Hi everyone! My name is Levia Kwee and I recently
commenced my work placement a week ago with PT. Graha Agung Wibawa located in
Bogor, Indonesia. To briefly introducing myself, I was born in Jakarta,
Indonesia and currently I am a double major student in a PR and Marketing. PR
Internship 393 is my only and last unit of my degree.
PT. Graha Agung Wibawa is an Indonesian
shopping centre group undertaking ownership, property management, developing,
leasing and marketing activities of Jambu Dua shopping mall. For the next 3
weeks I’ll be working under Nina Kohandi, the incredible woman who mask herself
as the Operational Director, Marketing Manager and also Exhibition Manager of
the company. The office is located in the basement of the shopping mall, making
it easy access for managing and arrange meetings with tenants.
This is not my first time working with the company;
I spent six weeks of my break interning under the same supervisor. At first,
the company was uncertain with taking in an intern since they were not familiar
with internship activities. Fortunately after a brief meeting between Nina
Kohandi and me, she was interested with the PR and marketing skills I’ve learnt
from Curtin and the youthful insight I have offered.
My first month working in PT. Graha Agung
Wibawa were filled with different activities which varied from things I’ve
learned from PR studies, things I expect to learn in a PR internship and things
beyond my expectations as a PR student. To give you an idea of my number one
surprise, I did not expect to face any sort of condition where I had to call
out security in order to break out a fight between tenants during my first
round of tenant damage control. Believe me, what I witnessed never came up in
an exam question. Fortunately this event was taken care of without delay.
On the bright side I was part of a
promotional event by one of the major tenant and an exhibition for the company
in order to attract new tenants and extending current tenants’ interest.
One of the most valuable lesson I have
learnt during my first round as an intern is that as a PR professional
expressing confidence is the strongest key aside from skills like writing and
creating a PR plan. I learned that when dealing with people, your aim is to
make them trust you. My personal social skill was tested and I have to uniquely
stand out for them to choose my idea, while keeping in mind my professional
profile and not to go beyond my status as an intern.
The best thing that happened occurred on
the last day of the internship. I was offered a full time job as the co
marketing and exhibition supervisor for when I graduate in September. This came
as a surprise since as they were not necessary looking for anyone.
You could imagine why I love to come back
working for PT. Graha Agung Wibawa even as a PR Intern and how they nicely
welcomed me back. I currently work with another person who graduated from a
university in Singapore.
For my second round commencing my work
placement, I was assigned to more work since now my supervisor is familiar to
my capabilities and skill set. My tasks on my first week were:
1. Create a competitor
analysis brief
I had to visit the three
main competitors on three different days and put on my customer hat for the
day. With my iPad I jot down my personal analysis of the similarity and
differences of the shopping malls to Jambu Dua and created a brief, which will
be shown to my supervisor.
2. Part take in a meeting for
culinary exhibition occurring in three weeks
Involving myself with
higher management and observe the different task from each departments. I
experience what it is like to be quick on my feet as during the meeting my
supervisor suddenly asks if I have any comments and ideas to improve the plan
for the exhibition. I was reminded by the multiple PR plans I created as a PR
student which is that the key to a good event is to be creative. I recommend
various culinary game that citizens could part take in the exhibition.
3. Travel to different
culinary stations in Bogor with the Exhibition Supervisor
Alongside the Exhibition
Supervisor I learn and did my own interview for multiple restaurants that are
potential candidate for the Culinary Exhibition. The result of which
restaurants to use will be discuss in the next meeting which I would do a casual
presentation of my findings and recommendation.
4. Respond to emails from
tenants or meet them face to face to understand more of the situation
One of the culture shocks
I experience was that the lack of email use as a communicating tool between
managers and tenants. Calls that lead to face-to-face meetings are usually the
common choice of communication. Tenants feel safer to directly communicate
their state of affairs as they could observe the managers on a more personal
basis.
This week another
meeting about a different exhibition will be held where I would part take in
organising the event from the start of planning.
Though I work in a
corporate company I have had a good taste of the involvement of PR in a real
organisation. I really enjoy my time here and understand why other students
love this unit.
Levia Kwee
15617178
Curtin Bentley
