A Career Planner Told Me....

What a career planner (it is a software in fact) told me after I answered several q's:

My Interests ("Interests" are activities I enjoy, regardless of my skills):
You are interested in activities that allow you to be creative. This can be through more traditional visual arts, writing or musical pursuits although not limited to these. The creativity is often expressed in thinking of new ideas or strategies that can have a broad range of applications. Your interest often like thinking about the future and planning for long term benefits. Hobbies include: performing or listening to music, attending theater, story telling, journaling, decorative arts, painting. Career choice often are: Editor, Journalist, Teacher, Strategic Planner, Consultant, Performing Arts, Marketing, Communications, Research and Development.

My Style ("Style" refers to the behaviors I use to get results):
Your strengths are good at building long term relationships with others that are based on trust and respect. You are sensitive to the individual needs and concerns of others and respond with great understanding and intuition to emotionally difficult situations. You are good at making complex decisions because they will take the time to carefully evaluate their options so they make the best decision the first time. An additional strength you often have is to think about the future and put plans and strategies in place that are focused on long term goals.

picture courtesy of http://cflgoalsetting.com/where-will-you-be-in-5-years/

Let’s Start (Y)Our Essays Early!

Menulis esai untuk aplikasi master memang tidak mudah, setidaknya bagi saya. Berbagai macam buku penuilsan esai saya baca, mulai dari buku panduan penulisan akademis, esai kreatif, sampai dengan kopi buku contoh-contoh esai para mahasiswa kelas Master Bisnis Harvard University. Beruntung saya mendapat banyak bahan dari Ms. Wina, pengajar TOEFL ketika saya sedang pre-departure training di PPSDM, BPPK.

Namun banyaknya bahan justru ternyata membuat saya lebih bingung lagi. Mana yang harus saya jadikan acuan. Saya pun mencoba googling beberapa bahan. Mungkin sekitar 2 atau 3 unduhan dalam bentuk .pdf saya dapatkan, tapi karena kemalasan saya, malah tidak terbaca he he he.

Tapi ada satu artikel yang menarik perhatian saya. Ditemukan secara tidak sengaja ketika membaca situs The New York Times, yang saya jadikan bookmark di browser saya. Ditulis dengan tajuk “Juniors: In the Quiet of Summer, Start Your Essays.” Ditulis oleh Alan Gelb, penulis buku “Conquering the college Admission Essay in 10 Steps.” Sekalipun judulnya untuk aplikasi para mahasiswa strata 1, tapi tipsnya cukup umum kok. Berikut saya ketik ulang beberapa bagian pentingnya.

Here are half dozen suggestions to keep in mind:

Clear your head! Distractions like TV, texting, video games and the Internet surfing can seriously unhibit inspiration. Once your school term is over, schedule some time away from those electronic diversions and find a park bench, rooftop, library carrel or some other quiet place where you can hear your thoughts bubbling up from deep down in your consciousness.

Ask yourself exploratory questions! In looking for an essay topic, an excellent way to begin is by asking questions that can turn up some juicy conflict. Some examples: What has been the hardest thing I have ever had to face? If I had to quickly reply my life, which two or three moments would jump out ahead of all others? Which experiences have pulled me out of my comfort zone? When I have ever felt pure rage? Write down your answer to these questions (trying to devise questions of our own as well) and, as time passes, note the answers you keep coming back. There may be some fertile ground for an essay in those responses.

Write it down! While we’re on the subject of writing things down, let’s make this the summer that you carry around a pad and pencil or some kind of wireless device to record your thoughts. Take it from this writer: if you don’t write it down, you’re bound to lose it.

Familiarize yourself with the narrative form. Everyone loves a good story – particularly the overburdened college admissions counselor who has to read hundreds of student essays, too many of which view this assignment as an opening for self-promotion. It is far better to think of the college admissions essay as your chance to tell a good story. Stories are narratives, and narratives have formal elements, like a specific time frame, a point of view and a certain degree of conflict. Read some good stories this summer – not just sample essays – and be conscious of their narrative techniques. Where do they start? H ow do they end ? what is the central conflict? How it resolved?

Enjoy yourself! There warm, feel-good months make it easier to relax, and approaching the college admission essay with less anxiety is a good thing. In fact, it would be extremely beneficial to view this assignment not as an onerous task but as a creative act. In that vein, you’ll want to commit yourself to work, accept the idea that your essay will evolve through a series of drafts and allow yourself to take some pleasure in the process. Who knows? You may even discover the joy of writing.

Own your essay! Make an ironclad commitment that is going to be YOUR essay. No one should be permitted to write it for you – not a parent, not a sibling, not a hired gun. This essay needs a reflect your authentic voice, and perhaps making such a commitment is one of those things you’ll actually want to affirm, in writing, this summer.   

Jika dilihat dari waktunya, untuk batas akhir pendaftaran Strata 2 untuk kelas Fall di Amerika Serikat bagi mahasiswa international berkisar pada bulan Desember tahun sebelumnya hingga bulan Februari-an. Pengalaman untuk kelas Fall 2012 ini, untuk Harvard Kennedy School, pendaftaran ditutup per 1 Desember 2011, sementara untuk School of International and Public Affairs Columbia University ditutup berkisar Januari hingga Februari (tergantung programnya).

Cukup lama memang jika dilihat dari akan dimulainya kelas pada Agustus 2012. Tapi untuk ke Amerika, mahasiswa International memerlukan I-20 atau DS-2019 untuk pengajuan Visa dan proses ini memakan waktu cukup lama. Untuk negara lain, bisa lebih fleksibel. ISS Erasmus University of Rotterdam Belanda bahkan masih menerima pendaftaran hingga 1 Juli untuk kelas yang dimulai 3 Oktober. Bagaimanapun juga, memulai lebih awal insya Allah memberikan hasil lebih baik. Apalagi kalau esainya kemudian banyak di-review. Pengalaman saya, bahkan sampai esai sudah dikirim pun, saya menemukan satu atau dua kesalahan he he he.

Selamat menulis. Good luck on your essay!

picture courtesy of http://www.123rf.com/photo_5745086_pretty-teenage-girl-writing-in-journal-in-park.html

Citibank versus HSBC: Citra PNS dalam tinjauan Perbankan Asing

Tak perlu menanggapi terlalu serius judul di atas. Saya hanya akan sekedar sharing pengalaman membuka akun rekening. Judul itu terlintas di pikiran saat bingung mau menulis judulnya apa :P

Pagi tadi, Amanda (teman satu kantor) dan saya pergi ke Citibank di area Landmark, Jakarta Pusat. Tujuannya untuk membuka rekening dalam mata uang dolar Amerika Serikat. Pihak BPPK, yang akan menjadi sponsor kami untuk sekolah meminta kami untuk membuka akun dalam mata uang asing sesuai negara tujuan untuk media transfer biaya pendidikan.

Hari Jumat, 11 Mei 2012, teman yang lain, Mas Ito dan Mas Rizki sudah mendaftar pembukaan rekening di tempat yang sama. Beberapa persyaratan yang diceritakan mereka, kami tidak lupa bawa. Awal masuk Citibank, kami dilayani bagian informasi lalu kemudian dirujuk ke bagian Customer Service dan dilayani oleh duo orang sekaligus, Memey dan Utari (nama kedua saya dengar agak samar).

Setelah dijelaskan mengenai perbedaan akun Biru dan Gold dalam hal minimum rekening dan penalti, kami di tanya apa profesi kami. Dan... dengan senyum kami menjawab: PNS.

Dibalas dengan senyuman juga he he he...

Sebelumnya kami memang sudah diceritakan Mas Rizki tentang rumor bahwa PNS suliiittt sekali membuka akun di Citibank. Setahun lalu, teman saya yang lain, Hanie, sempat antusias membuka kartu kredit Citibank karena orang tuanya punya kartu kredit Citibank dan akan dapat point kalau ada aplikasi baru. Hasilnya ternyata ditolak. Tapi Manda ber-positive thinking. "Ini kan mau buka tabungan, nitip duit, bukan minjem duit (seperti kartu kredit)."

Setelah meng-copy KTP, NPWP, dan kartu identitas lain, lalu kami dijelaskan memang mereka mengakui kalau membuka rekening Citibank bagi PNS sulit sekali. Mereka bilang bisa sampai 1 bulan, itupun kalau disetujui. Bahkan rumor berkembang, katanya bisa sampai 3 bulan. Salah satu CS yang melayani kami pun sampai menelepon supervisor-nya dihadapan kami. Dia mengkhawatirkan kami akan kecewa jika harus menunggu lama.

Saya bilang, "take it easy, Mbak. It's nothing to lose."

Manda kemudian menambahkan kalau tujuan kami membuka rekening untuk biaya pendidikan, dan kami sudah punya letter of acceptance dari Universitas di luar negeri. Saya sampai bersikap riya dengan menunjukan letter of acceptance saya :)

Salah satu CS memiliki ide untuk mencantumkan status kami sebagai mahasiswa, namun kemudian CS kedua menyela, "nanti di-Google kan keluar statusnya PNS juga." CS dengan ide brilian itu pun akhirnya sadar, "di KTP juga profesinya PNS ya?!"

Lalu kami obral-obrol, dan kemudian tercetuslah dari salah satu CS, "atau mungkin Bapak dan Ibu bisa buka di HSBC saja."

Saya melongo.

Manda dan saya memang berencana menjadikan HSBC sebagai opsi cadangan jika Citibank ditolak. Sekalipun kami dengar, membuka rekening di HSBC bagi PNS sama sulitnya. Desas-desus perlu 2 minggu untuk bisa diketahui apakah aplikasi pembukaan tabungan diterima atau ditolak pihak HSBC.

Tapi mendengar seorang CS Citibank menyarankan calon nasabah untuk membuka rekening di HSBC sangat mengagetkan. Mungkin sama rasanya saat kita lapar dan masuk Pizza Hut, lalu disuruh pelayannya beli pizza di Domino he he he. Agak aneh, tapi nyata.

Kami akhirnya tetap mengisi aplikasi pembukaan rekening. Proses pengisian saya dipotong sebelum saya selesai mengisi nomor identitas dan langsung diminta paraf serta tanda tangan di tempat yang ditunjukan oleh CS. Selesai!

Manda sempat bertanya apakah harus mengisi form EECD (atau apalah) yang menurut Mas Rizki, Mas Ito dan dia isi saat membuka rekening di hari Jumat sebelumnya. CS Citibank kemudian menjelakan kalau itu bisa dia isikan sendiri. Entah beneran atau sekedar basa-basi.

Dalam perjalanan pulang kembali ke kantor, saya menduga-duga, apa sih sebab sebegitu buruknya citra PNS di perbankan asing? Saya berpikir pula, bukankah Melinda Dee yang bermasalah di Citibank toh bukan PNS dan, ya, bermasalah juga? Entahlah. Hasilnya akan dilihat bulan Juni atau mungkin setelahnya. Apakah benar-benar bisa membuka akun tabungan di Citibank atau tidak.

 picture courtesy of http://www.financialguide.com.au/citibank-vs-hsbc

Have You Ever Made Your Dream?

School Discovering

Here they are some beneficial resources for school information (esp. Master Degree):

The Grads School
Claimed itself as the #1 graduate school directory on the planet.

Peterson's Graduate School
Helping you search for the best graduate programs for you.

College Seekr
It is where you can search for a college (but also graduate school) offering the major, degree or program of interest to you. Use itssearch engine to locate a college by location (california, tampa, portland or, etc), by major (biology, engineering, veterinary medicine, law) by degree (masters, phd) or all of the above (law degree in portland oregon, for instance).

The Grad Cafe
It is not a school searching directory, but a forum. Many people in the same boat with you (in searching school) might very informative as well. Sign in and explore. Get connected! I found it very helpful.

If you have other lists, please leave on the comment section below.

Pic courtesy of FashionTumblrs