The HKUST Career Guide 2018

Abstract

THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THE HKUST CAREER GUIDE 2018

01 A great thinker about the future, Alvin Toffler, once wrote that successful people need to know how to continually 'learn, unlearn, and relearn.' This certainly can be said about your career education; indeed, all of the received wisdom about how to make a great career has changed dramatically since the time when your parents were your age and will likely change again in the years ahead. You must learn many, many new things about our rapidly changing world - not only while you are at the University, but also years down the road when you will be working - so as to navigate an engaging career path tailored uniquely to your vision of success. The HKUST Career Center is here to help you begin your journey of career discovery. I find it so exciting that HKUST is located in one of the most productive engines of global growth - China's Greater Bay Area. Job creation in our region promises to be dynamic, and t here will be many remarkable careers paths- some completely new and unimaginable only a few years ago - open to enterprising HKUST students. Our Career Center will help you plan for a life long career that spans not only Hong Kong and the Bay Area, but Greater China and t he rest of the world. Build your personal network of career mentors, beginning with the professional advisors in our Center. Interact with employers at the Career Mosaic held on our campus. Participate in one of the many workshops offered by t he Center to learn about new career pathways or to brush up on your interviewing skills. Find an internship through the Cent r's iNet or HeadStart Program to pursue a career interest and experience work place culture firsthand. The HKUST Career Center will help you unlock an exhilarating career future. Prof. Robert Wessling Dean of Students & Director of Student Affairs Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of the Humanities The Career Center team is privileged to play a pivotal role in supporting our students' career planning and employment. To walk our motto 'Your Career We Care', we aspire to work closely with schools, departments, alumni and employers in bridging between gown and town, between talents and opportunities, and between dreams and reality. We are honored to have been awarded by the Universum Student Survey as the 'Best Career Services' among Hong Kong universities in the past five years. HKUST also ranked 13th in the Global Employability University Ranking in 2016. While ranking is undeniably one of the reasons why employers choose to recruit from HKUST. at the end of the day, it is your quality and performance that earns you job offers, and Career Center is here to help you shine and grasp t he opportunities. Career planning is part of life planning, and the first step to it is self-understanding. John Dewey puts this succinctly: 'to find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness'. When you find where you fit in and discover happiness, success is in sight. Then comes the million-dollar question, 'how do I go about doing this?'. Well, trickily enough, there are no model answers. As we see from the stories students, alumni and industry experts share in this Career Guide, each person's development and success takes different forms. Indeed, it is the uncertainty that makes life exciting. Have the courage to be the captain of your ship. Be your own Career Manager, and let Career Center partner with you on this exciting journey of exploration and development. Cheryl Lee Associate Director Student Affairs Office (Career Center) 02·03 Contents Rolling Along Figo Lee - Plan Your Path 06 Job Search Ethics 16 Strengthen, Overcome, Nourish, Yield Lannie Lee Will Chan Of On-Campus Recruitment Calendar 14 Career Consultation Personal Branding zo What I Wish I Knew When I Was Your Age Donna Titley Calvin Tong Kelvin Sin HKUST Internship Anvar Mukhametshin Network {iNet) - Non-local Students Working in Hong Kong Career Mosaic ,lf Building A Better Future Ke Khelrin Kenia Pop-up Career Mosaic 10 Top 5 Tips to Keep Calm I am the Dancing Queen and Be a Global Citizen Kalena Yeung Helen Bannigan 16 Getting a 'HeadStart' ff Avoiding the Top 10 Pitfalls of CV and Cover '1-'f Engineering Success Kelvin Sin Letter Writing Kenneth So Smart Living - Do What You Love tit And Love What You Do tfO How to Stand Out in a Phoebe Yang Group Discussion Anna Champion ?0 Your career. Your way. #ltStartsHere '16 Career Development Lau TszFung Programs ?f How to introduce yourself ?lf at an interview The Science of Marketing Kevin Ho Karine Wu 60 Career Building Course ?6 Just Around the Riverbend 61 Career Development Beverly Kwan Modules What gives you a competitive edge over others? How to make the most of your thousand days at HKUST ? So, you' re a freshman - there should still be plenty of time to sit back and have fun, right? Well, doing something worthwhile and having fun are not mutually exclusive. Know Yourself Find out about your personal qualities, what you like, what you care about, what you' re good at, what excites you etc. Career Center offers workshops that help you to understand your personality types through different psychological assessments like MBTl, SlRONG Interest Inventory and Lumina Spark. Make good use of these workshops and get ready to know yourself and what you stand for. Get Involved Once you set a foot on campus, you will be presented with a kaleidoscope of extra-curricular activities: interest clubs, student societies, sports teams, enrichment programs etc. Try to strike a balance in what you participate in. Think Ahead Use your extra time, winter and summer vacations to give your CV a boost. Find a summer job, get into voluntary work, join an exchange program, or take part in a study tour. Take a leadership role in these activities, and try to brush up your language skills. The Center for Language Education is a great source to advance your language abilities. Year1 The penultimate year of your university life is a strategic time for career planning. Aim to have a career plan, or at least a draft, ready by the end of this year. A career plan is a blueprint for action. It describes your career goal and the steps you plan to take to reach that goal. Talk to our Career Advisor if you need help. Explore Your Options Get off the couch and look for ways to identify your career interests and gain some real work experience. Joining the HeadStart Program offered by St\O or the Internship Network (iNet) offered by Career Center is a good choice. What's more is to attend job fairs, recruitment events, alumni sharing sessions and company visits to know more about different industries. Get Equipped Visit Career Center website and sign up for Workshops on CV writing, interview skills, presentation skills, group discussion skills, and mock aptitude test sessions. Soft skills such as business etiquette, personal grooming and work ethics are also part of the package. Take the Career Building Course (GNED251 O, SC1E1 100 or SHSS1 030), a one-credit general education free elective offered by Career Center, for more structured job search skills training. Plan Ahead Give yourself an honest assessment of what you have done and what still needs to be done. If all seems too much to handle, you can always make an appointment with one of the Career Advisors. Through professional coaching and discussion, they can help you prioritize and focus on what's urgent and important. Year 2-3 04·05 This is it - the final year! Take advantage of this crucial time to lay some groundwork of your future career. Build Your Network Be creative in your job search. Expand your network through family members, relatives, friends, classmates, ex-colleagues, acquaintances, alumni and other sources. Effective channels include join ing a professional organization as a student member and attending events, conferences, competitions and social gatherings. Social media like Facebook and Linkedln are also effective platforms through which you can build resourceful connections. Don't be shy. People you meet through university days may become your business partners, customers, supervisors or colleagues. Get Ready Early birds always catch the worm. Make yourself available to meet up with employers at recruitment talks and job fairs. Make sure you have at least a set of presentable CV and cover letter on hand, and customize them according to individual jobs. Polish your interview skills by getting real interview experience. Keep abreast of current affairs, the economic situation and industry trends by media. If you would like to go through more structured job search skills training, taking the Career Building Course offered by Career Center will be a good choice. Look Ahead No one can predict how good or bad the economic environment will be when you graduate. The time may be hard. Remember, this is only the first phase of your entire career path. You will continue to equip yourself and whatever experience you will have gathered in your first job will not be in vain. If you can't find a job that you love yet, love the job you can get! A positive attitude makes a world of difference. Take charge of your career development journey and build up your credentials along the way. Year4 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS DURING THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS Networking can potentially help job searchers receive referrals to future job opportunities. Through talking to industry practitioners, jobseekers can also decide if a particular field is a suitable area to develop their career in. Also, one day when they need nominations in order to be affiliated to certain professional bodies, relationships established in networking would become very important. To network effectively, jobseekers should capture every opportunity inside and outside of campus and leave a good impression on other networkers. Demonstrating good manner during the interactions is obviously the most important. Ethical networking also requires jobseekers to be proactive, positive, helpful, and keep promises, so as to gain trust and add value to the relationships. 06·07 To be ethical and build trustworthiness, jobseekers need to be honest with every single detail on their CVs. Be authentic and genuine - the CV should be one's original work and not a copy of outside sources. It should also have an organized structure and be error-free. Do not boast, misinterpret or even falsify your academic results and other achievements. If any detail is found by the employer to be deceptive, your employment can be terminated immediately. Etiquette: Our body talks; a good personal image and following a code of behavior help project confidence and leave a positive first impression. The way you carry yourself also shows whether you are civilized, as well as your integrity and flair, which attract people to pay more attention to you. Professional and appropriate behavior involves appearance, stance, walking speed, manner, as well as attire. Pay attention to grooming too - Gentlemen should be clean shaven and ladies can wear some light makeup. Timeliness: It is ethical and actually an obligation to show up at the appointment on time, preferably even arriving 5 to 15 minutes earlier. Manner: Be courteous to everyone, including the security, receptionists and HR assistants. Show that you are conscientious and businesslike at the interview. Of course you are to demonstrate your skill set but first and foremost, be polite. Other candidates: If you were asked to compare yourself with others, for example, by being asked the question 'Why should we hire you instead of the other candidates?', it is unethical to belittle the others. By the same token, do not complain about professors, peers, ex-bosses, or the company you used to work for. You simply need to emphasize your strengths and suitability for the job, and demonstrate your keen interest to join the company. Do not burn your bridges by criticizing others. Questions for the interviewer: Asking questions that are well thought out will impress the interviewer. Here is an example of a good question: 'How can I help further if I pass the interview?'. Do not ask unwise questions or assume that you will be offered the job, such as 'What kind of training will you offer?' It is also undesirable to have no questions as this suggests that you are not really interested in the opportunity. Saying 'Thank You': Expressing goodwill is not just courteous, but in fact necessary. Send your thank you notes within two days to everyone involved. Honor your commitment. Before accepting a job offer, think carefully whether the job or position suits your interests and career goals, as well as financial, professional and personal development needs. Once you have accepted an offer, it is unacceptable and even unethical to continue searching for other jobs. You should actually withdraw from and turn down all other interview invitations. If you have accepted an offer and later realize that the job does not suit you, and meanwhile another offer from an earlier interview comes along, let the current employer know as soon as possible. Do not just quit; instead, thank the employer and ask for their approval to resign. You will leave with a good reputation. The effects of ethical job-seeking behavior can be astonishing: a networker may give you a buzz one day to explore the possibility of you joining their business. You stand a higher chance of succeeding in a job interview if you have a positive image and leave a lasting impression. So, for your own benefit, consider what needs changing. Have the right attitude and demonstrate ethical behavior. If you have doubts or questions, coma talk to the career advisors at Career Canter! Recruitment Calen Government Recruitment Government recruitment follows a settimeline each year and requires standardized assessment procedures. If you are interested in working for the government, the following calendar can help you plan your job search in the coming year. Government Recruitment Schedule AUG • Register for Common Recruitment Exam (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT), which would be held in October. Late application will not be accepted. SEP • AO/EO: Attend Administrative Officer (AO)/Executive Officer (EO) recruitment talks on campus • AO/EO: Submit applications online OCT • Attend Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) • Attend Career Mosaic and meet representatives from different government units • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduates) Scheme (AUS) and Police Mentoring Program (PMP): Submit applications via Career Center • AO Summer Internships: Submit applications via Career Center and attend preliminary selection interviews NOV • AO Summer Internships: Attend final selection interviews DEC • Attend Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) outside Hong Kong (for those who have not taken it in October) • AO/EO: Attend Joint Recruitment Exam (JRE) JAN • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduates) Scheme (AUS) and Police Mentoring Program (PMP): Attend selection interviews MAR • Attend Career Mosaic and meet representatives from different government units • AO Summer Internship: Offers announcements • AO (graduate positions): Offers announcements • Police Mentorship Program (PMP): Inauguration Ceremony APR • Register for Common Recruitment Exam (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) which would be held in June. Late application will not be accepted. • Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Program (PSSSIP) and Vacation Training Scheme (VTS): submit application via Career Center • Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Program (PSSSIP) and Vacation Training MAY Scheme (VTS): submit application via Career Center • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduates) Scheme (AUS): Offers announcements JUN • Attend Common Recru itment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) • Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Program (PSSSIP) • AO Summer Internship • Police Mentorship Program (PMP): Job attachment JUN AUG • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduate) Scheme (AUS): Training at Auxiliary Police Headquarters As a bridge between HKUST and employers, the Career Center brings recruiters from different industries on campus so you can meet them face to face. On-campus Recruitment 08·09 Here is a general and tentative timeline of our on-campus recruitment events for the year. Mark your calendar and register in advance at the Career Center website: http//career.ust.hk - 'Events & Courses' On-Campus Recruitment Schedule - by Industry Accounting Advertising/Marketing/Market Research/Public Relations Aviation/Transport/Logistics Architecture/Construct ion/Engineering Consultancy/Quantity Surveying Banking/Finance - Commercial Banks Banking/ Finance - Investment Banks Banking/Finance - Private Equities/Hedge Funds/Asset Management Banking/ Finance - Other financial & investment institutions Beauty/Health Care/Fitness Biotechnology/Chemicals/Laboratory/Testing Services Catering/Food & Beverage Charity/NGO/Quasi-government/Professional Bodies Civil Service/Government Design Education /Research/Training Engineering/Technical Services Environmental Science Fast Moving Consumer Goods General business Services/Other Consulting Services HR/Recruitment Services Hospitality/Hotels/Tourism/Entertainment Information Technology Insurance lnternet/Digital/e-Commerce Manufacturing/Machinery/Motor Vehicles/ Auto mat ion Equipment Management Consulting Media/Publishing Medical Services/Pharmaceutical Multi-nature Conglomerates Property Development/Management Retail/Wholesale/Trading/Import & Export Telecommunication Utilities/Energy/Power Fall Term Spring Term Other Resources Online Job Vacancy Information 'HKUST Job Board' on HKUST Career Center website Your one-stop shop for all graduate jobs and internships specifically targeted to HKUST students. These jobs are posted on the Career Center website: http://career.ust.hk - 'Jobs & Internships' Career Center (Joint Institutions Job Information System) All full-time university students can visit JIJ IS WEBSITE to look for full-time, part-time, temporary and summer jobs. First-time users need to register before logging in. For enquiries, please email support@jijis.org.hk. General Career Information Career Center subscribes to the Vault Online Career Library at Career Center website: http://career.ust.hk - 'Resources'. All HKUST students and staff have FREE access to these useful and updated resources for job search, career exploration and industry updates. Reading materials on career planning, industries, company information, and professional qualifications are available at Career Center (Rm 4001, Academic 8.Jilding via Lift 4). Do drop by and take a look. HKUST Library. Welcome to JIJIS! career intelligence Ever have questions on your job searching journey? Confused about your road ahead and don't know from where to seek help? Come meet with our Career Advisor for a 1-on-1 consultation session. In the 30-minute session, you may ask us any career related questions. From career exploration to CV polishing, our Career Advisors are happy to provide guidance. Our consultation sessions are available in the mornings (9:30am - 12:00nn), afternoons (2:30pm - 5:00pm), and evenings (5:30pm - 8:00pm). If you wish to make an appointment, simply go to Career Center's website and click on 'Meet Advisors' and pick the next available slot. Specific days of the week are reserved for different student groups: Undergraduates {UG) Monday, Wednesday and Friday sessions are reserved for undergraduates from any programs. postgraduates PG) (F c t Junt:, July ':I 1 / LgL t) Tuesday sessions are reserved for Taught Postgraduates {TPGs, i.e. MSc, MA, MBA); Thursday sessions are reserved for Research Postgraduates {RPGs, i.e. MPhil, PhD). !All Students {For Jue J I nd LgL t) All consultation sessions are opened to all students from any disciplines. Evening consultation sessions {5:30pm - 8:00pm) are opened to all students from any disciplines. During our peak season (February, March, September and October), our Career Advisors offer 'Walk-In' • • appointments (30 minutes per session), on a first-come-first-served basis. You are welcome to walk in on Tuesday mornings between 9:30am and 11:30am. For the most updated information on career consultations, please refer to Career Center's website. Rolling Along FIGO LEE Founder and Fu/I-time Senior Mathematics Tutor - Gohin Education Ltd Champion - Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Wheelchair 3km Race (20 16) BSc in Pure Mathematics G: Grace Siu, Instructor, Career Center Figo Lee 12·1 3 Figomet Grace at the Career Building Course(SCI E1100) in Spring 2012, where Grace was the instructor. He's now Founder and Tutor at Gohin Education Ltd as well as an active athlete despite his disability, which was once a barrier to his career development. DEVOTING ONESELF TO EDUCATION G: So good to see you again, Figo How's life treating you and how's your tutorial center? F: Thanks, Grace. Time flies and it's now almost three years since we started our tutorial center in Causeway Bay. We now have about 50 to 60 students, half of whom are Form 6 students. You know what, nowadays, teaching in a tutorial center is just like being an actor in a film. Some students actually ask me on the first day of class whether I will be entertaining them with gags during the lessons! Sometimes it sounds to me as if they were attending a concert in HK Coliseum! They grumble if my teaching is too boring or not funny enough. G: That's interesting but I can see how it could also be challenging. Can you tell us why you started your own business? F: Job search was never easy for me. My first job hunt was in Year 2 when I was looking for a summer job. I sent out about 200 CVs and was invited to 30 interviews. Many of my applications were declined simply because of my disability. I felt rejected and isolated by society. Fortunately, I received two offers from my 7th and 30th interviews. I taught Math and also gained some basic administrative work experience. These two employers have always encouraged me in my career development even today, and we've been good friends for the past 5 years. Another motivation was my brother. He began to have this dream of starting a tutorial center when he was in secondary school. I had a similar dream when I was Assistant Editor in a Math textbook publishing company. I longed to have the chance to teach students more freely. With the support of our family, we started the center in November, 2014. G: I see. I know you're also a violin teacher. What would you say is the major difference between teaching Math and teaching Music? Is there actually anything in common? F: Teaching violin actually requires more attention. I have to give students immediate feedback after they finish playing. Some younger students are sometimes naughty and they play with the vidin and the bow like a 'shield' and a 'sword'. So I need to be more patient than when I'm teaching Math. G: I see, and how did you start teaching violin? F: When I was in Form 5, after finishing the HKCEE, I tried to look for a job. At that time, I had both Violin and Music Theory Grade 8. Finally I found a job in a piano center near my secondary schod. Earning more pocket money was my main motivation. CRUISING IN A WHEELCHAIR G: What about your other pursuit, marathon? You were the champion of Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Wheelchair 3km ra:;e in 2016. What a wonderful achievement! Can you share with us your journey? F: I began to have this dream to win the champion of Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Wheelchair 3km race many years ago. I stopped pursuing it in 1997 and started picking it up again in 2012, after 15 years. At that time, the champion was a retired athlete of the Hong Kong Paralympics Wheelchair Racing Team. Each morning before going to HKUST, I ran 3km from Po Lam to Tiu Keng Leng and then took the 792M bus to school. In 2014, I joined a wheelchair-racing program to develop wheelchair speed as well as train my muscle and endurance. I was the 1st runner up in my first attempt in 2015. After that race, I trained using another method called 'Fartlek', which was about doing 200m fast and then 200m slow. I completed eight sets every time on alternate days. My speed increased a lot as a result. The race in 2016 was on a rainy day, which I didn't expect. It was hard to control the wheelchair under the rain with both my gloves and glasses wet. I chased after the retired athlete I mentioned so in fact I was on the best running route for the first third quarters of the race. I still remember vividly that it was outside the entrance of Sogo that I out ran him and became the champion. G: That's truly impressive. You're a really brave and determined person. Actually what gives you the courage or motivation in every change? F: When I was in secondary school, I always watched 'Initial D', a comic about car racing and drifting. Since I train regularly, I often think I'm improving but perhaps my coach thinks it's too slow. So I need to try different training methods, like losing weight, training my strength so I can push faster, and finding ways to sustain a higher average speed for a longer distance. Anyway, I have always had fun with my wheelchair, ever since I learnt how to use it in Primary 1. G: You indeed have lots of brilliant achievements. Do you have any regrets though? If you could do something all over again, what would that be and why? F: It would be making the HKUST Sports Ground more disabled-friendly for students bound by wheelchair. I actually tried doing my training there in Year 1 but the staff suggested me not to practice there as my tires left marks on the tracks and also for safety reasons. Nowadays government sports grounds have become more welcoming towards wheelchair users after years of public discussion. I wish I had fought for the rights of disabled students in HKUST back then. INVESTING IN KNOWLEDGE G: Let's talk about your studies in HKUST. How would you describe your life at HKUST then? F: First, the university was very warm. HKUST is big. Getting from the main academic building to the North Gate bus stop on that 200m slope was a challenge for me. Moving around the academic building, for example from the second to the sixth floor, was like finding my way in a maze. However, the classmates were very accepting and were willing to lend a helping hand whenever I needed it. For example, they often helped me find a barrier-free table when we had lunch or tea. I also loved the library; the environment there was great. I always studied there. Second, I would say my life back then was stressful. When I first came to the university and was participating in the orientation camp, I was captivated by the magnificent view outside the library - where we call 'Mushroom'. However, I didn't get to enjoy that view much afterwards as I was always busy. My life was flooded with midterms and finals, and my workload increased exponentially each term. Where I spent many hours was actually the library, where I worked very hard on Math questions. Finally, I would say my HKUST experience was rewarding. When I was in my second year, I came across a Math class I was particularly interested in. It was an advanced algebra course jointly ottered by HKU, CUHK and HKUST. Lt was actually a postgraduate course and at that time there were only two algebra courses for undergraduates in HKUST. I would like to try taking this course in my third year. So I wrote a Ietter to the professor about my strong interest in algebra and my wish to take the class. Finally, the professor agreed to let me take it in Year 3. Eventually I got an A- and it was the most interesting course that I took in HKUST. 14·15 G: Anally, do you have any motivational advice for the current students? +.. Some of my Math classmates often attended postgraduate Math classes. Their curiosity about and passion for Math have influenced me a lot. One of my friends who studied Physics and graduated in 2013 as well, is now Technical Officer of Civil Department. When we were both in HKUST, we spent a lot of time discussing Math problems in the library. Now, he still enjoys reading about and learning Math a lot. When we meet up for dinner, he always shares with me how excited he is when he reads algebra or topology books, and his excitement is contagious! strengthen, Qvercome, Nourish, -Yield WILL CHAN Management Associate - SONY Hong Kong BBA in Marketing & Management G: Grace Siu W:Will Chan Will and Grace met in the Alumni Career Advising Session in 2016. Grace is pleased to know that Will has landed a fulltime job with SONY, which he has very much enjoyed, after a period of uncertainty after his graduation. STRENGTHEN G: Will, again, many congratulations on your job with SONY I know it wasn't exactly easy tor you when you were planning your career and looking tor your first job. Do you mind sharing with us your story? W: Thanks Grace and not at all. Indeed it wasn't a smooth start. When I was still hunting for my first job, some of my classmates had already received job offers and were enjoying their graduation trips. Instead of randomly taking a job offer, I decided to take a Japanese language course for a year with the long-term objective of working overseas in the future. Those days were unsettling especially when I compared myself to my peers who had already started their career. I'm glad '' - I was hired by SONY. G: Actually why were you interested in working tor SONY? W: I'm very interested in marketing and like I said, passionate for working overseas in the future. I decided to join SONY because they offer promising prospects. I feel like they can help me actualize my dreams. Not only am I exposed to the local consumer market, but I also have the opportunity to market professional products in the Asia-Pacific market. I believe these are helping me to . able to succeed in both the local and international markets. G: When you were working part-time for nine months before joining SONY, was it difficult? W: I would say it was one of the most challenging experiences in my life so far. At that time I was taking the language course and also working part-time. I spent most of my time going to classes and studying, and income from the part-time job was indeed quite low, especially compared to that of my peers who had entered the banking industry. I was rather depressed and kept asking myself if I was doing the right thing. Later, I felt less uneasy when I finally got my language certificate, which I believed would in overseas job markets. G: What about after entering SONY? What have been the challenges? W: In fact after joining SONY, there have just been more challenges! For example, I didn't expect to be the person responsible for the third highest sales amount category as a new hire. When I was fi rst assigned to t ake charge of a new product launch, I already needed to make a wide range of decisions including suggested retail price, pre-sales quota, ranging, bundling offers and so on. Although it took me a lot of time and effort, I was so excited when I actually saw the outcome in a number of stores. And I think - , which is basic but essential. G: In these challenges and other changes, what has given you the courage and motivation? W: No one can tell us if a change will turn out fine or not and therefore it's inevitable that we sometimes feel insecure and worried. I think self-motivation and self-reflection are the most important in managing the emotions. Reminding ourselves of our daily achievement and progress towards our goals is a great way to handle our doubts and help us keep moving. At the same time we get to understand ourselves better by reviewing the effort we've put in and the corresponding results. I don't like reading books but I love listening to stories of how ordinary people make their dreams come true. Their experiences cheer me up and help

16·17 G: I see. There are inevitably both pros and cons on every job. What advice would you give students and graduates who are considering different job offers? W: Indeed and this applies to many life situations. I enjoy being a product marketer, organizing events and promotional programs, but working overtime occasionally is unavoidable when I need to handle multiple tasks within limited time. It is important to be aware of both your 'likes' and 'dislikes'. Prioritizing your needs, such as interest, work-life balance and money may help. NOURISH G: That's very helpful advice. Let's talk about something more fun. Would y0u like to share some interesting stories from your industry? W: I think people generally hold a lot of stereotypes towards the technology industry, thinking that it 's all about dull specifications but this isn't the whole story. In fact, in our field, there are a lot of opportunities to work with people from different industries, including professional photographers, retail channels, celebrities and TV producers. Actually I'm not particularly interested in daily operations; G: Sounds really good! I know you went on exchange in Seoul. Can y0u share with us your experience there? What might y0u have done differently? W: Yes I spent six months in Seoul and had a great time. However, I do regret not having made as many Korean friends as I had wished because of my limited Korean. I would therefore have spent more time on learning Korean if I had the chance to do this again. I still remember that when I first arrived at Seoul, I didn't know a single Korean word. Later I began to learn the language in the partner university there and I actually found it hard. So, my advice to those of you who wish to enjoy a more fruitful time while on exchange is to YIELD G: I know you were also a member of our school's Dragon Boat Team. How has that helped y0u understand more about yourself? W: I have been passionate about sports since high school. When I came to HKUST, I joined the rugby team in my first year. However, because of frequent injuries playing rugby and the fantastic team spirit of the Dragon Boat Team, I switched to Dragon Boat. Some of the most unforgettable memories include training for four days a week, getting into the water in the winter and three-hour non-stop rowing in the wavy sea. It was great fun with my teammates! I think ot\tof No matter how tough the external environment is, I try to remove the obstacles and I believe in myself. Thankfully, this gift also helped me stay strong when I was feeling depressed during my first job search, as I was telling you earlier. G: Sports do train both our physical capabilities and mental strength. Finally, Will, do y0u have any motivational advice for students about to start their work life? W: I used to think that the jobs we would take up are limited to those in fields we concentrate on at university. However, once I stepped into the real battlefield, as it were, I soon found out that what I'm good at doing can be valuable in other areas. Therefore, -H\e, k~ This spirit may lead you to opportunities you've never expected. Do this while you are still young and able to make decisions with relatively less to worry about. CHRISTINE YEUNG Freelance videographer BSc in Environmental Management and Technology 'Who am I doesn't really matter. When I realized it is not a question because it has no answer, what remains is peace.' What I Wish I Knew When I Was Your Age CALVIN TONG Senior Analyst of a Private Equity Fund BSc in Mathematics THE iBANKER DREAM? A few years ago, when I was still as green as agile young minds like you, I was always picturing myself wearing that subtly sheening navy Zegna suit, with the glorious Goldman Sachs staff badge draping around my neck. The reason was obvious - that fat paycheck, which would allow me to submerge myself in some ridiculously luxurious lifestyles. Tragically, misconceptions of certain jobs and industries penetrate through universities worldwide, thanks to the fudging misrepresentation of the truth by the media. I have been working for three years since graduation and I am now a senior analyst at a private equity fund. The business allows me to meet professionals like lawyers, investment bankers, entrepreneurs, auditors, and management consultants. While having casual conversations with them, I realize that some of their sharing is indeed very intelligent; I really wish someone had told me that when I was your age. TIME TO WAKE UP! 20·21 I have put together below two points I find the most helpful, and I hope these help you cultivate a healthier career mindset. •• I will be well off in few years after my graduation if I am well-planned enough to land a prestigious job like one in investment banking. MISCONCEPTIONS I HAD WHEN I WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE •• Picking your career according to your inner voice is simply a piece of politically correct advice. The real principle is to get the highest paying job possible. Hong Kong does not allow dream-pursuers. This is usually an unrealistic expectation. It might be possible for those who work hard to earn a considerable income, but possibly not until a decade after university. Even then, very often it is still far from what many would call 'well off'. Most 'prestigious' jobs are often much less thrilling than you imagine. Doing something that does not interest you for 40 years straight is a torture. In contrast, developing a career out of something you love gives you half a century of enjoyment. Don't worry too much about wages in the short run as long as the learning curve is steep enough to compensate for a relatively smaller paycheck. As Phunsukh Wangdu puts it in the movie Three Idiots (2009): 'Pursue excellence, and success will follow.' Dare to Dream - Realistically! Besides some essential preparations, It does not directly place you into a firm. Instead, it allows you to get a taste of a typical day of a practitioner in a field, as well as understand the duties and responsibilities of different roles in a particular area. You should then perform a quick self-assessment on whether you are a good fit for a certain position. And if I hope what I've shared has provided you with a more realistic picture. I would like to also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to HKUST friends and mentors who offered generous help and support at the time. They are Miss Grace Siu and Miss Ivy Kwok (Career Center), Dr. Kelvin Mak (Department of Accounting), Dr. Tim Leung (School of Science), and Miss Tina Ko (Academic Advising and Support, School of Science). It's all about Branding Donna Titley Part-time Instructor, Career Center Principal, Illuminate Training & Development According to the Harvard Business Review, it takes humans 150 milliseconds to categorize others and within 30 minutes they've made lasting judgments about your character. So how do you ensure that people remember you for all the right reasons? By developing a 'Personal Brand' and representing it consistently in your professional and personal life .... What is Personal Brand? Your Personal Brand is a PERSONAL MARKETING STRATEGY - for yourself! Who is interested in my Personal Brand? Everyone you know and come into contact with professionally and personally. Professionally it can mean Human Resource (HR) professionals who review your CV and cover letters and interact with you via email and the phone, interviewers at any stage of recruitment, your colleagues and boss at an internship, people you meet at a professional body networking event, someone you're introduced to who happens to do the job of your dreams. Personally it could be your friends on your course or in your faculty, who are your professional network of the future or your family and friends and anyone they talk to about you. What do you want these people to remember about you? How do you want them to feel about you? What do you want them to learn or do? @ How do I create a Personal Brand? This can be the trickiest part; working out who you really are, your Unique Selling Points (USP), passion or 'WHY'. Make an appointment with a career advisor at the Career Center to help you if you're not sure where to start. The key here is AUTHENTICITY. Be honest with yourself whilst assessing your personal strengths, values and skills. Get feedback from others so that you can understand how they see you and what strengths, values and skills they identify, they may be different from your own view. These insights and self-knowledge will help you to understand what is important to you, for yourself personally and your career. In turn this will also help you to understand the kind of organization you might want to work for and why you would be a great fit for them. Personal Brand/Corporate Brand Most companies have a corporate brand, vision and values that attract their employees as well as their clients. E.g. Google employees believe it is a company at the cutting edge of innovation and has a reputation of being a cool place to work. You might choose to work at Google because you believe you are the kind of person who fits with that corporate brand. You can use your personal brand to market yourself as the right talent for their business, demonstrating how your personal brand is complimentary to their corporate brand. 'Remember, everyone applying for the job will be 'similarly qualified'. What you've done is not enough to 'stand out'. Give a flavor of who you are.' - Simon Sinek, NY Times and WSJ Bestselling Author of 'Start with Why' and 'Leaders Eat Last' Communicating your Personal Brand in person What is it that you stand for, your passion, your key messages? Ensure that your self- introduction (elevator pitch) reflects these ideas so that when you introduce yourself people are left with a strong, positive impression. It will also mean that if they are talking about you to others they are able to describe you effectively. Practice your self-introduction with your family or classmates so that you feel confident rather than self-conscious when you introduce yourself. Don't forget, it isn't just what you say that matters but how you say it. Have a firm handshake, confident voice and positive body-language. First impressions count and dressing professionally or appropriately for your industry really matters. You want to be the boss one day? Dress like the boss! Don't forget your bag, shoes and even your mobile phone cover reflect your style and therefore your personal brand. Communicating your Personal Brand online Google yourself and what do you see or what can you read about yourself? Hopefully your personal brand appears consistent whether you meet people face-to-face or they look you up online. It's really important to keep your professional online presence (Linkedln, website, blog) separate from your personal social online presence (Facebook, lnstagram, Weibe). There are more than 40 million students and recent college graduates on Linkedln. They are the fastest growing demographic on the world's largest professional network. Use your Linkedln profile to illustrate your personal brand, highlighting your skills and USP and feature a professional headshot that is in context with your profile. Personal Brand Challenges Be AUTHENTIC, be consistent, maintain your professional image visually and intellectually in person and online. Learning Through Internships Y HKUST Network (iNet The importance of internship programs simply cannot be ignored or taken lightly. In the competitive job market we face today, good jobs are scarce and only quality candidates will be chosen. As you go through your years of studies, you MUST NOT OVERLOOK the participation in INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS because this empowers you to get ready for your future career with an impressive cover letter, a strong CV and all the necessary soft skills that make you stand out from the others. HKUST Internship Network QNet) v iNet is an integrated internship platform which provides a host of internship programs across HK, Mainland China and many foreign countries. The following are highlights of the programs: Program Name On-campus Internship Program Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme Government Summer Jobs, PSSSIP refers (offers 1,000+ jobs in different government departments; only for students who are permanent HK residents) HeadStart@HKUST Program Maritime and Aviation Internship Scheme Pilot Apprenticeship Program for Private Wealth Management Pilot Program to Enhance Talent Training for the Insurance Sector HKETO in Mainland Internship Program Shanghai Future Leaders Internship Program (SHFLIP) Y-Society Internship Program (Finance-related internships) Myriads of other Mainland summer internship programs ASEAN Internship for University Students of Hong Kong Scheme The Cross-Cultural Internship Program Work & Travel USA Program Internship in the United States for University Students of Hong Kong (USETOs) The Intern Group International Internship Program The Bloom of Youth Global Internship Program Location HKUST campus HK HK HK, Mainland China & overseas HK HK HK Various cities in Mainland China Shanghai Beijing Various cities in Mainland China ASEAN countries USA Australia/ Colombia/ UK/Spain and some European countries Duration Part-time or full time Duration: varies 4-12 weeks 6-12 weeks 6-12 weeks Summer 4 -12 weeks Summer 4-12 weeks Summer 4-12 weeks Summer 5-6 weeks Winter/Summer 6-8 weeks Summer 6 weeks Summer 6 weeks Summer (depending on respective programs) 4-12 weeks Winter/Summer 6-12 weeks Summer 6-24 weeks Year round, depending on program Local internships listed above are usually paid whereas the majority of Mainland and overseas internships are unpaid. Despite the financial implication of taking up an unpaid internship in the Mainland or overseas, the programs promise you wider exposure to different cultures, local customs, work practices, and foreign languages, which may help develop your resi lience while living in an alien city/country, as compared to a local internship. Therefore do not focus merely on whether you get paid or not when deliberating on your internship.

SBM Year Ths irrternShip opf()ftvrity wo.s very rev.x1rd.i'r'3 as I was given the chance to rOJJd/e mMe tasks for the first tiMe. Throvgh this internshp. I got to know ('{'{)f'e about how a gOJernMerrt body sees tfungs froM their perspe,ctive. fr1eanwhle, I enPfed. exploring Singape m rrv.Jch, aro rave gained. lXleXpeded. oJ/ivral experience and insights. NG KA YU /PO Year 2 HKETO in Singapore Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Enquiries v Details of these internship programs are available from our website (httpsJ/career.ust.hk 'Jobs & Internship'). Info session announcements or calls for applications will be made via email and on our website starting from September/October. STAY TUNED WITH US! Mailing Lists v Want to be kept informed about internship opportunities? Subscribe to iNet mailing list at Career Center website: https://career.ust.11k/ 'Jobs & Internships' For enquiries, please email inet@ust.hk. ·1 would sat this irrtemstip experience is very rev.x1rding and is bf:fmd MY €Xpedation. It proided. Me with a chance to gain adtrvnistrative wort experience as weJI as research experience. In terrris of o.cadeMic \A.Oft, I \A.Ofted. wth professll's froM Scciology. Japanese stvdies ard. ~ycholo9Y bactgrrunds. The irrternshp oJm oJbwed. Me to \A.Oft with prof esrors with differerrt wa'k. styles. I WOJ; exposed to a wide range of diECipfnes in Social Sciences and tfus h1s helped. Me expla-e MY research irrterest. CHAN YIN YU SHSS 3 Natbnal University of Singapore 26·27 Any plan to take up employment in Hong Kong during and after your study? Generally speaking, students who enter Hong Kong with a student visa cannot take up any kind of full-time or part-time employment, whether paid or unpaid, on-campus or off campus. Commencing May 2008, the Hong Kong Immigration Department has relaxed the immigration policy such that non-local students may be allowed to take up curriculum or study-related internships as well as part-time on-campus employment during term time, and to take up employment during summer months. Bigible students will receive a 'No-Objection Letter (NOL)' issued by the Immigration Department together with the student visas/entry permits. More details about these employment-related regulations are available at the websites of the Hong Kong Immigration Department and Career Center of Student Affairs Office at HKUST. You should get yourself familiarized with relevant rules and regulations stipulated in these two websites and clear the legalities before starting your employment. In case of doubt, please contact Career Center. Non-compliance may result in deportation. Career Mosaic is a biannual campus-wide career fair organized by the Career Center, in October and March. More than 250 companies and organizations have participated every year. Career Mosaic offers a highly effective platform for employers to reach out to HKUST students on recruiting them for internship and graduate employment opportunities. Benefits jo student Identify graduate and internship opportunities in their areas of interest Meet with employers from different industries Submit applications directly to the employers at the event Obtain interviews from some employers on the spot Benefits to employers Reach out to your potential talent pool to fulfill your talent needs Bd your brand on campus and increase awareness in the student communrty Meet with talents and perform selection on the spot to save recruitin costs CAREER MOSAIC 28·29 Pop-Up Career Mosaic, with its successful pilot-run in Fall 2016, is an on-campus exhibition event that complements Career Mosaic, our popular biannual job fair. It provides companies and organizations with a highly flexible and interactive platform to reach out to HKUST talents through meeting our students face-to-face in a different setting. Companies can use more unconvention always to promote valuable career development opportunities to our students, and at the same time build their corporate brand at prominent locations on campus. Top to Keep Calm and Be a Global Citizen Helen Bannigan CEO, Bannigan Communication LLC Does it horrify you to walk into a room where you don't understand a word of the language being spoken? Does it annoy you when food abroad is too spicy, too bland, or just downright gross? Does it terrify you to try and get around a foreign city when you have no clue where you are? If so, then turn the page - this article isn't for you. Global living isn't for everyone, really, and that's ok. If it was, there would be no locals left in your own country, and that would just be weird, right? But if you are considering living, studying or working abroad, then read on. What are your reasons for considering an experience abroad? Learn a new language or understand a new culture? Develop global leadership and academic skills? Increase global career opportunities? Getting as far away as you possibly can from your family? Unlike the seemingly endless exams you have taken during your academic career, there is no one right answer. Global citizenship is when you begin to see yourself as a Citizen of the World before being a citizen of any country. It's someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building the community's values and practices. Increased focus on global engagement is inspiring many to identify as global citizens who have a sense of belonging to that world community. But the thing is, with this world community comes a whole lot of uncertainty. And challenges. And - yes -that dirty word: STRESS. Should you nonetheless decide to throw caution to the wind and become a Global Citizen (which I highly recommend that you do), here are a few tips to Keep Calm amidst the inevitable storm that can sometimes define living abroad. Tip#1: b Be self aware This is of course good advice for anyone, but it takes on a special significance when you are living abroad. Know your value system and comfort zone, because everything you know to be true and real may soon be proven 'wrong'. Or, at least wrong according to the value system of your new 'host' culture. In order to fully embrace your new experience overseas, 'know thyself' must always be the first golden rule of thumb. Tip#4: Customize your behavior So, it's one thing to know the rules and another thing completely to make the decision to follow them (ask my teenage kid, he's an expert on that). Adjusting to a foreign culture doesn't mean blindly following their ways of doing things. Rather, it means knowing your comfort zone, knowing theirs, and in each situation making a conscious decision which one you will follow. There is never just one right way. 30·31 Tip #2: Learn the new cultural rules Tip#3: Be comfortable knowing you will break those rules When I meet new people do I shake hands with everyone or only some people; do I bow, and if so, how low; do I just nod or smile; or do a Snoopy-like happy dance? Each country, of course, has its own set of cultural rules that are considered to be accepted behavior. To the extent possible, be open to learning as many of those rules as you can, enjoying the process of discovery along the way. Tip#5: Assume good will You will inevitably observe behavior that you find strange at best, or even downright offensive or rude. This is because what is polite in one culture may actually be the opposite in another. Try telling an American chi Id that they should leave food on their plate or offer an Indian businessman a big juicy beef steak. See what happens if you decline an invite to a relaxing sauna after a work interview in Rnland. And what on earth should you do if a Brit starts tapping their nose in the middle of a conversation with you. Rather than stress about it, do your best to follow points #1 through #4 and assume good will - until proven otherwise! The thing is, we can't possibly know all the rules as an outsider. Heck, even the insiders don't have it straight sometimes. So go easy on yourself. Be curious, learn as much as you can, try to understand your foreign friends, and know that there invariably will be times when you fail miserably. Tip #6: Keep your sense of humor #6 is an awesome number: not only is it lucky in some cultures, but we also use it to refer to 'sixth sense', as in hunch or instinct. So, go ahead and follow your instincts. Take a deep breath, Stay Calm, and go out there and become a Global Citizen. Enjoy! (Live For A Century - Learn For A Century.) ANVAR MUKHAMETSHIN Summer Intern - Langham Hall BBA in Finance and Accounting WHERETHERE'SAWILL, THERE'S AWAY My first internship started on the first day of summer 2016. I was taken to my desk by a secretary who showed me around the office and also introduced me to everyone. It was a good start. Everyone was happy to see me and offered help in case I would have problems with something in the future. I did not do any actual work on my first day; I only signed an employment contract and went through the guidelines my supervisor gave me. Yet, it was a really thrilling day, since it was the first time I had the chance to work in an international company outside of Russia, where I'm from. Contrary to the excitement on the first day of work, the job hunting experience was an extremely tedious process. Since very few companies recruit second year students, I ended up cold-calling around 100 firms in the financial, account ing, consulting industries in Hong Kong, out of which only five scheduled an interview with me. The odds were definitely against me, but I think I did quite well in the interviews and eventually secured a summer internship position with a UK-based private equity fund administration company in Hong Kong. I've always been interested in Finance, Economics and Accounting. It all began when I was 14-15 years old when I started to read, watch and listen to financial news, including those from Bloomberg, and local Russian economy news, even though I could understand very little. The confusion really bothered me and After choosing Accounting and Finance as my majors, I also decided to start my career in one of the two fields. Another thing that I find particularly attractive in having a job in accounting or financial firms is the learning curve. The experience is really rewarding as I get to learn so many skills, from communication and teamwork skills to analytical and quantitative ones, which help prepare me for anything that I'm going to do in the future. DON'T JUST DREAM OF SUCCESSWORK FOR IT In hindsight, I'd like to have had been more involved in meetings with clients during my internship with Langham Hall. As I mainly had a back-office support role, I never actually had the chance to interact with our customers. However, I could probably have been more persistent in my requests to my supervisor, so that I could at least present on a few meetings or conference calls, just to get an idea of how I should behave in front of clients, how to persuade them to buy our services and how to handle their questions and satisfy their business needs. One of the most challenging experiences in my summer internship was an IT optimization project that I volunteered to work on. Basically, I found a significant bottleneck in the operations of the compliance department, which I knew I could eliminate using my VBA and HTML knowledge. It took me a couple of weeks to finish the project. I then presented the outcome to the senior management, who was quite happy with my work. WHEN YOU FOCUS ON POSSIBILITIES, YOU'LL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES You may be surprised to know that as an international student, I haven't actually experienced cultural shock either at school or at work. To me, 'cultural shock' is a rather strong expression. Having said that, when I first came to HKUST it was slightly challenging for me to make friends. It just felt a little bit awkward to interact with others in English, which wasn't my native language. Also, even today, I don't think I have fully adjusted to the humidity, food, small living space and fast pace of life in Hong Kong . It does take some time. I suppose the best piece of advice I can give other international students is to Hong Kong is a great place with ridiculously huge number of opportunities, as well as interesting culture and people. Try to focus on these in the beginning and do not let some small negative things of t his place ruin your experience. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO TILL YOU TRY 32·33 I have been doing extreme sports for more than half of my life. It all started because of my father, who is an extreme sports enthusiast himself. When I was only six years old, he encouraged me to join a mountain skiing school back home. I then got hooked with the intense feeling caused by adrenaline and started doing windsurfing, surfing, BMX, motocross and other sports. It is somewhat counter-intuitive, but extreme sports actually help me relax and calm down. When you are alone in the sea, going 50 km/hour on your windsurfing board, you don't think of any problems, issues or work you have to do. You just enjoy yourself and it's quite a refreshing experience for me. Personally, of MiM, especially when studies and work are often quite stressful. I've also been involved in different industry experiences such as case competitions and the debate team. The main reason for participating in these was to Being a member of the English Debate Club of the university also trained my critical thinking and public speaking. I probably already had had those skills before joining the activities but nevertheless the experience has helped me further build and polish them . The most important piece of advice I would like to give other students and graduates is Sometimes what you're desperately trying to achieve doesn't come so easily. Don't let the delay defeat you. Try for the 2nd or even 102nd time. If you really want something, you will definitely succeed at some point. Also, go make connections with other students, professors, and people outside the university, such as industry experts and professionals. It is extremely important to know people in the field if you're interested in working in the finance, consulting or accounting industry. Building A Better Future 'Hong Kong is where I want to start my career - I'm attracted to the thriving business world and competitive job market here. KE KHELRIN KENIA Management Associate, Marketing - Hi/ti BEng in Logistics Management and Engineering 'STARTING EARLY IS THE BEST DECISION I MADE FOR MY FIRST JOB HUNTING.' Ke Khelrin joined Hilti as a Management Associate through a two-year fast track career development program which gives new hires the opportunities to work in both areas of Engineering and Marketing. She first worked as a Design Engineer, and has just joined Marketing in July. Before landing her first job, summer internships helped Ke Khelrin understand more about herself and start finding out what industries might interest her. One summer, she worked with a professor on designing an innovative curtain wall of a major building in West Kowloon District. After the internship, passing by the construction site of the building always made her very happy. She started to do research on the construct ion and sourcing industries, and also seek advice from professors, seniors, friends as well as career advisers. Then, she decided to join the industry since she finds excitement in getting to help build structures that people depend on. Knowing that what she helps build matters to people in the community is one of things she finds the most rewarding. The discovery also greatly facilitated her later job hunt as she focused on the jobs from these industries and started to establish connections with potential employers from the same industries. Another major thing she discovered through internships is that Hong Kong is where she wanted to start her career! She loves the thriving business world and competitive job market here. She started her first fulltime job hunt in her last summer break at university. In the beginning, she was still unsure about what would be a suitable job for her. She procrastinated but fortunately soon gained the momentum to try taking some small steps - she updated her CV, talked to seniors, did some research online and met up with career advisers. She managed to submit her CV to a few companies in October. In the same month, she was contacted by Hilti for her first full-time job interview. After having a few more rounds of interviews and assessments, she finally received an offer by the end of November. Looking back, starting very early-reviewing her CV, seeking advice and doing research on companies and industries-is the best decision she made for her first job hunting, especially when there were a lot of other responsibilities for final year students, such as working on the final year project and enrolling on all required courses for graduation. 'AS LONG YOU ARE APPROACHABLE AND WILLING TO MAKE FRIENDS, YOU WILL FIND SOME REALLY GOOD ONES.' Ke Khelrin is Chinese-Indonesian, and her family has a strong Chinese culture; she can therefore relate to many things in the Hong Kong culture. Although there wasn't any cultural shock, Ke Khelrin found it hard to make friends with locals when she first came to HKUST because of the language barrier. But she was approachable and willing to make friends, and soon found some really good ones both in HKUST and her workplace. In terms of hobbies, Ke Khelrin started playing futsal when she was in junior high school. In university, she played in the football team. Playing for HKUST was indeed one of her best memories in university life. As the right full-back , she needed to prevent the opposing players from scoring goals using her physical strength and technical skills, as well as decide on the best time to take on a more attacking role - but it was also important that she did not overanalyze the situation. This is very similar to her studies in Engineering - she simply applied what she knew and thought outside the box Ke Khelrin went on exchange in New Jersey, the USA. She really enjoyed the experience as she had the chance to travel and meet a lot of interesting people t here, which is unforgettable and rewarding. It's a shame though that she didn't get to play American football. There was an unofficial trial on the same day she was in New York to watch a Broadway show. The thought of going to the trial instead of the show did cross her mind a couple of times, but she did not eventually. As she probably won't have the chance to try playing American football in the USA, she would like to if she had the chance to do it all over again. 'ONE ADVICE WHEN SEARCHING FOR JOB - TRY TO FIND A COMPANY THAT VALUES ITS PEOPLE MORE THAN THE BUSINESS AND YOU WILL BE TREATED WELL.' People often say a woman in the construction industry is a lady in the men's world. Ke Khelrin is happy that there is no sexual discrimination nor bad women stereotype in Hilti. She hasn't encountered any difficulties working t here nor heard that it is harder for women to climb the company ladder. Hilti actually does have a lot of female executives. Ke Khelrin therefore believes that it is important to find a company that values its people more than the business - one will then likely to be treated well. One of the biggest drivers for her to take up t his Management Trainee position is to grow and learn how to become a better professional. As long as she focuses on her job, there will be more joy in pursuing what she's after. She believes that surviving through times like this will be very beneficial for her in the future. 34·35 Ke Khelrin is glad to see customers showing respect and loyalty to Hilti's products, often considered one of the most reliable construction products not only in Hong Kong but also around the globe. Once she attended a meeting with some clients and they shared stories of how they had used Hilti for 20 years and seen how both their business and Hilti had grown throughout the years. Ke Khelrin finds it really interesting to see how the business and loyal key customers can in fact grow together in an industry where small problems can result in huge consequences, including fatalities. 'NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE BEST CAREER IS FOR YOU; ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST FOR YOURSELF.' There may be times when students feel confused and desperate with their career prospect, perhaps even thinking that they have chosen the wrong major or even the wrong university. Ke Khelrin advises students to believe that they are in HKUST for are as on. They should actually be grateful for having the chance to learn in one of the best universities in the world, which provides students with a lot of opportunities. She also believes that the university is the starting point of one's career so it is important for students to learn and absorb as much information as much as they can. It is the best time to equip themselves and also to fail - because they will then learn a lesson and make better decisions later. Ke Khelrin also emphasized the importance of taking advantage of resources at university. For example, students should not be afraid to reach out to professors and ask questions, or even brainstorm ideas with them. They can ask questions in lectures, tutorials, and most importantly during the teachers' office hours. They will be amazed how much professors can help them understand the materials and on top of that, how willing they are in sharing their experiences so students can gain a better understanding of different aspects of career development. Professors also have contacts with industry experts so students may be able to invdve in projects and apply what they have learnt in class, as well as understand practicable solutions in the field. Ke Khelrin concluded with this very important note: 11 Getting a HeadStart Internship X Mentorship X Fellowship The HeadStart@HKUST Program carries the mission to offer HKUST's first- and second-year undergraduate students a 'head start' in this increasingly global, competitive and dynamic society, through an early workplace immersion and career development scheme. Three major program components - 'Internship', 'Mentorship', and 'Fellowship' - are designed to provide our students - the HeadStart Fellows - with a holistic experience of workplace training and early career immersion. Aligning with the HKUST core values, this Program is raising our Fellows to be embracers of the 'cando' spirit. With the collaborative efforts of our educators, business partners, and elite corporate mentors, the Program also expands the Fellows' horizons and equips them with the vision and capacity to become instrumental future leaders. HeadStart @HKUST 36·37 (Arabian proverb) - Avoiding the Top Pitfalls of CV and Cover Letter Writing Kenneth So Part-time Instructor, Career Center a) Tailored to the job. St ate your specific objective and pen your profile to meet the job requirement. Be specific. A good match is far better than well qualified. Avoid vague statement like, 'seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth.' Hiring managers are not interested in what a candidate wants. Focus on the employer's needs as well as yours. Example: 1:nt,y 1eve1 that arcws contribute my IT skills in the 'FMCG sector: c) Write with nouns and verbs. You must remember that when you make mistakes on your CV and Cover Letter, the damages are irreparable once your prospective employer gets them! It is essential to be original and flawless in authorship. I use the word authorship in the sense that you create your own CV and Cover Letter. Don't download samples from the internet. If you can download a sample CV or Cover Letter, so do many others. Don't copy. Be yourself! And I am sure you will look like a triton among minnows. Compose your own masterpiece. Utilize online resources e.g. Grammarly - the free online Grammar Checker and Proof-reader. There is no single correct way to write a CV and Cover Letter and you must observe the following fundamentals: b) A clear layout. If your CV consists of say 3-5 different fonts, bold and italics, it will most likely give the reader a headache. Only one font (Arial or Times New Roman) should be used. The format can be conservative or a little stylish depending on the fields or industry that you are in. Show your CV to your friends. If they find it hard on the eyes, revise. Write with nouns and verbs, not with adjectives and adverbs. And use the active voice. 38·39 Top 10 CV and Cover Letter mistakes to avoid 0 Typos and grammatical errors. Your CV and cover letter must be flawless! Don't give your prospective employer the impression that you can't write or is a careless person. Review your document carefully and read you document out loud to try to discover any possible errors. 0 Failed to use action verbs. Employers are looking for statements like: Collected data and used MATLAB to analyze and design ... Developed two daily activities for ... and prepared them for ... 0 Casual language. The tone of your CV and Cover Letter should sound professional and business-like throughout - slang must be excluded. 0 Failed to prioritize data presentation. If education is an important qualification it should be presented before Work History. If work experience and certain special skills e.g. IT and/or certain task-specific software are a premium, mention them first. 0 Too long. There is no correct page length for a CV. The document is as long as it has to be in order to provide a clear picture of your good self. Professionals with many years of working experience may most likely have two pages. At graduate level, a modest one-page CV will suffice. 0 Boring. Make your CV as dynamic as possible. Don't be too verbose. If you can make your point in three words, don't use four. Less is more. Begin every statement with an action verb. Use active voice to describe what you have accomplished in past jobs. Avoid repeating words. 0 Obviously generic. Many CV shouts, 'I need a job - just any jobs!' Please bear in mind, the hiring manager needs to feel or identify that you are interested in that particular position with his/her company. 0 Unnecessary detail. Don't include marital status, age, sex, height, weight, blood type etc. Being too modest. Leaving off important information or experience that is more important to employers than you might think (e.g. picked up Spanish language during a 3-month exchange program in The University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain). The CV showcases your abilities and qualification in competition with others. So put your best foot forward with facts and figures. 0 Incorrect contact information. Your CV is well written and incredibly strong but isn't getting any response from prospective employers. It might turn out that your email address and contact number were wrong and your prospective employer could not reach you. So, check your CV and Cover Letter carefully before you press send! How to Stand Out in a Group Discussi Anna Champion Part-time Instructor, Career Center Founder & CEO, The Talent Lighthouse Just when you feel comfortable that your interviewing skills are up to par, comes the often unpredictable group exercise. There are so many different factors that contribute to the uncertainty of what is going to evolve. Which is exactly why a group exercise is a very valuable tool to test how you will deal with different situations. From the people dynamics, to the type of task you are given, to the changing circumstances to the fact that all this happens whilst being observed and assessed - no wonder it is often dreaded. So how do you ensure you stand out in a group discussion? Herearethreetop .Jips Focus on the task at hand No matter what happens with a group exercise ultimately you are being assessed on your ability to finish a task that has been set for you. This could be to build some elaborate physical structure, answer a business problem or to come up with a solution to an abstract survival situation. Whatever it is your group needs to come up with a suitable answer. Ensure you read through all the details of the task set carefully and set out at the beginning how you will dedicate your time to ensure that you are focused and successful. Clarify that you all understand what you are aiming to do and also clear up any areas that could be misinterpreted. If someone goes off topic or causes friction in the group bring them back to the task at hand and remind them that you have a set time period to come to a conclusion. This also can work in your favor if others don't see your perspective. 'I see things slightly differently but in the interests of the overall purpose of the group, let's go with your idea' is much more powerful than 'ok then' . Get personal You are being tested for your ability to work with others. People feel way more inclined to cooperate with you if you utilize their names and are friendly. Start the session by briefly introducing yourself and noting the other's names. Note if someone is finding the group situation difficult and encourage them into the conversation 'James do you have anything to add?' - they will be eternally grateful to you whilst you will look like you are incredibly adept at relationship building and have great emotional intelligence. 40·41 Be authentic • Yes you may need to refine your skills to be the best version of yourself in the exercise and yes you may feel like this is a very unnatural setting yet, the best candidates are as true to themselves as they can be without performing a role. There is a reason why writing a manual on being a leader is tough because there are lots of different approaches to lead a group. Not every company needs to recruit extroverted leaders. Most organizations look at the different roles you can play and also the selfawareness of what you would do to improve if you were given the chance to do the task again. Know your strengths and focus on them. Being true to yourself you also stand a better chance at getting the right offer where you will feel happy and comfortable rather than playing a part that feels unnatural. Hopefully by now you are feeling more confident about the group discussion. Rest assured I have seen hundreds of group discussions and mostly the candidates find them fun. There is normally a fair amount of laughter and often the assessors like the informality compared to the formal interview or case interview. The best thing you can do right now to prepare is to attend one of the sessions hosted by Career Center and experience for real a group discussion. Although the added pressures of a real assessment center won't be present at least you will be familiar with the types of exercises you may encounter. FEEL THE BEAT FROM THE TAMBOURINE I have always loved dancing since I was in primary school. I first started to learn to dance in the Chinese Dance Club in my primary school. However, after a year, I quit the class due to time clashes with other extracurricular activities. I did not join any dance classes until Secondary 5. Actually I already had a strong desire to resume dancing when I began secondary school but I was worried that my parents would not let me spend money on this hobby. Moreover, my parents would rather I play the piano. Later, when I was preparing for the public exam, my parents did not allow me to take piano classes anymore and personally I did not want to spend all my time on studying only, so I picked up dancing again by joining a studio. When I came to HKUST, I joined the Dance Society. I met a lot of good friends with the same interest there. To' Through dancing, I've discovered that I am a perfectionist; I want to do really well at performances and I therefore spend a lot of time to practice again and again. I'm proud of my perseverance, coping with less sleep for several years in university. I went to classes and finished assignments in the morning and afternoon. At night, I practiced with my dance team usually till midnight. Actually all my spare time was spent on dance practices and revision for tests and exams. Despite the challenges, I enjoyed myself very much every time I heard the music and moved my body. I was nervous when dancing on the stage but still, being a performer felt good and I was glad to share my passion for dancing with the audience. Since I usually joined performances and competitions with a team, my teammates' support also gave me courage to face the difficulties. We practiced hard together and trust was gradually built. We gave each other confidence when dancing onstage, which to us was sharing the piece with the audience and/ or judges. At a few performance openings, I also did solo. I told myself to calm down and focus on the music so as to overcome the nervousness. SEE THAT GIRL, WATCH THAT SCENE ... I was also fortunate to have had the chance to perform in some pop concerts. I was very excited when a dance tutor gave me a chance to be a supporting cast in JW's (Joey Wong's) concert. It was my first time to dance with a famous singer onstage. I did my best in the rehearsals to impress the choreographer; I wanted to prove that I was worth being chosen. Later, I also had another chance to be a member of the supporting cast in Joyce Cheng's concert. I was very happy as the choreographer trusted my ability and gave me yet another chance to perform with a singer onstage. The same choreographer also invited me to dance with JW in Gala Spectacular ). a TVB live show that took place in Hong Kong Coliseum. It was my first time to perform live on a TV show. I was very nervous as I could not make any mistakes during the performance. I felt so accomplished after it! This TVB live show is indeed the most challenging experience I've had so far as a professional dancer. In that performance, dry ice was used for special effects, making the ground very slippery. I was wearing high heels and there were also several ground movements on the floor. I was so worried that I would fall on the ground during the performance. To overcome this, I focused my strength on my feet and legs to steady my posture. It turned out really well. I Am The Dancing Queen Life as a Dancer KALENA YEUNG Part-time Dancer and Dance Tutor BBA in Marketing UNIVERSITY LIFE You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life ... I would describe my life at HKUST as busy, unforgettable, challenging. Busy: Since joining the Dance Society, I had a tight practice schedule for team training, as well as rehearsals for performances and competitions. At the same time, I needed to work part-time so that I could pay for my daily expenses as well as the dance classes. Unforgettable: The events organized by the Dance Society that I joined in Years 1 and 2 were indeed unforgettable. I miss the time dancing with my teammates very much. We danced, played and studied together in HKUST every day. I developed some g:xxl friendships there. Challenging: As you can imagine, balancing between work, dance and studies was hard. In fact, I had to defer my graduation. If I could go back in time, I would have worked harder academically. If I had graduated earlier actually I would have been able to spend more time on dancing! LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST 42·43 AND WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE I would like to encourage students to It is difficult to strike a balance between work and interests when one starts working so the best time to devote more time to your interests is when you are in university. So, while you can still afford the time, do what you want to and always do your best in pursuing your dreams. Of course, it is also important to take care of your academic studies so you can graduate on time! Engineering Success PhD thesis does not need to be a masterpiece; degree is a driving license, taking you a ride to the world.' KELVIN SIN Consultant, Consulting and Sustainability- ARUP PhD in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Currently a Consultant of Consulting, Policy and Sustainability at ARUP, Kelvin has ample experience in both research and practice in the field of Engineering. Be inspired by his passion and curiosity - whether you are an aspiring engineer or not! Q: What was it like working as a graduate engineer for the government? A: After completing my bachelor's degree in HKUST, I joined the two-year engineering graduate training scheme as a graduate mechanical engineer via the annual graduate engineer recruitment of Bectrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. For those of you who are interested in the scheme, please make sure you don't miss the deadline which is usually at the end of the year. For me, the selection only invdved one short interview and I received the offer in September. My first job gave me a very good start of career. Firstly, the scheme showed me clearly what the job of a graduate engineer looked like: During the twoyear training period, I rotated to different divisions of EMSD and other government departments to receive in-service training in related disciplines, which opened my eyes to different engineering projects and faci lities. Secondly, this scheme by EMSD is categorized by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) as Graduate Scheme 'A', which basically means that it is a fast track to gaining professional qualification - what some people would call being 'chartered'. Q: What are the differences between working for the government and in private sector? A: The government is pdicy driven while the private sector is market driven. Work culture within the government is relatively regular and stable; yet the scope of services and job nature is diverse as the government is consisted of a lot of different bureaus and departments. The government has to balance the interests of many stakeholders in order to achieve safety, reliability, fairness and sustainability. For instance, the reliability of some facilities and services, such as traffic control towers in airport, is critical. Engineers may need to stand by day and night when necessary, especially in emergencies such as typhoons. In this sense, government has more constraints. For the private sector, making profit is their first priority. The tasks are relatively straight-forward yet the pace of work is fast. For example, some bidding proposals have to be submitted within one month after the tender invitations. Understanding the vision of the organization, and evaluating whether that aligns with your value is an important step in making a choice between the two. Q: Why did you decide to pursue a doctoral degree after having worked in both government and private sectors? What was your research topic? A: The global economic downturn due to the financial crisis in 2002 resulted in a suspension of recruitment in many government departments. As a result many graduate trainees in the government had to look for jobs in the private sector. I chose to do a fulltime MSc program before finding a job again. I am a very curious person and I wanted to explore the various fields of Engineering. After that I worked for a main contractor as an assistant environmental engineer for a year befcre starting my PhD program. I like to use this analogy: knowledge is a treasure and practice is the key to it. I believed that my research training and wcrk experiences would equip me to encounter different challenges in the future. I spent eight years on my PhD and it has indeed been the most challenging experience in my life so far. What challenged me most was that I needed to solve a problem from scratch - first by understanding its nature and then tackling it step by step, from the most basic levels. My research was to develop a new and efficient computational fluid dynamics sdver based on Gas-kinetic theory, drawing also on the comput ation technology of graphical processing unit (GPU). This solver is particularly useful for a better understanding of the aerodynamic loads on spacecraft. My supervisor supplied the vision - a dream he'd like to see come true - and I contributed my technical skills. It felt like I was guided by some stars in the sky and I was fascinated like a child. This process is critical, allowing me to develop a good sense and attitude in scientific research. Q: In your opinion, what makes a good consultant? A: First, possessing research and analytical skills is important. Every problem is unique and having a research mindset allows us to solve the problem logically and systematically. Lots of problems are too complex for us to grasp but logical thinking certainly helps. For example, before understanding and dealing with a problem we should first be able to describe it in the simplest and most concise terms. In other words, one first needs to simplify the problem and apply a good rule of thumb to recast it. Then a solution may emerge. Also, a good consultant should be a good learner. Obviously no one can solve all the problems in the world. We need to keep learning by ourselves and also to cooperate with others such as the contractors, and those from the academia and regulatory organizations to formulate comprehensive solutions. In fact this is what makes work enjoyable, which in turn helps one stay motivated and perform better every time. Finally I believe a good consultant respects and learns from traditions of the industry they belong to. When working out a solution, the traditional practices, 44·45 standards and reference projects can provide insights. Q: Can you share with us one project you've worked on in your current job? A: I involved in the assessment of the technical feasibility of a district cooling system for a project site. We needed to consider the environmental, heritage, financial, and technical requirements, and build a financial model to estimate the viability of the cooling energy charging as compared to conventional water cooling air-conditioning systems. I applied multidisciplinary engineering knowledge such as that from Civil, Mechanical, Financial, and Environmental Engineering, trying my best to quantify impact of the project on society and balance the benefits of different stakeholders. Q: What insights have you gained from working in and studying Engineering that can be applied to other aspects of life? A: I believe it's very important to find a job that iss uitable for you. Personally, sdving engineering problems gives me great happiness. Find out what is inside of you - You need to believe that t here's a treasure hidden in the depths of your mind, a treasure that has yet to be unveiled. I've heard a lot of young people ask if what they're studying is relevant to what they're going to do in the future. It is now clear to me that both research and practice are important; projects are collective endeavors. All of us in different positions are equally important. Also, Also, never say never - the results can be beyond your expectation if you are willing to try. Join different kinds of activities including those organized by junior professional organizations, where you can have a quick understanding of the corresponding industry. Finally, manage your university life well. To live university life or life in general to the fullest isn't only about working harder but figuring out the systems within. CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Schools and Department-based Career workshops: to school-based admissions, To cope with the chang tith the various h been collabora ng career Center as offering different kinds of schools and departments, ' programs to cater different students needs. Personal Management Workshops: Career Interest Exploration through STRONG Interest Inventory Knowing Yourself through MBTI Fashion Styling, Skincare and Makeup Business Etiquette Personal Branding & Networking The First 90 Days at the Workplace Professional Portrait-taking Delivering a Powerful Self- Introduction Building Professional Relationship Through Effective Networking Communication Survival Skills in Workplace Becoming a Global Citizen: Working and Living Around the World Developing Business Acumen for Non-Business Students

Students from all years and disciplines can benefit greatly from our extensive range of interesting and interactive programs to develop better se/funderstanding, industry knowledge and job search skills, as well as establish important connections and gain useful insights. Job Huntinro kills Training: • CV and Cover Letter Writing • Interviewing Skills • Mock Interview Practices • Group Discussion Practices • Developing a Linkedin Profile and Managing Social Media • Handling Multiple Job Offers • Police Inspectorate Selection Training Program • Leadership Selection Exercises for Disciplinary Forces • How to Write a Professional Personal Statement Info Sessions, Industry sem Sharing: mars & Experience • Industry Sharing • Management Trainee Sharing • Overview of the Com R (CRE) and B . La mon ecrwtment Examination asc w Test (BLT) Overview of Mainland an and Overseas Internship pportunrtres Working in China' Sharing Information Session for Non-Local Students Management Consulting 101 - An Insider's exspective CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS The trainer shared his rich experience on how to reach people through highly interactive activities. The workshop is relevant to non-business students.' (Developing Business Acumen for Non-Business Students) 'I got some 1ns1ghtful suggestions from other students 1n the workshop. Now I know how to handle job interviews in Job inteNiews) after attending the MBTI workshop, I am able to use my personality preference as a guide to finding my strengths.

I especially like the sharing in the debriefing session' (Knowing Yourself Through MBTI) 'The speaker is very experienced. I enjoyed the interactive, concise yet very informative presentation.' (Career Design Workshop - Selecting and Negotiating an Internship) 'I had the chance to practise responding to real-life situations in the workshop. The trainer gave very clear instruct ions (Leadership Selection Exercises for Disciplinary) ••••••• 'The speaker showed great finesse and understanding of the selection process, and provided tips related to the job. I like the part where current management trainees from different industries shared their experiences.' ./'4 (Management Trainee Sharing Session) ~ 'Love this workshop! The trainer gave a lively presentation be fore we tried our hand at a mock networking event.' (Professional Networking Etiquette) Smart Living - Do What You Love And Love What You Do PHOEBE YANG Marketing Management Trainee - Hong Kong Telecom BBA in Marketing & Management DISCOVER I am now Marketing Management Trainee at Hong Kong Telecom (HKT), and this is my first job after I graduated from H KUST. Before taking up the job, I went through a long journey of job search in my final year of studies: I spent a lot of time attending career-related events, searching for jobs, submitting applications and going through the interview processes of different job positions. In fact, starting from my third year in university, I joined different kinds of career-related events in university and they helped me a lot. For example, the that I took helped me with my resume and cover letter writing and prepared me in dealing with different kinds of interview formats. I also started pondering on what employers look for in an employee, and had the chance to meet and talk with some very experienced recruiters in various industries. Moreover, through 4-4-Alks. and VA~ Music., on campus, I gained a better understanding of different industries and caught a glimpse of what working in these industries was like in real life. DEVELOP My also provided me with lots of learning opportunities and equipped me with work skills. In Shanghai, I worked for Radica Shanghai, a company that consolidates and verifies databases for direct marketing for clients. The idea is to effectively turn big data into useful information at lower costs for better results. During the intern ship, one of my tasks was to write a proposal for a game design project on Weibo. I was glad that my idea was approved by my supervisor and was well received by the clients. I wish I had asked for the chance to further follow the project till the game was successfully launched. It was my first marketing internship and because of my lack of work experience, I was often afraid to voice my desires. Looking back, I regret not having asked more proactively for more learning opportunities. - and sometimes opportunities do not present themselves, but are pursued. This experience reminds me all the time of the importance of fighting for every possible learning opportunity. Now, at my current job, my target is not only to finish what I am assigned to do, but I also grasp every opportunity to learn and know more. My second overseas internship was with O Close Spain. This time, I was better prepared and knew how to better manage my expectations for the job. Still, I had never expected that the work hours in Spain would be so different from that in Hong Kong! Since I lived a bit far away from the office, my supervisor allowed me to start working at 11 am while their lunch break started at 2pm, which meant my morning work session was only three hours tong. I also for example, regarding lunchtime habits: My Spanish colleagues liked to enjoy a relaxing lunchtime chitchatting with colleagues, and drinking wine at noon was common; whereas in Hong Kong, we often talk about work or even do business over lunch. I appreciate how the Spanish value relationship with family and friends and for them, work is only one of the many parts of life. With all the information I gathered from attending career events and my internship experiences in Shanghai and Spain, as well as seeing my interests and strengths, I decided to look for a job in marketing. What attracted me is that it is an ever-changing industry. To like, I applied mainly to marketing positions and finally landed a job with HKT. 48·49 DEVOTE As Marketing Management Trainee at HKT, I rotate to various marketing departments of the company. This provides me with the opportunity to understand the different lines of business within the company. Marketing involves a lot from brainstorming to implementation, from progress monitoring to Key Performance Indicators (KPI) evaluation; the skills and knowledge needed in every step are different and H KT is well-established, not only offering telecommunications services like broadband but also expanding their business to other fields. For example, Smart Living offers a one-stop solution for home automation and network needs, as welt as an array of smart gadgets. Most importantly, the company offers me M~I'~, which are the most important things for fresh graduates like myself. Within marketing, projects often involve either brand building or sate-driven promotion. Job related to branding building is quite interesting white sales-driven promotion is more about everyday operation, which is relatively repetitive. To be honest, I like event-based activities more. Of course, as a junior, I also about the daily operation of the company. The tasks can be dull, but I also understand they are necessary for the success of the company. Hopefully, in the future I will have the chance to be invdved in higher level management, when all my previous experiences will have made me into a well rounded person, and helped me to better see the whole picture. All in all, and I still make the most out of them. DARE Of course, my job is not without challenges, and it was particularly difficult when I first began as a trainee. Once, I was working on a big project for brand building of our company, which involved a new award in the interior design industry. We needed to cooperate with different parities such as the web team for webpage building, Group Legal Office and Regulatory Affairs for the wording of publications, and Market Communication Department for media planning and event operations. At Marketing, our role was the coordinator of the project. Due to time limitations, we had to persuade the collaborators to prioritize the project. There were only three people on my team: the assistant vice president, my manager and myself. Since my manager was too busy with other tasks, I was the one to ensure that everything was done before the deadline. However, I thought I was young and fresh in the company, and as a result did not do much when some parties overlooked the deadline. Fortunately, my manager told me nicely that the deadline had to be strictly observed; if any part of the work were not finished by the deadline, the progress of the whole project would be significantly disturbed. And since our team was the coordinator, we had to be tough and make sure that the schedule was followed so that everything could run smoothly. Times like this are not easy and As a newbie in the industry, I still have a lot to learn. Changes and challenges are inevitable and they can sometimes be difficult. But instead of complaining or being defeated by them, I would like to face and resolve them. Somehow I enjoy this process very much as I understand that overcoming the challenges is necessary for me to grow. After dealing with them, I feel like I have just gained something and become more mature, and taken a step closer to the 'better me'. The encouragement and understanding of my friends and family are also important to me. They give me the strength to meet challenges. I am lucky to have met some good friends in H KUST. Even after graduation, we have stayed in touch and meet regularly. We keep each other posted of our lives and share both good and bad news at work and in life. They have always been my emotional support, which I very much treasure. Though there are challenges, I, and I am happy to keep growing with my companions. DREAM The most important piece of advice I would give current students is to Subject knowledge is import ant but it is just the foundation for you to understand more as there is still so much to learn when you start working. Yes, the field of my career is the same as my major at university. But throughout my school life and during the internships, I discovered that I am indeed interested in marketing and that is why I would like to spend most of my time in this area. Instead of your major, knowing your interest is more important. Also, it is never too late to learn new things. Having joined the workforce for almost a year now, I have come to realize that what's the most valuable in university life is time. Knowing that you only have 14 days of annual leave, you would know that having summer and winter breaks is a luxury. Taking a good rest during holidays is surely one of the most enjoyable activities. But to fully utilize the long holidays, something more should be done. Studying in university is more than attending lessons, but There are different kinds of local and overseas internships, placements, career talks, community services, workshops, courses and study tours available. They may not necessarily be related to your field of studies or you may not see how they are helpful for your career development at the time, but trust me -you will never regret joining them. When you leave school, you will discover that these experiences are worthwhile and appreciate how they have made you into who you are then. Your career. Your way. #lt Starts Here LAU TSZ FUNG Associate, J.P. Morgan BEng (Computer Science) 50· 51 How did you start your career? Can you tell us something about your first job hunting experience? It was a long exploration journey - I spent the first 2 years of my university life figuring out what I want to do with my career. I studied Computer Science and wanted to work as a programmer - it's only logical that I explore my options with a technology firm. So I did an internship with a mobile game company in Science Park that develops various Android and iOS games. I love programming but I don't want to do the same thing for my entire career. I want diversity and different exposures. I began looking into technology roles in a non-traditional technology firm while staying true to my calling as a technologist. Many of my peers were considering joining investment banks as it's the most popular choice among business students. I wondered if investment banks hire programmers too. The answer is obvious but it may be a surprise to many IT students - yes they do. After doing some research, made a few applications and attended a few interviews, I was accepted into J.P. Morgan's Technology Analyst Internship Program. The 10-week program gave me an eye-opening experience - I had a chance to participate in real project, did hands-on programming, learned about the financial services industry, how it works, and developed systems that enable the operation of the fi rm. It was a turning point of my career - I decided to continue my journey with J.P. Morgan and accepted my return offer after graduation. What are the differences between working in gaming industry and banking industry? Any suggestions to your fellows on decision making process if they have to choose among these two? Always put your interest first. If you are clear with what you want, you should definitely go for it. The chances for you to succeed in an industry you are interested is always higher. The prospect in gaming industry is quite vd atile - an interesting game doesn't guarantee popularity, and a popular game doesn't guarantee revenue. But if you hit the market at the right time with the right elements, you may make a big hit in a very short time. I think it's suit able for those who are adventurous and are comfortable with uncertainties. The prospect for the financial services industry is relatively more promising. The career development path is well structured in banking, and opportunities are always there for top talents. It suits those who are looking for meritocracy and great career development. Can you share the most challenging experience at this point of your career? What gave you the courage or motivation in every change? After working in J.P. Morgan Corporate & Investment Banking Technology as a project manager for almost 2 years, I was offered a rde in Asset & Wealth Management Technology as an application developer. J.P. Morgan promotes mobility which allows employees to move around different functions, businesses and even locations to gain different exposures within the firm. It was a great opportunity and I took on the challenge. It wasn't easy- I haven't been ddng much programming ever since I left university and I don't know what Asset & Wealth Management is about. It didn't help that I made the transition in the middle of my promotion evaluation year. I had less than six months to learn about Asset & Wealth Management and prove my capabilities or I'll miss the promotion. It was really challenging . I'm thankful t hat J.P. Morgan focuses on employee development and fosters culture of collaboration. My team was very supportive of my transition - they took time out of their busy schedules to teach me all the new technologies and business knowledge I needed to perform. My managers gave me a lot of insightful advice and guidance, and worked closely with me to design a development plan to help me overcome the steep learning curve. They were mindful to assign me with projects that I can leverage my strengths, demonstrate my capabilities and set me up for success. I was able to get back on track very quickly and earned my promotion. It was a huge boost in my career, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and the support I've received from my team. Apart from technical competencies, what are the other 2 attributes that are important to a successful Associate at J.P. Morgan? VoMMM~ttot\ N\4l c..oltAbot'Attot\ - these two attributes are much more important than technical competencies because it is all about teamwork at J.P. Morgan. Technical competencies can help you perform your task, but collaboration brings everyone's ideas and effort together to deliver the best solution. A positive attitude to collaborate with others is always essential to success. Good communication skills can help you arti culate your thought to the others accurately and concisely; reducing unnecessary conflicts and eventually achieves smooth collaborations. 52·53 Fintech is becoming more and more popular. What advice would you give comments would you give to those who are interested in this field? FinTech is about changing the way financial services industry works with innovation and technology. Hence, it is important to understand how the industry works, where the challenges and opportunities lie, and the laws and regulations that applies. If There is no better way to understand the industry than immersing yourself in it. J.P. Morgan is essentially a technology firm in its own right - with over 40,000 technologists globally and investing over USO 9 billion in technologies every year are keeping us ahead of the game. The firm is developing innovative FinTech solutions like COIN (a machine learning system which reviews commercial loans agreement and saves 360,000 man hours annually). At J.P. Morgan, you'll get a good experience and knowledge on how technology applies in the financial services industry to embark on your career in FinTech. Any tips to students on how to live a university life to the fullest? When I was in university, I received emails from the Career Center almost everyday on all different kind of opportunities - from internship openings to volunteer works, from recruitment talks to part time work to earn extra pocket money - and many other opportunities that I never thought I could get my hands on. I read all my emails religiously. In fact, I came across J.P. Morgan's recruitment talk and the internship opportunity via an email from the H KUST Career Center. The Science Of Marketing KARINE WU Marketing Executive - The Madison Group Asia BSc in Biochemistry, with a minor in Business Management SCIENCE STUDENTS= LAB COATS? I started as an account manager for business development in the beauty care sector. Many people was surprised to find out that the job was unrelated to my field of studies in school. University is of no question a great place that nurtures specialists of particular fields. At the same time it is also a platform for students to build their own rafts and get ready to sail towards various destinations. True - I was a Science students, but more importantly, I am a very curious person; I am always excited to learn about different companies so as to gain understanding of society and opportunities out there. Just like looking for references in the school library, for this knowledge about the job market, I turned to our Career Center. Thanks to the great resources HKUST provided, I was able to connect with the employer of my graduate job through a career talk and was fortunate enough to be granted an offer. SEEING THE BEAUTY OF MARKETING For my first job, I worked in a sales department for two years. I had the opportunity to cooperate with many other departments in the company, and sales and marketing were inseparable. Working with the marketing team, I learnt to appreciate how cdleagues there, through their creativity and sharpness of mind to correctly position a brand in the market, pave ways for sales to finally win customers over. So instead of staying in the same role for a long time, I was determined to explore a new area so as to equip myself with more work skills. Switching to marketing has indeed allowed me to experience something very different and certainly been beneficial for my early career. I believe, by exploring different possibilities, we will be able to find out what interests us most - something that suits our personalities and capabilities in the long run. LEARNING NEVER STOPS This experience of taking up a new role in a different field helps me realize that sometimes employers value our adaptability - the ability to learn and to pick up new skills quickly, even more than how much we already know. Thus, having strong motivation to constantly look for new challenges by taking up different job duties is especially important in one's early career. Not only can we always learn from new experiences, but training our ability to learn through practices would one day allow us to stand out from others who may have lost the drive to learn when no longer guided in a school system. This is no doubt a stepping out of one's comfort zone and could be challenging. To me, UNCOMPROMISING IN PURSUING PERFECTION My current job focuses on the ultra-luxury market in Asia. Customers in the market lead a premium lifestyle, and our products and services help them maintain the luxurious social circle and build deluxe home interior. The company therefore insists only serving the top 1 to 2% of the high-end population, a relatively small number of clients. Its success comes from an uncompromising attitude; we pursue perfection in our products. Working in this company has given me the unusual experience to revel in the spirit of craftsmanship, the staff's persistence as well as an appreciation for the beauty of living. TRUE LEADERSHIP: UNDERSTANDING ANO INSPIRING PEOPLE Making the most out of what we do definitely begins earlier than our first job. University has the best resources and people network to support anyone with the passion to create an impact. I am glad I contributed to community services but if I could do it again, I would do even more. Many of us have acted as leaders in HKUST, but few manage to seize the opportunity to practice and demonstrate true leadership. My awareness and confidence in leading people at that time limited my influence in terms of inspiring more people to join hands in serving our society. We could have made a bigger difference if I were more mindful of understanding and connecting with people. I hope HKUST students would believe PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT~ ACQUIRING BOOK KNOWLEDGE 54·55 Personal development is much more than acquiring book knowledge. I was excited to go on exchange in Stanford, being in a new environment where I could stretch myself and grow. The most challenging experience at Stanford was striking a balance between managing a tight study schedule and building relationship with classmates from all over the world. During that time, I never woke up with enough sleep and yet I needed to engage in lots of discussion with different people in classes, which emphasized the sharing of ideas among students. The study culture in Stanford was very different from that in Hong Kong and the interactions were intense. However, I had the courage and motivation to face the challenges because I very much treasured the opportunity to learn there. I met the most enthusiastic people and had access to the best knowledge. GO THE EXTRA MILE I know it's a cliche but university is indeed only the beginning of the journey of lifelong learning, and the road ahead is long! Be true to yourselves when figuring out your interests and strengths. For Science students, please do not limit what you can do because of your background and experience. 'INJECT A HEAVY DOSE OF INTELLIGENCE, PERSEVERANCE ANO GRATITUDE TO LIFE' People often equate success with being smart and hardworking, but I believe it should not stop there. For me, cherishing life and caring not only for ourselves but also the wellbeing of those around us are important, and these give me a sense of purpose. That is why I consider intelligence, perseverance and gratitude to be very important, and I live by these values. GOOD ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ... ANO MORE! Never limit your development to only pursuing good academic results. University is more about shaping you into a better person in understanding people and society, and enabling you to find your own direction. Make good use of the resources available in university to fuel your personal development and benefit from different experiences. Just Around rile River bend BEVERLY KWAN JCT Graduate Trainee, PCCW Solutions Limited BSc in Biological Science NO OFFERS - WHAT DO I DO NOW? Hunting for my first job wasn't easy. At the beginning of the fall semester of my last year of studies, I applied for many different jobs on platforms such as JIJIS and jobsDB. At that time, I had no direction and no preferences regarding the job nature nor the industry. I was invited to a few interviews, but received no otters. Because of the failures I started to feel very frustrated and desperate. Later, in the spring semester, I decided to -h\~e- .f-ke- ~~ °&Kil.!~ VOK\'s.e-, which later inspired me to think about elements that needed careful consideration during job search, such as what jobs would suit my character and what I really wanted to acquire through the job. I started to see a direction. Eventually I decided to join an IT startup mainly because Compared to that of other developed countries in Asia, the IT development in Hong Kong has been lagging behind. I believed that both the government and enterprises would focus on IT development in the near future, and I therefore began my career in the industry. LITTLE KNOWLEDGE- HOW SHOULD I COPE? However, my lack of knowledge in the area proved to be a challenge. Being a sales representative in a small app studio, I played multiple roles. At the very beginning, I was a consultant, giving advice to clients even though I knew practically nothing about the technical aspects of their inquiries. I needed to learn very fast and no one was there to teach me pati ently as they were all very busy doing their own work. Apart from the job itself, communicating with colleagues was a huge challenge for me. Most of them had the technical background, so they tended to talk about techy stuff, which was like a foreign language to me. It's almost as if we were born on different planets! Thankfully, I started to enjoy the job after two months; I s.+oppw b.t.i~ A c..oHA\'.l N\J WiW 'IW'~ kN.l +o (lt,NI\ the basic knowledge of designing and developing apps and websi tes. Of course my performance was still far from meeting the expectations of my colleagues. To be very honest, the fact that I was not good at what I did bothered me and occupied my thoughts. I tried to o'IW'c..oMe--H\is. -H\lt,I\ ~ foc..Ks.i~ ol\ M~ l\u-.l fo..- Ajob; after all, I needed to earn a living. Facing the reality is hard but is often most convincing reason for staying on a job. I'm not saying that we should just find a job that allows us to make money and give up all our dreams or whatever we're pursuing. What I'm instead saying is that not everyone has a dream in their 20s; perhaps many of us in fact just don't want to be unemployed. When thinking about the consequences I would have to bear if I lost my job, I b~M +o s.u--H\eb.,~ k+ s.i.le- or tt4 - Having said that, after working in that small company for half a year, I realized that I wasn't improving. People t here were nice but I wasn't learning any sales or other related skills from them. I felt lost. There weren't many things that could challenge me either; I merely needed to work for two to three hours every day. I knew it's time to go. I changed jobs and landed one with PCCW a big enterprise. I knew working for them GREAT PEOPLE- CAN I BE LIKE THEM? One of the things that fascinates me the most on my current job is that clients seeking mobile application development are mostly young and innovative, and some of their ideas are really impressive At the same time there are many successful business people wanting to develop apps for their businesses, which is now one of the hottest trends in our city. I've learnt a lot from them and particularly admire t heir passion and determination to develop their own businesses. They have also inspired me to reflect on what I am doing and what my own passion is. Meeting these passionate people is the most interesting part of my job with PCCW. 56·57 SCIENCE-CAN I DO SOMETHING ELSE? Looking back on my four years in HKUST, I do have a regret - I would like to have made more effort on my academic journey. Better academic performance would have given me more chances to try different jobs, and in different companies. Also, I really want to have had more internship experiences in different fields while I was still a student. I did participate in two very different internships: once as a marketer and another time a reporter. On both jobs, interestingly, I found that I was more responsible compared to the other interns. I realized that not everyone would pay attention to things I once thought everyone would do or care about. I also really enjoyed the feeling of 'leaving the comfort zone'. As you can see, bo+k jobs I'd like to encourage Science students who are thinking of going for a job in another industry to just do YOUTH -WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? For those who're still studying, make sure you do not forget your studies, no matter what. To live a university life to Join more volunteering work to broaden your horizons instead of staying in your own little world. Finally, think about the future, rather than have your mind fixated on your current situation. How to introduce yourself at an interview Kevin Ho Part-time Instructor, Career Center In my past 26 years' experience as an interviewer in the financial service industry, I have noticed some very specific attributes of candidates that have always seem to make them stand out and memorable. Very often, even if the position I offer may not be a good fit, I would recommend them (without them asking) to someone else who might offer a better position. So what's so special about them? Setting your intentions Before getting to the attributes, it is important that we first look at how to prepare yourself mentally before the interview. What are your intentions in the interview? They will guide all of your behavior during the interview and will be made known to the interviewer through what you say and how you say it. Even if it is your most important job opportunity, it is often not helpful to set the intention as 'getting the job' or impressing the interviewer. These intentions are heavily focused on a specific outcome and often result in a one-way dialogue, which may not be ideal for the interview. What motivates you I =- This is the reason why you show up. Be very clear about what attracts you to this profession and industry, and how it aligns with your values and beliefs. You may have a personal story about what led you to study the subject that you do and this is a great starting point. When something is personal, it's much easier to build an emotional connection with someone and for the person to resonate with your message. This is what makes you memorable. The intention here is to tell the person the true purpose of you pursuing this opportunity and how it relates to who you are. It could be anything (a social cause, a scientific vision, money, status, etc.) and there are no right or wrong answers, but it needs to be authentic. Use examples to illustrate your points and show your passion when using the examples. This is possibly the most important element of the introduction because if the authentic you do not strike a chord with interviewer in relation to the company values, then it is possible that it's not a good match. Condense the story to 5 minutes or less; every sentence has to serve a purpose and make an impact. Time spent crafting this message is possibly one of the most critical investments you wi 11 ever make. In this process you wi II al so find out whether you REALLY want this opportunity. ,. How you communicate In any workplace, you do not work with machines; you work with other people. Communication is key in establishing relationships and getting things done. So it's not just what you say - it's also how you say it. Choice of words, tone of voice, energy level and the way you look are all parts of your communication 'signature' - this combination gives you an external identity. Also relevant are the structure, sequence and relevance of what you say relative to the story you tell. Be aware of the 'personality' you are projecting - certain choice of words or tone of voice cause the interviewer to form perceptions of you that you may not intend to, e.g. over-confidence, lack of confidence, fear, pessimism, cynicism or even sarcasm. It is very hard to be someone you are not only at the interview - that 's why most people get stressed out at interviews. They are regularly checking in on themselves to remember to do this, not to do that, etc, which makes them very self-conscious. Very importantly, these are things you cultivate as a person on a day-to-day basis, not things to help you 'perform' at an interview. If you are unsure how you project yourself to others, ask for HONEST feedback from your friends. This awareness could actually help you become more confident because you can only make changes if you know what needs changing. 58·59

Doing your homework One of the best ways to demonstrate that you have done your homework is to ask a quality question. If you really care about this opportunity you would have read a lot about the company, the industry, the latest technology, regulatory and economic challenges and the competitive landscape. Never ask a question that you could have obtained the answer of from a public source. Ask the opinion of the person on one of the issues that interests you and the quality of the question itself would reveal to the person how much time and effort you have put into research and how much you actually care about the job. It is also a great opportunity for the interviewer to express their 'expert' opinion - another great way of establishing an emotional connection. Remember, every time you meet someone is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the world. You don't know who they might know and how that could influence your lives and career paths. Tell your story to as many people as you can; don't leave the practice to an interview. By the time you are in an interview, you appear in your authentic self. 00000 ~ Enroll via Student Information Systems (SIS) EJ 1-credit general education free elective * Self-exploration * Evaluation requirements of the Human Resources on a candidate's CV and cover letter * Alumni Sharing * Assessment Center simulations * Job offer management * Mock interview from industry professionals 'Se re.ody for the adve.ni\Jre. I had a o/e.ot one. he.re.. Now. rrs ~ur i\Jrn!' (D 'This is the. be.st course. I have. e.ve.r atte.nde.d in these. 4 ye.ors. You will be. inspired in e.ve.ry class! Se. sure. to 9rasp e.ve.ry chance. to le.orn~· Q 'A ':re.at course.! The. be.st le.arnin<3 e.xpe.rie.nce. in HllUST.' Q 'Come. to e.ve.ry class with an open mind, and tai'e. advanta9e. of all the fantastic opporlonitie.s that this c.lClSs of.fe.rs!· 00000 ~ Professional Development Course EJ for Research Postgraduates Career Development Modules are designed to empower students to start making plans for their career beyond academia. * Understondin9 the wori' world and job search strote.9ies * 1'resentin9 yourse\.f throu9h a winnin9 profile * Basic. job interview sl'i\\s such as preporin9 a powerful self-introduction * Networl'in9 sl'i\ls .for youn9 pro.fe.ssiono\s * &ettin9 throu9h a pone.\ interview * Networl'in9 practicum with indusir~ pro.fe.ssionols 60·61 Acknowledgements [.l] Publisher HKUST Career Center ['1 HKUST Editorial Team Grace Siu Camille Ip [a] Editor (Alumni Stories) Dr. Elaine Tang a BEST CAREER SERVICES SATISFACTION AWARD HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY .,..._.STIIIOM uoa:m.. BEST CAREER SERVICES SATISFACTION AWARD, UNIVERSUM 2017 9.t q:11~ CareerCenter [A] Contact Us Room 4001, 4/F (via Lift 4), Academic Building, Clearwater Bay, Kowloon [,'] Writers Helen Bannigan Anna Champion Kevin Ho [<->] Design Ambitious Associates [~] Printer Pixel Printing Limited a Lannie Lee Kenneth So Donna Tilley BEST EMPLOYABILITY RATING AWARD HONGKONG UNIVERSITY OF SOENCE AND TECHNDI.DGY TOP 2, BEST EMPLOYABILITY RATING AWARD, UNIVERSUM 2017 [g] Enauiries [OJ Opening Hours BEST UNIVERSITY BRAND PERCEPTION AWARD HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCI ENCE AND T ECHNDLOGY TOP 3, BEST UNIVERSITY BRAND PERCEPTION AWARD, UNIVERSUM 2017 Tel: +852 2358 6688 Fax: +852 2719 9412 Email: saocc@ust.hk http://career.ust.hk Monday to Friday: 08:45 - 13:00 Monday to Friday: 14:00 -17:30 J.) Saturday & Public Holidays: Closed -F-SC Career Center, HKUST Q. Not tor sale All rights reserved 譚紫驄 北京恆智財富投資管理公司 馮順儀 特區政府駐成都辨事處 移民投資 貸款業務 亙聯網銀行改革 四川成都 自治區