Tuesday, February 10, 2015

FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS – WHEN FACING A FOREIGN INTERVIEW IN SRI LANKA WITH FOREIGN PRINCIPALS.

Most of the foreign interviews are updated in the top jobs web site (this is only for gaining the information and not for promoting the particular web site)
Click on below link for the updates.


1)    After selecting a suitable vacancy, send a CV(updated) to the mentioned email address and make sure to get confirmed over phone that they have received the CV because most of the agencies they never go through the emails.(same thing happened to me many times)

2)    If you are selected and they call you for the interview on a particular date, then make ready your certificate in a suitable certificate folder and arrange it well. Make sure to get all the service letters and the certificates.

3)    Usually in construction field people don’t wear a tie. But it’s a plus point if you get dressed well and wear a tie which matches to the shirt. Your dress can make a difference. As I have seen in many interviews only few people cares about grooming. Whatever the company you work for, you should look like a gentleman to others.(I have seen some Quantity Surveyors wearing rubber slippers and t-shirts for the foreign interviews but as I see it’s not a good thing as our profession is respectable), before u go to the interview find some information about the country that the vacancy is for. Food prices, accommodation cost and about other expenses like electricity bills, transport cost. That is to get some knowledge about the background of the country. Find about the salary scales for Quantity Surveyors in relevant countries. From your friends and also from the internet u get a lot of information.(go hit google for information as there are many bloggers posted valuable information about this field)

4)    There may be hundreds of people for the interview waiting for their chances but never be afraid because most of them are not working as Quantity Surveyors, may be technical officers supervisors and even don’t know what kind of a job is Quantity Surveying. Perhaps some people u meet in the interview, they say that they have many years of working experience and also have a degree and may be you are not so, but if u lucky enough then you will be selected even you posses a certificate.

5)    Always try to get some information from other people who sit for the interview before u who are coming out from the interview room and it will help you to get an idea about the Questions that will be asked.

6)    If u feel something that you don’t know just use the internet to get some answers to those types of questions. One day I was asked about the FIDIC section which includes the variations, fortunately I got the information from a another guy who faced to the interview before me and I blogged it with my phone to find out the answer. Same Question was asked from me J

7)    When your Chance comes just go inside the Interview room and say Hi to the interviewers and they will start the conversation and ask you about the carrier and the family background first. After that, they will continue on the subject.

8)  For most occasions the Interviewers I have met they are from the HR or Personal Department and they only ask few Questions and expect a long explanation about questions. Never be afraid if you are cunning enough you can play with them as they don’t know deeply about the subject well. At the same time they ask you questions, they start marking our points in a paper.

9)    When they ask you questions, you also can ask counter Questions to get more time for you so as they are in a hurry to go for the other guy and they will end up the interview asking few questions.

10) Counter Questions means the conditions of contract that they use etc (that is to interpret them that you know the subject well), also whether they provide food and accommodation, transport, medical, air tickets, vacation period, contract period etc. remember even the agency guys mentioned that food and accommodation will be provided in their advertisement, you will get the exact answer from the interviewer.

11) Most important thing is the package that you are offered. If they offer you a higher salary, then accept it, if the package is lower, then think twice.  Always go for a package with SALARY+FOOD & ACCOMMODATION + TRANSPORT + MEDICAL + BOTH WAY AIR TICKETS, because your whole salary is saved for your future.

12) After facing the interview ask the interviewer that how long it will take to get a feedback. Usually it takes one week. Always follow up with agency guys because they don’t care much about feedback or they are not in a hurry like us. It’s better to always get yourself updated.

13) Don’t wait only for a one vacancy, apply for more foreign interviews.

Foreign interviewers come only for a day and mostly they have one round for an interview. If you are lucky enough, that day can change your life. THE MORE YOU PARTICIPATE FOR THE FOREIGN INTERVIEWS, THE MORE U GET EXPERIENCE ABOUT THE QUESTIONS THEY ASK.


To be continued with the procedure after selection from the interview -

Monday, February 9, 2015

FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS - WHEN APPLYING FOR THE PASSPORT IN SRI LANKA



Make sure before you apply for the passport, you need to submit below documents.


Ordinary Passports
Passport Valid for All Countries

What are the documents required to be submitted along with the 
completed application form ?

1.    Current passport (Please see below for details*)
2.    Original Birth Certificate of the applicant.
3.    Original National Identity Card of the applicant and a photocopy
4.    Marriage certificate where necessary (To confirm the name after 
marriage)
5.    A letter, professional certificate or license confirming your profession

The service letter should include your profession as “Quantity Surveyor” unless
 the officials will not endorse it as Q.S.

National Certificate in Technology (Quantity Surveying) is enough as a proof 
for the job qualification.
Make sure to get your profession endorsed in the passport as “Quantity 
Surveyor”.
If you do not get this endorsed at the moment you apply for the passport, the 
agencies will charge you an amount of LKR. 500.00 Or more as endorsement 
charges.

If you apply for the same day service then a JP must sign your documents.
JPs are available in front of the passport
office and they charge around LKR.200.00


*If you already have a valid passport which belongs to M or N series (if the passport number begins with letters M or N) it should be submitted along with the application.



Where can I obtain an Application Form ?


1.    Head office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration, Colombo
2.    Regional Offices at Kandy, Matara and Vavuniya
3.    Divisional Secretariat of your area
5.    Download printable versions of the Application Forms here

(http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/images/stories/pdf/form/PassportNormalAapplication.pdf)

Where can I submit my application ?


1.    Head office of the Department of Immigration & Emigration, Colombo
2.    Regional Offices at Kandy, Matara and Vavuniya




What are the delivery times for All-Countries Passport ?

Normal Basis – 10 working days

Urgent Basis – Same day



What are the processing fees for All-Countries Passport ?

Normal Basis -  LKR. 2500.00

Urgent Basis - LKR.7500.00      



(Charges were applicable for the date of 09/02/2015)


For further details - http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/?lang=en

Saturday, February 7, 2015

After completion of a Quantity Surveying Course in Sri Lanka

When joining a construction company as a Quantity Surveyor.(Locally or Internationally)

I just only want to share my experience with readers when finding a job in the construction field as I was not directed by anyone what to do after completion of a Quantity Surveying course.

In Sri Lanka there are lots of major scale construction companies delivering their services for the construction industry. After completion of a course (Q.S) or a degree program, everyone looks for a job opportunity in the construction field.

You are free to decide where to start your carrier in the construction field.

1)    Major scale construction companies.

If you join with a major scale construction company, sometimes you will be able to get a good experience with a better salary but perhaps you won’t be able to cover up the whole job role relevant to the Quantity Surveying Carrier and that’s usually depends on the company and the management. If you continue the specific task that you are offered to do, you will be an expert in that part only. If the company allows you to expand your tasks covering up all the duties of a Quantity Surveyor, then you will be a well experienced one after couple of years. Reputation of the company does not help all the time to get through in foreign interviews.

2)    Smaller scale construction companies.

If you join with a smaller scale company, most of the times you have to cover up all the duties relevant to the Q.S. job role as well as the administrative part in the office. As I think it’s a good opportunity for us to learn. It covers up both pre and post contract stages. After few years you will be able to handle a construction sites following all the duties. We sometimes feel that is very boring for us and very tough but it is an invaluable qualification for our selves to get through in foreign interviews.

Foreign interviewers mainly focused on the knowledge that we have and ask a lot of Questions relevant to the job role. As I experienced they never checked out my certificates or service letters. They only wanted the exact answers. Even if you have a degree but you are not knowledgeable, then you will lose the opportunity.

At least we need to have a Diploma in Quantity Surveying unless we won’t be able to apply for the supervisory category visas (sponsors are reluctant in this regard) in Middle Eastern Countries but it never matters you to do the job in middle eastern countries as most of the Quantity Surveyors are working under the electrician category visas as they have only completed certificate courses.

To be continued-