Entering the professional world can feel intimidating for students who have never experienced it firsthand. That was also the case for Fransiska Anindya Putri (Management 2022) before she began her internship at PT Bintang Toedjoe, a subsidiary of Kalbe Group.
Affectionately known as Anin, she said she was interested in applying to PT Bintang Toedjoe because the public widely recognizes the company’s products. Her interest in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry also motivated her to explore how a major corporation operates.
She shared her experience during the Class to Career session titled Interning at a Major FMCG Company: Is It Really That Exciting? Her recruitment journey began with an application through the Dealls platform, followed by two rounds of interviews. The first was a general interview with the Human Resources team, while the second was conducted with her prospective mentor to assess her suitability for the position.
“At that time, I was really interested when I saw the internship opening. Specifically, I applied for the Compensation and Benefits Intern position. That division is part of the Human Resources department,” she explained.
During her internship, Anin was assigned to the Compensation and Benefits division, where she handled employee compensation and benefits, including employment and health insurance (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan and BPJS Kesehatan), leave administration, and payroll. She noted that this role is relatively uncommon among interns because of its technical and professional nature.
Before her first day, Anin prepared herself by learning about the responsibilities of the division so she would not start with little understanding of the job. She also independently studied basic Microsoft Excel skills through online resources and YouTube.
Her preparation proved valuable, although it was not entirely sufficient. One of the biggest challenges she encountered was mastering more advanced Excel functions when she was assigned to develop an Excel-based tool for processing data.
“I had to figure everything out on my own through the internet, YouTube, and Google learning formulas that I wasn’t familiar with before. In the end, I managed to complete the task, and my mentor was quite satisfied with the result,” she recalled.
She explained that such challenges frequently arose because many of the tasks assigned during her internship had never been taught in the classroom. In those situations, she had to solve problems independently, search for solutions, and deliver results that met professional standards.
Through the experience, Anin significantly strengthened three key competencies: analytical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. She emphasized that while university courses provide theoretical knowledge based on previous case studies, the workplace requires an understanding of the real-world consequences of every decision.
“At university, we learn theories and study cases that have already happened in other companies. But in the workplace, the situations are real, and every decision we make can have a significant impact on other people’s lives,” she said.
Regarding the workplace environment, Anin described PT Bintang Toedjoe as open and supportive. She observed that employees were consistently busy, requiring her to balance professionalism with building positive relationships with colleagues.
Throughout her internship, Anin admitted that she still had much to learn despite doing her best to contribute. She believes that being an intern should encourage students to be more willing to try new things, ask questions, and take every opportunity to learn, especially since internships are relatively short.
“For anyone who wants to pursue an internship, don’t be afraid or hesitate. An internship is a place to learn, and there’s no better opportunity to grow than by having the courage to take that first step,” she concluded.
The full episode of the Class to Career program, Interning at a Major FMCG Company: Is It Really That Exciting?, is available at: http://ugm.id/MagangBintangToedjoe
Reporter: Dwi Zhafirah Meiliani
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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