#postgraduate application

[shybairnsget-nowt]

I have finished the second draft of my masters personal statement.

It still is pretty much a suck up personal statement but it is more honest now and a little less over dramatic.

I’m still trying to work out how to crowbar my second lot of laboratory research and have just realised i haven’t even mentioned my volunteer work as a lab tech once.

I really wanted to hand it in today but I’m not really sure it is ready however I’ve been saying that for weeks. 

​#tags

[mumu-dhanis]

Bagaimana mekanisme pembayaran application fee?

Tanya: 

Assalamualaikum Mba Danis, 

saya baru saja selesai membaca posts tumblr Mba yang sungguh sangat inspiratif dan gamblang. 

Nama saya Mawar (bukan nama sebenarnya, hehe), saya fresh graduated dari salah satu universitas di Lampung. 

Dari seluruh tulisan Mba yang sudah saya baca, ada hal yang ingin saya tanyakan tentang Application Fee. Saya lihat di website University of Machester tertera application fee yang bisaditunda pembayarannya apabila kita sedang dalam proses aplikasi beasiswa Chvening, University of Newcastle juga terdapat Application Fee dalam Funding and Fees mereka, 

yang saya ingin tanyakan adalah selama Mba mendaftar, apakah Mba membayar Application Fee untuk universitas yang sudah Mba daftar tetpi tidak diambil? apabila ya, kalau boleh tau via apa pembayaran yg mba lakukan? Terimakasih

Jawab:

Dear Tika, 

Untuk program yang saya ambil/apply saat itu, tidak ada application fee yang harus dibayar. Hehe, saya rada pelit dan bukan risk taker sih. Sayang soalnya uangnya bisa digunakan unutk yang lebih bermanfaat. Haiiaah. 

Kan LPDP tidak menanggung application fee. Jadi saya pilih major yang no application fee. Sempat mau apply University of Liverpool saja terhenti karena application fee. Kebetulan program di MBS (Manchester Business School), yang terbaik unutk supply chain management di UK, tidak memberlakukan application fee. Hanya saja, sempat harus bayar enrollment fee GBP 1000 untuk secure place. 

Nah, pada saat itu saya bayar melalu rekening saya di BCA (bisa juga bank lain), karena saya tahu enrollment fee merupakan bagian dari tuition fee yang ditanggung oleh LPDP, dan insya Allah saat itu dengan memiliki keyakinan bahwa saya akan diterima LPDP. Memang ada transfer fee sih, tapi direimburse 100% oleh LPDP. Nah, alternatif lain, bisa juga dengan kartu kredit. 

Demikian, kalau ada yang kurang jelas, anytime silakan ditanyakan. Sukses dan semangat ya Tika!

[mumu-dhanis]

Tips Menembus Beasiswa LPDP (Part 4): Recommendation Letter

Sebenernya post ini lebih tepatnya bukan menembus beasiswa LPDP saja, justru lebih ke menembus kampus di luar negeri. Recommendation letter template yang disarankan LPDP memiliki template yang tentunya ngga bisa dipakai untuk apply ke kampus LN. Jadi di sini akan saya berikan 2 versi. 

Oya, untuk recommendation letter, saya buat 4 draft dari 4 orang untuk segala keperluan. Apply ke program study, maupun ke LPDP. Dua dari academia, yaitu mantan dosen saya, dan 2 lagi dari professional background, 1 mantan atasan saya, dan 1 atasan saya saat itu. Jadi, kita tinggal comot sesuai keperluan. Ada program yang mensyaratkan 2 academia sebagai recommender, ada juga yang meminta dari academia dan professional, khususnya untuk program yang admission requirementnya adalah memiliki pengalaman kerja. 

Proses meminta surat rekomendasi ini, kita discuss dulu dengan recommender mengenai tujuan kita. Setelah itu, kita sepakati point2 apa saja yang akan kita highlight dan mereka setujui. Nah, jika sudah OK, kita draft suratnya, karena of course.. mereka sibuk fellas. Maunya tinggal sign aja. Good for you! Draft it well, but only tell nothing but the truth. Jangan lupa, tulis dari sudut pandang recommender ya, jadi menyebut kita dengan she/he. 

Contoh Recommendation Letter 1

Just start with a brief introduction. 

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you with regard to Dhanis Puspa Maharani, who has requested that I write a letter of recommendation on her behalf. Dhanis and I discussed her recent decision to pursue graduate study and I support her decision and strong desire to take her dedication and skill to the next level. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then, ceritakan bagaimana hubungan recommender dengan kita, berapa lama recommender mengenal kita dan dalam context apa. Peran kita pun kalau bisa dihighlight di situ. Ditekankan kalo kita ini “penting” loh.

I have worked with Dhanis since I was assigned as Southeast Asia BU (Business Unit) Procurement Director of Mondelez Asia Pacific in October 2013. Specifically, I am a part of Indonesia procurement Leadership Team, and Dhanis is our Sr. Buyer in charge for Indirect Material and Services. She leads 4 direct reports, which consists of buyers for logistics, capital expenditures, MRO, commercial and general service. Applicant's duties covering about 31% of total company spending.

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Paragraph berikutnya mulai keluarkan STAR kita, ini berlaku juga untuk wawancara. Situation - Task - Action - Result. Ini yang mereka cari dari setiap kandidat. Kalo bisa, seperti saya bilang, it takes 3 to argue. Bikin 3 STAR. 

STAR 1: Menunjukkan leadership and team player 

Over the time that I have known Dhanis, she has consistently performed her duties with competence and often goes the extra mile, doing more than expected. The biggest challenge last year was on the Procurement Policy audit, which became one of BU top priority. Indonesia procurement team had lost half of managerial positions in the first semester, including 2 important roles for the audit, the leader for procurement and the internal control. Dhanis had to take over the responsibility as procurement audit preparation lead. She collaborated with finance as one of the key function of the business process, and managed a 9-session of internal roadshows to improve stakeholders understanding of the policy, where 60% of people managers fully attended. She led a weekly audit preparation day with the whole team and did a benchmarking activity with other BUs which had recently experienced the similar audit. Despite of many challenges, our team successfully obtained a green or satisfactory rating. Dhanis had shown the spirit of unleashing the power of people, kept the team motivated, to achieve our common goal.

STAR 2: Menunjukkan project management skill (kan program yang mau saya tuju Operations, Projects & Supply Chain Management, jadi sangat relevan)

Taking a look at the early 2013, she was appointed as capital expenditure buyer for GI Joe project, a new line development for cheese. As she had been involved in the early stage, not only in the sourcing activity but also in the specification decision, GI Joe had been one of the projects with proper bidding process, smooth execution and delivered more value-add to company's long-term interest.

STAR 3: Menunjukkan strategic sourcing skill (ini juga terkait relevansi dengan program yang dituju).

In logistics area, she had demonstrated excellent strategic actions in doing 3PL sourcing. She learnt from stakeholders, did some market explorations, so that we were able to challenge the current provider to accomplish the best TCO, which was 47% more competitive than average market price. Her idea to integrate co-packing in commercial area as one of 3PL value-add service had improved overall delivery lead time, simplified logistic processes and eliminated unnecessary costs.

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Conclude it! Yakinkan kita ini bisa berkontribusi di program yang akan kita tuju. 

While her temporary leaving our company to attend graduate school is a loss to us, I have every confidence that she will thrive in a graduate school program. She is a contributive, determined, and inquisitive individual. I believe that she will be an asset to your program.

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All in all,  terkait STAR dan competencies yang akan ditunjukkan,  jangan asal ada ya. Lihat dulu apa yang dibutuhkan program yang kita tuju. Kita cari bank STAR yang pernah kita lalui, mana yang paling sesuai. Makanya kalau milih program, dibaca comprehensive & thorough. Supaya kita clear dapet sense, siapa yang mereka cari. 

Ini bukan saja buat asal tembus ya. Kalau ternyata apa yang mereka cari itu untuk program tidak sesuai dengan kualifikasi kita, ya jangan apply juga. Kecuali kita siap tersiksa menjadi orang lain sepanjang masa study, menjalani sesuatu yang ngga sesuai passion.