Shashinki.com - Malaysia's Online Camera Shop!

ShaShinKi.com - Malaysia's Online Camera Shop!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Sorry...

...for the lack of updates. I got a little lazy and the heat wasn't helping matters either. And if it wasn't hot, then there'd be thunderstorms.

Two Saturdays ago, I received a call for interview letter from the Public Services Commision (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam). I had applied online at their site (www.spa.gov.my) in April and after the Deputy Prime Minister's call to have the government departments update their vacancies and offer jobs to 30,000 jobless graduates, received word from them. My interview will be on the 08th of August (08/08) and I have to be there by 8am. 08/08 @ 0800. That's got to be auspicious. But I'm not keeping my hopes up. I have googled for information and the details scare me to death. Why do the interviewers want to see me under pressure? I can tell them I don't handle pressure well without them resorting to bombarding me with questions about the Constitution and the Government. Eek!

And here's another scary fact.
Number of applicants:
10,748
Passed initial screening:
1,318
Number of vacancies:
90 (yes, NINETY!)

Oh dear me! It's bad enough it's at 8am. My brain doesn't fully wake up until well after noon. And after lunch, it goes back into a dreamy state. *yawn*

Maybe if I assume that I don't get the job, my confidence levels will soar. Must think: I arrived without a job, I'll leave without a job...so, what have I got to lose? Hehehe...yeah, crazy logic. What's the post I applied for? They gave 10 choices, but all that was completely relevant to my degree was Information Systems Officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat). Let's see if I remember the job description (translated from Malay): Responsible for ascertaining the suitability of the existing computer system(s) and further developing, analyzing, designing, installing/executing, maintaining and reevaluating the data and information processing system to meet with the Dept's needs.

Some people commented about their interview experiences in forums and some said that they were NOT asked questions pertaining to their job. Some were.

I don't know if I should be the first to go into the interview room or wait til the end, when the interviewers are anxious to get home (and not so eager to pressure the candidate). But the thought of spending all morning there and seeing the other candidates end their suffering after 30 minutes...that might just do me in. And by the time it's my turn, I'll be a blubbering idiot. best to go in there unprepared. "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." I think it was Jonathan Swift who said something along those lines.

Okay, other than the fact that there's a pension plan after the age of 55, what are the benefits of working with the (Malaysian) government? Dad mentioned healthcare and subsidized housing.

I received the two albums I won during the Hitz.tv Album of The Week contest yesterday. Shakira's Oral Fixation Vol 2 and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. The packaging for the RHCP album is first class! One side for Jupiter, another for Mars (it's a two-disc set) and the folded end is where the booklet goes. I guess I have to listen to the albums costantly before I like anything other than Dani California and Hips Don't Lie. Nothing beats Imogen Heap's Speak For Yourself album though. All her tracks are great!

Today, I got Simon's present. Two days before my birthday. He toyed with my mind, saying it was another one of his battery operated gifts. The two previous gifts are known as Sparky and Horace. Sparky is a flipping dog that barks. Horace is a hamster in a ball. I suppose with my regular questions about Cauli Cheese and Shepherd's Pie and other English dishes, he got the idea to get me the "Porters English Cookery Bible (Ancient and Modern)" by Richard, Earl of Bradford and Carol Wilson. Gee, nobody's ever bought ME a cookery book before. I usually buy them for my mother.

Okay, that's it for now. Take care all!

BTW, I WILL eventually continue about my trip details. But this time, I will just append to the previous post. If you subscribe, you'll find out when I have done so.


mailto:S.Landi@kent.ac.uk mailto:sl241@kent.ac.uk mailto:spartaco.landi.1972@gmail.com