In order to streamline the hiring process better, the Public Service Commission (PSC or SPA) plans to introduce recruitment profiling to get the best possible candidates for job vacancies in the public sector.

According to PSC Chairman, Tan Sri Jamaluddin Ahmad Damanhuri, the new, improved hiring process will not only look at the candidate’s academic qualification, but goes beyond to assess their personality, attitude, aptitude, competency and skills.

Once launched, the recruitment model will come with 3 main modules – paper examination, assessment and finally interview. Only candidates who pass the stipulated criteria in all 3 modules will be hired.

PSC, or more popularly known as SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam) was established more than 50 years ago (1957 to be exact) to act as a gatekeeper between the government offices and people who wish to join the public service. The PSC is also responsible for the appointment, promotion, transfer and disciplinary action of the government employees.

At the moment, Malaysians wishing to apply for government jobs will have to fill up the SPA form, which is available online and selected premises (e.g. post office), and once shortlisted, the candidates will be called for interview or assessment, depending on the type of position he or she applied for.

The county’s first WiMax service will be made commercially available for Malaysians after Packet One (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd officially rolls out the network today.

Packet One Sdn Bhd is one of the four companies awarded the license to operate the WiMax service by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) last year.

The other 3 players are Redtone International, Asiaspace Dotcom and YTL e-Solutions. All 3 of them are yet to offer their first WiMax accessibility to customers.

P1 will be offering a broadband speed of between 400kbps and 2.4 mbps, with prices ranging from RM60 to RM100 per month. For this early roll out, the service will be available for users in Klang Valley and Selangor, covering areas such as KLCC, Gombak, Setapak, Sentul as well as some residential areas in Subang (USJ1, USJ2, SS14, SS15 and SS17).

WiMax, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a fast speed internet connectivity service, and if the prediction is correct, comes with better technology at better price. A fixed WiMax terminal is said to be able to facilitate users within a 50km of distance. At present, the largest fully functional WiMax network is available in one of the Asian countries, Pakistan.

Working from home come with its own set of advantages. Here are some of the benefits you gain:

1. Freedom and flexibility

You enjoy a degree of freedom and flexibility not available if you work in a commercial office. You can structure your own working hours and wear anything (or nothing) you like as according to your own convenience. You can also take break whenever you wish to, whether simply taking a rest or going out shopping at 11 am.

If today you decide to start working from 6am, tomorrow it’s probably going to be 10am. Similarly, if this week you work 40 hours, next week you aim to up the ante and add another 10 hours to increase your productivity and earnings.

2. Save on expenses

By working from home, you save money on a lot of things. First, no expenses incurred on daily commuting and traveling. No train ticket to pay, no petrol to fill up, and no parking fees to remit. You also do not have to worry about the exaggerated monthly office rental, while the utility bills e.g. electric, phone, water and so on are already consolidated into your home bills for peace of mind.

3. Reduced unnecessary stress

Without traveling and commuting, there is no morning traffic stress to face. There won’t be any rushing on your part to arrive early as to make sure you get the limited parking space. Being close to family is also a major plus. While you’re getting busier and more successful your family at least can see you’re still around. In contrast, being a successful corporate office worker often translates you into having less and less time at home. You don’t want to trade career success with family abandonment, do you?

4. Show people you are in control of your life

Having the say to most of your work indicating that you are in complete control of your life. You are the master of your own universe. Your routine is not under the influence or directive of your boss and your management. If there is anyone to report to, it is your customers and clients. The important thing is to make sure you deliver your job according to your customer’s specification.

5. Your goals are genuine

If you realize, many of those working in the office look diligent in the presence of their superiors, and become almost completely useless without supervision. They take smoking break every other hour, go out for lunch at 11.30am, gossip about their boss’s new personal assistant and so on. Working from home means there is no one to monitor you except yourself. Hence your goals and objectives are genuine. You do not fake them. Because you know if you do, you’ll go back working in office very soon.