Category: Leadership

When a Surveyor Met a Diplomat

Bersama Hassan Wirajuda

Jakarta, 21 Mei 2010
Pagi itu, suasana Porta Venezia di Aryaduta Semanggi tidak telalu subuk. Restoran itu adalah bagian dari Hotel/Apartemen Aryaduta sehingga pagi itu diramaikan oleh mereka yang tinggal di sana. Di salah satu pojok, di sebuah meja dengan temaram lampu yang tidak telalu terang, duduk seorang lelaki berusia matang. Tampilannya sederhana saja, namun elegan berwibawa. Yang tidak memperhatikan tentu tidak sadar bahwa lelaki itu adalah salah satu diplomat terbaik Indonesia. Pada masanyalah dua perundingan batas maritim antara Indonesia dengan negara tetangga, Vietnam dan Singapura, berhasil diselesaikan. Lelaki itu adalah Dr. Nur Hassan Wirajuda, mantan menteri luar negeri Indonesia selama dua periode. Di depannya terlihat duduk takzim seorang anak muda. Tentu saja anak muda ini bukan anaknya, bukan juga diplomat kawakan seperti Pak Hassan. Anak muda ini adalah saya, seorang surveyor.

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Obamacare

Kawan saya bertanya setengah berkelakar, “mau jadi warga Amerika, memangnya?” karena tahu saya sedemikian gandrung mengikuti kampanye Obama dari awal hingga akhirnya dia berhasil berkantor di Oval Office. Meskipun memang tidak sedikit kelemahannya, bagi saya Obama adalah sebuah fenomena yang kepadanya saya banyak belajar. Keberhasilannya menjadi presiden bukan kulit putih pertama di Amerika Serikat adalah salah satu buktinya. Tidak saja itu, dia menjadi presiden dengan cara yang istimewa.

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Cover Letter

[an example]

I Made Andi Arsana

2 / 10 Houston Road,

Kensington, NSW, 2033

Phone: 02 9662 6023

Email: madeandi@gmail.com

01 December 2004

FirstName LastName (to whom you address the letter)

Company’s name

Company’s address, phone, email

Dear FirstName,

I have just been informed by [somebody’s name] that there is an opportunity for internship in your company, [company’s name]. I have also visited your website and I found that it is the company where I can challenge myself to a higher level of working experience.

I find myself can suit the position because I have a professional experience working as an IT programmer. I worked at PT Astra Otoparts, Tbk (www.component.astra.co.id) in Jakarta for 18 months (July 2001 – December 2002) with responsibility to develop and also maintain distribution system application. During the period, I dealt with MAGIC (http://www.magicsoftware.com/) for user interface development and ORACLE for its database. Not only did the experience enhance my technical skill but also enrich my knowledge in Supply Chain Management. My capability was definitely challenged when I was assigned to implement a Dealer Information System in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia. My responsibilities were to install the software that we had previously developed and to train users to handle the system. The project required both high technical ability and excellent communication skill.

Although I do not have any professional experience in web programming, I am sure, my 1.5 year-experience in IT will benefit me to deal with the tasks [company’s name] will assign to me. In addition, I personally love programming and design as well as learning something new. FYI, I am currently developing my own website (http://madeandi.staff.ugm.ac.id/) and actively writing as a productive blogger at http://madeandi.blogspot.com/.

As a surveyor who deal with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I am sure this internship will strengthen my technical skill in web programming, which is essential for Web-based GIS I might develop in the future. On the other hand, as a young lecturer, a real-world experience will significantly help me to understand the relationship between theory and practice. Undoubtedly, it will be easier for me to explain a concept to students with a good understanding to its practical aspects.

My experience in several organisations as staff and even leader, I believe, is an advantage for me to work both as a member of team and also single player. In addition, as a non English native speaker with the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.5 (scale of 9.0), I don’t thing I will face much problems in communication.

Having been a full-time research student at the University of New South Wales for nearly a year, I find that I have enough spare time per week since I do not have to attend any compulsory class. This strengthens my motivation to join your company.

Attached is a copy of my resume for your consideration. I would be very interested in meeting you in person to discuss any possibilities and look forward to hearing from you in the near future. I am available on mobile: 0433186170 or via email: madeandi@gmail.com.

Yours sincerely

Andi Arsana