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.
my strengths and weaknesses for networking
At this stage of my life, I already know well of my strengths and weaknesses for networking and how to manage it. I excel in organizational network but I am a bit weak in other aspects. I realized that this network was gained through my long journey until recently. For me, networking is a source of wealth of information that we can discuss things with a very broad perspective. Moreover, to expand networking is a necessity to gain broader knowledge.
Organizationally, I am President of Student Executive Board and also Coordinator of Student Executive Board Alliance in the XXX Region. I was connected with all Universities in XXX with a total of 130 Universities. We often hold National Consolidations and National Working Meetings, discussing various issues through debates and negotiation between Universities. I learned how to diplomate; how to make international relations issues as one of the issues discussed at national forums. Through the National Working Meeting, I got various point of views and a wealth of information from all student representatives throughout Indonesia. For me, joining this alliance is a priceless network, because these networks are not only connected when I was a student, but also until recently at work.
Professionally, I have the opportunity to connect with high-ranking state officials as policymakers. My work at the House of Representatives of the XXX made me meet Member of Parliament and State Ministers for almost every day. With this professional network, I can get important information and conduct regulation discussions which implementation will affect all people. I was placed in Commission XXX which deals with social issues and community empowerment. Every day, we negotiate regulations in the social field and do diplomatic practices among factions in Parliament in ratifying regulations. Every important decision that was reached by Parliament and Government will be stated in regulations and will affects the entire people. I realize that the ability to negotiate and to diplomate is needed in this job, considering all political decisions which were resulted from very tough negotiations between Parliament and Government. Everyone there has ambitions and qualified experiences.
One of my excellence point is that my networks in organizations and jobs have both became an interconnected network. Many of my friends in organizations are in the same work environment as me, but in different areas. Whereas I work in central Parliament while they work in Government, Ministries, Institutions, Agencies, Central as well as Regional Organizations which all are very closely related to my current job. In fact, my network has increased a lot when I worked at this institution. It makes me easy to exchange point of views and information that will give me future benefits.