Keynote speech by GMP Mentor

The keynote speech was given by mentor Keith Ng, Strategic Project Director of Ping An Bank. In his speech, Keith provided important insights into two of the most common questions asked by students: What is the best career for me? And how can I get it? Reflecting on his observations in the workplace, he found that many graduates did get a so-called ideal high-paid job by utilising certain job application techniques. In the next 5 or 10 years, they continued to follow a certain work pattern to do their job, yet failed to develop strengths that differentiated themselves from others. As a result, these people are less likely to progress well in their careers because they don’t have much special to offer. Even worse, some of them may focus more on competing with others in the same company, draining themselves with no increase in personal value. To avoid this vicious path, Keith suggested that students build strong awareness and figure out what they truly want. “The key is to follow your passion, not the crowd”, said Keith, “Passion gives people energy to deal with new challenges every day. Passion is about thinking of the WHY. It helps individuals to focus on self-enhancement, thus getting them out of the vicious cycle of internal competitions.” To find out one’s passion, Keith proposed a formula, that is “Experience x Reflection”. It is important to go out and gain more diversified experiences, then reflect and find some hints from their past experience, such as thinking about what one really enjoys doing and why he/she can be good at doing something, not the other. Once students have found their true passion, the next step is to walk towards where that passion leads them to with courage. Career and life is a marathon. Therefore, one must start to plan right now.

Student poster presentation

Four groups delivered insightful presentations about career development amid COVID-19. A summary of the key points is provided below and more details will be shared in a future feature article in NUBS China STAR Career Magazine.

Group 1 - How to manage uncertainty amidst COVID-19

COVID-19 has brought much uncertainty to the world. The group proposed three abilities to manage high uncertainty: sensitivity, ability to innovate, and lifelong learning. They further raised three real-life cases to elaborate on how these abilities can contribute to managing uncertainty caused by ongoing changes.

Group 2 - Job or further study? Making choices during COVID-19

Group 2 first analysed the advantages of the two options. For example, direct employment after graduation enables students to gain work experience and develop practical skills, whereas pursuing further studies provides students with more time to make career plans. To respond to potential employment challenges during the pandemic, the students provided suggestions such as understanding recruiting trends, and improving personal and professional skills. When making career decisions, it is also important to align with what you truly want and what suit you the most.

Group 3 - Characteristics of Global Companies

Students from this group proposed three main characteristics of global companies:innovation, healthy corporate culture and focus on improving user experience. To support their argument, they provided examples such as Apple’s innovation technology, P&G’s collaboration culture as well as Google’s superior user experience and work culture.

Group 4 - How to make career planning

Group 4 demonstrated the importance of soft skills in future work. The key soft skills include interpersonal skills (e.g., effective listening and communication) and the ability to work in teams. Furthermore, they indicated that success can be achieved when one follows his/her passion with persistence and pointed out ways to find one’s inner passion: starting with the right motivation, knowing one’s personal traits, paying attention to an inner calling, and evaluating the economic value of personal hobbies.

Congratulations!

Best Video Presentation Award:

Group 3: Tu Hanni, Yu Miao, Fu Rao, Liang Liang, Zhang Han, Huang Yao

Best Presentation Award and Best Poster Presentation Award:

Group 4: Zhang He, Xu Jin, Lu Sheng, He Xinyi, Li Xiuya, Li Yapei

Special tribute to late GMP Mentor

One important highlight of this semester’s event was a special memorial session for mentor John Ason. Judith Sheft, John’s widow, shared John’s aspiration and experience of being a student mentor over the past several decades. Judith said: “After retirement, John dedicated himself to helping young people develop and had been a mentor for global students. To effectively support GMP mentees, John often had phone calls with students at midnight in his basement. Being a mentor was what John really loved. He deeply believed that helping young students grow and develop was a very meaningful cause that contributes to the economic development of the world.” One of John’s previous GMP mentees, Zhou Shuqi, who is currently an intern at WPP Group and a postgraduate student from New York University, also recalled her student-mentor experience with John and the inspiration she gained from him. Shuqi said: “My undergraduate degree was Finance, Accounting and Management, but later I found myself very interested in media, entertainment and the film industry. At that time, I was not sure whether or not to step out of my comfort zone to try these new things. When I talked with John, he fully supported my idea and encouraged me to follow my aspiration of being a film investor. With his encouragement, I decided to pursue my dream and worked very hard to prepare for a career that had been chosen by me. Later on, I realised that what I really wanted to do was to become a film producer. When I was applying for a master’s degree in media-related subjects, John gave me a lot of advice on how to choose a university and also offered to write a reference letter in support. I want to end by sharing with you a quote from John: do what you want to do and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”