CFAB: Work-Based Learning Application

Hello!!

The last time I posted about Hell Semester, I promised to post about CFAB's Work-based Learning (WBL) application process so that the future CFAB-ers will not freak out, like how my classmates did. 

The whole process is divided into 5, which are the firms visit, application, assessment, interview and acceptance.

Firms Visit

I actually posted this in a separate post. Here's the link. This is actually a perfect time for you to assess the companies, whether you like the companies' environment, the culture, the people, and etc. So make sure to ask lots of questions and make a good first impression to your future employers.

A little tips to choose which firms you want (if you don't know which to choose):

1. Culture
2. People
3. Environment
4. Transportation
5. Reputation
6. Perks
7. Company's Corporate Social Responsibility

Application

After the companies visit, Sun-TES staff will give students instructions on how to apply the respective firms. Basically, Sun-TES will have students prepare cover letters, resume and the require certificates. They will also set a fix amount of firms for students to apply. For our batches, we can apply for 2 firms (it differs from batches to batches, depends on the number of students the batch has). What does this mean? This means that Sun-TES will help us to send our resume and cover letters to the 2 firms that we have applied. The time limit is about 1 week. Yes, it is only 1 week, which is why I advise new students to start preparing their cover letters and resume during their semester break, so you can make multiple amendments, instead of rushing everything at the last minute.

During the 1 week, you can ask for help from college lecturers, normally English lecturers, to proofread the cover letters and resume. For the A-level batches, that do not have additional subjects, you can try to ask for help from Student Service Department (SSD). It seems that for the new batches, the English lecturer has made writing resume as an assignment, so that actually save a lot of time. 

*You can also apply yourself. This means that you send the cover letter and resume through the company's website by yourself, which also means that you can apply as many firms (ATEs) as you want if you are not confident enough. 

*Some firms only want students that pass their examination in the FIRST attempt. This will be mentioned by the Sun-TES staff. So, do pay attention. 

Asssessment

When the firms accept your application, you will need to go through an assessment or maybe a few assessments. You will either have the assessment on the same day as the interview or will have it on a separate day or will have it in your own house. Some firms may require you to bring your own computer. All Big 4+2 have assessment. Not sure for other smaller firms. 

The type of assessments vary from firms to firms. The most common assessments are Mathematics and English. They can have it in various forms. For Mathematics, they can have it in the form of chart, table, graph or in a really simple elementary Mathematics. For English, they will normally require students to write essays or short paragraphs. The type of "essay" they will ask may be to solve real life situations or your view on certain things (probably to test your personality?).  There are also some other assessments like computer skills and IQ tests.

*The assessment may only apply to WBL and may not apply to Training Contract.

Interview

If you pass your assessment, they will inform you either through e-mail or phone calls and will require you to meet with them. Most of the firms require students to go to their company for the interview while some firms will have the interview in the college.

*No transport is provided by the college for interview. You will have to provide your own transport.

*Some interview may clash with your classes. If it is a group interview, you will have no choice but to follow. For interview done individually, you MAY arrange your time with the interviewer.

The interview will be done either individually or in group. I have tried both of them and I think interview done individually is better than the one done in group. Why? Because group interview feels like doing presentation and during the interview, you are supposed to show off your skills and abilities to the interviewer, which I am bad at. Thankfully, I managed to pass both of the interview. 

How many interviewers? Mostly 1, and some 2. Normally, they are from the Human Resource Department. However, some companies will have people from the department you applied, interview you. For example, if you apply tax department, the company will have, for example, manager from tax department interview you. 

Now, to the important part - what they ask during interview? The most popular question will be "tell me about yourself" and the rest of the questions vary. Some may ask about their company; some may ask technical knowledge, meaning what you have learnt in class; some may ask recent news; some may ask "out of nowhere" questions (unrelated topic, probably to test your critical thinking). I believe one of the English lecturers will mention some of the popular questions interviewers will ask and how to tackle them. If you are not confident enough, you can always ask any lecturers to give you a mock interview.

*DON'T and NEVER prepare a script for your interview. Interviewer will know immediately, unless you are a professional actor. However, you can prepare your interview in the point form.


Acceptance

If you successfully pass your interview, you will receive a call, whether to accept or reject. You don't have to reply immediately, but they will normally give you a certain time limit to reply.

What if your first choice company have not called you or interviewed you but you have received the call from the other companies? You will have 3 choices. 1. Give them excuses to delay them. 2. Straight out reject them. 3. Tell them that if the company you want have accepted you, you will have to reject them (only do it, if the deadline to reply is exceeded and you only apply 2 companies, but it is not encourage to do it).

If you accept it, they will send you an offer letter or you will have to go to the company to sign the offer letter.


Oh, there's also a possibility that you will be rejected by both of the companies and, at the same time, you do not apply other companies. Don't worry. In this case, Sun-TES staff are pretty helpful. They will immediately help you to apply smaller audit firms, such as Mustapharaj and Folks or if you have not apply other bigger firms, you can try to apply yourself too. So, normally you will have a placement for the 6th semester.

And that sums the entire process. The duration of each company going through all these processes are not fixed. Some can be really fast in some processes and slow in the other processes. All you have to do is to be patient and wait for the call. So, make sure your phone sticks with you 24/7.

Good luck!