Mr. Muhammad Noval Bintang Salim, an Informatics undergraduate alumnus from the 2014 cohort who graduated in 2018, is currently working as a Frontend Engineer at PT BFI Finance Indonesia Tbk. After graduating from FSM UNDIP, he actively sought job opportunities in the IT field, particularly in fast-growing startup companies. During this job-hunting period, he received an offer from an FMCG company and was also in the recruitment process at Bukalapak. Although he initially worked for a week at the FMCG company, he decided to accept the offer from Bukalapak, seeing better career development opportunities—despite having to pay a resignation penalty.
From that point forward, his career journey began with various challenges, including facing waves of layoffs at several startups in the years that followed. Nevertheless, those experiences taught him the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the ever-changing world of work, especially in the fast-paced field of information technology.
He shares advice and motivation for FSM UNDIP students, especially those pursuing IT: enjoy the learning process even when it’s tough. Staying up late to fix bugs, dealing with errors, and feeling lost reading documentation are all essential parts of the journey that will make you stronger. The IT world isn’t about being a genius from the start—it’s about persistence, a willingness to learn, and not giving up easily. Keep exploring, build your portfolio, try new things, and don’t be afraid to start from scratch. One day, you’ll be proud of the journey you’ve taken.