Returning to Indonesia 1998/1999

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Section III: First Contact With Business

Strategies for Pursuing Leads and Securing a Job

Now that you have surveyed the field, explored your own interests and abilities, and ascertained the types of opportunities available, you are ready to search for positions that will meet your professional goals. Remember, it is likely that the firms with which you have contact in the United States do most of their hiring in Indonesia. Nevertheless, there are many steps you can take toward securing a position in Indonesia while still in the United States.

Inform the Career Planning and Placement Office (CPPO) on your campus that you are now ready to begin seeking actual job openings in Indonesia. Request their assistance in writing letters and preparing for interviews. Set up a few mock interviews with your career counselor.

Sift through the information you have accumulated throughout your networking information gathering phase to identify the organizations which offer the opportunities and share the values you seek. Previous research into the field and into specific organizations will make this step easier. Contact the offices of these organizations nearest you to determine if they recruit international staff abroad. If they do, inquire as to the procedures for applying for a position in Indonesia. Request a letter of introduction.

Request letters of recommendation from any organization with which you interned, and from professors for whom you did research or were a teaching assistant. Request permission to list them as references. Contact recruitment firms that assist foreigners as well as local nationals. Seek agencies which will send you listings of job openings and/or put your resume in their files without charge to you. You may also wish to consider a reputable firm which charges for its assistance, but be sure you know what you will get for your money. Seek the advice of your career center before signing any agreement.

Though perhaps only limited information is available about employers in Indonesia, it would be worth while for you to look into various listings for jobs. The most reliable resource for job listings is your campus CPPO. Another alternative might be your FSA's office. Job listings in the United States that may be most pertinent to foreign students are listed below.

Saluki Job Hotline   requires a registration fee of $16 per year, along with a touch-tone phone for accessing. To receive registration material contact:

Saluki Job Hotline
University Career Service, Woody Hall - B204
So. Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901
U.S.A.
Tel: (618) 453-2391

The International Employment Hotline   is a newsletter devoted to informing others about the international job market (i.e., hiring practices, employment cycles, and resume writing). They list current international job openings in many different fields and regions. Though this newsletter is intended for use by Americans, it could also be valuable to you. The subscription price is $39.00 per year for 12 issues. You might suggest that your CPPO subscribe to this newsletter.

International Employment Hotline
P.O. Box 3030
Oakton, VA 22124
U.S.A.
Tel: (703) 620-1972
Fax: (703) 620-1973

Project ASPIRE,   formerly a part of the US-APEC Partnership for Education, was developed and is administered by the non-profit association NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Project ASPIRE helps students from the ASEAN nations who are studying in the United States pursue home country employment and research opportunities.

ASPIRE/NAFSA
Association of International Educators
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
U.S.A.
Tel: (202) 462-4811
Fax: (202) 667-3419
E-mail: SusanL@nafsa.org

International Employment Gazette   is a publication which outlines international job opportunities. The Gazette will also send out a free copy of a brochure on jobs and careers in the 1990s to those requesting it.

International Employment Gazette
220 N. Main Street, Suite 100
Greenville, SC 29601
U.S.A.
Tel: (864) 235-4444
Fax: (864) 235-3369

Indonesian Professionals Association   is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation. It is an independent organization for international networking among Indonesian professionals who reside overseas or in Indonesia. Its purpose is to share information, experience, and business opportunities through seminars, workshops, and social events. IPA's mission is to provide career opportunities by promoting cooperation among its members and establishing a strong link to the business community.

Indonesian Professionals Association
Tel: (510) 782-3543

At the CPPO on your campus, ask about job listings and recruitment visits which might lead to home country employment.

Periodicals such as The Economist, Chronicle of Higher Education, Far Eastern Economic Review, and The Asian Wall Street Journal often advertise job opportunities in foreign countries. Regional editions of international publications are even more likely to have pertinent information.

Many universities and academic departments that have a large foreign representation on campus subscribe to newspapers from foreign countries. Check for the availability of such publications as Kompas, The Jakarta Post, The Indonesian Observer or Bisnis Indonesia. Their classified advertising shows companies that are specifically seeking English-speaking nationals.