Graduate Institute of Management Invites Distinguished Alumni to Share MA Career Paths and Interview Skills Across Three Key Fields
On April 23, The Graduate Institute of Management Student Association organized an “Alumni Career Sharing Seminar,” inviting four outstanding alumni from the Class of 112 to return and share their career journeys and practical interview strategies across three major fields: finance, digital marketing, and management associate (MA) programs. Despite their busy work schedules, all four alumni made time to come back and engage with current students, leading to a lively and interactive session.
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Associate Dean Shu-Jou Lin and NTNU-MBA students
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Associate Dean Shu-Jou Lin, who expressed appreciation for the alumni’s participation. Secretary Yen-Chi also noted that it was no easy feat to bring together four accomplished alumni at once, highlighting their strong support and connection to their alma mater.
Welcoming remarks by Associate Dean Shu-Jou Lin
The first speaker, Mr. Cheng-Huan Gu, currently a Management Associate (Fund Manager Trainee) at CTBC Investments, began by engaging the audience with questions about their interest in finance. He shared his “reverse engineering” approach to career planning, detailing how he transitioned from the finance track at NTNU’s Graduate Institute of Management into the financial industry. He emphasized the importance of not only solid financial knowledge but also AI literacy and programming skills such as Python. He encouraged students to actively participate in clubs and competitions, such as stock analysis and simulated trading contests, to build practical experience. He also outlined a clear two-year master’s plan: focus on tools like Excel and Python in the first year, engage in extracurricular activities, and build a portfolio for job applications.
Mr. Cheng-Huan Gu, Research Analyst, CTBC Investments Co., Ltd
The second speaker, Ms. Yun-Shan Pan, a CMA at Cathay United Bank, shared insights into MA careers from three perspectives: understanding the MA role, how to prepare for it, and interview processes and strategies. She discussed her current responsibilities, including leading AI application projects and managing core online banking platforms, which require cross-department collaboration and decision-making in highly uncertain environments. She emphasized that MA roles heavily depend on individual traits and fit, and encouraged students to accumulate project experience and practical skills during their graduate studies to enhance their competitiveness.
Ms. Yun-Shan Pan, a CMA at Cathay United Bank
The third speaker, Ms. Yu-Chieh Hsu, a 12th cohort Digital Marketing MA at cacaFly, shared her journey starting from her internship at Cathay Financial Holdings’ CIP Strategic Communications Department. She introduced the digital marketing industry and cacaFly’s role as a digital advertising agency. She also highlighted the company’s MA program and career opportunities, advising students to avoid using generic resume templates and instead tailor their applications to specific roles. She concluded by prompting students to reflect: “Where do you want to go, and who do you want to become?” encouraging early career planning.
Ms. Yu-Chieh Hsu, a 12th cohort Digital Marketing MA at cacaFly
The final speaker, Mr. Tzu-Hao Wang, an MA at Yuanta Financial Holdings, was the only presenter who delivered his talk entirely in English, humorously noting that he was continuing the institute’s tradition. Using personality analysis (MBTI) as a starting point, he emphasized that the key to interview success lies in “The Power of Practice & Confidence.” He recommended mock interviews, self-recording, and peer feedback to improve communication and body language. He also stressed the importance of projecting confidence, avoiding excessive humility, and demonstrating professionalism—such as arriving early, bringing multiple copies of resumes, and sending a thank-you email after interviews.
Mr. Tzu-Hao Wang, an MA at Yuanta Financial Holdings
This seminar covered finance, digital marketing, and management fields, offering students valuable first-hand industry insights. Through alumni sharing, participants gained a clearer understanding of career directions and preparation strategies, while also strengthening the connection between academic learning and practical application, laying a solid foundation for their future careers.