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 -

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