When 2013 Department of Finance undergraduate Wu Guanlong joined us for the interview one weekend afternoon, he arrived hurriedly with his bag, smart navy jacket and white shirt, full of energy. As a successful recruit for iFLYTEK during the Shenzhen University Recruitment Fair 2017, his schedule was tightly packed with work and training, and his life was wonderful and fulfilling.
The truth is more than 5 companies offered Wu a position and they included banks, securities and VC corporations, most of them well-known and highly sought after by graduates. “When I found out iFLYTEK offered me a job, I didn’t hesitate for a second” explains the former SUSTech student.
During the interview, it was remarkable to notice Wu’s behaviour, his careful logic in his way of talking, and his meticulous gestures. 1302 class leader, vice-president of the Finance alumni association, former president of Shuren college student council, his 4 years at SUSTech were certainly not wasted as he took every opportunity to improve himself and others around him.
Growing up in Huanggang, Hubei province, Wu always longed to see the coastal cities. He later carried a particular interest for education reform and when he heard about SUSTech, he knew it was the right place for him. “I completely approve of the innovative 631 enrolment model” he explains. “It means that while textbook knowledge is important, other qualities such as logical reasoning, concentration, adaptability for example are equally important for undegraduates”.
When he arrived at SUSTech, one of the elements that had the biggest impact on him was the tutoring system. When the topic turns to his former tutor Ye Fei, his words are full of gratitude. “The teacher is an associate professor of physics, and he provided me with much needed guidance in the direction of my choice of learning, and the tutor system provides us with a more ground-breaking and proficient platform for communication between professors and students.”
Originally a biology major, Wu explains why he decided to switch to finance: “What attracts me the most to this field is its breadth and depth, and also the uncertainty”. In the Department of Finance, Wu Guanlong was inspired by Professor He Jia, the head of the Department. Professor He is a well-known research scientist in his field. The opportunity to listen to Professor He Jia’s teaching was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and analysing case studies with him left a very deep impression on Wu. One of the most important things he learned during the classes was that he realized that research should be rooted, stripping away the surface to get directly to the root of the problem, and there one will find that in-depth practice of financial applications is full of charm.
In the Department of Finance, Wu Guanlong also met a special grounding professor. In the HSBC case study, Yang Xining was his guide professor, and was personally involved in the entire preparation stage with Wu. Professor Yang helped him to analyze the case, and prepare his report. “I could personally feel that he was concerned about our growth, and completing the case study with him and the team was really such a great feeling”.
Time flies, and looking back at the past years, Wu Guaolong said his four years of college life were rich and colorful. When he arrived as a Freshman he joined the Shuren College Students Committe, and became the Council Chairman in his sophomore year, during which he was responsible for a lot of activities. When asked about what were his deepest impressions, Wu remembers the warm scenes of the Mid – Autumn Gala: “Students and Professors were playing together in the activity room, putting lights together in the lake, it felt just like home.”.
“In certain areas, it is important to have people to be pioneers, to open up the way.” The way people lead, the way decisions are taken, these are important elements that require concrete practice. This is what Wu believes, and it is also the spirit at the origin of Shuren college. About two years ago, Wu Guanlong came up with the idea of recording the story of SUSTech. “As the early students of the university, we have had a lot of special stories in school, and these memories are precious, they carry a lot of spiritual value”.
He was invited to be one of the founders of the Etiquette Team and served as its president. A handsome suit, standing up straight, the spirit of Wu is one of perfect presentation. New Year’s Eves, Christmas parties, New Year’s parties, graduates dinners… for four years Wu presided over a dozen activities as the head of the students’ Shuren college, while at the same time serving as class leader. He said with a smile: “For a class, team building is very important. I am very proud of the 1302 class, we are very united, the students care about each other and are very warm, whether it is in class or outside, we gather all together to eat dumplings, it feels like a big family.”.
When asked what are the reasons for choosing to partake in so many student activities, Wu explains that during the 4 years of studies there are certainly hardships, but that working in student organizations had a huge influence on him, it was a way to improve his own personal abilities and think in a more comprehensive way. These organizations also contribute to develop a sense of belonging and of responsibility for the students, which is important for a well rounded skill set.
“Knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship” are the core values of SUSTech, and reside in the very heart of the school. Throughout his studies Wu was also involved in social exercises during the summer vacations during which he worked voluntarily as a research assistant, as well as doing a work internship at the company Accenture. His motto is that “Practice makes perfect” and he applies it.
Then, once it was time to go out and look for a job, Wu said he sent out more than 100 applications, received more than 20 letters of rejection, was offered 7 or 8 interviews and finally got four internship opportunities. While Wu did manage to secure an internship, he and his classmates realised that financial companies out there just didn’t grasp the university’s concept and quality of talent it was producing, and that’s when they decided to create an alumni association. They submitted the idea to Professor He, the chair of the Finance department who willingly approved the idea, and appointed Professor Yang Xining as their guide. Currently the association has over 200 members.
Once he started talking about the Finance alumni, Wu Guanlong seemed to have endless stories. “An individual‘s strength is small, but a group’s strength is much greater. The Department of Finance Alumni Association often shares resources on internships, helps to write resumes and prepare interviews and other similar activities. They invite business guests to school to do give talks, and they hope that these kind of opportunities will help the younger students to avoid making the mistakes they made and give them a head start.
During the 2016 campus fall job fair, Wu came to apply at iFLYTEK, and after multiple screening procedures was hired to be the sales manager of one of its branches. IFLYTEK is a company engaged in intelligent voice recognition and voice technology research, software and chip development, voice information service and is one of the leaders in this area. But the Shenzhen Branch was established in 2016 only, and compared to working in top financial companies as a analyst, the position of sales manager seems barely related. Wu explains that as a sales manager, he can gain direct insight into the industry prospects, rapid understanding of the future direction of artificial intelligence and gain a better understanding of the company’s business model, which is very challenging. “I hope to be a standard-bearer for SUSTech in the industry, and hope to become the pride of the university.” he says.
As advice to the younger students, he says it is important to plan one’s future carefully and to consider what one truly likes, to work hard and cherish the time at university. He also hopes that the students of the Department of Finance will continue to be involved in student organizations as well as reach out to the industry, to lead the way in investment research and in-depth finance innovation, combining the knowledge they learn with lots and lots of practice.
Contributed by: Guo Ying Wang Ziyi
Edited by: Jeremy Welburn
