Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor Trainee Program

I got a call from a recruiter. It's about financial advisor trainee program in Merrill Lynch BOA. Although the position is not what I want, the company name is freaking big. I am going to go for it. I have done some research about the interview process online. It has many sessions, including phone interview, aptitude test, 1:1 interview, group interview. It's not gonna be easy, which is good. I can practice my interview skills. I wish it could go well.

FDM Group, Entry-level Business Analyst

It's funny. I ran into a scam company again. This is a totally different type of scam. The company is called FDM Group. It has a program which provides candidates 8 weeks to 12 weeks training. The interviewer said it would be about SQL. To get into the program, you need to go through the introduction session, logic test and a 1:1 interviewer. After the training, you are guaranteed to work in some blue-chip companies for 2 years. Blue-chip companies include HSBC, UBS, CITIGROUP, etc. The interviewer Liz asked me whether I want to relocate to Hongkong or London and whether I speak Cantonese and Mandarin, which made me desire this position. I thought it was a very good chance to get back to Hongkong with a nice job in HSBC. Liz sent me an interview confirmation email, asking me to go for an interview next Tuesday. I then started to search this company online. It turns out to be a scam! WTF! People said the contract tied you into a 2-year contract before you start your training. If you quit the program, you have to pay the company $20,000. However, the company has right to kick you out without any reason anytime. Some people said the company didn't get them job related to programming. FDM forced them to accept jobs like calling IT support, and the salary is way below the market rate. FDM takes commission from your salary! Some people said the training is no good! Material is from internet. You can totally get it from internet by yourself.

I will still go for the interview, just to have some interview experience and take a very good at the contract. But, I won't sign the contract.

The tea station boss Michael called me today, noticing me that I am assigned to work in the tea station in Brooklyn for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I am to go to the tea shop next Wednesday to meet up with people and have an orientation. It is actually not bad. Because working part-time on weekends won't conflict with interviews. But Brooklyn is quite far. It's gonna take more than one hour I guess.

Huang Ma is very nice person. She just introduced me to a church person who's working in an insurance company. She said her company's hiring accounting position. She would email me the description of the position tomorrow. And I need to send her the information of my insurance. I'm going to church tomorrow for probably the very last time, since next week I gonna do the part-time job on Saturday. The work ends at 17:00, so I'm not gonna make it to church. It's kind of good thing, because I'm not a fan of religion...

Best Luck to me. :)