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The interview was conducted in Jan 2004
University Education
Bachelor
of Economics & Finance, HKU, 2002
Current Employment
Management
Trainee, Dragonair, 07/02 - present
What
is the nature of your job and training programme at Dragonair?
For
the first half of the year, the training mainly involved job attachments
and classroom trainings. Classroom training was very practical. It provided
trainees with technical knowledge on basic airlines' operations like air-ticket
reservation system, check-in procedures, etc.
What are you doing now?
For
the second part of the training that I am undergoing, I am assigned to
work in the local Marketing and Sales Division for one and a half year.
My major role is to assist the General Manager of this Division in planning
marketing functions, networking with travel agents, participating in strategic
planning meetings and analysing sales figures.
You had more than one job offer, why did you
choose your present job?
The
offers that I received from other multinational firms were certainly attractive.
I was particularly attracted by the following unique opportunities offered
by Dragonair:
-
Chances to stay in an outport. Such position will provide unique opportunities
for young graduates to handle challenging issues. One step further,
liaison with various entities including officials and other corporations,
brings exposures.
- In
Hong Kong, trainees receive many on-the-job trainings. By participating
in assigned tasks or projects, one could thoroughly know about the industry
and obtain valuable hands-on experiences.
What is the uniqueness of Dragonair?
Compared
with most world-class carriers, Dragonair is still relatively small. However,
I consider company size as our competitive edge. Our simple structure
enables timely made decisions. Straightforward operational procedures
and flat reporting structure also enhance flexibility in the way we do
business. The close relationship among staff of different departments
helps facilitate internal communication. Such coherent working relationship
allows us to tackle problems from different angles and form holistic solutions.
Dragonair
is young and aggressive. It provides plenty of opportunities to its trainees.
What sort of persons will enjoy and do well in
your job?
Dynamic,
presentable and fast learners who are geographically mobile. Given our
strong presence in the China market, fluency in Putonghua is a must.
Do you have any advice for students who have
interest in applying or have applied for the training programme?
With
the possibility of postings inside and outside Hong Kong (i.e. working
in different departments and countries), trainees must be highly adaptable
to changes.
You
should also think about how important your family is to you. A few years
from now, you may get married and have your children. Is staying apart
from your family for a considerable period acceptable to you?
For
those who would like to specialise in one area, apply for these positions
directly - customer services, marketing... etc. Management Trainees in
Dragonair are generalists. They are trained to view problems from different
perspectives and plan overall strategies for the company.
What were the selection processes?
There
were quite a number of selection exercises:
-
Preliminary Interview, Aptitude Test and Written Test
About several hundred candidates will be shortlisted for this round.
Candidates will attend a half-day assessment at the Head Office.
- Preliminary
Interview - I was asked only one or two questions. It was indeed
a short one. The interviewer wanted to assess my language ability,
communication skills and professional presence.
My advice: Be appropriately dressed and groomed. Speak confidently.
- Aptitude
Test - The test that I took in 2002 consisted of a lot of diagrams
and charts. I needed to pick out the one which had the same / different
pattern.
My advice: Work on the questions quickly. Don't get stuck at any
question. If you can't tell the answer in about one minute, you'd
better move on. Even if you spend more time on it, you may not be
able to figure it out.
- Written
Test - I got one Chinese and one English question. I was given
45 minutes to write a 500-word essay (one each).
My advice: This is the part which you may really need to prepare.
The questions are likely to be associated with current topics. Pay
attention to current news, especially those related to the industry.
-
Panel Interview
The interview was about half an hour long and was conducted in English,
Cantonese and Putonghua. I was mainly asked to elaborate on the achievements
that I highlighted in my resume.
My advice:
- Have
a good understanding of what's happening in the industry.
- Have
a good understanding of yourself and be prepared to talk about your
strengths, hobbies, interest and vision in an interesting manner.
- Prepare
some questions to ask at the end. These questions should be down-to-earth
and relevant to you (do not pretend to be expert by asking questions
which are too far-fetched).
- Under
appropriate situation, you may ask for a name-card for sending thank-you
note.
-
Make your best attempt to answer questions in Putonghua.
-
Personality Questionnaire
There were quite a lot of questions you may need to fill in.
My advice: Be yourself! There are no right or wrong answers.
-
Assessment Day
I sat for two exercises: Presentation and Group Discussion
- Presentation
- I was given some materials to read. My tasks were to give solutions
to some business problems and present.
- Group
Discussion - 5 to 6 participants with a few assessors sitting
at different corners of the room.
My advice:
- No
need to fight for the leadership role and talk throughout the
entire discussion.
- Facilitate
the discussion by sticking to the set objective.
- Make
summaries or conclusions.
- Build
on others' ideas.
- Panel
Interview
The panel members are mainly senior staff of Dragonair. I got all kinds
of questions in the final around. The interviewers also switched from
Cantonese, English and Putonghua back and forth.
What are the secrets for passing paper screening
and interviews?
Look,
talk and behave like a young executive. Project a good first impression
with proper attire and etiquettes.
Put
yourself in the shoes of the employers and evaluate your own competitiveness
against other candidates.
Focus
on your unique selling points (e.g. experience gained in internship).
Tell the employer what you have done and observed as an intern. Do not
exaggerate your achievements.
What advice do you have for students who will be attending interviews
of Dragonair?
Treat
it as an interactive dialogue. Do not merely sit there and answer questions.
What advice do you have for students
who will be joining Dragonair as Management Trainee?
Learning
opportunities are unlimited at Dragonair. Observe what others are doing
and take initiative in asking questions.
Questions are welcome. Send a note to <cepc@cepc.hku.hk>.
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