文 / 普華永道 You Plus 特訓計劃原創出品
轉載請聯繫公眾號後臺
PwC You Plus Programme
2018 Spring Cohort
Currently working at JP Morgan
In 2017, Yun left behind his student life and career in New Zealand, and came to China as an international student. Like many young professionals with transnational/transcultural backgrounds, he was faced with the same confusion of career paths. And pursuing education and career successes in China as a foreigner, poses much greater challenges to him than to Chinese natives, in aspects such as cultural differences and employment policies.
That same year, in addition to his MBA studies, Yun joined PwC You Plus Programme. This experience would go on to become the bridge that brings him to his career jump-start in China.
After six months of learning with practice and another six months』 practical training at a top tier company, the young professional targeting Consulting found a new career path that calls for his passion. He is currently working at JP Morgan.
· What made him change his target industry?
· Given his background and JP Morgan’s high standards for talent acquisition, Yun’s success is a fine example of what You Plus Programme is able to offer in talent development. From application stages to the final interviews, what are some experiences he』d like to share?
· What roles does You Plus Programme play in his JP Morgan offer success?
· Why did he choose to join You Plus Programme in addition to his MBA studies?
· What are some challenges he faced as an international student in China?
· How did You Plus Programme help him find successful career path in China?
· Looking back at his journey, what are his words to his young professional peers and future newcomers?
From Consulting to Financial Services:
「How did I find the right way to
know and position myself?」
What was your target industry before joining You Plus?
Yun: My ideal target industry was Consulting. As for Financial Services, I didn’t really have much professional experiences or relevant background. I did have a background in Commerce and knowledge in Finance, but those weren’t exactly my most confident suits.
What made you change your original target industry?
Yun: My You Plus experience has been a continual process of self-discovery and self-understanding. I wouldn’t say that it changed my target, but more like helped me find a target that’s better suited to myself. All those are really built on deeper knowledge of myself and of the Financial Services business. I do think that, at my age I should just explore all the possibilities.
「How did I successfully secure
a JP Morgan offer?」
From your understanding, why did JP Morgan hire you?
Yun: I’m very strong in communication, presentation skills and in teamwork. That became clear to me during my first weeks at You Plus, through courses and conversations with my mentors.
As far as the JP Morgan offer is concerned, I have rich and diversified personal and educational backgrounds. I know well that my professional knowledge in this business is limited. Therefore, I』ve been treating this opportunity with utmost sincerity since our very first contact, and have been trying to make my sincerity come through to the employers. Also, I’m staying curious about everything, and keeping engaged in team discussions to learn, to grow, and to blend in with the team more quickly. Those are the main factors I find crucial to my success to the JP Morgan offer.
So you’re saying that, it was more because of your soft skills that you got the offer against many other candidates?
Yun: First of all, like I said, I do need to honestly admit my limits when it comes to either professional skills or experiences in Financial Services. On the other hand, I think for JP Morgan and all other companies, they have every reason to seek a better qualified candidate if what they want in the candidate is strong professional background, skills or any particular requirements. Given that I』d already made it to the final interviews at that time, I would think that from then on, it would be the soft skills that set candidates apart. The soft skills that I’m strong in, communication and so forth, are actually not only valued highly by top tier companies in Financial Services, but also by businesses such as Consulting.
Teamwork needs diversified talents with varying capabilities and backgrounds. What I’m saying is that, I’m contributing to the team with what I’m good at, and benefiting from team collaborations to catch up on what I’m not so good at. From my perspectives, you can’t build professional hard skills overnight. And I think that when your hard skills reach a certain level, soft skills will become the more important to make yourself stand out, say your capabilities to communicate with others, to manage tasks, and to collaborate with team members etc. To improve on those soft skills also requires a lot of learning.
「What’s my irreplaceable value?」
From application stages to the final interviews, what are some preparations you』ve made?
Yun: You need to know very well the company you’re applying for – that’s a very important point. Besides that, more importantly, you have to know yourself. Because for the company, it’s you that they want to know most about in interviews. If you have a good knowledge about yourself, you』ll be able to better present yourself and to demonstrate your value in more confident way. You need to see value in your experiences, show sincerity, express views and have confidence in yourself.
In my interviews, I was asked about questions I didn’t know about at all. I think two things are important for that kind of situation: one is, be very frank about your limits and shortcomings; and the second thing is, try to answer those questions with all your capacity in a positive and honest attitude – you need to make interviewers see your attitudes and ways of thinking, as well as show your confidence and ability to learn fast what’s required by your work.
To follow up on that, how did you manage to balance these two messages: 「learning from work」 and 「contributing to company」?
That means: While you might be expressing your passion to learn from work, your company would often be more concerned about if you could bring value to the team and to the company.
Under that circumstance, how did you pass on the message that you could bring to the company unique values?
Yun: That’s a very good question. I always started off with my real case, and then backed it up with my capabilities and experiences. Passing on your attitude to the company is a really important point, and, of course, presentation skills also come into play.
From that perspective, I’m really lucky to have figured out clearly during the first quarter of the You Plus Programme, that my strong suit lies in communication and English language skills. My experience is this: you have to be real to yourself during the first quarter, very real, direct, and honest. Only in that way will you get real feedback, and reflecting on others』 feedback is a sure way to grow. Also, I’m the kind of person that like to improve on what I’m already good at, instead of trying to turn my weak spot into strong spot –because that’s not something you can see results of in a short period of time.
Simply irreplaceable:
「What does You Plus exclusively offer me?」
Based on your experiences of both programmes, what sets You Plus apart from MBA?
Yun: My experiences of MBA programme mostly involves lectures, textbooks and a lot of exams. It’s basically lecturing for teachers and notes-taking for students.
Whereas in You Plus Programme, we have the opportunities to get involved in real business scenarios and the business world in various ways. We also have more chance to express ourselves and to communicate with, not just PwC partners, senior managers and managers, but also experienced professionals from all industries. And that’s surely a good way to expand our professional networks.
Now that you』ve had work experience, what skills you learned form You Plus are the most important or have left you the deepest impression?
Yun: First off, I find business acumen a most important capability that requires long-time building-up. For me, I owe my business acumen to You Plus. Business acumen is not just about market research and competitor analysis, but also about having a keen eye in daily life, to reflect, to communicate, and to find the right people to communicate with.
At You Plus, I met great mentors and industry influencers in various fields. We』ve had professionals of different functions and businesses to come during the Programme and share with us their experiences. That’s really helped us build a correct understanding of what real-life working and business scenarios are like.
I’m trying to say this: be curious about your work and life, and pay attention to what’s happening around instead of just focusing on yourself. I’m not exactly a fresh graduate (Note: Yun worked in New Zealand for a year before coming to China), but I do find You Plus Programme extremely helpful to both fresh graduates and professionals seeking a change of track.
To career success in China,
「You Plus Programme is the bridge
that works the magic」
Do you have any stories about your study and work in China that you』d like to share with us?
Yun: I was faced with a lot of challenges and problems the first year I came to China. You Plus Programme is a bridge that brings me to succeed in China, and quite a choice one. You could say that You Plus has changed me completely.
I was at a total loss when I first came. I didn’t know what to do or if I could, or even should, stay in China at all. It was under that circumstance that I met You Plus. I’m really grateful to all the mentors who』ve been talking with me and helping me ever since my application interviews, all the way through the Programme. I’m very indebted to their trust and their making my life here warm again. I want to pass on my attitudes and values with my story, also with words to peers.
Looking back at the journey
started with You Plus,
「My sincere words to peers
and future newcomers」
Some words to your young professional peers and future newcomers?
Yun: I』ve given some serious thought. If you ask me about this journey, I think what I want to say the most is this:
Open, Open, Open!
I hope my peers could stay open-minded, stay confident to the challenges we’re facing. Also, stay positive, stay curious about what we don’t yet know.
At the same time, we should have the mentality to accept all possible situations and seize the momentum. Yes, situations might vary greatly, but we have to always give our best, and then embrace the outcomes. In some cases, our capabilities are just not enough to handle the situation, or we give our best to no avail. That’s when we tell ourselves: what will be, will be. Life is long and full of stories; the infinite possibilities are out there.
And don’t forget where you started, don’t forget to enjoy the scenery all along the way. I know that quite some people join You Plus because they value PwC’s name, or because they want to work at PwC. PwC is, of course, a terrific choice and I』ve had the privilege to work and learn in PwC’s Deals line of service during first quarter of You Plus Programme. But I want to say is, if you’re willing to open up, face your true feelings, and see all the things this platform can offer you throughout the Programme, instead of just single-mindedly focus on why you came here in the first place, if you do all that you』ll find that what You Plus offers you is so much more than a job. You have to really try and figure out, what suits you best, and what is it that you really want.
(Images courtesy of Pixabay)
PwC You Plus Programme is a pioneering business-training programme created by PwC that focuses on the practical application of knowledge, consisting of 6-month in-class learning and 6-month practical training.
PwC You Plus Programme aims to bridge the gap between academic education and practical work experience by developing market-ready professionals who are self-aware, knowledgeable and adaptable.
PwC You Plus Programme will provide students with the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to build their business acumen, industry insights, global perspective and creativity in order to unlock their potential and jump start their careers.
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普華永道 You Plus 特訓計劃是普華永道為中國人才市場傾力打造的一年期實踐培訓項目，包括6個月的實戰學習及6個月的名企實踐，課程主要針對擁有0-5年工作經驗的職場新人，聚焦實戰運用，打造通往國內外高成長性一線企業平臺的快速通道。
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You Plus 特訓計劃是普華永道為中國人才市場傾力打造的一年期實踐培訓項目，包括6個月的實戰學習及6個月的名企實踐，課程主要針對擁有0-5年工作經驗的職場新人，聚焦實戰運用，打造通往國內外高成長性一線企業平臺的快速通道。
普華永道 You Plus Anchor 提升營聚焦前沿商業實戰核心課程，為在校生提供短期培訓課程，為學員步入職場助力賦能，拓展全球視野，快速適應未來職業挑戰。
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