Sime Darby Manager Interview Questions
& Process

The Sime Darby interview was professional and engaging. HR communicated clearly and responded quickly, explaining the process well. The interview was systematic, with questions assessing technical skills, cultural fit, and company values. Interviewers were experienced, respectful, and knowledgeable, clearly explaining expectations and allowing ample time for questions and responses. The process was transparent, covering company expectations, career paths, growth opportunities, culture, and work ethic. I did deduct a star because the process was lengthy with multiple rounds and waiting times, though I understand the need to select the right candidate. It could have been more streamlined. Overall, it was a positive and valuable experience, and I recommend Sime Darby for their focus on employee value, growth, and learning.

I was interviewed by the Country GM at their office in Puchong for the Technical Manager role for a new emerging industry setup. The questions asked were really unclear and confusing at times, as the interviewer didn't seem to understand basic project management concepts and terms, nor organizational standards like matrix or functional organizations, or how to interface with external parties in complex systems projects. After I provided clarification, there was reluctance to accept the feedback, and I was told I was too young. It's surprising that such a conglomerate company with a high-level executive still lacks experience in international standard processes and roles. Although interviewed for a Technical Manager role, the questions were more suited for an HR manager. This suggests the organization lacks exposure to how complex projects run, standard practices, and structures, which might make candidates question things. There's also an obvious pyramid-style leadership (Yes Man!).

It was a multi-stage process. First, I sent a one-page CV online. Then, they set up a video interview. The video interview was casual, about 15 minutes long -mainly to get to know the candidate -their motivation, personality etc. If you pass the video interview, they will email you a link for the online assessments. If you pass the online assessments, they will invite you to the assessment centre. They were 8 candidates for my session and we were divided into two groups and given a case study -lasted about an hour and a half I think. After that, on the same day, they'll tell you if you've passed to the next stage or not (I didn't). Although it was a long process and very competitive, it was quite enjoyable -you meet like-minded people and get to know the company better.