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Times are hard these days, we understand. We’re also on the lookout for jobs and internships for you guys from time to time. Even more so for the desperate, it’s easy to mass send your resume out to companies, including job openings you don’t particularly take an interest to.
Today, we will put our focus on whether you should interview for a job you don’t want. We will be hearing from the wise words of Kevin Matthews, an experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition. He is also the managing director of KR Partners and founder & CEO of Candid-Intel.
#1: I mass sent out many applications during my job search and now I’m being called in for jobs that may not be the most suitable. Is it still worth taking the interview?
Firstly, it’s probably not a good idea to mass apply to jobs during your job search. I would advise you to get into the habit of being targeted as you will achieve better results that way. Now that you have gotten yourself in a bit of a bind with so many requests, don’t panic – go through each job that requested an interview and analyze three things before declining to attend:
Does the company or position match your current needs or aspirations? If your answer is no, skip the interview.
Are you sure you’re overqualified or not suitable for the position? For example, if the job description says they are looking for two years’ experience and you have seven, then you should probably skip it.
Is there anything you can learn from the interview? Interviewing, even if you’re unsure about the position or the company, can provide opportunities to practice your interpersonal and interviewing skills.
If you’re still convinced that attending the interview won’t be right for you, please respectfully decline with a short email.
#2: Is it alright to take an interview just to practice my interview skills even if I may not want the job?
“Well, I would advise if you’re unsure on the job or company that it’s still OK to attend and practice. However, if you’re 100% convinced that this opportunity is not right for you, don’t waste your time or the interviewer’s – conduct mock interviews with your friends to practice. That would be a better use of your time.”
#3: I was given a job offer and accepted it just before I was about to attend another interview. This interview was set up prior to the offer. Should I still take the meeting? Or should I decline to save everyone’s time?
Image Credits: Stocksy United
“My advice after spending many years in recruitment is to decline the interview and move on.
We all love to be wanted, but sometimes you have to know when it’s time to focus on the wonderful opportunity you have at hand. Running around the city and interviewing without a purpose is exhausting. Save everyone’s time and move on.”
#4: I’ve been offered several offers during my job hunt. Is this something I need to let a hiring manager know? Or is it better to keep this to myself?
“You are under no obligation to disclose whether you have been offered other job opportunities, its best to keep the information to yourself until you can gauge interest or compare offers – the hiring process is a bit like poker, so remember not to reveal your hand too early.”
#5: I’ve decided that the position is not the right fit for me. How do I politely decline the interview?
“Email is the preferable choice as many people are not comfortable declining an offer via the phone or face to face.
It’s important to remember to remain courteous in the email. Don’t be arrogant, remember you may have declined this opportunity but there could be future opportunities with the company or hiring manager that you want to be considered for. It’s advisable to remain professional and polite in your correspondence as it will leave a lasting impression.”
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While the average person will press their fingers against ants to get rid of them once they come to sight, a 41-year-old started an ant shop in Singapore. Just Ants is the name of the shop with about 30 to 35 species of ants.
“It started from a hobby, a small hobby,” Mr John Ye said. “And then when I actually learned more about ants, I was mind-blown. I ventured deeper and deeper. So I thought to myself, why not start an ant shop in Singapore?”
Prices
A starter test-tube kit with a handful of ants for a beginner ant hobbyist is priced at about S$12. For an established colony of 20 to 30 ants, it’s selling at S$20. While for rare ants, it can go for up to S$60.
The owner’s love for ants
Image Credits: CNA
Don’t underestimate Mr Ye’s love for ants. It is that which prompted him to quit his job of distributing wholesale electronics to set up his shop in early 2019.
He even has a poem written about ants that’s framed up in his shop. “Why keep ants they say. They are not entirely pests I say,” it read. “Ant keeping can be a joy. A lot more fun than that boring toy.”
Image Credits: CNA
“It’s very therapeutic. My favourite part about keeping ants will be just looking at them, gazing at them… It calms my mind after a hard day at work. They really soothe my stress,” said Mr Ye.
“They are so adorable crawling around, grooming themselves, it just tickles me. Doing their daily stuff, their strategies, the characteristics, how they organise themselves so uniquely,” he added.
His interest started randomly
“I was watching some videos online. In Singapore, it’s fairly new, but in Canada, the United States, it’s quite a hobby. So there’s a very popular ant channel in Canada – he’s also a comedian – Mikey Bustos.”
“He started the trend back then, and he did a storyline for each ant colony. So every time you will (be like) – wah, what’s the second episode like?”
The public’s reaction
“We have more curious people – not ant-keepers – but (they’re) curious as to what we are doing.”
“We even have an uncle (who started with us). He’s 79-years-old. He bought a few colonies and he said he will spend hours observing them, taking pictures… He’s very cute because he will keep asking me, ‘you have any new ants?’ I say, ‘no more, all you have already’,” Mr Ye said.
In fact, schools and the Singapore Science Centre have approached him to talk about ants.
But it’s not always a pretty picture for the ant lover. He was doubted by friends and relatives with many wondering if he was in the right state of mind. When he first started, his wife even threatened to spray his ants with Baygon if they escaped from their enclosures.
Passion over profits
Image Credits: CNA
“I know it will not be very profitable like a full-time job as in the workforce, but as time goes by, we thought of, well, passion would be ultimately over profit. Of course, we are not earning as much (as) back then in the workforce, but slowly we found really little happiness in what we’re doing,” he said.
