I interned in one of the big4 firms, and I believe I did well, just that the HR exec wasn't satisfied with my attitude when I first talked to him. He said that I sounded mad, and on the other hand, the other HR guy always pretended like he did not read my message enquiring on job opportunities+made me sound like I was forcing the firm to offer me a permanent placement, which was the reason why I appeared angry when I approached the exec.

I mean, it wasn't really my fault that they didn't entertain us, vacation trainees, at all. Now my friends got offers at the firm, yet I get nothing. There's actually one thing I'm sure of, I did well in a tax competition organised by the firm (which was the main factor that made me stand out from the rest), and my friends they didn't get anything or helped out at the competition as committee+I was even closer to landing a job as I knew the 'main players' at the office who introduced me to the HR manager.

I've submitted applications on Dec18&19 to two of the big firms. Now I still get no reply.

I made myself clear in my cover letters that I'd like to work in JB. I wonder if they have smaller offices and lesser vacancies/openings at JB branches. Is that why my applications are still pending?

I planned to start in a really small firm, working as a part-time audit clerk in my hometown while waiting for their replies. But would it be better if I applied to medium firms in JB? Do they have even smaller space and lesser opportunities? I've turned down offers coming from KL big , just to wait for interview appointments+to get a job in Singapore.

I was even lucky enough to be called by a big 4 recruiter to arrange for an interview appointment (previously, I rejected its internship offer) yet I was waiting for replies from Sg firms, so I told her I'd like to wait two to three weeks and to tell her the time when I make my decision, and when I finally emailed her at the end of the second week, she replied by saying that I needed to wait while my job application was being processed (and here I thought she called initially to fix an interview date and time with me??), and eventually the firm sent me an official email, stating that they decided to not process my job application, I was totally at a loss. Now I've applied to its JB firm, will I still get a reply from the firm?

This post has been edited by tatabahasa: Dec 29 2015, 09:29 PM

Thanks, Pherac. That does sound doable.🤔 I should probably try contacting my supervisor and ask for their opinions on this. Will let you know when there's a good news.

At first, I wanted to get into Sg firms (didn't matter big / medium / small). I attended interviews at a big firm and a telecomm company and was told I wasn't experienced enough. I then changed my office preference to JB (since I've moved back to Johor).

There are basically two things I need to ponder on before applying to KL offices (currently don't have a car+just regained my driving license, probably get a car in KL after settling down) finding a place to stay and moving my stuff from my cousin's in Sekinchan. I need to also consider the costs involved as well as a place to spend overnight (travelling on a tight budget). I know how hard it is to find the best place to stay for a long time. I only managed to get an expensive room near where I interned just a month before my internship started(Would've turned down that offer if I hadn't found a suitable room).

Now I've applied to big firms' JB offices in a bid to stay near my hometown (born and raised in Kluang, not JB), and plan to apply to Sg firms again after a year or two (lack of experience shouldn't really be an excuse 😢, I'm a fresh grad after all).

I tried calling KL offices this afternoon, but one of the HR didn't pick up and another HR was engaged. Maybe you're right, I might as well try their JB branches. Do their JB branches have HR dept?

I actually have connected with the HR on Linkedin, and I approached to ask about job opportunities in JB. He asked to applied online for the post, but sadly, the HR didn't bother replying after I told her I applied to JB yet hadn't heard back.

By the way, the replies I got from my supervisor regarding getting my manager to PUSH the HR(the earlier conversation) were:
1. It should be alright to ask for the manager's help;
2. The supervisor helself was keen to help, but she also understood the reasons why I seemed angry and rude when dealing with the HR exec, so hoping me to comprehend the fact that the HR of the firm are so used to ignoring ppl's requests and it's best to keep on checking with them (exactly what I did in the past but only resulted in agitating the HR staff), normally takes one to two months to process;
3. I should go for other firms, too(well, this afternoon I rejected a recruitment firm's request to confirm an interview appointment due to location of the office+the client is a commercial firm)
4. The firm's CMD in fact planned on cutting costs--the HR seemed to have frozen hiring tax staff (btw, I was a trainee in tax dept)

True but the costs involved are also what I'm concerned with. If it's somewhere in the place I stayed before (the place where I interned in), it should be fine for me to get a suitable room+I'm familiar with the area.

There should be, reasonably, more vacancies in JB, rite?? Because everyone is leaving for Sg. Is it because the experienced staff all went to work in sg, they find it hard to recruit so they reduce the headcount/ vacancies available?? I don't see why there's competition in JB labour force.

Since I still get nothing, I plan to go to career fair in KL in Feb, the HR won't hesitate to take my application into consideration this time around, will they?

When being asked if I had any hands-on experience in the field of expertise I applied for, I told them the truth, zero work-related experience, but willing to learn (even when they asked: the firm might not get a seat for you for the in-house training and your work was gonna be predominantly mundane, would you still be okay with that? Absolutely fine as long as I get to learn, I replied). I don't get it why I couldn't impress the panel. Was I too weak in responding? Did I offend (somehow) them by telling them the tax knowledge and the competition I took part in was entirely based on Malaysian tax laws (the sm asked Sg or Msian tax)? I can't bring myself to think that someone would waste peoples time having an interview even though they knew for a fact that the candidact didn't have experience (by looking at resume).

Part of the reason why I was reluctant to go for the KL interviews was that I was tired to study again (the interview arrangement call was received after sg interview). I studied hard for the sg interview (there was a case study on Sg gst before interview) and in the end they wanted someone with experience. I always try to see the best in others and have faith that they gave me the chance to showcase myself (one of the SMs walked out the interview room before I even started talking 😩).

It's not as easy as it seems. They need to pay higher levy for foreign workers now. If im xwrong, SGD 300+ per pax.

I also heard that the big4 firms in Malaysia were reluctant to recruit foreigners as they had to pay for the visas+levies too, odds are, this applies to Sg big firms and they are particularly selective on hiring foreign workers. only those with experience will be considered.

Now even the Sg graduates also offer themselves for below market rates, needless to say, the Sg firms will surely prioritise sg local graduates (no need permits, levies and quotas to applied for permits)

Not too sure about the cpf part. in the past, if an employer wanted to hire a msian they need to submit 3 Sg/PR, dont know if this still applies or stricter than before.

They will ask to put on file till they get enough quota to hire u i heard. highly unlikely, in this case, they'll proceed with ur application

they are more keen to hire those who have to serve ns once in a while, it's a question they normally will ask in their job application. it's more like they give more opportunities to those who do gov duty.

Not saying it's totally impossible to land a job in sg, but need to try hard n practise a lot, firms are always looking for all-rounders. Should be able to get one if you never lose faith. (the pay now will be lesser too, considering the workforce in sg is fully packed while ppl with better backgrounds areasking for lower pay)

Do you have pq like acca / cpa? big4 firms do accept those with pq. if you don't mind, you can start joining as a trainee / intern then only you convert once you've completed the training programme.

I heard they also recruit students who are still doing their pq, by offering them trainee posts. If a student has, in total, 5 pq to be completed, and they already completed 2 of which, they're considered as 40% completed, and once they complete the last paper, they'll be offered a job placement in the firm.

Don't worry. Always be on the lookout for job posts looking for interns, from there, you work hard during the period of time, soon enough, you'll be considered a job placement when they see your commitment to work.

Last time i checked Deloitte had jop openings for audit associate if im x mistaken. Go have a look once in a while.

As i know, you gotta wait for phonecalls. Ey n pwc normally will have phone interviews. Deloitte n kpmg will call you to ask n fix an interview appointment (normally would be hr assistant calling you). Both pwc n kpmg have online assessments before interviews. did the assessments at Deloitte office. I heard they've chenged it to on-line, too. Also should wait for 2nd phone interview, some they'll call back after a while, don't panic, just wait, be confident and calm when they call. These phone interviews are what the hr look at whether to call you again for a fce-to-face interview.

So far I heard two of the big firms have enforcements on getting the employees qualified. They even asked if the candidates would like to take up pq. Hmm.. If you don't intend to get pq, can consider working for smaller firms first, then reapply after 1-2yrs. +1yr with big firm, you can get mia too. I've seen ppl coming from other medium/small firms to join big firms. Work experience is also another decision criteria for the HR. Truth be told, to get promoted to senior management, you definitely need a pq (it could be mia).

Attempted pwc's numerical test but only managed to answer 18 out of 28 questions. Does it mean its hard to pass?

I was only given 25 mins. Answered 18, left 10, didnt make guesses. Didnt have enough time to digest the questions and the statements/graphs. Total mess. :'( kinda nailed the interview, only left my test scores. Did I fail?

True? I was having numerical test not verbal. Then did u manage to pass? I couldn't make guesses, there were 6-8 choices for one q :'( im done for 😢

Best if it works out that way. Unsure cos the hr said MUST attempt all.

Whaaat?? 40qs? When did u have that test? In main or branch office? Rarely see true false cannot say numerical tests, except those free online assessment sets. Then time given? Or ur talking about Deloitte's assessments?

[quote=BravoZeroTwo,Jan 26 2016, 09:54 AM]
[quote=tatabahasa,Jan 25 2016, 11:50 PM]

tatabahasa,
Which university did you graduate from ? Thanks.

[/quote]

Local u


[quote=ISC15Z,Jan 31 2016, 10:02 AM]
Hi are you starting in mid feb?I am recruited to the same department as well!

[/quote]


Same here. Starting in mid-feb. my ex-seniors said they'll train new joiners, associates one. so what do we need to do? brush up on tax-related knowledge?
Does either of you have to fill up beneficiary nomination form? You fill up now or on the day you report to work?

Pwc KL


So have you received the offer letter already? If yes, then it shouldnt be a problem.

Which firm? I received offer letter+letter of medical examination (letter to give to the selected clinic for checkup) in one parcel.

Depending on your portfolio. If most of the companies' accounting periods end on Dec 31, 2014, then yes july. For ya 2014, companies (those whose submission due date is July 31, 2015) have extended deadline(=a grace period) of 1mth till end of aug. Then for employer and individual tax, the grace period is 15 days after the due date (Apr 30 & June 30). It's always better to not inform the clients of the extended deadline, only tell them about the due date, simple as that.

Not too sure about that. You can check out their online jobpage.
https://careers.deloitte.com/jobs/eng-my?icid=top_job-search

Then change ur criteria [i.e. Experience/education level, location n country(multiple)].
Choose job type (internal service) or service (external service lines).

And press SEARCH. Now you can see if the firm has job openings in internal audit anot.

The culture at deloitte is good. Professional yet everyone can be friends (rest assured, no politics in the firm), making jokes (not offensive ones) even with senior management (this part is for tax department especially the area where my desk was). You'll surely like it--no one is unlikeable and they treat you (a newbie) sorta like a part of them. But job performance has to be maintained and improved as time goes by the gl (group leader) will talk to you when she feels that you do not exert 100% to ur work (since shes the one checking everything which goes out from the group and you're supposed to complete ur work on time, especially during peak). As for audit, Im x too sure, but another part i like about deloitte is that the KL office building is very new (moved in 2013 i heard), working in a whole new office (the toilets are all new too, fragrant🌸) kinda refreshes my mind and as for internal firm services, you gotta need to explore yourself, hopefully the hr wont get to u. Anyway, deloitte is a good firm to work with and you ask for worklife balance? Not sure if this counts, but the firm has free movie screenings for its staff every month at ecurve/one u+considerably flexible working hours (flexi-fridays for tax). Doesn't it sound good?

I interned at deloitte. Joining pwc soon. I used past tense in my statement, didnt u notice?

This post has been edited by tatabahasa: Feb 7 2016, 04:47 PM