The HKUST Career Guide [2019]

Abstract

THE HKUST CAREER GUIDE The Career Center team is privileged to play a pivotal role in supporting our students’ career planning and employment. Our mission is to bridge between gown and town, between talents and opportunities, and between dreams and reality. 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 shared in this Career Guide, each person’s development and success takes different forms. Indeed, it is the uncertainty that makes life exciting. Are you ready to learn to be the captain of your ship? Career Center is here to partner with you along this invigorating journey. Cheryl Lee Head of Career Center Dean of Students’ Office Career Development Programs 8 Mistakes to Avoid in an Online Job Interview Donna Titley Career Development Modules Career Building Course 36 42 45 44 Advanced Search Kelvin Cheung Sustainable Excitement Cat Yim 38 34 iBanking - Bust some myths Sam Chui 40 Business Etiquette You Need to Know Cindy Cheng 30 Building Your Personal Brand Laura Cozijnsen 32 HKUST Internship Network (iNet) 20 Non-Local Students Working in Hong Kong 25 Breaking out from my comfort zone Jeff Li 22 The Intern Petr Pokorny 26 Business not as usual Vaishnavi Kaushik 28 10 Things to do before you start an internship Alice Cheung 18 Career Mosaic 16 Plan Your Path Job Search Ethics Lannie Lee Decode MT Assessment Anna Champion On-Campus Recruitment Calendar Career Consultation We Love Trial and Error! Andy Ng Be the change you want to see in the world Amy Wong 02 04 14 06 09 10 12 Year 1 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 understand your personality types through different psychological assessments like MBTI, STRONG 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. What gives you a competitive edge over others? How to make the most of your thousand days at HKUST ? 0203 Year 2-3 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 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 (GNED2510, SCIE1100 or SHSS1030), 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 4 This is it – the fi nal 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 joining a professional organization as a student member and attending events, conferences, competitions and social gatherings. Social media like Facebook and LinkedIn 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 fi rst phase of your entire career path. You will continue to equip yourself and whatever experience you will have gathered in your fi rst job will not be in vain. If you can’t fi nd 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. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS DURING THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS Networking 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 could 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 manners during the interaction is obviously the most important. Ethical networking also requires jobseekers to be proactive, positive, helpful, and keep promises, so they gain trust and add value to the relationships. Lannie Lee Part-time Instructor, Career Center Job Search Ethics Ethics is not something extraordinary or abstract. It can be seen through the way we act and having a set of principles that guides our decisions. Put simply, striving to be ethical is searching for good and right behavior. Throughout the job search process, jobseekers should exercise ethics, that is, display right behavior sincerely. Dealing with Job Offers Honor your commitment. Before accepting a job offer, think carefully whether the job or position suits your interests and career goals, as well as fi nancial, 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. Attending Interviews Etiquette: Our body talks; a good personal image and following a code of behavior help project confi dence and leave a positive fi rst impression. The way you carry yourself also shows whether you are well mannered, as well as your integrity and fl air, 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 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 fi rst 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: “What are the next steps in the interview process and how may I assist further?”. 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. CV Writing 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. Saying “Thank You”: Expressing goodwill is not just courteous, but a necessity. Send your thank you notes within two days to everyone involved. 0405 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 benefi t, consider what needs changing. Have the right attitude and demonstrate ethical behavior. If you have doubts or questions, come talk to the Career Advisors at Career Center! Benefi ts of Ethical Behavior Government Recruitment Schedule Government Recruitment Government recruitment follows a set timeline 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. • 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) SEP DEC • Register for Common Recruitment Exam (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT), which would be held in October. Late application will not be accepted. AUG • AO/EO: Attend Administrative Officer (AO)/Executive Officer (EO) recruitment talks on campus • AO/EO: Submit applications online • 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 OCT • AO Summer Internships: Submit applications via Career Center and attend selection interviews NOV Fall Term • AO Summer Internship: Offers announcements • AO (graduate positions): Offers announcements • Police Mentorship Program (PMP): Inauguration Ceremony • 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 Scheme (VTS): submit application via Career Center • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduates) Scheme (AUS): Offers announcements APR MAY • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduates) Scheme (AUS) and Police Mentoring Program (PMP): Attend selection interviews • Attend Career Mosaic and meet representatives from different government units • Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Program (PSSSIP) and Vacation Training Scheme (VTS): submit application via Career Center JAN MAR Spring Term • Attend Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) • Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Program (PSSSIP) • AO Summer Internship • Police Mentorship Program (PMP): Job attachment • Auxiliary Police (Undergraduate) Scheme (AUS): Training at Auxiliary Police Headquarters JUN JUN AUG Summer Term 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. Accounting Advertising/Marketing/Market Research/Public Relations Aviation/Transport/Logistics Architecture/Construction/Engineering Consultancy/Quantity Surveying Banking/Finance - Commercial Banks Banking/Finance - Investment Banks Banking/Finance - Private Equities/Hedge Funds/Asset Management/Fintech 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 Internet/Digital/e-Commerce Manufacturing/Machinery/Motor Vehicles/Automation 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 On-Campus Recruitment Schedule – by Industry On-campus Recruitment 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” 0607 Other Resources Online Job Vacancy Information “HKUST Job Board” on HKUST Career Center website Your one-stop shop for all graduate jobs and internships specifi cally targeted at HKUST students. These jobs are posted on the Career Center website: http://career.ust.hk  'Jobs & Internships' JIJIS (Joint Institutions Job Information System) All full-time university students can visit JIJIS 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 Building via Lift 4). Do drop by and take a look. Additional job-hunting resources c can be found at the HKUST Library. 0809 Career Consultation Ever have questions on your job searching journey? Confused about your road ahead and don’t know where to get 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, CV polishing, interview practice to job offer management, 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. Specifi c days of the week are reserved for different student groups: Undergraduates (UG) (Except June, July and August) Monday, Wednesday and Friday sessions are reserved for undergraduates from any programs. Postgraduates (PG) (Except June, July and August) Tuesday sessions are reserved for Research Postgraduates (RPGs, i.e. MPhil, PhD); Thursday sessions are reserved for Taught Postgraduates (TPGs. i.e. MSc., MA, MBA). All Students (For June, July and August) All consultation sessions are opened to all students from any disciplines. Evening Sessions Evening consultation sessions (5:30pm - 8:00pm) are opened to all students from any disciplines. Meeting by Walk-In (February, March, September and October only) During our peak season (February, March, September and October), our Career Advisors offer “Walk-In” appointments (30 minutes per session), on a fi rst-come-fi rst-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. It all started from an impulse It was when I was a Year 3 student at HKUST. Two other Chemistry students and I wanted to try something challenging and different before graduating from university. We sat down and brainstormed what problems existed in society, and discussed what we could do about them. It was quite weird and random. Anyway, we came to the conclusion that the private tutoring industry was rather problematic; we wanted to solve those problems and let students and tutors connect in a better way. We believed we could find ways to create a better ecosystem for the industry. Despite the changes over the past several years, we still hold the same belief and move forward with the same goals and vision. Learning from mistakes and failures Our company is called Tutor Circle. We are a Hong Kong-based tutoring agency platform which specialises in connecting tutors and students. We aim to provide excellent services and the best quality 1-to-1 tutors to our students to help them overcome academic difficulties, and support parents. Different from most other companies, we allow failures. Actually, we love failures! When the project first started, the three of us tried to distribute flyers outdoors in order to let people know about our company. The response was extremely bad; few were willing to take our flyers. We could not believe that people were so indifferent! There were even security guards and other people trying to stop our activities. We were so depressed and felt very bad. No one loves being rejected by others, and us neither. Being rejected once is not that bad, but being rejected for so many times is devastating. We wanted to give up distributing flyers at that time but we also thought if we gave up, there would be nothing we could do about it in the future. We tried our best to improve the situation and better the method. After repeated rejections and more experience, we found the way to do it! It seemed that we had overcome the challenge. If we had given up at that time, we would not be where we are today. ANDY NG BSc (Chemistry) Co-founder, Tutor Circle We love trial and error! Many people are afraid of making mistakes, thinking that they cannot bear the bad outcomes. In fact, humans are wired to learn from failures and mistakes, not from successes. As Albert Einstein said, “anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”. If you have never made a mistake or experienced a failure, you have learned nothing. Both my partners and I graduated from the Science School, and we seem to be born to enjoy failures! Experiments are great opportunities to learn and improve. You end up with a lot of new findings and discoveries through conducting experiments. At the same time, you find out problems along the way. The same happens in Tutor Circle. We aren’t afraid of failures or mistakes, and this is what makes us unique, and has probably helped us grow and improve fast. Forever learning Most people don’t like trying new things. It can be extremely hard and takes lots of effort to change, or to do or learn something new. The thing is, the world changes every day. If we are not able to learn or improve quick enough in this dynamic world, we will easily fall behind. One of the biggest challenges for our team is that we need to continuously learn new things. We are Science graduates and are equipped with science knowledge only. What about knowledge and skills other than that related to science like coding, marketing, teaching and leadership? It can be extremely tough and painful to learn new knowledge, and the best way to do it is to enjoy what you learn and make the learning fun! Setting goals is also important. Learning is a lifelong journey, and you do not only learn when you start a business; everyone needs to learn. What about you? I hope you are eager to learn. If you do you will find life more meaningful and happier. Releasing pressure through sports Joining marathons and exercising are the best ways for me to de-stress. When I was still a student, I experienced pressure from different sources – both studies and non-studies related. I started jogging near home when my elder brother gave me a pair of running shoes he seldom used. I fell in love with running and began to exercise regularly every week. Even when I was on exchange in Munich, Germany I didn’t stop. Later, I started to train for my first halfmarathon and then my first full-marathon after graduating from HKUST. I cannot live without jogging! Sports somehow change how I see pressure and problems. Every time I finish a race or exercising, I feel like the problems I’m facing can be solved easily and I think more positively. I can go on with life, feeling more at ease and happy. This year, I will join the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker with my friends to challenge ourselves! I’d say - never stop exercising! Be optimistic and positive I am so glad to have gone to the Science School in HKUST. The school and the University gave us lots of support and opportunities to learn and grow. Other units such as Career Center also do their best to help us set goals and plan for our future, which is precious. I’d like to particularly encourage Science students to stay optimistic and positive, as our career paths may not be as obvious. When I was a student, I also felt lost and had no idea what I could do in the future. Remaining optimistic and positive is important not only when you try to figure out your career but whenever you encounter difficulties in your life. Your path is unique, and highly unpredictable; there are also ups and downs. Yet I am sure that sooner or later you will see a road ahead, and your life will be brighter! Is the glass half empty or half full? The answer depends on your perspective. 1011 Following my heart: From a head hunting firm to a primary school After graduation, I worked as a research analyst in Korn Ferry International, a leading leadership and talent consulting firm. Most of my time was spent in front of the computer, doing industry research and candidate searches, writing candidate reports, and making cold calls. I learned a lot about the job market as well as the industries I focused on. However, something seemed to be missing from my life. Hoping to search for that missing piece, I started to provide free regular tutorial lessons to an underprivileged primary school girl who had lost her mother. I felt fulfilled witnessing the growth of my student. I also found a huge sense of satisfaction that I had never experienced in my job. I believe that every child is born with great potential. At the same time, our education and circumstances play an extremely important role in shaping who we are. Those of us who can go to university are very fortunate to be the “beneficiaries” of our education system. Yet, many underprivileged students have never imagined themselves being admitted to higher education. I wanted to help them. However, I had a strong tendency to stay where I was because changing would mean uncertainties. I spent my Christmas holiday that year in a remote small village 8 hours away from Kunming to see the terraces. There was only one primary school in that village. You could see little children with runny noses and dirty clothes chasing each other, bare feet, in the paddy fields. They didn’t have much but they always had a smile on their face. I saw happiness in its simplest form. Coming from a place much more developed, we have way more choices than the children there do, and yet we don’t realize. Often it’s just a matter of whether we have the courage to take the seemingly adventurous path. AMY WONG BSc (Global China Studies) Teaching Fellow, Teach4HK Be the change you want to see in the world 1213 I decided to join Teach4HK after the trip. Teach4HK is a growing movement aiming to alleviate the education inequality in Hong Kong. Through the one-year Fellowship Program, young university graduates are recruited to serve in underprivileged schools as full-time teachers. True Passion: Education I am now teaching English at a local primary school under Teach4HK’s Fellowship Program. I didn’t know I love kids that much until I started really spending time with them. I enjoy having casual chats with my students and making them happy by doing silly things, like dressing as a mummy at Halloween. I miss my students and desperately want to see them again during holidays. That’s when I realize how much I love my job. Teaching to me is a journey of exploring the true side of our society. Many of the kids in my school are from grassroots families. Some students from senior grades have never been to Central or Stanley, or don’t even know where they are. In the fellowship program, I have also come across a lot of children who need special guidance and care because they lack parental support. I still vividly remember my feeling when a young girl from Small Group Home (under S.K.H. St. Christopher's Home) told me that she wished to have a mother like me. The most powerful thing about education is that it creates hope. When we are misunderstood, we can think about how to educate our kids to be understanding. It’s when we are hurt that we teach our kids to express kindness through both actions and words. Not only are we painting the future of our children, but we are also making the world a better place by educating our children to be better persons. Touching moments: Inspiring the youth I have a P1 student who is extremely sensitive and shy. She hardly knew A to Z when she first came to my class. Her parents do not know English so she has very little family support. She cried every time she received her dictations and test papers. She once told me that her dad refused to sign her test paper because he was ashamed of her. I told her life is a marathon; It's okay to fail, but the most important thing is to have faith in yourself and have a “can do” mentality. She showed us her efforts by scoring 96 marks in her final English exam. I was literally crying in the staff room after marking her paper. When I told my students that I was leaving, all of us cried. Their assignment for that day was to say “I love you” to their parents and the people they love. I don't know for how long they will remember me, but I firmly believe that the warmth of human connections they have experienced, and the values and attitudes they have learned will be recalled and passed on someday in the future. This is the power of education. And yes – I will continue serving underprivileged students on the front line. If you are unhappy about your status quo, do not accept it as it is. Follow your heart and create the future you desire. You will never regret doing the things you love. Even if you fail, it's still better than regretting not trying at all when you get old. MT Assessment ANNA CHAMPION The email pops up in your inbox from your dream employer, “we are delighted to invite you to an assessment center”. You have two weeks to prepare for the assessment day. What will happen and what can you do to prepare? Firstly, ensure you have the date in your diary, confirm you will be there and you thank them for the opportunity. Request more information about exactly what will be in the day. Anna Champion Decode MT Assessment Why an assessment day? Assessment days are designed to ensure that you are given multiple chances to show your skills rather than relying on just one way like the interview (which actually is a very poor indicator of success). If something goes wrong in an exercise you have more opportunity to show that you have good self-awareness. An assessment center should also increase the speed of decision making because multiple candidates are seen together across exercises rather than having to work with everyone’s complicated scheduling. What is in an assessment day? Each one will be different, here are some potentials: A group exercise This could be a fun physical activity, a discussion, role play or a business case. All have the focus of assessing your ability to work as a team, your communication skills and also your ability to complete the task. Additionally depending on the activity, they might look at creativity, commercial awareness and problem solving. An individual case study or business problem In the age of information, a recruiter wants to see how you can process multiple sources of information, analyse and use your own commercial awareness to come up with a coherent solution. Often the format will be a presentation and time for the assessors to ask additional questions. Online you will find heaps of resources to practice. The Talent Lighthouse So what can you do to prepare? My final words… 1. Know the skills you need Use the job description and other clues to establish what are the key skills you think that they need for success in this role. Then ensure you have some examples to demonstrate these skills 2. Read about the employer Rather than just focusing on the website look at what has happened in the last year 3. Be yourself Remember that this is a two way process and it is important that you are true to yourself. If you feel too uncomfortable in the assessment day, think about whether this is the right environment for you. It is better to make this decision now rather than joining and hating every moment of it Good luck with the preparation and remember the Career Center gives you plenty of opportunities to practice the skills you need. A test Often recruiters take the opportunity to test or retest your numerical, verbal or logical reasoning skills. This is done to ensure that the process is fair and to reduce the chances of cheating (ask any recruiter and they will be able to give you at least one example where someone has cheated on these tests). Business skills Ideally at an assessment center we want candidates to be doing activities that are most like the activities you would do in the job, therefore the use of prioritisation/to do list activities used to be very popular. Role plays also may come into the picture, giving you scenarios that you might encounter in the role. If written communication is also vital, you may even be asked to write a letter of advice or prepare a proposal. The interview The interview is also often seen in the assessment center, this is where they double check all the skills that they have measured in other exercises, establish whether you fit into the culture of the organisation and also most importantly give you the opportunity to ask them questions. Think about the skills that you will need to be successful in the organisation, and come up with as many examples as you can to give evidence that you have the ability to use these skills. Some organisations may ask you to do more technical interviews, such as mathematical challenges. You will likely know if this is the part of the process before you get there and this is an area to definitely focus on in preparation. The less obvious assessments Candidates often forget that whilst they are in the building where they are being assessed that the assessments might continue even outside of the obvious. Candidates may be observed when they are eating lunch with business reps, on tours of the building or the way in which they interact with others. We genuinely have not offered someone who has aced all parts of the assessment center but is rude to the receptionist or we overheard them bad mouthing another candidate in the lift. You may also be asked to review your own performance and where you feel you did well or could have improved. Employers want to hire people who are self aware and able to take feedback well. 1415 CAREER MOSAIC Career Mosaic is a biannual campus-wide career fair organized by the Career Center, in October and March. More than 500 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. Benefi ts to students  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 Benefi ts to employers  Reach out to your potential talent pool to fulfi ll your talent needs  Build your brand on campus and increase awareness in the student community  Meet with talents and perform selection on the spot to save recruiting costs 1617 “I can’t believe the number of companies have joined. It’s HUGE! There are so many jobs and internship opportunities provided. Some jobs are not searchable on the internet and exclusive to HKUST students!” “From Concourse to Atrium, I like how Career Mosaic has extended to this scale. It creates a lot more options for students.” “The booklet is well designed, and even the students who cannot participate at the event can still look up valuable information there.” “Apart from the recruiters, advisors from Career Center are very helpful in offering great tips and advices which helped me prepare to meet the employers out there!” “Career Mosaic brought in great opportunities and very useful recruitment information from the employment market.” Student Feedback “It was an incredible experience! The employers are very enthusiastic about their roles which I gained a huge deal of insight into my future. Thank you Career Center!” You are about to start an internship. A new experience awaits you. You are excited as you are looking forward to this new exposure. In the meantime, you are uncertain, as you are not sure how this experience will be. The purpose of this article is to get you well prepared for your internship. Hopefully, you can manage your uncertainties to your advantage. Despite being relatively short-term, an internship is a valuable experience for both you and the organization. For you, it provides real-life experience in the workplace and a good opportunity to start building your professional network. For the organization, it provides human resources as well as builds employer brand. To capitalize on this valuable opportunity, you may consider the following before you kick-start your internship: Acquire up-to-date inform ation about the organization Study the organization. Learn about its strategies, organizational structure, the team/department that you are about to join, if you know which; and any latest related market news. This can help you familiarize yourself with the organization and more easily manage what you are going to encounter. 1 Check to see who among your friends/colleagues have interned with or is working or has worked in this organization If there are, ask for their experience/advice. Their insights may help you learn more about the organization. They may also be able to offer you some good tips for navigating in the organization. 3 Get to know the who’s who of this organization Working with your team members is more effective and efficient if you already have a bit of knowledge about them. You may consider searching them in social media networks. 2 My insights: ...10 Things... to do before you start an internship ALICE CHEUNG Seasoned Human Resources Practitioner Keep an open mind Stay open and curious. Sometimes, things do not happen as expec ted. Keeping an open mind can definitely help you to embrace the changes and uncer tainties. Staying curious helps to broaden your learning repertoire. These can make your internship experience rich and colorful. Internship experience is valuable and it is up to you to make the best out of this opportunity. The effort you put in will pay off, in the form of the learning on the internship. Be good and do good. Prepare for different scenarios In today’s dynamic environment, change is the only constant. Preparedness can help to ease the stress and shock as a result of all these changes. Come up with different “what-if” scenarios and consider how you would react to them. For example, what if you have questions but nobody was around to help you? What if you have not been given more interesting tasks to perform? What if your designated supervisor is away on vacation and you have no one to consult? It is worthwhile to prepare for different scenarios, at least psychologically, through pondering how you may respond. 9 10 5 Check out the organization practices Get to know the organization practices such as dress code, working hours, etc. You should check the dress code of the organization so that you can prepare your work wear accordingly. Knowing the working hours can help you to align your schedule with theirs. Schedule your route to and from the workplace Work out your route to and from the workplace and plan your schedule accordingly. Rehearsals help. In this way, you manage your time better and this in turn contributes to the building of your professional image. 7 Set your body clock in line with the working hours of the organization Align your body clock with the working hours of the organization so as to allow yourself to be more effective in dealing with the new challenges ahead. You may consider adjusting your wake up time, morning routines and rest time to cope with this new pattern. Clarify your e xpectations/ set your goals Smart goal setting is one of the critical success factors for your internship. Refresh your mind. Know why you take up this internship and set smart goals for the coming weeks/months. 6 8 Send a note to the contact person of the organization This is to inform the organization that you are ready and looking forward to the internship, and enables you to find out if there is anything you need to be aware of before the internship commences. This helps build your image as a responsible professional and demonstrate your eagerness to join the team. 4 1819 Learning Through Internships  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 others. HKUST Internship Network (iNet)  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 Location Duration HKUST Internship Network (iNet) On-campus Internship Program Part-time or full time HKUST campus Duration: varies HKETO in Mainland Internship Program 5-6 weeks Winter/Summer Various cities in Mainland China ASEAN Internship for University Students of Hong Kong Scheme 4-12 weeks ASEAN countries Winter/Summer The Cross-Cultural Internship Program Work & Travel USA Program 6-12 weeks USA Summer The Intern Group International Internship Program The Bloom of Youth Global Internship Program 6-24 weeks Year round, depending on program Australia/ Colombia/ UK/Spain and some European countries Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 6-16 weeks Summer Singapore/ Malaysia/ Indonesia/ Thailand/ Vietnam/UK/Sweden/ Japan, etc. Pilot Apprenticeship Program for Private Wealth Management 4-12 weeks HK Summer Pilot Program to Enhance Talent Training for the Insurance Sector 4-12 weeks HK Summer Maritime and Aviation Internship Scheme 4 -12 weeks HK Summer HeadStart@HKUST Program 6-12 weeks Summer HK, Mainland China & overseas Myriads of other Mainland summer internship programs 6 weeks Summer (depending on respective programs) Various cities in Mainland China Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 6-16 weeks Summer Various cities in Mainland China Government Summer Jobs, PSSSIP refers (offers 1,000+ jobs in different government departments; only for students who are HK permanent residents) HK 6-12 weeks Y-Society Internship Program (Finance-related internships) Beijing 6 weeks Summer Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme HK 4-12 weeks Shanghai Future Leaders Internship Program (SHFLIP) Shanghai 6-8 weeks Summer Overseas Internships Mainland Internships Local Internships 2021 Local internships listed above are usually paid whereas the majority of Mainland and overseas internships are unpaid. Despite the fi nancial 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 resilience 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. Jeff was an engineer for four years before he became a consultant. Hear him share how he stepped out from his comfort zone into new territories. Leaving the safe cocoon Deciding to change my career after four years of corporate life wasn’t a difficult decision. The move wasn’t because of having been fed up or the typical “bad boss” experience; in fact I had some of the most exciting experiences during that time. During those four years, I had the opportunities to take part in managing a HKD 400 million chemical plant project, involve in business-wide digital transformations, work in different locations, from cities like Nanjing to rural areas in Inner Mongolia, as well as meet amazing people with whom I’m still in touch now. It was during one of my weekly trips to Xi’an. I realized that if I stayed with this company, while I would be happy with the stability and career progression, I would get comfortable. I knew I needed to make a change before I became too settled in my comfort zone – a change that would enable me to throw myself into the world of uncertainties, and continue to exploit my potential and push my limits. I then began my search for the next steps. Making that first step Researching options for the career move took me some time, because I didn’t want to move to a similar company; otherwise I could have just stayed. I wanted to try something new, and at the same time would allow me to leverage my China experience, as well as develop my passion for engaging with people and overcoming exciting challenges. Therefore I tried to look for something in the field of management consulting. But it was difficult: management consulting opportunities that would embrace the engineering aspect of my experience wasn’t at all common. After months of research, I began to understand what the industry was like, companies in the sector, and typical profiles of practitioners from LinkedIn, but I still couldn’t find an opportunity that clicked. Until one day, a recruiter approached me for a consultant position for a company that had a vision that was nothing but a perfect match with my very own aspiration. Through a couple rounds of interviews, I met colleagues with similar backgrounds and amazing experience, and I knew I wanted to start my next job with them. In hindsight, I find the following ways of thinking particularly important in job search and career development:  Always be open to changes: Although I was trained as a chemical engineer, I take on every opportunity available, which helps me explore possibilities and expand my knowledge. In my career change, I have gone from chemical plant operation to plant design safety analysis, from managing the schedule and budget of a chemical plant development JEFF LI BEng (Chemical Engineering) Senior Consultant, Advisian Breaking out from my comfort zone to developing management tool for a portfolio of gas refilling stations, from managing procurement contract administration to digital transformation of a maintenance management system. In fact, relevant skills developed on my previous job and the ability to adapt and pick up new skills quickly are essential in management consulting.  Always be curious to the things around you: The opportunities I mentioned above were not handed to me on a plate, except my first assignment working as an operator in a chemical plant at Inner Mongolia. I landed on all others because of my curiosity. One of the advantages of being a fresh graduate is that I was free to ask questions and be a bit “nosy” about the different aspects of the business without offending my colleagues. Of course, the questions had to be genuine and well thought out; they are not meant to challenge or judge but to enable learning and appreciate.  Always be true to yourself: One of the challenges that I had when pursuing a career change was staying true to my goal. We are used to seeking advice from people whom we love and trust, which is important when making decisions; yet the more is not necessarily the better. There was a point when more consultation not only wouldn’t help but would also confuse. I needed to make a decision myself and act on it. There can also be temptations. For example, after I had tendered my resignation the company I was with offered me a very attractive position to work closely with the top management. I struggled for a moment, but soon I realized it was not a better version of the job that I needed, but the opportunity to challenge myself in a completely new environment. Navigating challenges gracefully Career changes are of course challenging; there are obvious trade-offs. For example, you lose job stability, likely promotions, established work relationships, and even a glamorous job title. 2223 For me, although with my experience I could qualify for a Senior Consultant position, the only opening available at the time was for a Consultant position. I still went for it because while it is common to look for progression in career changes, my focus was on the opportunity to join a new sector. I also believed that I could prove myself at work and eventually earn the title I deserve. And I was right – I was recognized with a generous pay rise and a promotion in just over a year’s time. Also, we are easily distracted by norms and others’ expectations, which could actually be irrelevant and unimportant to our career development. More precisely, we are prone to making decisions based on what most people value, such as salary, prospects and status, as these are usually immediately recognized by others and attract applause. In the long run though, we are the ones who have to bear the consequences of our decisions. If we do not identify our own passions or address our own needs, life would become difficult when these expectations change over time. It is not easy to deal with expectations especially when they are from our family and friends; yet it is something that we need to learn if we want to take the ownership of our career and life. Leveraging your strengths to create something new and better There are quite a few skills and qualities I acquired on my previous job that are transferrable to my current position. The main ones are the patience to listen to others, adopting different communication methods to suit the audience, and “grit”. Listen patiently Listening is not so you can speak sooner, but to understand and appreciate a person or a situation better. It is very easy for us to switch off when we think the other person has nothing new to offer. However, on many occasions I actually discovered something new or of value to the projects that I was working on from people who seemed boring and had nothing to offer at first. Vary your communication styles Choosing the best communication style is something that I’ve picked up when engaging with people from all walks of life, from internal senior management to frontline workers, and it is a great skill to have as a management consultant. One of my first projects here was to advise a client on its submarine optic fiber cable landing project. I had to liaise with construction supervisors, designers and government officials. The most effective ways of communicating with different people can differ dramatically; it’s obvious you wouldn’t talk to a senior management in the same way you talk to a construction worker, and vice versa. Finding the best ways takes time, but as I’ve just mentioned, by listening patiently you will soon learn the most suitable way to communicate with them. Be courageous and determined Listening and communication skills are essential in consulting work especially when we try to uncover information through interactions with clients and stakeholders. And I’d say grit is a necessary personal quality when we go through changes or tough times in life or at work. There was a lot for me to learn when I first moved from corporate to consulting. In corporate settings, the timeframe for projects is usually much longer and you specialize in those areas. In consulting, often you have very little prior knowledge of the projects you are working on, as well as much shorter time to complete them. For example, in one of my consulting projects, I was expected to gain deep domain knowledge of the construction industry, from construction work sequence to procurement methods, in just four weeks’ time. The most exciting project in my career so far is the project that I’m currently working on. It is an industry-wide strategy development project in which we help the client benchmark the local industry performance against that of other countries and develop a performance improvement strategy roadmap for the industry. I started from scratch, and within a limited period of time, engaged with local and overseas stakeholders along the supply chain, and conducted extensive data analysis to reach our findings. I am really excited because the end product will help shape the entire industry. The thought of making a positive impact on the community is what gets me up early in the morning for work and helps me get through the late nights. Trying things out and expecting obstacles I would like to have tried out different internships when I was in university to get a taste of what the world of work might be like. I didn’t see the importance of internships at the time and I was fully engaged in other activities and programs. The internship did not have to be directly related to my degree; it just needed to be in a field that interested me. I would definitely have taken such an opportunity. After all, our university life prepares us for a future of change rather than a particular job. The choice of career is always in our hands, and our job is to explore more options and make informed decisions. Things could go wrong even when you have planned carefully. As Robert Burns puts in his poem “To a Mouse”, “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley”. I am often reminded that plans are obsolete the moment they are made; execution requires adaptation, especially in the ever-changing world we live in today. So, don’t be afraid if your best laid plan doesn’t go well, be brave and adapt and change accordingly. Just make sure that you are still on the path to reaching your goal. JEFF LI BEng (Chemical Engineering) Senior Consultant, Advisian Breaking out from my comfort zone working in Hong Kong Any plan to take up employment in Hong Kong during and after your study? 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. Eligible 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 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 Students' Offi ce at HKUST deportation. the Hong Kong Immigration Department and Career Center of Dean of Non-loc al stude nt s 2425 Fascination I did not know how vast the banking industry was before I came to Hong Kong. I come originally from Czech Republic, which is a rather small country in Central Europe, where banking is not a very large industry. Upon coming to Hong Kong I was overwhelmed. I saw many friends and classmates interested in banking and they inspired me to seek more information about the industry. I was sure it offers positions for all students, no matter which major they are in. These include positions that involve quantitative analyses, like trading and quants, to more people-oriented positions such as human resources or relationship managers. PETR POKORNY BSc (Chemistry) Winter Student Apprentice, HSBC The Intern Preparation Preparation is key when you apply for internships. First of all, it is important to have a CV in the correct format, highlighting accomplishments you are proud of and credentials that would catch attention of the readers. Bear in mind that your audience may look at your CV only for a few seconds. Therefore it is important to prepare a CV that would capture their attention instantly. To prepare for interviews, you may want to focus mainly on three types ofquestions: 1. Behavioural questions which companies use to understand your people and social skills in possible workplace situations 2. Personal questions – details about you, your future plans and your motivations 3. Technical questions that are highly relevant to the position you are applying to. During your interviews with HR, questions are predominantly behavioural and personal. With department managers, technical questions seem to be more important. For me I had one phone interview with HR and another face-to-face one with a line manager. Qualifications No matter which major you are from, I believe the skills you learn in university are general problem solving skills, as well as logical and analytical thinking, which can be applied in a host of situations. In my opinion, even if my major were more banking related, the actual job is always very different than what I learn in school. Therefore, expect to encounter new methodologies and concepts, and be eager to learn whatever is required. Apart from technical skills, soft skills are very important, like the ability to communicate your concerns with the manager or network with other co-workers. Expectations Since HSBC, where I had my winter apprenticeship, is a very international company, there would naturally be cultural differences on the team. On my floor I met people from the UK, France, the USA, India, South Korea, Mainland China, and of course Hong Kong. Corporate culture generally helps unite the employees and also helps them overcome cultural differences. Having said that, you are expected to make your own effort as well. Personally, I did not encounter any conflicts; I took the differences as opportunities to learn about other cultures and work styles. I strongly encourage other interns to do the same - rather than being worried about what the colleagues might be like, take the interactions as opportunities to broaden your horizons, especially if you aim at higher executive positions in the future, which will almost definitely involve managing an international team. Exploration For those who are still at university, make sure you know what you want. Are you interested in working with numbers or people? Discover what you are good at and passionate about. Identify individual steps of the path leading to that job you are interested in, and tackle the obstacles one by one. Divide and conquer Also, try not to focus on one opportunity only. Make sure you get to know more employers, and conduct “due diligence” very carefully and accurately. There are a lot of opportunities in the market, and many people do not even know those opportunities exist. If you know someone who has worked in an organization you are interested in – a family, friend or classmate – make sure you get as much information as you can from them. 2627 Who are management consultants anyway? Consultants, at their core, help clients understand and solve problems. They do this in three ways: 1. structuring problems through a rational approach and extracting data-backed insights; 2. designing solutions based on these insights to achieve goals for clients; and finally; 3. working with clients to implement these solutions and track their effectiveness. Who is this job for? Consulting is an exciting job choice for those who love solving complex problems and have a passion for analytical work. At the same time, there are two things to keep in mind. First, for most people, consulting is not the final destination but a stepping stone to other careers such as startups, other corporates, or institutional investors. It helps if you have taken some time to reflect on what you are hoping to learn through your time as a consultant and where you hope this journey takes you. This will help you make the most of this opportunity and give you a sense of direction in an otherwise overwhelming and chaotic setting! Second, life as a management consultant is demanding in terms of long working hours and travel time. You might find that making time for exercise, other relationships/activities and even eating meals can become a task to achieve. Would be good to make peace with this truth if you want to pursue this option! VAISHNAVI KAUSHIK BBA (Marketing, minor Entrepreneurship) Manager – AlphaSights Business not as usual What is success for you, Vaishnavi? I believe how one sees success depends very much on who they are and what they are hoping to accomplish. In order to feel “successful”, I would say the foremost step is coming up with a definition of success that you resonate with! For me, the days I feel successful in my work usually result from a lot of hard work, caring deeply about what I am doing, and being authentic and true to myself in every choice that I make. Put simply, if you are leaving a situation in a better condition than you first found it, you are probably on the right path! How can I find my passion? Recently, I read an interesting perspective on passion: “Instead of looking for a magic bullet, that there is one thing you must be meant to do even though you don’t know what it is yet, it can be more productive to perceive interests flexibly, as potentially endless. A growth mindset, rather than a fixed sense that there’s one interest you should pursue single-mindedly, improves the chances of finding your passion—and having the will to master it.” (Paul O’Keefe, Yale-NUS college psychologist) It is more fun and fulfilling to develop your passions (yes there can be multiple!) through experiences, experimentation and hard work as opposed to waiting for passions to come to us! What is it like being a female manager? As a female manager, I have had the opportunity to add a different perspective to an otherwise all male team and challenge the existing systems with fresh ideas. But adding a new voice can be achieved by anyone regardless of gender as long as you practice courage and creativity. Impact is a daily and ongoing journey - there won’t be just one day when you wake up and finally have an “impact.” Showing up each day, daring to dream of a better world and working hard to become the example that you wish to see, is what will create impact over time. I can proudly say that as a team we have been able to achieve our most productive quarter ever and I am excited for all that is to come! How has your time in HKUST impacted you? HKUST served as the perfect environment for me to make some very close friends! All our experiences and banter in university have helped to build a strong foundation for our friendships and we are each other’s support system. Sometimes I cannot imagine making it through the week without these amazing people. I’d like to end with my favorite quote: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” Vaishnavi Kaushik is a manager at AlphaSights, a global leader in knowledge search, connecting professionals with knowledge, ultimately helping clients with problem-solving, decision-making and strategy development. Find out what this management consultant thinks about career, success, passion and life at large. 2829 Handshakes Common mistakes: limp, ‘fingers shake’, bonecrushing, sweaty hands, no handshakes Handshake is often the first contact you have with people in a business environment. It is a gesture of mutual trust. It can make or break your chance of making a deal or a positive impression. You shake hands when you are meeting someone for the first time, meeting someone again, bidding farewell and upon closing a deal. Steps 1. Be proactive; extend your right hand straight out in front of your body. 2. Grip the other person’s hand with your thumb resting to the side and with slight firmness. 3. As you shake hands, smile and look into the eyes of the other person. Do not glance over or down. Introduce yourself and greet the person by name at the same time. 4. Release the hand after 3 or less shakes (or until the person releases his/her hand). Other TIPS : If you have sweaty hands, always keep a handkerchief or tissue with you to keep your hands fresh and dry. Navigating complexities in the workplace takes more than hard work and technical skills. It is important to know what behavior is in general accepted and expected. Here are a few tips on business etiquette that might help. Business Etiquette You Need to Know CINDY CHENG Self-Introductions Common mistakes: “Hi, I am John. I am 18 years old and I live in Sheung Shui.” This is for kindergarten interviews! What to say when introducing yourself 1. Greetings (Good morning/ afternoon/ evening, name of the person if known) 2. I am (your first and last name) 3. I am (who you are, e.g., a 3rd year student of …, a graduate of …) 4. It’s a pleasure to meet you. BONUS : mention something you know about this person or the company. E.g., “I have read an article about you and …”; “Thank you for offering me an opportunity to meet with you.” Politeness When walking out of a lift or through a door and someone else is doing the same, it is important that you allow the other person to go first by using an open palm gesture, and saying “after you”. If you are entering a room or getting out of a lift with others, open the door and hold it, and be the last to enter the room or get out of the lift. In situations where your host is the one holding the door and asking you to walk in first, simply say, “thank you” and walk in. When you need to walk with another person along a path, and if space allows, you should always walk in the same pace as his/ hers, and by his /her side. Email address The worst examples: loveyouforever@gmail.com, starwar2001@gmail.com, etc Save these email addresses for your personal use and create another one for business. Keep the email address simple and neutral. For example, if your name is Larry Chan, you could use larrychan_0314@gmail.com (say, your birthday is 14th of March). SoTi Consulting Writing a business letter Common mistakes: starting with “Dear Mr Larry Chan”, “Dear Chan”; and ending with “Thank you very much” When you are sending a letter or email, address the person by either his or her first name if you know the person, or his or her last name, e.g., “Dear Larry” or “Dear Mr. Chan”. Make sure you proofread your copy. https://app.grammarly.com/ offers free spelling and grammar checks. Don’t end your message with “Thank you very much” as if the person had done you a favour. You may use “I look forward to hearing from you.”, if you are expecting a reply or an interview. You may use “Best regards” or “Yours sincerely” and with your first name underneath. See an example here: Best regards, Larry Larry Chan (Company name) (Telephone number) (Email address) Attire and grooming Avoid: heavy cologne, heavy makeup, over or underdressed, unpolished shoes, stains inside collar and sleeves, bad body odour and breath, overstated accessories. Unless you are competing in a beauty contest, there is no need to invest a lot in make-up, accessories and fashion. Before attending a job interview or a business occasion, it is safe to check if there is a dress code. Many companies now allow their employees to dress causal or business causal to work. For occasions whose dress code you are unsure about, go business formal. Save your best shoes for interviews. Polish your shoes and wear black stockings (for female) or black socks (for male). If you are going to wear any accessories, keep them simple and make sure they match your attire. Also, avoid any accessories and watches that would make noise. Choice of Words When you are engaged in a conversation, beware of the choice of words. People may make judgement on your education and family background based on the words you use in a conversation. Words/Expressions to avoid: “Hello”, “Yup”, “No problem”, “Can I”, “Okay”, “Sure”, “I don’t understand”, “No, but”, “I don’t know”, “What do you want?” Words/Expressions to use: “Certainly”, “You’re welcome”, “My pleasure”, “May I…”, “Allow me to …”, “Absolutely”, “Certainly”, “How about”, “Yes, and”, “Do you mind repeating the question?”, “I am afraid I don’t have the answer, but …” Body language and other behavior Common mistakes: phone rings or messages keep popping up, making noises with a pen, moving constantly, looking at the window or on the floor, interrupting conversations, crossing arms, crossing legs or shaky legs, slouching, fidgeting, non-verbal communication that doesn’t match the verbal message Appropriate behavior: . In situations where everyone is standing up and chatting, you should mirror and do the same. . If someone you are expecting walks into the room, always stand up and greet the person. Do the same when someone is leaving the room. . Try to remember the person’s name when being introduced and address the person by his/her name at all times. . During a meeting, ensure that your mobile phone is off and put away. Take notes if there is a lot of information to take in. Maintain a listening posture and show that you are engaged in the interaction: maintain good eye contact with the speaker, nod occasionally to show your understanding, contribute or ask questions when appropriate, and try not to change your sitting position too frequently. 3031 Think of Yourself as a Brand Ask yourself: What is your favorite brand? Which brand do you aspire to? What is so intriguing or captivating about this brand that you would proudly call yourself a fan? A brand that you would pay a premium for, or wait in line to get your hands on. Now imagine your ‘customers’ – your future employer, the HR person that would interview you, your hiring manager, or your clients. What brand attributes are they looking for in the candidate when they make the decision in identifying their next corporate hire, or in entrusting their upcoming project? Are you the brand they are looking for? Brands are Consistent Brand perception is built over time. It takes way more than an isolated incident or a single encounter for brand perception to stick. Successful brands commit themselves to repeatedly deliver similar brand experiences to their customers in order to form distinctive brand perceptions. Be it a feeling of friendliness, professionalism, openness, technology advancement or being caring of the environment. They decide from the get-go the brand character, and work on their customer touch points so that the brand appeal is unique and becomes solidified. Humans are not machines, we all have our good days and bad days. Working on your brand means regardless of your emotions, surroundings or circumstances, you maintain a stable and reliable performance. You surf your good days as a positive individual and will also keep your head up when you hit a setback or defeat. The confidence your counterparts have in you will grow and eventually they will become your fan if you maintain consistency. Reliability wins in the long run. LAURA COZIJNSEN Lighthouse Consultant Ltd. Welcome to the business world. You will soon start a journey where your success is determined by the value you are contributing to the organisation that you work for, or one that you build if you opt to take the entrepreneurial route. Yes, that is right, your value. Not your grades, skills, background, character or university degree. Value is king. Brands Win at Differentiation Too often, we see row after row of similar products on the shelves of a supermarket, say for example, one brand of milk and the other brand does not look too different. Brand owners are well aware of the detrimental impact of having identical product offerings: they result in price cuts to win the market and are extremely sensitive to any rivalry price reductions. When all else remains constant, only one variable will lure customers: a lower (than competition) price. Price wars are not good for businesses and is a death kiss to brands’ profit margins. Smart brands put in efforts to differentiate themselves. Product differentiation makes price less of an issue and allow customers to have a reason to choose A over B, variants such as flavoured milk, high calcium, low fat, locally produced - are being developed and marketed. Candidates at interviews tend to provide generic, safe and standard descriptions of themselves. Picture what a hiring manager had heard from the previous candidate he/she interviewed, did that person carry a similar introduction as you? Would you be able to highlight attributes that are uniquely you, things that are rare in the market? Move away from competing on price and start building your inimitable quality. If you try to be everything to everyone, you will be nothing to no one. Establish and promote what you stand for, not what you think the hiring panel wants to hear, after all it’s a matching process. Build Your Brand Narrative Tell me about yourself. Inevitably, this is one of the fundamental questions, or most asked question, at an interview. See this as an invitation to verbalise and introduce your brand to a new acquaintance. A chronological description of your education, internship and club or membership participation is the usual approach, it is easy, logical, and is considered a safe bet as it does not seem to miss anything out. If you have read the previous paragraph, you would know that this does not suffice. Make your narrative a pitch, a memorable one, one that provides intriguing information about yourself and leaves room for curiosity and further discussion. Talk about your beliefs, your moments of enlightenment, incidents or encounters that transformed you and what issues you feel close to heart. Provide facts, figures, real-life examples in your pitch. Refrain from using empty words. Instead of saying ‘I am a team player’ tell them the sports you are devoted to, which exemplifies your efforts to engage in teamwork. Rather than saying ‘I am open to challenges and opportunities’, give an incident where you volunteered for a new initiative at an organisation. Sharing your hobby of ‘enjoy travelling’ does not add to your merits, if you are learning a foreign language to understand more about a culture - that is a score point. Review, revise and rehearse your pitch. You will be amazed at how much better you get everytime. 3233 Consultancy X Sustainability I have always wanted to work in the field of environmental management ever since I graduated. I hope to apply what I learnt in university to help alleviate the worsening environmental problems. Being a consultant seems to be a good path as I can build my professional expertise, and be a positive influence on the community by creating environmental solutions for different stakeholders including listed companies and the government. Moreover, it is important for consultants to keep abreast of latest developments and market needs in order to offer the best solutions for clients. This would then provide me with a lot of learning opportunities, allowing me to broaden my horizons. CAT YIM BSc (Environmental Management and Technology) Associate Consultant, Corporate Sustainability, Hong Kong Productivity Council Sustainable Excitement “Consultant” is always the top career choice for many students. What does the job actually look like? What’s so exciting about this career, and how may students who are interested prepare themselves for it? Hear Cat Yim, Associate Consultant of Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) share her journey in the industry so far. Productivity = effective use of innovation + resources HKPC is a quasi-government organization and so its positioning is different from that of other more conventional consultancies. Apart from delivering consultancy projects, we also work on applied R&D, act as government funding secretariats, and provide support to local SMEs, etc. There are indeed multiple opportunities and a variety of projects we can work on. The team I am on mainly provides sustainability reporting services and carbon audit and green procurement consultancy services, as well as oversees environmental management systems and large scale environmental award schemes. Our work is usually project-based and the consultants need to manage the implementation of the whole project. A typical work day of mine usually starts with checking emails, which is the major communication channel with our clients. Then I check the progress of each project to see if it is on schedule. After that I start to work on project details, which may involve collecting information from clients, researching and collecting data for analysis, preparing PowerPoints for meetings, and discussing project findings with clients. Sometimes we also need to visit various sites for audits or assessments. HKPC’s vision: Be the best solution partner During my four years in HKPC so far, I am fortunate to have worked on a lot of exciting projects. For example, I helped the government develop procurement green specifications and delivered environmental training to Macau and Hong Kong government officers. To this day I have assessed the environmental performance of over 30 schools in Hong Kong and five hotels in Macau, and written more than three sustainability reports for government departments and listed companies. Among all projects, I would say the most exciting one is providing sustainability advisory service to a listed company. To do so, I had to visit their business units and identify areas for improvement and set environmental targets. My suggestions were adopted and I have seen changes happening in the stores of that company. I am amazed that my ideas can actually make an impact and enable the company to become more sustainable. My job has not only allowed me to make a difference in the community, but it has also helped me develop and grow on a personal level. First and foremost, my project management and communication skills, which are essential in running the projects, have improved. This can be seen from my improved work efficiency and the increasing number of projects I handle at a time. Compared to four years ago, I am more capable of working independently and managing a few projects at the same time. In terms of job satisfaction, I have successfully fulfilled my career aspiration and actualized my dream at graduation. Attitude  Skills  Knowledge I am glad that the Environmental Management and Technology Program had equipped me with the basic knowledge of some useful skillsets related to sustainability such as carbon auditing and sustainability reporting. The skills have enabled me to pick up job responsibilities quickly. So my first advice to fellow students is – do pay attention in class! Also, stay curious and ask questions. Don’t blindly follow the way others do things. Be informed of the latest trends and opportunities in order to offer the best solutions for your clients. Last but not least, good time management can save you from working overtime! 3435 Job Hunting Skills Training: • CV and Cover Letter Writing • Interviewing Skills • Mock Interview Practices • Group Discussion Practices • Developing a LinkedIn Profi le 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 • The Art of Negotiation Around the World Students from all years and disciplines can benefi t greatly from our extensive range of interesting and interactive programs to develop better selfunderstanding, industry knowledge and job search skills, as well as establish important connections and gain useful insights. Career Development Programs Schools and Department-based Career Workshops: To cope with the change to school-based admissions, Career Center has been collaborating with the various schools and departments, offering different kinds of 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 Info Sessions, Industry Seminars & Experience Sharing: • Industry Sharing • Management Trainee Sharing • Overview of the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test (BLT) • Overview of Mainland and Overseas Internship Opportunities • “Working in China” Sharing • Information Session for Non-Local Students • Management Consulting 101 – An Insider’s Perspective “Love this workshop! The trainer is very interesting and gave a lively presentation that can always draw your attention to. The mock networking event was super interactive and fun!' (Be a Guest Among Strangers in Networking Events) “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 had the chance to practise responding to real-life situations in the workshop. The trainer gave very clear instructions.” (Leadership Selection Exercises for Disciplinary) 'The workshop is very engaging and cheerful. It enables me to fi nd my own strength that is unique.' (Self-Exploration to Discover Your Career Interests and Personal Strengths) “I got some insightful suggestions from other students in the workshop. Now I know how to handle job interviews confi dently.” (No More Stress in Job Interviews) 'The session was very informative and comprehensive. Trainer has clearly demonstrated an example of this kind of assessment and provided interesting insights and practical tips to tackle the problems.' (How to Ace a Written Test in Management Trainee Assessment) “The speaker showed great fi nesse 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.” (Management Trainee Sharing Session) Student Feedback 3637 G: Grace Siu, Instructor, Career Center K: Kelvin Cheung Kelvin, we’re delighted to feature your story in this year’s Career Guide. Thanks Grace. It’s a pleasure to share my journey so far. First, can you tell us something about your job? What does a typical day look like for you? I’m currently based in Tokyo. I manage product support launches for Google in the Asia- Pacific region, and am responsible for process improvement for our Consumer Operations Team. What is a product support launch? Whenever a new consumer product is launched, I act as project manager to ensure a smooth launch. We support and get all preparation done by working with different teams such as Engineering, Products and Marketing. Process improvement isn’t cut and dried, and I am actually building a framework to help Global Team identify problems more easily so that we can improve processes in consumer operations proactively. These processes, or the procedures or steps if you like, in turn help our customer representatives to troubleshoot issues when working with customers. KELVIN CHEUNG BEng (Logistics Management and Engineering) Product Launch & Process Excellence Manager, APAC at Google Advanced Search G: K: G: K: G: K: I see. How has your secondment in Tokyo been? Perhaps you can share with us one challenge and one accomplishment so far. I worked in Google Hong Kong before and transferred to Tokyo one and a half years ago. I would say the biggest challenge is the job and not the location itself. The reason why cultural differences and location aren’t problems is that the company is very diverse so there aren’t big differences in different locations. For example, we use English anyway. Also, thanks to HKUST – our school gives students many chances to study abroad and learn from people from different countries and cultures. Even within our own campus there are many exchange and international students. That’s true. What about working with people from different backgrounds then? Yes I do need to work with stakeholders from different parts of the globe. I leverage my people skills to get them to agree with the process changes I am proposing. I think cautiously for a win-win strategy. Once, I felt really fulfilled when I was able to identify a big problem and then found the solution by working with Engineering Team. We looked into the source code and then proposed a solution to the Global Team. We received their approval and it was a fantastic experience! That’s indeed a brilliant accomplishment! I’m sure you make a difference as a manager. Can you share with us more? Sure. I also succeeded in shortening the time for tackling issues experienced by customers, and this has saved millions of dollars in the operation. Also, as I’ve briefly mentioned, I worked together with Analytics Team to build dashboards to help Global Team identify business problems more easily so that we can focus on big areas that need improving. Actually, what would you say is the most interesting thing about Google? Is there anything we should know about the industry? The most interesting thing is of course the people. They come from various backgrounds: some used to be Olympics athletes, some once belonged to the military, some are PhDs. They all end up here, making a huge impact on our society. I can really tell more and more people want to enter this industry as machine learning and AI will be the future and many talents are therefore drawn to it. What motivated you to pursue a career with Google in the first place? When I was in Hong Kong, I watched a movie called 'The Internship' and it says in the movie that nothing is impossible. This encouraged me to apply for a job at Google, particularly one that’s related to customer experience, and fortunately they took me on. Later, I wanted to be involved in strategy and operations as I like tackling big and complex problems, so I applied for this job in Tokyo and am here now. If there’s one thing you could do differently in your university life, what would that be and why? I would take more Computer Science courses like coding - Python, Javascript, SQL etc. These skills are vital at Google and throughout my career. I’ve actually been pondering my career path and product manager is one possibility. Computer skills such as coding are necessary and extremely useful. Finally, do you have any motivational advice for our students? Always be bold, and nothing can stop you from going forward. Make decisions that make you happy and do not care too much about what others say. I know it’s a cliché but remember you only live once so make your life meaningful. G: K: G: K: G: K: G: K: G: K: G: K: G: K: 3839 What comes to mind when you hear “investment banking”? I’d like to begin with some common myths:  That investment banking is a 'sexy” industry, and many students therefore strive to get an internship with an iBank, hoping that it will turn into a full-time graduate job, so that they can begin adult life from a “better” position.  Hanging out after work at glamorous bars in the Soho district daily, chit-chatting under the neon lights with a beer in hand.  That bankers get to buy a property 10 times earlier than other people do, and without the stress due to mortgage liabilities or high rental payments.  Are these what you have in mind? If you haven’t stopped reading, congratulations! I am here to tell you: yes, they are always true, except when they are false (and I am writing as someone from the  Yes the industry is sexy, but please first get through the 10-week internship (synonym is hardship). It involves learning a bunch of technical knowledge you have never learnt in school, fetching coffees and lunches like a waiter for colleagues, running around begging for shadowing opportunities so that you can learn and show people that you are smart and eager to learn, and eventually ask for a return offer. Are you ready to add value in the not-all-that-exciting internship before getting a possible return offer?  Yes hanging out after work is common, but people, especially interns, also usually get back to work after happy hours, because there are tons of projects and presentations to take care of. Interns usually work 15 hours per day on weekdays and half days during weekends.  Yes iBankers get paid a lot, but their jobs can be volatile, depending on clients’ appetite and the firm’s performance. Turnover rates can be horrifying during bad times, so be ready to save up by not spending too much on luxuries and parties. Sounds difficult and scary? Not really. The point I’m trying to make is, when it comes to what you get out of a job, what you want and who you are matter the most. I’d like to share with you my journey of discovering myself, surviving the internship and developing the right mentality for a future career. The aspiration When I was a university freshman who would only ask questions in class under the professors’ encouragement, I didn’t know much about the iBanking industry; I only knew that I wanted to be different. I had always dreamt to be the brightest star in the sky. This was the fundamental drive for every step that I took. SAM CHUI BSc (Economics and Finance) Global Market Analyst of an US Investment Bank iBanking - Bust some myths trading floor). H Here are my myth busters: Throughout the years in HKUST, I seized every chance to be transformed: learning new skills (financial, computational, interpersonal etc.) and expanding my network (both inside and outside the finance circle) in all sorts of ways. I figured that I like working with both people and numbers, and am short term-results-driven and innovative in problem-solving. Staying humble and hungry, and not being easily satisfied are what get me up in the morning. I remind myself everyday that I want to succeed by being disciplined and maintaining routines, leading a healthy lifestyle, working with friends who are more go-getting than I am, and taking up responsibilities that I thought I couldn't. Don’t give up on your aspirations, plans and goals even when facing hardships There are of course ups and downs, but hardships are never permanent; there is always at least one way out. The job You must be thinking 'dude, I spent three minutes reading the above and you still haven't told me how to get into an iBank'. The truth is, the above is basically what you need in order to enter banking. Of course you need a basic understanding and an interest in the industry, but not as much as you might think. I have met political science majors and aeronautical engineers on the trading floor. People come from vastly diverse backgrounds, but they share the same traits: they are challenge lovers, proactive go-getters, and are calm when handling pressure and great with people. All you need are basic Excel and PowerPoint skills, a basic understanding of how the financial market works, and the ability to deal with both numbers and people. For technical knowledge, the banks provide classroom training, but you will mainly be trained on the job through interacting with smart people and shadowing under different divisions. A very steep learning curve is to be expected. All in all, you need to be the fittest candidate (having the attitude, skills and characteristics I mentioned above), not the smartest (as in having a lot of technical knowledge). This is what a typical day looked like when I interned with Sales and Trading: yy arriving at office at 6.30am for morning meetings until 8am yy summarizing overnight financial market insights for teams before the market opens yy fetching breakfasts and coffees for colleagues (Believe me, getting all food orders right is harder than Excel. I once brought 12 breakfast sets; each with different requirements yy providing different kinds of ad-hoc support for my team, such as responding to clients’ requests, conducting product competitive analyses and streamlining workflow yy fetching lunches for everyone while continuing with work yy networking with people outside my team after trading hours yy catching up with colleagues over happy hours or dinner, and then getting back to work until 10pm Days passed by quickly. My job was to think of ways to add value to the team and perform, so as to convince people who made my return offer decision that they needed me in the company. So… Everyone seeks an attractive job with both handsome compensation and work-life balance. However, in reality, free lunch is rare. Your future employer pays you for what you have to offer and who you are, so make sure you know what you can bring to the table. Storms may come and hit you again and again before the rainbow finally shows up. Stick at what you love and be true to who you are, until sunshine comes. Failures can be common, but they just mean that you are getting closer and closer to the finishing line. When you have the right mentality and remain positive, luck will naturally be on your side. Just remember to look into the mirror and remind yourself, 'You can make it!' You will go a long way. I wish you a fantastic and satisfying journey. 4041 8 Mistakes to Avoid in an Online Job Interview DONNA TITLEY Illuminate Training and Development What are Video Interviews? Video interviews are virtual interviews where you are asked a set of questions and you record your answers via the camera on your laptop or phone. They are the latest recruitment tool used by companies to help them streamline the recruitment process for themselves and their candidates (you!). Why do companies use Video Interviews? There are benefits for them and for you!  Once they receive your video they can share with multiple people within the business – so you get to engage and influence more people than previously  You can record your answers (almost) anywhere and they can watch your answers anytime. You don’t need to travel to a first round interview, they don’t need to set up and resource a large scale interview process  They get a sense of who you are and your fit for the business, so when you are called in for an interview you’ve already been identified as a strong candidate So, it sounds like video interviews are a win:win for businesses and for you. Make sure you make the best first impression by avoiding these common mistakes: 12:39 41:05 15:47 11:22 4243 Technology Fail Sometimes technology doesn’t work the way you want it, when you want it! Be prepared and download the video interview software or app ahead of time, test it out and if you can’t get it to work you’ll have time to fix it via the ‘help’ function. And don’t forget to check your camera, mic and laptop are all working and that you have enough power. Camera Shy Make sure the camera is recording you at eyelevel and that your face is within the frame of the camera. No one wants to see up your nose or an extreme close-up of your forehead! Check the lighting too, if there’s a window behind you, your face might be in shadow. Lighting in front of you will ensure your face is visible to the viewer. Backdrop Blunder You’re a young professional who wants a new job so ensure that’s the image you are portraying. The backdrop for your video interview should not include posters of your favorite stars or photos of you with your pet cat. Think professional office space and find somewhere at home or on campus that provides a plain background that doesn’t distract from what you are saying. Dress Down Dress to impress, this video interview is part of the recruitment process and you want the company to imagine you sitting in their offices in Central. Wear business formal to show that you take this opportunity seriously and see yourself representing the business successfully to its clients. If you wear glasses, be aware that they will reflect what is on the computer screen, you might want to take them off whilst recording. Loose Your Voice Let’s make sure your voice can be heard and your message is clear. Don’t speak too fast, pace your answer and even include a structure so the listener is engaged eg “I’m going to talk about three things, first….” Include some pauses and try to avoid “uhms” and “arrs”. Do you recording somewhere quiet so that your voice isn’t competing with any other noises. What Body Language? Remember that you want to engage with the person watching, even if you don’t know who they are. They will help to decide if you get through to the next round of interviews! Use your body language: maintain eye contact, sit up and forward in your chair, use your hands to help you express your meaning. Imagine you are talking directly to someone even though you are faced with only a screen. Not Knowing Your Audience You may not know exactly which questions you might be asked but you do know which business you would like to work for so just like for any other interview, do your research. Try to highlight your knowledge and interest in the job, the company and the industry within your answers. Prepare answers to some common interview questions but don’t learn them off by heart or stick them to your computer screen and read them out – it's always obvious! Out of Time Don’t run out of time and get cut off by the timer before you finish your answer. Doublecheck what the timing is for each answer – it could be one minute, two minutes, three minutes or anything in-between. GOOD LUCK! Video interviews are a fantastic opportunity to show your potential employer that you’re the right person for the job! Career Building Course Job Offer Management Assessment Center Simulations CV Writing GNED-2510 SHSS-1030 SCIE-1100 Self-exploration Career Speed Dating Mock Interview f-f exexe plorarar tata ion CaCaC rerer er DaDaD tata ing Intntn etet rvrvr iewewe Enroll via Student Information Systems (SIS) 1-credit general education free elective Understanding the work world and job search strategies Presenting yourself through a winning profile  Basic job interview skills such as preparing a powerful self-introduction  Networking skills for young professionals Getting through a panel interview  Networking practicum with industry professionals Career Development Modules are designed to empower students to start making plans for their career beyond academia. Professional Development Course for Research Postgraduates Career PDEV-6770 Development Modules 4445 Hong Kong BEST CAREER SERVICES SATISFACTION AWARD Talent Survey 2018 Position #1 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Petter Nylander CEO, Universum Sabrina H. Zhu Head of Partner Relations, APAC Hong Kong BEST EMPLOYABILITY RATING AWARDS Talent Survey 2018 Position #1 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Petter Nylander CEO, Universum Sabrina H. Zhu Head of Partner Relations, APAC HKUST