The company is conveniently located near Da'an MRT Station. The interviewer was a director—a woman with ideals and ambitions about her work, very thoughtful and driven. She spoke in an organized and confident manner, emphasizing that she does not work merely for money. She bluntly said that the interviewee (me) lacks sufficient academic qualifications (I don't have two master's degrees—I thought to myself, are academic qualifications really everything? Not everyone has the opportunity or resources to be nurtured and developed, okay?), and lacks sufficient experience in this industry (you're right, I indeed lack experience; there are many things I need to learn. Who is born knowing how to do everything?), and should therefore be unable to handle this position. Personally, I feel that if you are passionate about the fashion design industry and willing to pay any price (by which I mean the compensation and working hours), you are welcome to take on the challenge and burn yourself out!
The company's office environment is cramped. Although it is located in a prime office building, the neighboring spaces seem to be studio apartments. The company is relatively small, with only around five employees. The director mentioned that they are the only local brand with a counter at bllvaita. Work is not just about money—at least not for her. If you're only in it for the money, selling fried chicken cutlets can also be quite profitable, and there's nothing wrong with that; everyone has their own aspirations. This interview left me with an indescribable feeling. What made me unhappy was that the interviewer flatly rejected me as incapable of handling the position without even looking at my work. What made me happy was that this interviewer was very willing to share her personal life experiences: you will only grow when you force yourself to the point of having no way back. Nothing is inherently absolutely good or bad; it completely depends on what you want and how far you are willing to go for it. This interview reminded me of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. There aren't really any pros or cons; the form just happened to be designed this way, so that's how I filled it out~~
Convenient transportation
I interviewed with the director. They put on a good show on the surface and said plenty of flattering things, painting an even grander picture of their dreams and vision and making many promises—but what about the reality?
The overall interview atmosphere was very much “I’ll listen to what you [the director] have to say.” Like an old shopkeeper praising his own goods, the director talked up the company as dazzling and brilliant, but you’ll know once you visit in person: the office windows are dirty, the director’s office is messy, there are lots of cardboard boxes, the smell is strong, and the fabrics in the tailoring room are all over the place…
As for the director’s dream of taking the brand international, I think… perhaps it’s better to take things one step at a time! First, they should tidy up the company’s internal environment, haha.
Convenient transportation to the company location
I applied for a pattern maker position. The interview invitation came by phone, and we arranged a time directly. When I said I was applying for the pattern-making position, they said there might be a pattern-drawing test on the day, so I should remember to bring my tools.
However, after I arrived, a product planner took me directly to the pattern room and handed me a pattern to complete. I had to mark the size grading, seam allowances, and product number. I asked, “Wasn’t there supposed to be an interview first?” Only then did he tell me that I was expected to finish the pattern that day. After the sample maker sewed it and they reviewed and approved it, they would arrange an interview with the director.
At that moment, I felt that this had not been explained clearly beforehand, and I did not have a good impression, but I still decided to respect the company’s process first.
While I was working on the pattern, their director came in and, in front of me and another sewing operator, questioned them about why the restroom floor was so dirty and why outsiders were not allowed to use that restroom, among other things. They did not even say hello~
Afterward, the planner chatted with me briefly and asked some basic questions that HR would normally ask. After looking at my portfolio, he said, “It’s such a pity the director is in a meeting right now; otherwise, I could show it to him now.”
In short, that day I essentially worked for free for an hour and a half.