I vividly recall July 2020, shortly after completing my thesis defense seminar, when I stumbled upon a SMERU poster advertising a job opening for a qualitative researcher. Before graduating with my master's degree, I had already mapped out institutions within the development sector that I aspired to work with, and among them was SMERU. My interest in SMERU stemmed from its mission, alignment with the organization's and my values, and compatibility with the research topics I aimed to delve into, particularly those related to health, children, and youth.
I applied for the administrative process with my Certificate of Graduation (SKL), provisional transcript, and a few examples of writing portfolios I had compiled during my undergraduate study. Waiting for the results of SMERU’s selection process was quite nerve-wracking, and the prolonged selection period sometimes led to doubts about whether I would qualify.
Everything was not without divine intervention, and thankfully, I was granted the opportunity to learn here by God's grace. I feel fortunate to have encountered colleagues who are supportive of each other. I learned leadership skills from team leaders in several projects I participated in. In addition, SMERU provides opportunities for its staff to grow. I felt how team leaders and supervisors guided us as junior researchers. At SMERU, our opinions or arguments were considered even though we were still juniors.
