Assessment Cover Sheet

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Assessment Title

Interview Reflection

Programme Title:

Bachelor in international Logistics Management

Course No.:

GSP 5203

Course Title:

Market Your Self

Student Name:

Abdulla Ali

Student ID:

20900550

Tutor:

Eman Al Shamlawi

Due Date:

14/12/2014

Date submitted:

By submitting this assessment for marking, either electronically or as hard copy, I confirm the
following:

This assignment is my own work

Any information used has been properly referenced.
I understand that a copy of my work may be used for moderation.
I have kept a copy of this assignment
I have read and/or attached the Turnitin Originality Report

Do not write below this line. For Polytechnic use only.

Assessor:
Grade/Mark:
Comments:

Date of Marking:

14/12/2014

Market Yourself

Abdulla Ali 20900550

Interview reflection
When I saw the job advertisement from Bapco for the Assistant Manager Training program,
I immediately evaluated the job description and compared it to my study major, my
experience and main qualifications. This was a great opportunity for me, as I am in my
senior year and final course, meaning I would graduate in a few months and will definitely
be searching for a job. And this job opportunity suits my educational background, as I am on
the verge of completing my BILM (Bachelor in International Logistics Management) program
at Bahrain Polytechnic.
Preparing for an interview is a very essential task, the process of presenting yourself to an
organization hoping to join their workforce; takes a certain level of skill. Meeting their main
requirements and qualifications might not be enough to convince them that youre the
suitable candidate they are looking for; you have to be capable of selling your main skills
and traits. And this was a very first legitimate interview for me, one that was for a real job
opportunity.

Writing the CV and Letter

In my attempt to get the job, I had to first rewrite my CV, in order to try and match it with
the qualifications and requirements described in the job ad. What I learned from this
process that it wasnt as if I was lying about my qualifications in order to get the job, I was
simply highlighting the key areas of my resume; that were relevant to the job.
The next step was to write a cover letter to the HR Director who was mentioned in the job
ad, I tried my best to show how excited and passionate I was about the job opportunity. I
even came up with some facts about the company and learned the working culture in
Bapco; in attempt to create a personal connection with the H.R Director. This process
helped me understand the how to intrigue the employers, as grabbing their attention and
creating a good impression was a critical role in earning an interview opportunity.

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Market Yourself

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The Interview
After I sent my letter of application to HR Director, Mr. Abdulla Mohamed, I received an email
from HR which informed me of the date for an interview for the job. From there on I had
about a week to prepare myself for the interview. But I didnt expect the experience to be as
intense as it was; the buildup of suspense, and the anticipation days and hours before the
interview. My next step was preparing myself for any possible questions I might be asked by
the interviewer. The key questions that I recall from the interview were the following:

Tell me about yourself. When asked this question I could have described myself and
explained my life story, but that wouldnt have been relevant to the subject of
matter of the interview. I had to describe myself in the academic and working
environment, to briefly describe how I obtained the qualifications and skills I have.

Why should we choose you over the other candidates? At this point I had to
reference the highlights of my entire resume, and expand on them, I tried to
emphasize on my educational and working experience in relevance to the same
sector of BAPCO (Oil & Gas industry).
The interviewer insinuated a valid point regarding my work experience, which made
me realize that I failed to include details in my CV; regarding the nature of my work
and the roles I was given as a trainee at Gulf Hotel.
This question reminds me of a great quote by former U.S president Theodore
Roosevelt when he said Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell them,
Certainly I can Then get busy and find out how to do it. Therefore my aim at the
time was to convince them in any way possible that I am up for the job. And
ultimately show them that I have the capability to learn and develop myself in the
future. (Theodore Roosevelt Quotes, 2014)

Challenges you have faced and overcome? Can you give us any examples of your
skills?
These questions reminded me of many obstacles that I had faced during my time at
Bahrain polytechnic, like the amount of pressure of assignments, tests and time
management. However the first challenge that came to mind at the moment was my
social skills, as I was a very shy and hesitant at first when I entered. I first struggled to
fit in and socialize, or even give my opinion on subjects, but then through time, and

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14/12/2014

Market Yourself

Abdulla Ali 20900550

after being exposed to numerous opportunities that required working with other
people, this subliminally developed my interpersonal skills through time.
I never realized this change in myself until I had this interview, this question made
me notice how I matured and built my character from my 4 years of experience at
Bahrain Polytechnic. Skills like teamwork, leadership, communication; have all
developed through years of exposure to these situations. And I was surprised how I
was easily able to come up with examples of my skills development, with clear
relevance to the job in discussion.

What weakness do you have? I was worried that by listing my weaknesses, I would
show signs of self-doubt and insecurity. However I remained very honest during this
part of the interview as I explained how I sometimes tend to ask too many questions
before making a decision or performing a task. I do realize how risky that was, and
how I might come off as a hesitant person, but I believe I explained it professionally;
and thankfully I dont regret my answer to that question.

My main objective in the interview was to show the interviewer that I was very
passionate and excited about the job, I had to show them how much this opportunity
means for me, after all there is a chance that would a trait which could give me an
edge/advantage over the other candidates. Therefore Ive learned from this job
interview is that confidence plays a huge role in presenting yourself and making a strong
impression on the people you might work with/for.

My Takeaway
This job interview reminded me of a similar interview experience I had back when I was
being interviewed for the intern/trainee position at Gulf Hotel, but at the time I had no
working experience whatsoever, and my educational background was still limited to my 3 rd
year knowledge in my BILM program. On the other hand, by this job interview I had more
material to sell on my resume, and the fact that I had a wider range of qualifications and
achievements to highlight and discuss; made me feel very content and proud of myself and
how far I have reached since the past two years.

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Market Yourself

Abdulla Ali 20900550

The interview brought me back to one of my favorite movies, The Wolf of Wall street,
where the lead character pitched a stock and sold it in front of his interviewers in order to
show his selling skills to his potential employers. However my interview seemed much more
simple and straightforward, whereas I had to just talk about myself, and expand on my skills
and qualifications mentioned in my Resume. But the opportunity seems somewhat equal in
comparison, as the lead character Jordan Belfort was also looking for an entry level
position to startup his career. (imdb.com, 2013)
My takeaway and overall experience from this job interview helped prepare me for any
future career endeavors, being able to present myself to professionals in my career field or
sector; gives me so much self-confidence, and gives me a sense of value and belonging. I
never ask myself these questions, therefore when the interviewers ask me, not only are
they learning about me, but I am learning more about myself as well. The more interviews I
go through, the more I will learn how to handle them.

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Market Yourself

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Bibliography
Theodore Roosevelt Quotes. (2014). Retrieved 12 14, 2014, from brainyquote.com:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/theodorero135692.html
imdb.com. (2013). The Wolf of Wall Street . Retrieved 12 14, 2014, from imdb.com:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993846/

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