On Monday, February 13, the Law Career Development Center (LCDC) at the UGM Faculty of Law once again held a career preparation session for graduates ahead of their graduation ceremony the following Wednesday. This edition of the session carried the theme "From FH UGM to Your Dream Job: Exploring the Potential Career for Law Fresh Graduates", featuring M. Hadi Susanto, Director of Enforcement at the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU), and Putu Raditya Nugraha, S.H., Adv.LL.M., Senior Partner at UMBRA -- Strategic Legal Solutions, as resource persons.
Both speakers agreed that, for fresh graduates, finding the right mentor matters more than simply earning a high salary or working at a prestigious firm. Having a mentor whose values align with one's own preferences can help fresh graduates build the career path they aspire to.
M. Hadi Susanto went on to offer advice to prospective graduates on the subject of self-confidence. When meeting with recruiters, fresh graduates should present their best selves with full confidence -- though without coming across as arrogant.
"A willingness to keep learning is important. Don't get trapped by past glories. For instance, someone who once served as Student Body President might come to feel that certain tasks assigned by their superior are too trivial to bother with. But just because you once held a position of leadership doesn't mean you get to pick and choose your work as you please." This was Hadi Susanto's explanation.
Putu Raditya shared a similar view. "No career path is linear. That's why fresh graduates need to explore opportunities and build connections. For example, when you join a law firm, don't just be an employee. Be a lawyer who not only completes their assigned work, but who also knows how to build relationships with others."
Putu Raditya also advised prospective graduates to seek out sectors where their expertise is not easily replaced by technology. With the rapid pace of technological advancement, it is not unlikely that jobs once performed by humans may eventually be taken over by machines.
For this reason, prospective graduates need to continually build their personal value in order to remain competitive - not only against other job seekers, but against technology itself.
