Interviewed Jan 2009 (took a day)

I felt that the company was professional in arranging for the interview. As it was a senior management position, the HR Director called me up personally to set an interview appointment suitable to both of us.

Prior to the interview, I did a little "homework" on the group of companies. This is to find out more about their core business, where they were located, what the company's strategies and visions are, and whatever else I could find out on the internet. On hindsight, I should have memorised more of what I had read...

During the interview, the HR Director and Chief Financial Officer asked questions about my background, and crossed check on some management personnel I had worked with in my previous job whom they were familiar with.

Both parties were upfront about what we were looking for in terms of our interest i.e. skills & strengths, progression opportunities, and remuneration package. We were very much aligned in the first 2 aspects, but there was a clear gap in the third aspect especially when the economy was not doing too well then. It was good that they were transparent about it, and admitted that it would be difficult to even match my current package, although my skill sets matched what they were looking for.

In the end, it's all about the "pull and push" factor for both the employer and the candidate, what's more valuable for both.