my First Interview at Intel

Just yesterday during my class, I thought about work which would happen to me soon. Yeah, work happening and so, I remembered early this year I did undergo an interview at Intel Corporation. Time actually passed so fast that I nearly forgot how it goes, 'my very first formal Interview' in this 22 years of life. (my birthday just passed teehee) 

Then, I decided why not blog about it while I still could remember so I could read back my first experience in the future. Heh
Anyway, you could also know/learn about how a Panel Interview from a company like Intel Corporation feels/looks like.
It's one hell of a good experience to know.

*Heads-up* It will be a very long-winded worded post

STORY BEGINS

Early this month of May

As usual I attended my P3 class at TARUC, when the lecturer suddenly informed us about the management of Intel Finance is coming over to the college to give some briefing and to interview some interested ACCA candidates in working at Intel. Lecturer ask to bring our resume along on that day, if I'm not wrong, it was on a Saturday morning. 

So I was hesitating at that time whether to go with this opportunity. 

Lecturer said, "It's a good opportunity for you to attend this interview as it will be slightly an easier step compared to if you walk-in to Intel company and ask for one. This time, they're coming to you"

and Yes, he was right. Since, I'm graduating soon (hopefully) by this year, I would need a job/career to gain my working experience to officially attain an ACCA membership. Most of the usual ACCA candidates will go for audit companies (like the Big 4's) while Intel is an American multinational technology company. 

That is one of the reason I hesitated but on top of all that, it's one good opportunity and there's no rules saying that I got to work in audit companies in the future. I could build my career in any company other than an audit company too. So yeah, that is how I got myself to attend on that day.

After such long story of how hesitated my mind was at that moment, here's how all my first interview started. (not yet the formal ones) *Patience*

9th May, Saturday
There is a short one hour briefing about Intel Corporation's background before the interview starts.
The participants/interviewee attended was not as many as I expected, just about 20 plus people. Then I thought to myself, maybe there's hope in getting this after all.

After like a good-impatient 10 minutes wait, it's my turn for interview session. (I just want to get over it fast cause it's really discomfort having the nervous feeling all over me)

So, we recommended ourselves by shaking hands and then I passed my very simple and short resume to the beautiful interviewer, Teresa. (if I'm not wrong, she's a manager)

I was quite embarrassed about handling over my resume to anyone actually cause I've not much experience to be honest, all I used to work for is just part time basis where I work not more than 3 months (max 3 months only).

As far as I could remembered, Teresa viewed my resume for a while and proceeds to asking me a few questions about my current progress whether I'm currently studying or working whatsoever. Then she also did asked about some technical questions about accounting that could relate to Intel co. Something like, "Differentiate out a short list of a few inventories and expenses in Intel co."
Hah, this simple yet tricky (for me) question got me at first, as I did not expect such a simple accounting question would make me go like 'oh yeah, why didn't I thought of that before?'

Then she asked whether I have any questions for her as well (to be fair she said haha) So to be fair and honest, yes I did. I don't know what got into me that made me brave enough to ask her about the reason why they're conducting the interview, where and even what else they're searching for. (It's like questioning her back) Hah. Despite having the usual questions everyone usually asked, 'How much did you all pay for a fresh graduate?' or 'What benefits do Intel give to their employees?'

Anyways, it's a very short interview indeed which takes about roughly just as long as I waited for it like plus minus 10 minutes. 

Teresa did said if passed the interview then they're call us up/email to make an appointment for a formal interview in Intel.

Then I thought to myself, Naahhh I'm probably quite certain I wouldn't get any news from them since my interviewer, Teresa did mentioned, they're actually conducting these interviews in many colleges and not only in TARUC.
So it's like hopes decreases when I knew it's not only these 20 plus participants Intel got to choose from. It's more than that and maybe a lot more.

18th May, Monday
During lunch, suddenly a call came in from my cell and the number was unfamiliar at all, so as usual I hesitated to answer but then I did answer. (Glad I did)

Intel co. HR department called if I'm not wrong. (not sure it's either their HR or the Finance department)
Conclusion of the call was to tell me I'd passed the first interview and could proceed to the next interview. So they wanted to know whether am I attending the panel interview at Intel on coming Friday? If yes, please respond to the email they'd sent me (which I didn't know cause I opened my email like once a month maybe?)

When I opened my email, there's an "Invite to Intel Finance Interview"

I'm really glad that I picked up the call cause if it wasn't for the call, I would have miss the dateline.
Because (just below the information of the email)

Please kindly reply this email on your attendance by 18^th May (Monday). Otherwise, we will assume you reject the invitation. We look forward to meeting you.

Please take note that the attached is the job description of the vacancy we have.

Yours sincerely

Intel Finance Recruitment Team

Yes and today it's 18th May already, if she did not remind me, I certainly would not had opened the email to reply and I would certainly miss this opportunity. Heh

22nd May, Friday
Arrived at Intel on time by 8am and went to PG8 building. When I arrived, there are about 20 people waiting for the checking of attendance already. All faces were not familiar to me to be honest, some looked as if they have lots of experience already (more elder). I found out that there's only 3 including me which came from the TARUC interview the other day. (3/20++ people okayss, I'm so luckkyyysss)

Their conference room something similar like that but maybe a little narrower.

Then later on, they brought us to a conference room which can fit all of us. We then introduced ourselves. With that, I found out that I'm the only person in the room which has literally ZERO experience in working in a finance department. Some were from Singapore, some were from Kuala Lumpur and some were even from the Big 4's (one of the 4 largest audit company).

I was like OMG, sure no chance already. Totally incomparable to them. I haven't even graduate from ACCA yet.

After the short introduction from everyone, they gave a short overview of Intel Corporation and then the panel interview starts. They brought each one of us to enter a smaller conference room where there's 2 interviewer inside waiting. (They have a lot of conference room so trust me, it's enough to undergo interview to all 20 ppl at the same time)

Both my interviewer were Ben and Fairuz, they both looks strict obviously. My interview takes approximately half an hour or more I think. Yes, that's how long and that much thing for them to ask.

The few questions that I remembered they asked :

1) What do you like about Intel?
2) What value could you bring to the company?
3) What is your worst experience in working? How you handle it?
4) How you communicate with your team members if.... ?
5) What is GST? How will GST impact Intel?
6) Why GST filing is important?
7) How ROI (Return on Investment) is important to company?
8) Explain what is ROI in your own words to a person not in finance/accounting field.
9) What is the latest article about Intel?
10) If we hire you, what is your preference in which department you'll like to be in?

(There's actually a lot more tougher question but that's all I could remember)

What's make the interview much more tense is the expression of the interviewer. They're always showing their strict or straight face. Definitely not the friendly one.

and last question they ask,
Do you have any questions for us?
Obviously I had but I don't intend to be hired so I didn't ask about the salary or benefits. I asked why did they chose me to attend this interview when there's so many people that have more experience compared to me. I'm just like a fresh graduate with no experience (and not even really graduate yet)

Their answer kind of relieved me. They say not to worry, you're all not competitors. We judged individually based on potential. So if you have potential, you'll have the chance.

When they're leaving the room, I was absolutely relieved cause I thought it's finally over but it's not.
Nightmare had not passed yet. They asked me to wait in the conference room for the second interviewer to attend to me very soon.

Waited for like 10 minutes and a pretty lady came in. She looks sweet and friendly which also gave me a huge relieved. No more tense expression please. Her name is Jia Ling and she's my second interviewer. She started asking me questions and hope that she did not overlap the questions the previous two interviewer asked.

The interview took about 15 minutes or so. Then when she asked me the last question (Do you have any question for me?) where I thought finally it's over, she suddenly thought of a few more technical questions to ask me. I was like OMG, who struck her with so many questions suddenly. HELLLPP. Hah.

and again when she is about to leave, I thought it's over but then I only knew my nightmare had not really even started yet.
She said later on they will group the interviewees to 5 persons in a group and they'll give us a case study to solve and then to present individually in front of 5-6 interviewers (managerial level) and your fellow group mates at the same time.

I was like NOOOOOO.

15 minutes later, I met my 4 fellow group mates. (2 ladies and 2 gentlemen)
We were lead to a bigger conference room and were given a case study to discuss and solve among ourselves. I think their aim was to look at our communication among team members and our team spirit.
When we're discussing, the 5-6 interviewers were actually observing us. So it's actually kind of awkward. I spotted there's a guy which the other interviewers were more afraid of him. I presume he is their boss or maybe higher level post. He's also observing us. All of them have a straight look on their expression so you could not interpret what they're thinking actually.

They passed us each a mahjong paper (one huge white paper) and a marker to present out our points. The case study is about problems faced in the Trade Payables department. I think they are recruiting/hiring people to that department. So they wanted to see whether do we have skills or experience in that.

Obviously I had none. What I had is the previous subjects I took during my studies.
Each one of us were given a role to perform our duties given as the reference to the case study. They gave us time to discuss (forgotten how long but it's just a few minutes) and 5 minutes each to present individually. When it's time to present, I volunteered to be the first cause I really wanted to get this over with FAST.

The presentation goes something like that with about 10 pair of eyes looking at you.

After done with presenting, I'm offered with many types of questions from each one of the interviewers including the guy who seems like their boss. (I think cause I'm the first person)
Then later on when my group mates present, the 'boss' no longer ask anyone any question, he just observed. So not sure I'm lucky or otherwise. Heh.
After everyone presented, they said we could leave already. If they're interested, they'll called us within two weeks.

Anyway, it's finally OVEERRRR.

They're really good in timing. Everything finished exactly at 12 pm. Then it's time for LUNCH. (I'm starving)

Results
On that very same day, at approximately 4 pm, there's a call. I recognized the number immediately cause their number were kind of odd/special. It's from them.

A lady, Jamie was speaking. She said they're interested in hiring me but I'm still yet to graduate from ACCA and I doesn't have any degree. So the most they could is to hire me by my diploma qualifications.

I have to turn her down since I'm currently still studying for my ACCA and there's no time for me to work full time as they did not hire part time.
(Hope she doesn't think that, this girl unavailable to work but still came for interview) Actually I didn't thought I'd passed the interview and got the job, just wanted a panel interview experience. Heh.

She said it's okay, they're willing to wait for me and ask me to write an email back to them when I've graduated.
She emphasized me to write back to Intel and to refer to her, Jamie. So I just need to undergo another small interview on my progress then they'll take me in as their Intel blue badge employee.

STORY ENDS

 Conclusion, it's one good experience and I'm happy that they could see a potential in me which I had yet to discovered it myself.

Hope they're not wrong about me.

Gotta proof them right, right? Heh.

Applause for you if you really did read every single word from this post. *Claps*

Anyways, just wanna record down my first experience.

Does it help you too?

At least your eyes/mind are opened when others said about a panel interview in a good corporate company.

Till here,