Retrospective #1: Job Hunt
During INSEAD I revised a few times what I really wanted to do after graduation. One thing has always been fixed. I knew that I wanted to stay in Singapore. On the one hand, I love being here. I have Sylvia and so many of my friends here. Other amazing places within Asia are just a short ride from here. The summer lasts from the 1st of January until the 31st of December. And I wouldn't be a Singaporean, if I didn't compliment about the food, which is indeed great here. On the other hand, the job market is hot, there are amazing business opportunities here.
But it wasn't an easy ride. Most of the opportunities for me were in Europe. The strategy consultants wanted me for Hungary, the banks for London. And there was always something else missing too. None of the positions was really exciting. And the ones I found in Singapore, didn't even consider me for an interview. It gave lots of frustrations, which made me re-write, re-structure and re-format my resume again and again, change the focus during interviews and change the strategy too.
I really wanted to go back into sales within banking. The feedbacks I received were always positive on my background, experience and personality. Still, most of banks were afraid that I wouldn't fit into the sales team, wouldn't be able to handle Asian clients or just decided to head back to Europe shortly. So they considered me too risky.
In the end, through a headhunter, I received an opportunity to interview with Standard Chartered, a British bank, one of the main banks in the region, focusing only on Asia, Africa and Middle East. Within 36 hours of my first interview I received an offer. Besides that I really like my job scope, I'm happy to work for a company that is responsible and cares about all its stakeholders.
I've been working there for a week now. I'm an associate director in the corporate sales team. Each morning I go to work with the same excitement. The work is really creative and highly analytical at the same time, which is perfect for me.
But it wasn't an easy ride. Most of the opportunities for me were in Europe. The strategy consultants wanted me for Hungary, the banks for London. And there was always something else missing too. None of the positions was really exciting. And the ones I found in Singapore, didn't even consider me for an interview. It gave lots of frustrations, which made me re-write, re-structure and re-format my resume again and again, change the focus during interviews and change the strategy too.
I really wanted to go back into sales within banking. The feedbacks I received were always positive on my background, experience and personality. Still, most of banks were afraid that I wouldn't fit into the sales team, wouldn't be able to handle Asian clients or just decided to head back to Europe shortly. So they considered me too risky.
In the end, through a headhunter, I received an opportunity to interview with Standard Chartered, a British bank, one of the main banks in the region, focusing only on Asia, Africa and Middle East. Within 36 hours of my first interview I received an offer. Besides that I really like my job scope, I'm happy to work for a company that is responsible and cares about all its stakeholders.
I've been working there for a week now. I'm an associate director in the corporate sales team. Each morning I go to work with the same excitement. The work is really creative and highly analytical at the same time, which is perfect for me.
4 comments:
ügyes, munkahelyről vagy jót vagy semmit! :)
huga
istenem, de rég volt már május 1.
Ja szia huga. mi van veled?
G
én meg most készülök kimenni, csak még egyeztetni kell Balázzsal, nehogy ő meg pont akkor haza jöjjön ...
ti nem repetáztok? :)
hug
Hát szivesen, de inkább lakást vettünk:-) Viszont megjegyzem ez az ember nagyon lusta és nem ír4t semmit már 2 hónapja... Így nem kap túrórudit!
G
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