Scholarship / Face the dynamic changes in communication sector by continuing my study in PR - CHEVENING [4]

Hey, please kindly give your review for my essay. Greatly appreciate your feedback :D

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future.

*Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

STUDYING IN THE UK QUESTION

I completed Bachelor of Communication with the Public Relations (PR) major from London School of Public Relations Jakarta. As top 30 students, I succeeded in passing International Qualification of Level 2 in PR with a score of 'Pass with Merit'. I also experienced tourism & hospitality industry as a Marketing Communication Apprentice at Fairmont Jakarta, while doing my thesis about state-owned oil & natural gas company and I finished both with great results. I did not only implement the theory of the course into real work practices, but I also gained new specific skills and experiences from the apprenticeship that were useful for my current job.

As a Corporate Marketing Communications at Best Western Indonesia, I need to execute different techniques to communicate to people from culturally diverse backgrounds with an aim to create mutual understanding and strong relationship. Therefore, I want to continue my study in PR course to obtain knowledge and skills from the world-leading university in UK which sufficiently allow me to face the dynamic changes in this growing sector. Moreover, UK offers an excellent post-graduate program that is generally shorter than in other countries which is an advantage for me who wish to study for a short period and return to home country with better solutions in a communication field.

My first choice is MA International Public Relations and Global Communication Management at Cardiff University. Ranked first in Guardian's University league table for PR, this university is also a partner of the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) that can broaden my knowledge of PR and enhance my professional profile by attending valuable training courses. Besides that, the course is designed to develop my expertise at an international level that combines theory, practices, and advanced academic study. The modules will enrich my core management concept about global communications and digital communications.

I choose MA Corporate Communications, Marketing & Public Relations at University of Leeds as my second choice. Not only a part of Russel Group, Leeds also has triple accreditation from the three leading bodies in recognition of research and teacher excellence that will make an important contribution to my learning methods. The course offers a mix of theory, practice, and strategy that can provide essential foundations required as a professional PR. Additionally, I have an opportunity to attain new knowledge in the communication field by studying corporate communication, CSR and sustainability, brand management, and global marketing.

Thirdly, I decide to select MSc Public Relations at Metropolitan Manchester University. Being a partner of PRCA, the course is also approved by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) that enables me to become part of global associations in raising the good standard in the field. The course will benefit me in improving knowledge of modern practice by experiencing a unique blend of academic and practical skills, such as persuasive writing and PR specialism. Furthermore, I have a chance to handle live business projects for real clients that can enhance my additional career experience in future.

Scholarship / Gaining Some Valuable Contacts and Information by Networking Skill - Chevening [5]

Hey, I greatly appreciate to get some feedback for you all :)

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.

NETWORKING - improving Public Relations sector

Networking is not about passing out the business cards, but a matter of gaining some valuable contacts and information. I have built a strong network with media and blogger friends and still keep in touch with them until today. Conducting regular visit to their office or inviting them to have a lunch at my office are how I establish and maintain good relationship with them.

My networking effort with media and blogger friends has so many benefits. As one of the examples, I took an advantage of my connection with them to assist me inviting local journalists when I conducted a press conference in a different city from my office location. The local journalists not only did help me in creating awareness about my event in that city, but they also unpredictably wrote stories about me.

As a Corporate Marketing Communications Officer, I played a vital role to assist media and blogger friends in providing an information about 16 hotels under my brand's flagship. If they heard a bad issue about my hotel, they asked me to explain what actually happened. Instead of following to disseminate the bad issue, they helped me in grabbing people's attention by describing another great stories about my company. Because of keeping in a regular contact with media and blogger friends, I can turn a bad publicity about my company into the good one.

I grow my network by attending some gatherings and events. Interacting with a group of new people is how I can expand my network with key opinion leaders, travel and food bloggers, celebgrams, youtubers, travel agents, and governments. A few months ago, I created a blogger event and invited one of bloggers whom I met at the gathering event to join my program. He helped me in raising awareness about the event in their social media account. Moreover, he also helped me in promoting my current program to his friends for free.

Utilizing a social media is an effective way to build and grow strong relationship. I also develop my network connections from social media. Last month, Non Governmental Organization invited me to be a speaker to share my experiences in topic of understanding the performance of today's Public Relations via Linkedin. They said that I met their criteria and represented a young leader who stood out in the field. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event because I got involved in another event to launch my company's product. I am still maintaining good communication with them. Unpredictably, they still asked me to be the speaker for their next event on 2020.

For that reason, I want to make a contribution to be an agent of change. Upon returning home, I want to assist in improving Public Relations sector. An opportunity for strengthening relationship with Chevening Scholars and the academics from my chosen university will benefit me to find better solutions by gaining new knowledge and skills. Having connections with overseas students can also be used to make a collaboration in creating a project in communication sector that is dedicated for millenials generation. Sharing experiences and getting new perspectives from Chevening communities will open my mind about their different methods that may relevant to be implemented in my country.

Scholarship / "Leadership comes from within". Everyone is a leader in their own way. Chevening Essay [10]

Hello good people, this is my very first essay. Greatly appreciate if you could give me some feedback 😊

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

(minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE ESSAY

I do agree with the quotes of "Leadership comes from within". Everyone is a leader in their own way, consequently all of us are responsible for leading ourselves, especially for getting the best results.

My leadership skill appeared when I dealt with my anger in grief about parental divorce. I led myself to turn my sadness and anger into positive one by joining an activity that I liked namely marching band. Because of having self-discipline and problem-solving skill, I had an opportunity to lead the marching band team.

Being a leader for one year has taught me many valuable things. I took almost two weeks in influencing the teachers, coaches, and seniors who felt pessimistic to join international championship. At the end, my team and I proved that we were able to get eight trophies for each category. The happiest thing that moment was not getting the trophies, but when I was successful to let my team felt what was the teamwork looked like when everyone on the team demonstrated their role flawlessly. As a band leader, I had a big dream for my team. I repeated my words to motivate them to dare to try the new things and not to be afraid to take a big step.

When I pursued towards a bachelor's degree, I also had an opportunity to lead my class project to create an event introducing Thailand's culture. I also told my class team to dare to create the new things that differentiated us from the other classes. Getting many sponsors and media partners for the event enhanced my skills about influencing the others. The power of the teamwork made the event ran very well and exceeded our expectation. Therefore, I was trusted by my lecturer to give an assessment to all members as the score of the final project.

Right now, I am working as a corporate marketing communications that have responsibility to handle and to lead 16 hotels' marketing communications officers under my brand's flagship. For this case, I believe that leadership is not only about leading the team, but also the ability to influence and to motivate the others to work together on doing the same thing. I often need to deal with a hotel's general manager under my brand's flagship to convince them that the program which I do has a good impact for our brand. Listening is the most important skill that I need to have. By listening, I know that I can gain knowledge that may have an impact on the future.

Three of the experiences that I told above have taught me that leadership is a big responsibility, not a badge of honor. Leadership has to elevate the others by sharing the positive thoughts and energy to those around us. As a young leader, I have good achievement. Enriching new experiences and acquiring new knowledge and skills from Chevening Scholarship will move me forward to inspire young future Indonesian leaders.