Petronas Structural Interview

Assalamualaikum Readers,

As promised last night - I'll be sharing some of the tips that I've applied personally to myself and perhaps this could be a guidance for those out there who'll soon be sitting for the interview

Again, I'd like to stress that I'm not saying I'm good enough that I've the guts to share these tips but I feel like sharing for good only and this is based on my experience and it might be differ with your situation soon but all in all, this may give you of what will be going to happen soon

1. Be Early
(Advisable - 30 mins before your interview session commence)

Starting from the moment I step into the interview place. In my case at Pocket D, Uni Tek Petronas. 
I have been ushered by a HR personnel, a recruiter basically into a room.
In that room, I will be given two pieces of sheet and also a case study. By that time all materials and gadgets are not allowed to be used. Just bring your sharp mind and attitude. 
So basically, you're given 15 minutes to brainstorm all the ideas from the case studies. Please read the case study thoroughly and understand what the questions ask you. (In my case I get about Research and Development and I am the 2nd candidate, and my time to prepare a bit longer because the first candidate is still being interviewed by that time). 
(TIPS: make sure all the points you jot down, do it in MIND MAP - this is an advise from the interviewer itself). 
Apart from that, you have to complete some basic information in a form as well. 
Reminder - Please bring along a copy of passport-sized photo, a resume, a copy of SPM result, certificates which had been certified as True Copy

2. Structural Interview

Once you enter the interview room, knock the door and walk confidently towards your seat. Greet the interviewers and shake hands. If possible, know your interviewers name, like the thing that I do, I glance towards their shirt and notice their names. After that, ask their permissions to sit. They will start the talking like, "Okay Hafez, please introduce a little bit about yourself. That's the first part of Structural Interview, which is SELF-INTRODUCTION. The tips that I get from my seniors are don't ever stop talking until they pause you.

2.1 SELF-INTRO
Here you may practice the flow of self introduction. For me I will be explaining as below:

2.1.1  Name

• Though they have mentioned earlier, you may just say {"As aforementioned earlier by ..., my name is....")

2.1.2 Surname

• If your name is like Iskandar Zulkarnain Hashim B. Abullah Talib.
• Just simply tell them like "As we get along into our discussion, you can simply call me as Iskandar/Zul or whatever proper name lah. So that they don't have to ask you on how the way they can address you."

2.1.3 Family background

• Siblings, Parents, their jobs ( briefly)

2.1.4 Education Background

• Primary School (UPSR), Sec. School (PMR, SPM), Universities.

All are with achievements. Say like in Primary School you've been represented your school in National Quizzes, Story Telling, and a bit like leadership attributes like Headboy and everything. The thing is being honest is better. If you don't have any for example, create-lah one or two pun takpe. Nak buat camane tapi janganlah lebat sangat menipunye :P

2.1.5 Internship Experience

2.1.6 Final Year Project/ Design Project - FYP/FYDP

• Highly advise if your design project has prototype, just bring along into the interview and this tip is not from me, but the interviewer from PETRONAS itself. And I do bring my prototype of FYDP as below:

2.2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Please prepare at least two strengths and two weaknesses that you possess.
• Please be reminded that the weaknesses that you're going to share must be a weakness but at the end of the day turn out to be like your positive attitude as well. E.g. you're a very neat/meticulous/detailed person, thus causing the works to be slowered down. Ha macam tu lah, takleh nak fikir sangat masa ni hehe.

2.3 CHALLENGES THAT YOU FACE IN LIFE 

• Make sure the challenges that you're going to share must have plot and sequences

2.3.1 State the problems

2.3.2 Way forwards and solutions

2.3.3 Lessons learnt

2.4 ATTRIBUTES OF FAST LEARNER/ WORK UNDER-PRESSURE

• Prepare these two things earlier. May apply the experience that you acquire duirng your internship, FYP, FYDP or in life as well. Mana2 lah boleh.

3.0 CASE STUDIES

• Discuss all the points that you have jotted down on the sheets earlier masa mula2 datang dulu. Ingat tak? Yang awal2 masa kena kurung tadi.
• Don't get panic and when the interviewers interrupt and intercept, listen to them first and try to cater all the things that they try to provoke. Stay firm with your decision and if you think you're correct. Always smile, sit firmly and don't slouch. Control the body gestures.

4.0 ROLE PLAY

This is on the spot. Means the situations will be given right after you finish the case studies. No preparation like case studies. You'll be given a sheet with situation and be given some times to understand it. After you're ready, get into the characters. you may be a supervisor of a plant, a project manager in a construction and many other posts. Same to the interviewers, they will get into the characters and some times they will yell, questioning, and provoking you. The thing here you have to make sure you make a wise decision, ways out many solutions and don't react blatantly, meaning to say don't get stressed out and yelled to them as well. Try to stay calm and always appreciate their words and understand their feeling. For example if they are acting as villagers and you are acting as factory supervisor. The villagers complain that your factory discharge effluent into the river, thus polluting the river. So firstly, you may say "Thanks for  putting your effort to come to see me, I appreciate that". When they are claiming that you have discharge the effluent into the river, you may say " We have the black and white as a proof that the effluent that we discharge into the river are within the requirement", "we do a regular monitoring", "Maybe I will extend this report to the higher management for further investigation".

The situation will be prolonged from one card to another card and you will be tested with different situations, maybe you have to deal with the press and many more. But the number of cards does not signify anything. It's not like the more cards you get, the better you're. The things that you have to remember, please be polite and don't laugh. Get into characters. That's all lah kut. Above all, that's based on my experience. It may differs with the others. After that, just tawakkal and remember, this is all Rezeki from Allah. Don't be over confident and kalau apa2 yang berlaku lepas tu, ingat Allah dah cukupkan rezeki masing2, Kalau bukan dengan PETRONAS, maybe with some other companies yang even far much better :) who knows? So,that's all the tips that I could share, if you want to know more. Just let me know here okay?

Count Your Blessings

Assalamualaikum 

It has been a few weeks leaving this blog unattended. Not because I don't have enough time to visit but I feel better reading other people' posts - I do blogwalking to some nice blogs too heh
Alhamdulillah, I think I have gained lots of information out there 

In this post, I would like to share about my gratitude to Allah for His infinity blessing to me as I have been receiving good news last week.
About what? Later I'll explain to you. And perhaps in the next post, I would be sharing some tips based on my experience for PETRONAS Structured Interview.

Basically, in 2008 I have been offered to pursue my degree in Civil Engineering, majoring in Offshore and Coastal Engineering in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS.
Alhamdulillah my 5 years of studies have been fully sponsored by PETRONAS, which in specific terms it's known as a convertible loan sponsorship - in a case whereby if you are under performance, the scholarship can be terminated and you have to pay back to PETRONAS.

So, after 5 years been in Tronoh, Perak.
Alhamdulillah I managed to finish my bachelor degree successfully and soon after sitting for final exam, I had been scheduled to have a structural interview on 7th January 2013 at UTP itself.
To tell the truth I did practice and read current issues plus with some tips given by seniors. Believe me, practice makes perfect. You don't have to memorize, but practice.
There is a difference between berlatih dan menghafal which I will elaborate it later in next post. After 2 hours and 15 minutes of continuous talking and been interviewed, then it was over. Above all, it went well.

On 14th February, the interview result had been released and alhamdulillah, all praise to Allah as I had been recommended which means pass the interview phase. and now, I am in a waiting phase, waiting to be called for medical check-up and after that officially joining the company. Hoping it won't be that long huhu.

But, all in all, I am thanking all, to Allah specifically, to my parents, seniors, and friends for the continuous du'a and wishes. May Allah repays everything and InsyaAllah I will infaq some of my salary soon to the needy. Alhamdulillah and thanks for reading :)