him and he said that he forgot 😅

Me at that moment.

The Interview

I entered the room with my right foot first and gave a strong greeting and of course, smiled. Remember, first impressions are important. In my mind it felt I was barging in the room. The room had a long table with three female interviewers seated at the other end and another chair for me at the other. I was given permission to be seated before I could even ask. The interviewers tried to pull off a stern look😅 in my mind i just kept saying to myself 'Just keep smiling.' 

The questions:

• Introduce yourself - State your name, siblings, previous school, family, ethnicity, hobbies, interests and from that they will ask other questions. If your from East Malaysia, dig deeper to your roots and know your parents ethnicity. This could interest the interviewers but if it becomes a conversation starter, just get ready! 😁In my experience, I almost got my ethnicity wrong! 
• They will conjure a question from your SPM grades. Some candidates said they were asked by the interviewers 'There's other candidates who have more A+s than you, why would we choose you?,' In my case, I got an A- for English, the interviewers asked why I got an A- for English despite that I'm fluent (I was flattered). Did I failed to plan my revision wisely? they asked.
• They could ask opinions of certain subjects usually about everyday matters. It could even be a subject you don't like. I was asked if I enjoyed football. Answer anyway you like but if your like me, I truthfully state my opinions even if I don't like the subject but I make sure I state it in a witty and humorous comment and prevent from making a neutral subject seem tense unless it's about politics.
• Previous scholars stated that for example if your hobby is singing, they might ask you to sing and same goes to other hobbies.
• Curricular activities and other questions will emerge from that.
• What's currently happening in Malaysia. They will question your general knowledge. I talked about TN50, Pan-Borneo Highway and a little bit about GE14
• They asked about a political leader that I looked up to. * Windows XP shutdown sound* My mind became blank, I talked about the infamous Dato Seri Najib Razak 😂Thinking back I couldn't believe myself but something had to come out of my mouth or I can just kiss the scholarship goodbye. The interviewers weren't very fond of this. Other scholars stated that they were asked what party do they think would win the general elections.
• What do you know about UEM - I talked about the chairman and they continued to ask about their core businesses and they even asked me what company group of UEM owned the building😝 FYI, Mercu UEM is owned by UEM Builders.👌

Nearing the end of the interview, the interviewers will summarize your comment on your attitude and behavior throughout the session as they say it's a part of a good interview. They stated that they didn't want a perfectionist and preferred a person who shows their flaws as from that they could remodel you as a future scholar. Don't be afraid to be wrong and learn from your mistakes.

• Lastly 'Do you have a question?' - dont leave the room without a question. You can ask questions about the scholarship, KYUEM etc. I asked 'What setback that you have when you were our age?' They were quite flustered😅I then explained the question thoroughly by saying 'What obstacles you had to withstand before achieving the success you have right now?' They were quite pleased after that. 

I leaved the room with a smile. In my opinion, the interview was quite fulfilling, it was quite humorous, I managed to make the interviewers laugh and the conversation got interesting as it dwell deeper into certain topics. I manage to ease the tension they tried to give and the interviewers were really nice. My session was quite long and past experiences stated that longer sessions signaled a successful interview. If there is anything I wasn't quite happy is that I stated Dato Seri Najib Razak was a political icon I look up to and also I wasn't able to stop thinking about whether I answered correctly in the Math Test as I had to answer intuitively using everything I've learnt as I wasn't exposed yet to A-Level Math.

Useful tips:

• Be yourself.
• Make good first impressions. Smile,dress neatly, be polite etc.
• Don't make yourself look nervous in the way you behave or talk. Interviewers are looking for confidence in future scholars. 
• Never forget your greetings. 
• Make eye contact.
• Study about the company
• Recognize the CEO, headmaster and other important figures as  knowing them and addressing them by their name can really give a good impression.
• Improve your general knowledge, especially current events in Malaysia and globally. You should really look into Brexit etc.
• In my opinion, the English Test is really easy, it only consist of grammar questions. 
• For the Math Test, looking back into Form 4 & 5 Add Math really helps. If your diligent enough, why not look into A-Level (Pure) Math.

UEM Group Berhad Official Website

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A-Level (Pure) Math Revision

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2nd Stage Interview
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