Thought after the interview

Directory Systems Technical Lead - a position created by the Information Infrastructure, Information Services, The University of Melbourne. This position is reporting to Manager Dr. D. Aldridge.

"We give everyone a fair go. Let's bring the game on. Do you want to pop in and be a great team player?". There is no other choice except "yes". "Great! That's the spirit. And you play loser."

That is the rule of the game, and the candidate selection process this interview panel made. I, and some of my colleagues followed this complicated and subtle re-alignment.

We played losers... Just like a horde of mules, carrying the drugs through the borders.

If you have a look the position description carefully, you can see the blank space between each lines have been printed cleanly - "Terrence, you are not qualified for this job!".

I found this secret before the interview. But, I still went forward... Work like a professional! Be a team player! Show trust, respect to your boss!

People on the panel, not all of them, hadn't fully read my application. Some asked questions I already answered in my Cover Letter for criteria. Whiteboard and pen are not provided to let you draw the architecture of what you think. The interview felt a little bit dull. Someone stayed for filling the management duties. Interview was finished in 25 minutes rather than standard half an hour. Maybe someone needed to take an urgent coffee break I reckon.

If I would switch the seat with members on the panel, I'd like ask them two questions:

1. list the cutting edge technologies since the IT revolution

2. Java is a crappy-designed programing language and bad implemented project. After 15 years, it still alive and miraculously survived. Who saved Java?

Postera Crescam Laude is a Latin phrase borrowed from the poet Horace.

It was adopted as the official motto of the University of Melbourne at a Council Meeting on 28 August 1854. 'I shall grow in the esteem of future generations,' was how Geoffrey Blainey (who I am delighted to say is here tonight) paraphrased the Latin a century later.

However, does this motto has been translated into "no respect, no appreciation" these days if you see what have happened in the University year 2005?