Advertising and Wild Zebras

Wild Zebra

It was interesting, middle section of the ballet was a bit long and tedious, but it wraps up all very quickly.

If you get a chance to watch this ballet, watch the Fox Spirit character and the Antelope Dance. The Fox Spirit character was more fun to watch than the other characters and the Antelope Dance was probably the most enjoyable and energetic of all the dances.

Music was fantastically done, tells the story well and really fits the various themes well.

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So I had coffee with the advertising company.

A very brief "interview" done at at coffee joint, not the most cozy or best places to have an interview, but gets the job done.

Key points I made (I hope) - I want a career as a brand consultant, I am not afraid of working hard, I am interested in personal development (skills and such) and I expect to be very very well compensated to move away from my existing job.

Key points they made - It is a long and tedious path to becoming a brand consultant, there will be lots of hardwork involved, the personal development has to come from me and they are willing to compensate very well (just one very).

It was a very aggressive interview - lots of questions thrown about, very strong personality interviewing me.

Well, lets see how things work out. I have been slowly thinking about my life plan, from many to narrowing it down slowly. Either way, hopefully (!) my career plan should be drafted out soon :D

to the iPod

iPod one iPod two
iPod mini just for you
Legally downloading AAC
and carry my iPods where I may go

the iShuffle, no bigger than a pack of gum
Drape it from my neck
maybe sling it round my wrist
a cool little gadget it is
but small on size, small on space
a gig is all it has on call

the iPhoto is a must get
to store gigabytes of
random pictures and music
stuff that i don't really care about
stuff that i'll rather forget

but to people
that don't really care
about the apple iPod craze
have to understand
it's a lifechoice
it's more than just a phase....

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Damn. I should get an iPod too..... not a very good song, just felt like writing it

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So here is a question, how does an advertising and marketing graduate get into business consulting. Is consulting all that it's hyped up to be?

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Yeah, I am also shameless, I stole a counter! :D

Life once again

Congratulations to Mr Le Optimiste, I feel that it was the dual parent company bit that made it a bit easy. Anyways, so you have a choice of dinner or witty conversation! Depending on your location we might have to make arrangements to meet in some foreign country ;)

But that should work out to be fine.

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And I realise that I have another interview. This time with an advertising company. Which will be interesting; since I am an advertising and marketing graduate. The key point of the interview - I want to be a brand consultant.

(It is not that I am dissatisfied with my job, please do not misunderstand me on that. I have not applied for a job at all ever since getting my current job. I applied for various jobs 3-4 months ago, and they are only getting back to me on them now.)

Back to being a brand consultant; I have always wanted to be a brand consultant, however there never seemed to be any vacancies for that position, in fact, my family believes that there is no such job as a brand consultant. Any brand consultants out there reading this? Please let me know if you are a brand consultant, or personally know a brand consultant. It would give me some faith that my ambitions are realisable.

I guess for me, my current job is a job, it is something that I have to do because I accepted the offer to work there. I will do my best, work my hardest and aim to be the best in my job BUT at the end of the day, my current job was never my ambition. To me, it will be a job that I accepted out of necessity, out of the long term stability. Some day, I may grow to love my job and truly embrace it for all its worth but for the time being, I do not know how to see it as anything but a job. However, I know it is a good job, and I appreciate the opportunity given.

Am I contradicting myself by saying I have a good job, yet it is only a job? That perhaps I should be rejecting all these interviews. My family, friends and girlfriend have been very critical of me being open to changing jobs. So, based on their view, yes, I am being contradictory. I should sit down, and focus on my current job.

I guess I agree with them, I should focus on my current job.

Sometimes I feel confused too...

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0:00.00

Yup, 24 hours have come and gone, and no call. Guess I do not make the cut.

It's 6:48am Tuesday now, and I have just finished writing the thank you letters to the people that were there at the second stage selection; not that the thank you letters will change any decisions (since it is already past 24 hours).

Of the previously mentioned characteristics, I wonder which did I not show enough of? The selection did not touch company background, so no worries. I tried to have witty conversation with the directors of the company and my group mates, and give strategically sound answers when questioned about the marketing plan, and I even tried to be the leader of the group.

Maybe it is just cultural fit....

Time to change, and get ready for the day job (by night I masquerade as an advertising graduate, sometimes I also pretend that I am in marketing).

How do I feel? Sad, disappointed (very in fact). I really would have had loved to work for them. Anybody want to guess who the MNC is?

Clues

1) Has over 300 brands
2) Has two parent companies
3) Last year's turnover was more than Euro 30 billion (if I remember correctly)

Prizes for the correct guess, I'll pay for dinner or try and have a witty conversation with you, your choice.

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Just for confirmation, I called them up, and got the rejection in my face....

Then I found out that I had driven for 30 minutes for a doctor's appointment that is scheduled for tomorrow....

Apparently I am too aggressive, strong and dominating....

What the hell does that mean?

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Round Two - Wannabe vs. Random people! FIGHT!

And so it started, apparently there were about 18 of us, divided into 3 groups.

First exercise of the day went with a personality test, out of some consulting company, comparing what I liked most, and what I liked the least.

Then we were moved into a room with a two-way mirror (made me feel like a suspect in an interrogation room), and we were told to sort out our case study. Case study basically was to come up with a marketing plan and stuff, very limited time, 30 minutes for the individual and 45 minutes for the team effort. Scary.

Then an Critical Review (?) Test, to test our understanding of English. This was followed with another test for our Maths skills.

All in all, it was really quite an experience, I am only hoping that I managed to do a decent job and that they call me back!

Oh yeah, apparently they will let us know the results within 24 hours.... (^_^);;
Making me a bit edgy....

So, aside from the case study, english comprehension and math skills, it appears that they're really just doing this to see a "culture fit". My bet is that they want people that can fit in (or at least that they _think_ can fit it.

Two of my groupmates heard their names being mentioned! I didn't hear mine! Good? Bad?

Well, I guess I'll remember this experience. If anything, it was pretty interesting.

Another 18 more hours.

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It's raining now... nice and windy, wish I was back in Australia with a cup of coffee and having a nice smoke as the wind blows by.... (for the record, I have given up smoking as well)

Girlfriend is in town for training tomorrow and the day after, hopefully we'll be able to spend some time together. Would be good to spend some time with her, last I heard, she now wants to buy a new car!

An accident and a bit more


Dear Mr Optimiste

No, I have not applied nor am I an Insead student. I only plan on applying after I have more working experience and am able to afford the tuition. I *would* like to apply now, but I feel that I should get some more working experience (and the tuition money).

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My girlfriend had a car accident today morning while driving back to her hometown. Several things,

1) Thank god, thank goodness that she fine.
2) Thank god, thank goodness that the accident was at her hometown, at least she has her family
3) Long distance relationships suck because you can never be there for the person...

I am truly grateful for the first two, and hate the fact that the third is absolutely true. It would be so much nicer, easier, if I could have been there helping her this morning.

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Interview on Monday, 25/07/2005 draws closer. Will I be able to remember the company background sufficiently, engage in witty conversation and give strategically sound answers while showing my leadership ability?

I don't know....... but I am sure going to try like hell to do all that! :D

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now playing

V.A.G.A.B.O.N.D - Enter Heaven

I need to find a way to be able to link up the music that I am listening to into my blog, anybody know how I could put a music sample up on my blog? Please email me and let me know.

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P.S Thank you Mr Le Optimiste for being the first AND second commentor on my blog! It feels good knowing that somebody out there is reading! *woot*

PARIS: Police today have determined that the disappearance of Mr Hopeful Wannabe (early-August 2005) is connected with the champagne smuggling ring at INSEAD Fontainebleau.

Evidence of Mr Wannabe’s disappearance was found on an Internet website maintained by a Mr Death Spiral, who had posted about Mr Wannabe transferring luggage from the Charles De Gaulle airport to INSEAD Fontainebleau.

Inspector Mickey Mouse believes that Mr Wannabe had accidentally stumbled across the smuggling ring when he had volunteered to help Mr Death Spiral transport his luggage from the Charles De Gaulle airport to Fontainebleau.

“We have reason to believe that the Mr Wannabe was preparing flee from INSEAD Fontainebleau after discovering that it the den of evil M&M popping, champagne drinking and Big Mac eating smugglers.”

An anonymous source has been quoted as saying “In INSEAD Fontainebleau, it’s always been about the champagne.”

Police are currently searching for Mr Death Spiral and his fiancée to assist with the disappearance of Mr Wannabe. If you have any information, please contact the nearest police station.

Links - insead06clueless.blogspot.com

I have reason to believe that once you enter INSEAD Fontainebleau, you cease to transact in money and instead use bottles of champagne for barter trade....

Overhead in my imagination - "I'll see your 2 bottles of Rosé raise you one damned Cuvée Dom Pérignon! Take that!"

For the record, for health reasons, I gave up serious drinking and even most of casual drinking a couple of years back. Sad isn't it? :P

The Right Template

It seems a lot harder than it looks to find a template that suits you and that you're comfortable with.

So I guess I'll be experimenting with different templates and modifications and see what I can come up with, makes me wish I had paid more attention in my web design classes!

Nothing much to post about in the past few days, I realise that perhaps I'm posting a bit too regularly without substance. So from now on, I'll try and refrain from posting more than twice a week, hopefully (!?) allowing my posts to have more substance!

added 19/7/05

Actually I wanted to add couple of thoughts on last night, but had some things come up so I am only able to add it on today.

1. Blog not for the sake of having a blog, but for the sake of sharing thoughts and events and other little interesting bits of your life - which means that it is not just "bla bla this happened to day, bla bla bla" but rather "this happened, and this is what I feel or think about it"

2. Maybe I will try "post edit blogging", instead of blogging new entries on a regular basis, I will post an entry, and then over several days, edit and enhance the original posting. A bit like this current entry.

3. My blogging focus will be on
i) Creative blogging
ii) Happy blogging
iii) Some other focus in my blogging....

My blog is broken...

I can't add links

I can't change the template!! Oh no....
:(

*pokes the computer screen*

:(

//oh, I can :D
It's just the matter of refreshing it... hah. silly me :P

The previously mentioned MNC called! I'm going back for the second round!

Very exciting, and I'm looking forward to attending it especially since I want to see how it's going to be done - apparently there's a case study (to be sent earlier), group activities, and other fun filled events for the day.

The way I look at attending interviews, being called up in the first place, being called back again, it means there's a chance, and as long as there's a chance it's a good thing! (^^)

My life plan is still being worked on...

I realise that I've got different versions of a life plan, do other people just have one life plan? Is it a good thing to have a backup life plan? Maybe a worse case scenario life plan and a best case scenario life plan.... I've got a life plan with girlfriend, life plan without girlfriend, life plan with a bank job, life plan without bank job, life plan with MBA.... I've got too many life plans.

The past two days have been interesting but at the same time very dull. I've been working on the proposal review of a customer that wants to increase his credit facilities, very slow and tedious, at the same time it can have bursts of "interesting". I've always wondered, who is more important? The bank? Or the customer? Who needs who more?

Girlfriend update - We haven't spent much time together, a total combined 2 hours over the past 4 days, I think, since for 2 days she was outstation, and I've got work to contend with. This weekend she'll be around again, and we definitely look forward to actually spending time together. I've even bought tickets to the Fantastic Four.

Live phone conversation overhead

(Caller1) Hey! Where are you?
(Caller2) Who the hell is this?
(Caller1)You stupid bitch, this is your husband!

.....

The conversations people have....

Am looking at my 3-year life plan, not that I really have one in place. But I'm realising that I should have one to help guide my ambitions and my motives and my achievements....

What should be in a 3-year life plan? I'm not too sure myself, but......

Stay tuned, for my 3-year life plan! Soon to come!

It's be a good fun filled two days, meeting up with old friends, and just hanging out with the various groups of friends that I've made over the years.

Group No. 1 - Friends made in high school that I'm close with and that have put up with my strange behaviour in college. The two friends that I met up seem to be doing quite well in life, one of them working for an international publishing house, while the other is set to run a franchaising business (after buying the master franchaise plan) for water! Wish him the best of luck, while wishing the other the best of luck in getting transfered to another country!

Group No. 2 - Friends made after high school, friends that I've worked with when involved with helping to set up a dotcom company. Lots of fun we had, we're all busy working and trying to carve a "proper" career... we used to meet up for drinks (tea/coffee) everday and talk about the future, but now we're too busy to meet up regularly... I wonder what will be in 5 years time, will we even remember each other? I hope so....

Group No. 3 - Friends that have always been there, one of the dating back from primary school days. But this group tends to play a lot of computer games, so hung out with them for a while to have a few rounds of DOTA (www.dota-allstars.com). Good friends, couldn't ask for better company when I feel like playing computer games!

It's good to meet up with your old friends and see where everybody's headed, but sometimes it strange to meet up with them, compare life when you first knew them. I guess everybody's getting older with more responsibilities and beginning to slow down their pace. Maybe I'm living in the past, but sometimes, I wish I was younger again, with not much to worry about, with not much to care for except to live life....


I've decided that I'll put in the song of the day at the end of each of my blog entry - you'll be able to email me if you want to get the song or want to know more about the song.

Song of the Day
Divine Inspiration - The Way.mp3

P/S My girlfriend will be in town for the upcoming week!! Whoooo!! Definitely look forward to spending some time with her....!

A little bit of dance and music in anybody's life never hurt them....

http://www.digitallyimported.com/mp3/hardcore.pls

or if you can't copy/paste the link, then just pop to www.digitallyimported.com and look under Hardcore for good times!

Some happy hardcore now and then, or everyday
keeps the blues and sadness away

It's a short post today, nothing interesting happened, except that I've been put to work preparing an "easy and straight forward" credit proposal...

Which of course starts with doing it's financials. May sounds easy, but for somebody like me without a finance background, it can get really strange.... like why should Deposits Taken be under liabilities? (Something to do with the company taking a deposit from it's customers, a liability because the company owes the money back to the customer)

Things learnt today:

Quick Ratio and Current Ratio the higher the ratio the better, the more liquid the company is. If the ratio is smaller than 1 (<1) <-- for reasons to do with the coding of the page, I don't think I can use the < and 1 next to each other without the brackets. Seems to mess up the page

Account Payables days to settle (what the company owes to its suppliers) the more time the company has to pay its suppliers the better, there maybe be something to suspect if the company is not given the industrial norm grace period to settle it's accounts. The suppliers are amongst the first to know if something is wrong with the company, the bankers are the last....

Wow!

Hi there, as I've mentioned to BurgerBunny (who knows who he is), congratulations for landing the job as a burger.... of course BurgerBunny isn't going to work in a burger company, literally.... but a burger nevertheless

Anyway, so the interview was pretty friendly, met up with the HR manager and Senior marketing manager - very much more a get to know you session than an actual interview.

Reflecting back on the session, I guess as I told them, focus in life is one thing that I would have liked to have at an earlier age, perhaps I would be better off compared to where I am now.

I notice a get-to-know-you sessions tend to ask questions like "What would you like to do, what is your 5-year plan, what would you have done" stuff like that, which literally let them get to know you better. I only wish I knew what they were looking for so I could have catered my answers more in that direction.

Comment made : Wow, you're very profound.. .. .. ^_^;;

Good?Bad? I don't know, they'll let me know in 10 days time.... so I can only hope....

After reading other peoples' blogs, I'm always inspired to write something insightful, funny and witty. Sad part is that I'm no good at writing things that are insightful, funny and witty, Most of the stuff that I've written and will be writing will probably be boring and dull...

I saw my girlfriend for a grand total of 2 hours today, it was a wonderful two hours, we went to Marche (the Curve) which was an interesting experience but definitely NOT value for money...

My girlfriend works in another state, so we meet up maybe 2-3 times a month - yup, I'm in a long distance relationship. A thing about long distance relationships is that after a while you get really tired, tired of not being around your partner, tired of your partner being somewhere else, just tired of the distance. I look around and am really envious when I see my friends' and their partners just meeting up after work for dinner, or drinks, or just doing something simple like meet up over the weekend for breakfast.... all this with just a phone call... whereas I would probably have to plan to fly down/drive down to go for a breakfast....

One thing a long distance relationship teaches is to VALUE ever single minute you spend with your partner.... and after a while, you really start to value it very much....

So for those that have a girlfriend/boyfriend in the same city, living nearby, go give them a call and tell them how much you appreciate them staying in the same city as you....

Because, I really envy you....

Hi there, I've just decided to try writing a blog that will chronicle the next several years.

At this moment, I've decided that the blog will most likely revolve around my working life, and my ambition, and planned attempt(s) to get into INSEAD (www.insead.edu) .

Though I don't really have much of a personal life, I'll occasionally post about my on-going relationship with my girlfriend of 4 years, or there abouts....

So lets start my first post on this blog...

Currently, I'm employed in a foreign bank - which was quite surprising as I do not have a banking/finance related degree. In fact, I'm a marketing graduate (which is a really general degree to have).

My past jobs cover an investment company, technology startup, another technology startup and yes another bank...

In my current job, I deal with "business banking" or basically loans for business that wish to expand their existing business. As I'm not a banking graduate, I entered the job not knowing what the hell "Cost of goods sold", or even something like "Letter of Credit" ... now I'm proud to say that I'm vaguely familiar with the terms and products that I'll be dealing in....

This coming Monday, I've got an interview with an MNC company that I really would like to get in... more updates on that as and when it comes and goes...