Career Choice You Have Selected

¶ … career choice you have selected is appropriate for you, why you have selected HSBC and what your career objectives are.

My current career objective is to become an integral part of the HSBC Asia Pacific Finance Graduate Development Programme. I spent my childhood in Hong Kong. Growing up, I was exposed to one of the most unique financial cultures in all of Asia: my early acculturation in Hong Kong's mix of Anglo and Chinese sensibilities would inform my work for HSBC. Living in the financial hub of Asia enabled me to witness firsthand the seismic changes shaking the region and see the potential of capitalism to generate wealth and economic expansion in a short period of time. As a result of these formative experiences, I resolved to study finance and accounting at university. My studies in finance and accounting at the University of Southern California and my internship at Merrill Lynch have given me the necessary analytical tools to look at the region with a critical eye and to contextualize what I saw as a resident of the Asia Pacific region.

I recently passed the Charter Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 exam in December 2009 and will sit for the Level 2 exam in June 2010. Within three years, I intend to become a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Seeking these qualifications has prepared me to provide informed advice and to enhance HSBC's effectiveness in the region. I look forward to working as a valued team player, in the context of the HSBC group management approach. I will strive to learn from the experiences and opportunities offered by the HSBC Asia Pacific Programme and to become an asset to an organization I have long respected. HSBC continues to cultivate a brand of trust and an image as a local bank, no matter where it is located in the world. My desire to maximize the positive power of finance is reflected in HSBC's central philosophy.

Question 2: How have you benefited from your work experience?

Job 1:

Merrill Lynch, Beverly Hills, CA

February 2009- May 2009

Intern

Conducted company background research and presented the results to financial advisors

Performed technical analysis on weekly basis to assist financial advisors in the management of portfolios owned by major clients

My supervisor, the VP of the Merrill Lynch Beverly Hills office, entrusted me with the responsibility of analyzing the profiles of some of the company's top clients on a weekly basis. It was exciting to be able to use my academic concentration in financial reporting in such a hands-on fashion. This position provided me with insight into how the knowledge I had gained in finance translated into the real, working day of a firm. It also gave me a sense of the tremendous amount of faith clients place in a financial analyst to handle their assets in a thorough and transparent fashion. The internship demonstrated to me how managing finance is a personal as a well as a monetary relationship between advisors and clients. I was also grateful to be able to find a mentor in the persona of my supervisor Dr. Levin. Being able to analyze portfolios and conduct background research were critical duties for Merrill Lynch, and I was honored to have earned the esteem of such a respected member of the firm.

Job 2:

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

October 2008 -- February 2009

Research Assistant

Involved in the stock option research of the Leventhal School of Accounting

Analyzed and collected 2759 sets of stock option data of various American corporations from the EDGAR

Analyzed and organized the annual report data into research spreadsheets

This position was an exciting introduction to the deadline-driven nature of being a research assistant. Being able to balance the time demands of my work as Professor Erkens' assistant and my own research for my classes schooled me in how to deal with multiple responsibilities, to prioritize, and to stay cool under pressure. My professor entrusted me with critical aspects of his research, and I had to cope with large amounts of complicated data and summarize them accurately and efficiently. I also had to deal with the unexpected, sudden increase in my workload when two of my fellow research assistants quit in the middle of the busiest part of the semester. I was able to work over my Christmas holiday to meet my obligation to my professor and to finish the data collection and technical analysis on time. Because of my dedication, Professor Erkens was kind enough to provide me with advice and guidance regarding my future career development, and I have often returned to ask him questions pertinent to my studies and professional career.