International Association of Business Communicators (IABC Indonesia) dan @atamerica menghadirkan sesi mentorship dengan mentor pilihan dari beragam latar belakang profesi untuk memberikan saran dan tips karir memasuki bursa kerja.
Jakarta, 3 Oktober 2025 – Entering today’s job market isn’t exactly easy, especially for Gen Z graduates or those just starting their careers. Rapid technological changes, intense global competition, and the growing demand for strong soft skills mean that many young professionals feel they need an “extra toolkit” to not just survive, but thrive.
To answer this need, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC-Indonesia Chapter), in collaboration with @atamerica, presents “Career Mentorship: Expert’s Guide to the Job Market”. This program is designed for early to mid-career professionals who want to grow, navigate their career journey, and build connections with experienced professionals across different industries.
The program features five mentors from diverse sectors including private, public, entrepreneurship, and professional consulting who share valuable insights from their own career journeys.
The fourth batch of the Mentorship Session was started by Vandy R. Makki, Chief People Officer of Manulife Indonesia, who stated, “The changes we’re experiencing in today’s professional and industrial world have accelerated far more in the past ten years than ever before.” According to him, these changes can bring either positive or negative impact, depending on the mindset we hold. He highlighted the importance of embracing two key mindsets: learning and unlearning. Learning means staying open to new knowledge, such as the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which has now become an integral part of how we work and create. On the other hand, unlearning refers to the ability to adjust and shift perspectives when old knowledge becomes irrelevant, ensuring we remain flexible in navigating change.
Vandy also highlighted the value of building a continuous learning process, as rapid change requires us not only to understand what’s happening but also to strengthen our resilience in facing it. He reminded the audience that a closed mindset is something we must overcome, since we often focus only on the negative side of change. In reality, every shift brings new opportunities. By keeping an open mind, daring to try new things, and refusing to stop learning, we will be better equipped to adapt, seize opportunities behind every challenge, and ultimately thrive in the fast-moving world of change.
The session then continued with Shanti Ruwyastuti, an Erickson Professional Coach, who shared how coaching can help Gen Z make more intentional career decisions. According to her, everyone has potential, but not everyone is aware of it, making the main purpose of coaching to uncover and bring out that potential. She explained that a coach’s role is to provide guidance amid the flood of information in today’s digital era, helping participants gain clarity, direction, and confidence as they navigate their career paths. Shanti also emphasized that coaching is especially valuable for Gen Z, as it not only helps them align their potential and goals but also strengthens decision-making skills and reduces stress. This is particularly important in a world where career navigation is often disrupted by the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Mentor Wing Antariksa, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Society of Human Resources, shared his perspective: “To win the initial competition in starting your career, all you need are skills, knowledge, and attitude.” Among these three, he highlighted that attitude plays the most crucial role, as it is a key element of both soft skills and leadership. He explained that leadership skills can already be developed during college years through organizational experience and expanding network. He also added, “If you want to be a leader, you can start from now.” For young professionals, making mistakes is natural, but those mistakes become valuable lessons that ultimately drive growth and development.
Continuing the next session, Feliciana Wienathan, Communications Manager at Google Indonesia, shared key insights for Gen Z as they navigate the professional world. She emphasized the importance of standing out in a highly competitive job market while staying true to one’s authenticity. Feliciana also highlighted the growing need for human-centered skills and strong communication abilities as future-ready capabilities. Within the context of the tech industry, she introduced the concept of building an anti-fragile career, a form of resilience that enables individuals not only to survive but also to grow stronger when facing pressure and change. Furthermore, she encouraged young professionals to embrace the mindset of an intrapreneur within large companies, and to adopt a growth mindset approach in job hunting making them more adaptable and better prepared to face future career challenges.
And the last, Haikal Basagili, Brand Consultant & CEO of Beranda Brand, spoke about the importance of personal and career branding in today’s digital era. He emphasized that developing an entrepreneurial mindset early on is crucial not only for those who want to become entrepreneurs, but also for young professionals who want to stand out in the workplace. According to him, personal branding is not something exclusive to influencers, it is also a key for Gen Z professionals to be recognized, trusted, and valued in their work environment. With a strong personal brand, individuals can showcase their unique value while opening up more opportunities throughout their career journey.
As the final part of the series, the Career Mentorship program concluded with a networking session, giving participants the opportunity to connect directly with mentors as well as fellow young professionals. Through this session, participants not only gained practical insights from the mentors’ experiences but also expanded their networks, building valuable connections to support their career journey ahead.
Elvera N. Makki, President of IABC Indonesia, stated: “Mentorship is a tangible manifestation of IABC Indonesia’s mission to nurture a generation of communicators who are stronger, more confident, and increasingly relevant to today’s business needs. The presence of experts as mentors provides access to experiences, values, and strategic ways of thinking that are rarely found in formal education. We hope this mentorship program helps shape communicators with integrity, impact, and the ability to address global challenges.”
The IABC Mentorship is part of the “Road to IABC Indonesia Conference and Awarding Night 2025”, which will take place on October 24 at The St. Regis Hotel, Jakarta. This prestigious annual event carries the theme “Strategic Communications at the Heart of Trust, Humanity, and Digital Impact.”
“In line with this theme, we want communication professionals not only to advance their individual careers, but also to elevate the role of communications as a driver of business that is human-centered, impactful, and sustainable,” Elvera concluded.
