I might have got a job at Reuters...
Save your congratulations. Too bad it wasn't what I looking for.
A mutual friend of me and Abby e-mailed me about vacancy in Reuters Jakarta for reporter in Finance. I gave it a go, and got phone call last week for interview in Jakarta.
It was my first time visiting Jakarta for ages. Throughout the 21st century I just passed the capital between my home and the international airport. The traffic was horrific as usual. I saw that the only civilized form of public transport available, bus that runs on special lane, had started to get good shape. Dad said the city was overall better than in the 'good' old days of 1980s, but it was still very uncomfortable. I thought Jakarta is the evil twin sister of Singapore, a Singapore gone horribly wrong.
My friend was not in Reuters office. During that afternoon I went into two office buildings and were surprised with the security. One had metal detector gate, on the other I had to exchange my ID with the visitor pass (Dad said the security just let him in after they assumed he was a father of any Korean schoolkids that visiting the same building). A Reuters journalist took me to a cubicle, gave me two finance news written in Bahasa Indonesia and asked me to translate and edit them.
That's when I knew the job was not for me. It was okay with the translation, but the news reminded me of Macroeconomics 1 class and how bad did I perform on the subject, and how agonizing it was to read Financial Times. After I called the journalist back he just questioned me some questions about educational background and job overview before took me to the elevator.
So my Jakarta trip was over. I wanted to spend lunchtime at a nearby mall but my dad and brother in law wanted to get home soon. Yeah, it's not a place where you feel free to linger on and look around. Halfway home my (and Abby's) friend just finished lunch and called me. He said he might could help me get the job.
Then at 5 pm, that journalist guy called me. That's when what I feared came. 1) I had to live in Jakarta ASAP. He didn't care that I had no accomodation there and I would need some time to get good picture of my surroundings 2) I will report and write finance news. He's not sure he could put me on Politics or Foreign news (where I'd consider about moving to Jakarta). So he asked if I want to learn from him to be a business journalist. I said no. Deal's off.
I felt shit during the dusk. Of course, I'd feel worse if suddenly I have to leave home and moving to somewhere I still feel dread on, doing something I know I won't enjoy.
Still, the trip was worth it. I've got better look on Jakarta. On its people. On what a newsroom looks like. On the nice offices and the slums, the beautiful (especially those who drink at Starbucks) and the scary (angry demonstrators on whatever issue, and heavily fortified Japanese & American embassies).
On at least, I could pass a job interview.
A mutual friend of me and Abby e-mailed me about vacancy in Reuters Jakarta for reporter in Finance. I gave it a go, and got phone call last week for interview in Jakarta.
It was my first time visiting Jakarta for ages. Throughout the 21st century I just passed the capital between my home and the international airport. The traffic was horrific as usual. I saw that the only civilized form of public transport available, bus that runs on special lane, had started to get good shape. Dad said the city was overall better than in the 'good' old days of 1980s, but it was still very uncomfortable. I thought Jakarta is the evil twin sister of Singapore, a Singapore gone horribly wrong.
My friend was not in Reuters office. During that afternoon I went into two office buildings and were surprised with the security. One had metal detector gate, on the other I had to exchange my ID with the visitor pass (Dad said the security just let him in after they assumed he was a father of any Korean schoolkids that visiting the same building). A Reuters journalist took me to a cubicle, gave me two finance news written in Bahasa Indonesia and asked me to translate and edit them.
That's when I knew the job was not for me. It was okay with the translation, but the news reminded me of Macroeconomics 1 class and how bad did I perform on the subject, and how agonizing it was to read Financial Times. After I called the journalist back he just questioned me some questions about educational background and job overview before took me to the elevator.
So my Jakarta trip was over. I wanted to spend lunchtime at a nearby mall but my dad and brother in law wanted to get home soon. Yeah, it's not a place where you feel free to linger on and look around. Halfway home my (and Abby's) friend just finished lunch and called me. He said he might could help me get the job.
Then at 5 pm, that journalist guy called me. That's when what I feared came. 1) I had to live in Jakarta ASAP. He didn't care that I had no accomodation there and I would need some time to get good picture of my surroundings 2) I will report and write finance news. He's not sure he could put me on Politics or Foreign news (where I'd consider about moving to Jakarta). So he asked if I want to learn from him to be a business journalist. I said no. Deal's off.
I felt shit during the dusk. Of course, I'd feel worse if suddenly I have to leave home and moving to somewhere I still feel dread on, doing something I know I won't enjoy.
Still, the trip was worth it. I've got better look on Jakarta. On its people. On what a newsroom looks like. On the nice offices and the slums, the beautiful (especially those who drink at Starbucks) and the scary (angry demonstrators on whatever issue, and heavily fortified Japanese & American embassies).
On at least, I could pass a job interview.