Personal Statement For Masters In Dispute Resolution
I am applying for admission into your Master of Dispute Resolution program because I believe it will provide me with the opportunity to be effective in my career. I come from a rather scientific background, holding a Bachelor of Science from California State University, Los Angeles with a major in Computer Information Systems and a minor in Economics. This educational background has enabled me to gain employment in areas that require my expertise. As a result, I have had the privilege to work in the Energy &Utilities industry. This work required me to perform various activities such as billing for electric, water and HVAC for residential and commercial tenants. This job required me to engage directly with customers and explain to them the issues to do with their bills. Significantly, this job required me to move beyond mere billing issues to a space where I could communicate with a customer on payment. There were moments when a customer would complain that the bill received was too high and withhold payment. Such situations always required the kind of engagement with the customer that will resolve the situation.
Currently, I hold the position of Utilities Data Analyst for the University of Southern California. I have been in this job for two years. One of my responsibilities is to generate utility bills for cost allocation for all central utility system. However, the other significant role which has inspired me to pursue a master in Dispute Resolution is that which requires me to respond to customer, vendor and internal stakeholder requests and resolve issues arising timely and accurately. It is evident that as long as I continue to serve customers in my current position, presently and in future, I need to gain more knowledge in dispute resolution.
Other than my education background and work experience, there are other things that define my personal life and puts me in good stead as a promising prospective scholar for Master in Dispute Resolution. Personally, I have strong decision making and problem solving skills. This is because I am naturally gifted with good communication skills. I find it gratifying being able to communicate with customers on issues concerning their bills and making them realize issues that they could not see, which can cause them stress. There was an incidence where a retail tenant complained about a high bill and did not want to pay. My supervisor told me to give in to the customer and let the matter rest. This meant that the company was going to shoulder the burden and a incur financial loss. I was adamant. I felt that we could present our evidence to the customer in a concise and clear manner to convince him to pay. I believe that having skills in negotiations and dispute resolution would have helped in this situation, both with the customer and even with my boss whose idea I was adamant to implement. This is the reason why I find it important for me to pursue a master in dispute resolution so as to improve the relationship between companies and their customers.
Ultimately, I am ready to challenge myself and learn new things that would make me the best in my field. I am also ready to adapt to the rigorous academic life which requires utmost commitment to excellence. With my educational background, work experience and personal skills, I believe that I would make an excellent scholar. I look forward to your response and an opportunity to engage you further on my abilities to pursue Masters in Dispute Resolution at your esteemed institution.
