KompasTekno reporters, Wicak Hidayat, follow Microsoft International Underground Tour, 11-12 March 2014. Here is one of his personal record of the activities:
KOMPAS.com - Do not blame me if skeptical with this one. One of the agenda in a series of Microsoft International Underground Tour is met with a "hometown heroes". Means, Microsoft will bring together members of the press tour participants with employees from their respective countries. Means that Indonesian journalists will meet with Indonesian people who work there.
By the time the agenda was delivered, a few days before the event, I was born in the mind of arguably the assumption that the form of clichés about who "Indonesian people who work at the headquarters of a foreign company". Meeting with Monica Harjono at a restaurant at the headquarters of Microsoft, Redmond, Washington, USA, as if to break that assumption.
Frankly, the figure is imagined in my mind would be "hometown hero "that is typical of the Indonesian foreign school graduates (more specifically, a graduate of a college is expensive and famous in the U.S.). However, what I encountered was a remarkable woman, with Surabaya dialect that can not be denied, and a smile that radiates warmth like meeting relatives who had not been met.
From that meeting I learned that Monica Harjono is an Arek Suroboyo Harjono original. Born and raised in "the capital of both" Indonesia, Monica also completed his studies in the field of Accounting at the University of Airlangga, Surabaya. Broken all my assumption that only "foreign graduates" who can work in the company of that size. And, with the collapse of that assumption, I have to start again from the beginning acquaintance with Monica.
Opportunity from Japan
Monica began her career in Indonesia, working at a local company. Before then he gets a chance to Japan. For a year he lived in Japan and studied Japanese language. A golden opportunity, because it proved his mastery of the Japanese language paved the way for the next adventure.
On his return from Japan, Monica worked at MCI WorldCom company in Singapore. Its main task is to provide support for the company's branches in Japan and Australia. Those who know about the history of global corporations will probably recognize that name, yes, WorldCom is one company that is famous because of financial scandals in the 2000s. Her case (though not related) almost simultaneously with the Enron case.
Monica said she remembered those days as a time of tense. He recalled how in his office colleagues fuss about it. "How is this? said one of my colleagues about the case that are befalling the company. We all then panic, all thought to jump the ship," she said.
Luckily, Monica then contacted by a head hunter who offered him a job at Microsoft, precisely at Microsoft Asia Pacific Operations Center in Singapore. Again, this work is related to Japan. "My first job at Microsoft was in Finance/Accounting with the primary focus on Microsoft subsidiary operations in Japan," Monica said when contacted again via e-mail.
At Microsoft, Monica admitted his views more openly. He not only deal with traditional accounting, such as general ledger, debit/credit, and such, but began to see the wider business.
"I am very much involved in the business activities and operations, as well as decision making. It really opened my eyes and made me feel able to learn a lot about the business and at the same time, add value to the financial perspective and act as a trusted advisor," wrote Monica.
Monica calls her first year at Microsoft as a dream come true and life-changing experience.
Find love in Ireland
In carrying out his work at Microsoft, Monica is also a lot to do with the Microsoft office in another region. Not only in the Asia-Pacific region, which is the main operational areas, but also in other locations.
One of them connects Monica with Microsoft in Ireland. Here Monica acquainted with the man who later would become her husband. "Initially there was a project, we do it together. He as his engineer from Ireland and I support in Singapore," said Monica.
After 2.5 years in Singapore, Monica said she then got the opportunity to work at Microsoft European Operations Center in Dublin, Ireland. An opportunity had been wasted, let alone her own lovely heart there.
"At that time we already had a dream to get married," she recalled.
In addition to getting the family, Monica also gain new experience in terms of career. Because in Dublin he not only knew of Europe, but also the dynamics of operations and business of Microsoft in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
After Dublin, in 2006, Monica and her husband had the opportunity to work at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond. "We are very grateful for the opportunity, because it is very helpful in terms of learning and career development," she wrote.
Monica said, Microsoft does often provide an opportunity for couples who both work at Microsoft to remain in the same location. One of his colleagues, he pointed out, had just moved from Germany to Redmond. Before long, she also sought a position at Central Office.
In Redmond, Monica said she held positions in finance and supports several Microsoft executives in Worldwide Sales, Marketing, and Services Group. Currently he is Senior Finance Manager for WW Enterprise and Partner Group, provide direct support for the CVP WW Public Sector.
11 years , 3 continents
Total, Monica 's career at Microsoft has reached 11 years. During that time he has crossed the globe in three continents. Monica said that his experience made him feel how human variation.
"We must adjust to the people of various nations, who have a habit and a very different perspective with us. There are people who if you talk loud, there was nothing unusual to express his feelings in public, all sorts lah," she said.
Monica said, in one part of the office employees even put up a map of the world and shows from the hemisphere to which they belong. From there, he said, so they can see each other and know the origin of each country.
At Microsoft, Monica said she learned much about the technology as well. And he felt a change Microsoft from a company focused on creating software for the PC to its current state, which became "devices and services company".
Armed with an application on Windows Phone-based devices, for example, he showed how Microsoft employees can see the availability of the shuttle to travel from one building to another.
He also tells how to use new technologies, such as PowerMap, for presentation and display data in ways that previously could not be done easily. "The things I learned the technical as well, although I am in the financial position," she said.
Howdy, Indonesia?
In her spare time, Monica enjoys reading books and playing the piano. The ability to play the piano he got from the late mother who was a piano teacher and had taught him how to play the piano since the age of three years.Since both his parents had died, Monica admitted that he had not been back to Indonesia. His brother was already there in Indonesia since have moved to Australia.
He also very rarely have the opportunity to meet fellow Indonesian who works at Microsoft, Redmond. "Maybe only once a year," she said.
However, that does not mean he rarely met Indonesian people. Monica said some school friends in Surabaya also worked at a company based in Seattle, USA. Therefore, they are actually fairly routine meeting, more often than meets fellow Microsoft employee from Indonesia.
Other activities Monica is photography. "I'm a Canon girl," she said cheerfully. In that case, Monica is active in the photography competition that is part of the Microsoft Giving Campaign (a program donation from Microsoft employees in the U.S.).
One is said to have his photo published in a photo book created in Microsoft Giving campaign that order. "All the proceeds from the sale of the book, and the same funds from the company, will be given to charitable organizations," she said.
He claimed to often want to know what charity programs in Indonesia, as well as whether Microsoft Indonesia involved with certain charities or social. A question that I answered with an invitation to visit the home to Indonesia.
The Indonesian people who want to have the opportunity to work in a company like Microsoft, Monica said that the chances and opportunities that could come to anyone. "That opportunity, make our own!" She said.
"Lifelong learning"
Here are excerpts of an e-mail from Monica Harjono were able to conclude the story of his life:
"I am also a believer in lifelong learning at all. For me personally, this is a very important process because I never got a chance to study abroad and I learned about the true independence since quite a young age when my mother died (I was 19 and my sister 14).
"I always try to have the relevant capabilities, to constantly learn and challenge yourself about new things or develop the skills/knowledge that I have, also to get to know the latest technology. Microsoft, through extensive internal training offerings, has been very supportive of that goal. I have also taken a remote school and recently received a certificate Certified Management Accounting.
"The time went by really fast and do not feel I've spent the last eleven years with Microsoft. Having beyond 11 years, 3 continents and 3 countries, I believe that there are many opportunities to learn in the Microsoft that can help the development and growth of my career. For that, I am grateful."
No comments:
Post a Comment