UNAIR NEWS – As one of Indonesia’s top universities, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continues to produce outstanding graduates equipped to compete in the professional world. Among them is Annaura Nabilla Masduki, who has successfully established her career as an IT Auditor at Ernst & Young (EY).
Commonly known as Naura, she graduated in 2024 from the Data Science Technology program at the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) with a GPA of 3.58. That same year, the recipient of UNAIR’s Golden Ticket Scholarship 2020 secured a position at EY, one of the world’s Big Four firms in accounting and business consulting.
Road to the Big Four
Naura first learned about the auditing field and the significance of the Big Four firms toward the end of her studies through a friend. Before that, she assumed her career options were limited to startups or academia.
“A close friend introduced me to the field of IT Auditing. That’s when I realized that engineering graduates could actually pursue careers at Big Four firms,” she recalled.
Determined to enter the professional world, she conducted in-depth research through social media and attended EY Indonesia Goes to UNAIR, an event designed to introduce students to the firm.
EY quickly became her top choice, given its reputation as the best in the industry. However, the recruitment process was highly competitive, requiring her to pass multiple selection stages, including CV screening, a technical test, an interview with a line manager involving a case study presentation, and a final interview with the division’s leadership.
“I submitted countless applications, but only twice did I make it to the testing stage,” she shared in an interview with UNAIR NEWS. Despite the challenges, her persistence was rewarded with a dynamic work environment, a competitive salary, a hybrid work system, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to be part of a global firm.
Leveraging university privileges
Naura’s success was not an overnight achievement. It was the result of dedication, perseverance, and the willingness to seize every opportunity, as she believes that being a student is a privilege.
“There are so many programs and benefits that are only available to active students,” she said. Throughout her academic journey, Naura actively participated in various programs, including Bangkit Academy and an outbound program at Universiti Malaya. She also excelled in competitions, securing second place in the 2023 National Data Science Tournament and second place in the 2022 National Business Plan Competition at Universitas Widya Mandala. Additionally, she was actively involved in student organizations such as the Airlangga Debating Society and the Student Legislative Council.
To balance her academic and extracurricular achievements, Naura adopted a strategic approach—setting clear and realistic goals from the outset of her studies and adjusting them periodically.
“At the beginning of my college journey, I set a goal to graduate in 3.5 years. Every semester, I reassessed my goals and made new plans, and I kept doing that until graduation,” she explained.
Author: Zahwa Sabiila Ilman Ramadhani
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
