Even interview has preliminary round eh?

The moment i got the interview notice which is almost a week away from the real thing itself, i quickly start reading up about their company and various part of aviation related thingy including theory of flight etc. It's not that i have not read about these things before, it's just that i was really busy with study, finals, project and all, so i do not have much time to do reading previously. Okay, after reading up for about 2 hours everyday for 1 whole dang week (maybe a little more hours on the final day itself :P), i thought i was fully prepared and is ready to swallow and any question thrown at me later.

15th March 2007, Thursday, wait....no.....that's the interview date itself and i have to make it there by 10.45am so....

--24 hours earlier.....--

14th March 2007, briefly and quickly pack my clothes after my class and drove back home to Kulai, Johore. Excited still, a little nervous. The best thing is that i have already prepared to skip classes(or do i have classes at all?) on the next day (i am still in uni, remember?). Heck, i even missed eating Bak Kut Teh with my friends in Klang because i had to leave 1 day earlier from the interview date *sob*. So much of a co-incident eh? Or did you purposely picked that day so you have less one person to belanja? :P You still owe me one buddy!

So...reached home around....er....dam! i can't remember...i think it's quite night already by that time(who cares anyway?). With all energy i had left after driving sooo farrr (1 hour 45 mins only), cheh...i did some final readings and try to recall whatever stuff i have read for the past one week. Slept really early on that day around 1am, yes you heard me right *E-A-R-L-Y*, one of very few times in my life. As expected, had trouble sleeping due to excessive anxiousness. Anyway, i think i finally dozed off after an hour plus or something, so it's not entirely bad. Afterall, that's one of the reason of why i planned to sleep early, already anticipated such things to happen.

Woke up at 6.30am, a little early i know, but trust me IT'S not. Left home at 7am, my bro-in-law sent me to the bus station. I only made it on time for the interview session at 10.45am, thanks to traffics, immigration, busses etc. Reached Kranji MRT station (the first and only MRT station busses from Johore is going to unload passenger onto) at around 9am. Initially, I wanted to save some money and take the MRT to Tanah Merah followed by a bus to Singapore Training Centre (STC). However, after much consideration, i decided to take cab instead and save all the trouble even though it might cost a little more...okay, actually a lot more. Nevertheless, the real reason is that, i do not want to risk getting there late and subsequently leaving a bad impression among the interviewers on my very first interview session, and flunked, owing to my efforts to save a few dimes. Anyway, thanks god i reach there on time, 45 mins earlier in fact. Meter shows, S$22.50. GG.

Reach there around 9.50am. Checked-in, kind of *jakun* since the place is rather big and there are security gates everywhere (those you can only access with a card similiar to touch'n go). Exchanged my passport for a visitor pass/access card, hooked up my tie (was really hot and stuffy earlier-you know, public transport). After that, i "selamba-ly" walked into the premise using the road meant for vehicles(thinking that i officially became one of their employee), only to be stopped by the security guard and asked me to turn around and re-enter using a proper gate, which i have to touch my visitor cards on it before i was granted access. Buat malu :P

After finally got through, the main gate security section, i went further in and look for the lobby of the main office, this time i come across a pair of glass door (those you have to push/pull to open). Three pairs, in fact. Again, trying to keep my cool, i pulled the handle holding the door but instead of opening the door, i found myself being pulled forward instead. I was like, hey..what the....?! Door locked? It's only then the security guard inside the building pointed to me in the direction of the card reader beside the glass door of which i must repeat the action i have done earlier at the main gate. So much for a security protection eh? Well, i guess it's really necessary or anyone would have been able to enter/leave at their own will. Buat malu again :P

Got in finally, i wish there were no more card reading thingy at a later stage. I was relieved because they weren't any of those stuff anymore. The first thing i noticed when i entered, i saw another candidate asking for direction at the information counter. Greeted him, shook our hand and my name is Eugene, and his name is.....eh..what's your name again? I can't remember his name anymore, what a shame. After a shortwhile, there is a currently-training cadet pilot who came out from nowhere and lead us to the interview room. Man, i can feel my that leg's joint is going to give away anytime soon.

The first thing happened when i reached the interview room, which is actually more of a waiting room, i was pleasantly greeted by a larger group of cadet pilots currently in training. So envious, they are helping out with the verification of our documents. Also, one of them is wearing specs! So SIA do actually allow their pilots to wear specs nowadays eh :). Spoke to all of them, very friendly and some even try to calm me down(by telling me that interview is really easy). It did in fact, works. I felt a lot calmer and confident for the interview now. In the room, there were also quite a number of other first-interview candidates, most of them are Malaysian and of same age, pending for graduation, few from Singapore. After getting all my document stamped and verified, i was told to sit back and relax while waiting for my turn.

So the waiting begin, 10 mins....20 mins....30 mins...40 mins.. 50 minss..1 hour! Still waiting, felt an urge to go to the washroom to release some steam. The moment, i step away from the waiting room into the washroom nearby, my name was called (of course i didn't know that, i was told only when i got back). Great. I'm sure i was still in one of the cubicle releasing whatever i have drank this morning when my name was called. When i return to the waiting room, i was told that the guy which is supposedly slotted for the session after me; entered first. So, after further waiting 15 mins, it's my turn to enter. Finally!

When i entered the actual interview rooms, the first thing i saw are two warm smile greeting me. How nice :). Greeted both of them good morning and sat down. The interview started off with some personal-related question, to help with warm-up(easing tense) as usual. However, i quickly grew familiar with the interviewers because they were really, i mean really friendly. I won't reveal the actual questions that the interviewers asked me, but i can say that it's rather general, about my interest in flying, why would i want to become a pilot, a very simple mathematical question(to gauge how fast i can think), and finally some light technical questions about planes. I managed to answer most of it but i must admit that the preparation i have made since the last one week wasn't enough, as i could not answer few of the more technical questions(it's not that hard now that i think back :P). It lasted for merely 15 minutes only. At the end, i was told prepare more thoroughly *in case* i were to attend to the final interviews! Wait... what was that? A hint that i'm getting through?! No wait, maybe, maybe not. Overall, they looks satisfied though so i am keeping my finger crossed for the next interview.

Prologue~The Beginning

Hmm, how should i start. Let's just say that i have successfully graduated (finally) from the goddam MMU after 5 years of nothing. Okay, maybe not completely nothing, at least i got a degree scroll which in turn improve the odds of me getting selected for first interview by the Singapore Airlines(SIA).

Honestly, i have never even thought about flying as my future career. In fact, i do not even know why am i studying engineering field in the first place. The only thing i can think of is that; i only wanted to secure a degree which would help me in getting a job in whatever field after my graduation. However, my opinion changed after my sis (a flight sterwardess for MAS) advise me to try my luck in aviation field, as in pilot. i was surprised and rather excited the very moment i heard about the idea. I can feel that the interest of flying is quickly building inside me and subsequently research and read up as much as i can about aviation and the procedures necessary to get into the airlines! alas, there is still 1 more year to go before my graduation and therefore i can do nothing but to wait and wait and wait until my second trimester which was also the trimester of which i am having my industrial training. at that time, i thought it would be a good time for me to start apply for a pilot profession. i quickly realized that i actually have 3 most possible choices which are the Malaysia Airlines itself, SIA, and lastly AirAsia. However, AirAsia, being a low frills airlines does not strike to me as an attractive opportunity enough, not to mention they only service asian routes and therefore will never have chance to go to the western continents. therefore, i quickly shroud off the idea and go ahead with application of MAS and SIA.

SIA's application was rather easy and straight forward as they have online job application system which pretty much simplify almost everything. My job resume and cover letter were submitted by merely a few clicks of button. Applying for MAS is however, completely opposite because everything has to be done through snail-mail (friking outdated eh?). Still, i went through all the troubles, getting the most expensive stamp possible and mailed a very thick letter containing my resume and certs to MAS HQ. Did both simultaneously around mid of January 2007.

Result? No news AT ALL from MAS (which is not totally unexpected anyway, sigh.. typical Malaysian "culture", you know what i meant), but the good news is i got an e-mail reply from SIA approximately 1 month after my application telling me to attend to the first interview in March. Pretty quick eh? Yes, I really cant believe my eyes and was totally shocked as well. So woohoo, i got a shot at the first interview i thought. So what's next? :D

Weee....delighted to see a reply!

A little late to start, but not too late...

Ah, i have never been interested in posting a blog for as long as i could remember. However, today is an event that managed to change my mind for the very first time as this event could probably contribute to a significant change in my life.i think it might be a good idea to begin storing my memory(electronically :P) as well as sharing it with others. For newcomers, please note that this blog is dedicated to the life and path i took right after graduation, starting from the cadet pilot application, the waits, the acceptance bla bla.. up to the time when i am promoted to captain, hopefully. Will update more in time to come to tell a little more about the beginning my journey. Stay tuned and i hope that you guys/gals will enjoy reading more of my blogs in the future!