Ahead of the Fourth Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony of the 2025/2026 Academic Year, the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through its Career Center, equipped 10 prospective Master of Psychology graduates with strategies for building meaningful and impactful careers through a graduation preparation session held on Monday, July 20. Under the theme Designing Your Next Chapter: Building a Career with Purpose and Impact, the session featured Rahmayanti, S.Psi., M.A., Founder of RIG Consulting and a UGM Master of Psychology alumna. The participants were scheduled to attend the graduation ceremony on Wednesday, July 22.
Head of the Master of Psychology Program at UGM, Dr. Arum Febriani, S.Psi., M.A., said that the alumni sharing session was part of the effort to equip students before they entered a new chapter after completing their studies.
“As part of seeing off our MAPSI colleagues, we are holding a sharing session with an alumna today,” said Arum.
Rahmayanti is an alumna of both the UGM Undergraduate Psychology Program and the UGM Master of Psychology Program, where she specialized in Organizational and Human Resource Development. Before founding RIG Consulting, she gained diverse professional experience, including internships at Tokopedia and Ruangguru, serving as Corporate Communications Manager at Innovative Academy, and working on various human resource development projects through UGM’s Directorate of Business Development. She is currently pursuing the UGM Psychology Professional Education Program.
During the sharing session, Rahmayanti emphasized that career paths do not always follow a linear trajectory. According to her, understanding this is important for prospective graduates preparing to enter the workforce.
“Sometimes, a career is not a decision that can be made once and for all,” she said.
As practical guidance, Rahmayanti outlined four key competencies for building a career in psychological consulting: leadership and influence, strategic and analytical thinking, interpersonal and relationship skills, and adaptability and growth mindset. She also shared various challenges commonly encountered when establishing an independent career, ranging from diverse client needs and team coordination dynamics to balancing further education with managing professional responsibilities.
The question-and-answer session explored several technical aspects of establishing a consulting business. Regarding business establishment, Rahmayanti explained that the process involves registration with a notary, with at least two structural positions required, as well as determining the appropriate business classification based on the services provided. She also shared her approach to negotiating service fees with clients by clearly explaining the three main components underlying a proposed fee, including the duration and complexity of the work, so that clients understand the basis for the pricing.
At the end of the session, Rahmayanti encouraged the prospective graduates not to wait for what they consider the ideal moment to begin their careers.
“Perfect time is a myth. There is no such thing as the perfect time,” she said.
Writer & Photos: Erna Tri Nofiyana