“Self-Development Matters for Your Future Career”

Daniel Kahneman (2011) states that first impressions are valid, which means someone can predict whether they like something at a glance. However, it sometimes is not perfect and encourages a person to make another decision. For Mufti Restu Mahesa (22), his milestone lies in the initial one.

The eldest of two discovered how a computer was enticing stuff to explore since his childhood. "Thanks to my uncle, who introduced me to it," said Mufti. As an emergence, he wanted to dive deep into the tech sector by pursuing a bachelor's degree in Informatics Engineering at Universitas Bengkulu.

Along with accomplishing his thesis, Mufti worked as a programmer at the Department of Communications and Informatics (Diskominfo). He admitted that it was not an easy ride. Through Bangkit, he prepared himself to become a digital talent who met the qualifications. Read out to discover more!

Mufti's Supportive Parents Embrace His Effort

Republika (2020) states that agriculture has turned into one of the highest economic sources in Jambi Province. For Mufti's family, it is the background of their livelihood.

However, as a seasonal farmer who relies totally on natural conditions, yields are erratic. To meet their daily needs, Mufti used to help his parents, who also sell fried bite-sized foods called gorengan. "I come from a simple family, but education is necessary," he added.

From Kerinci, Jambi, Mufti moved to Bengkulu after high school to pursue undergraduate education. Among selection paths, he thought that "SNMPTN," where transcript value became a reference for whether someone was accepted or not without going through a written test, suited him best. He was so grateful that persistence in learning and parental support could embrace his steps in calling for dreams as a digital talent.

Besides going through his days as a student passionate about giving the best, he participated in regional student and Informatics Engineering study program organizations. Meanwhile, he had the same role in the tech division, where one of the activities was to provide training within the campus, such as UI/ UX Design, Web, and Mobile Development.

Dive Deep Into Mobile Development through Bangkit

His participation in the organization introduced Mufti to Mobile Development which he securely established as a career path. "Before dabbling in professional work later, I wanted to enhance my understanding of this technology for my thesis."

Before working on the thesis, Mufti enrolled for Bangkit in the sixth semester with related learning paths. He hoped that this program could help him in the future, although he once got vigorous moments to examine whether he would be consistent.

The schedules in Bangkit often took place at the same time as his lectures. What did Mufti do? "I asked for permission to attend this program first or to do Google Meet while in class on campus," he explained.

In addition to being careful in time management, Mufti often experienced lost connection while attending classes in Bangkit. He could overcome this problem without significant difficulty. What about the material that he didn't quite understand yet?

“The mentors on the Discord channel assisted me in understanding the material. What a fun learning process!” exclaimed Mufti.

Mufti also identified the soft skills session as a fun learning process. Why so? He felt that there was a significant impact on his self-development. For instance, he could manage his time better and boost his public speaking skills. Furthermore, he thought these two skills would be handy for his real work situations later.

Not to mention time management and public speaking, critical thinking from his experience working on the Capstone Project is also recognized as training for him to become a reliable digital talent.

This was in line with his role then, who was responsible for making Android applications from A to Z. "Our product is named "Mencari Kuliner" where users can scan traditional food. The output they receive is information about its ingredients and history."

Snatching the Opportunities from Now On

Working on a thesis could be a turning point for a student to reconstruct their solemnity in undergoing lectures. Mufti was the same, but there was little difference about him. Why so?

Instead of focusing only on one routine, a boy who had been active as an assistant to several practicums at his campus encouraged himself to apply for work before graduating. "Why did I waste the opportunity? Although it would seem tiring, why don't I try it first?" He thought.

The vacancy at the Diskominfo of Bengkulu as a programmer ignited his keenness to start a career. He went through the CV screening and interview stages expectantly while trying to self-pitch about the qualifications he had.

“Why did I pass the CV screening? I applied knowledge from Bangkit about creating professional summaries and listed the certificates I got from there. In the meantime, I presented my projects, including the Capstone Project, with the most professional elaboration possible.”

While working on his thesis, Mufti still realized the impact of Bangkit. He highlighted time management twice, where he could have better self-control when facing many deadlines. What else? Adaptability also contributed remarkably since technological developments are indeed swift.

To say nothing of soft skills, he informed us that basic Mobile Development material from Bangkit was sustainable and could upgrade his performance as a programmer. "When I do a good job, I feel relieved to have fulfilled my parents' expectations. They wished I could work in a field where my contribution matters to the public."

Following these expectations, Mufti has a career plan as a Full-Stack Developer who handles a project comprehensively. Therefore, he would like to be grateful for the insight from practitioners in Bangkit. He believed that self-development should be able to realize his desire.

“The rapid development of technology may make us desperate as there is a sense of being left behind by others. Don’t despair! Keep learning within your capacity,” Mufti concluded.

More stories about Bangkit Alum and Cohort:

Bangkit Blog