Frantically trying to do some research at Coffee Zone now, on SembCorp. Before that I was looking for tips from existing or ex-SembCorp scholars and found some, one from TJC website, and here is the excerpt.

“Be prepared - Research about the organization before going into the interview room. Find out the various business units that the organization is operating and if possible what they are doing exactly. Inappropriate questions like 'How much will I be getting every month as my allowance?', 'How long do I have to work here?', 'What is my starting salary?' must not be asked as they would only reflect your ignorance and how materialistic you are. Instead, ask sensible questions like, 'Which is the business unit that is sponsoring the scholars this year?', 'Is lateral shift (from technical side to management side) applicable to scholars?', 'In what direction is the company going in the future?' etc. These would make you sound keen in obtaining the scholarship. Interviewers are generally looking for scholars who can contribute to the company and make their investment in the scholar worthwhile. Hence, it would be useful to ponder how you can contribute to the company when you are serving the bond.

Know the direction that the company is going in the future - usually ask the scholarship officer/coordinator. I was lucky because I knew that SembCorp was looking into the polymerization industry in the next few years and hence they needed chemical engineers and that was what I had applied for. I put this key point in the essay that I was asked to write during the tea session and it granted me the third and final interview. "
Makes me so freaking worried as I am quite sure that I am going to ask stupid questions and answer in such a naïve and unknowledgeable manner. Worse still, got stumped by their questions. Hence I am trying to force myself to take in some information about the company. Even so I don’t know whether I will make it to the next round. According to the guy who wrote the reflection above, there will be 2 rounds of interviews, followed by a tea session where you will be asked to sit down and write an essay on why you want to be a SembCorp scholar and ending wif a final round.

Expenses on air tickets are so going to rise high these two months. =S Unless I want to say in Singapore and work? By that time student pass would have expired as well. And after round 1 of interview I still have to come back for my driving test and if ever I make it to the next round of interview then I have to FLY again…unless I can ask them about phone interviews..quite unlikely I guess.

Anyway…

“Dear Applicants,

Thank you for your interest in the Keppel Group Scholarships.

We have carefully reviewed your application together with those of other applicants and regret to inform you that you have not been successful.

We take this opportunity to wish you success in your future endeavours.”

Keppel is gone…and so another of my worries.

Labels: scholarships, uni apps