Last Sunday, 19th June, Essence Educational has successfully hold our 3rd Career talk - Breakthrough investment bank.

We are very honored to invite Jing, a quantitative trader from a tier 1 investment bank in Hong Kong; Zoe Zheng, CEO and founder of Golend, who used to work as an internal consultant in BNP Paribas.

Our CEO Zeyu Li also publically shared his view for the first time upon why he decide to leave a dream job for most of people.

Jing, Quantitative Trader

Jing shared with our students what are the duties for front office ITs, quants, and traders. Then he described a typical work day for a quantitative trader. He shared the experience of how to prepare for a career as quantitative trader.

1). Prepare earlier to have a related internship, including data analyst;

2). Join financial events to learn what other people are doing in this area;

3). Join trading contests where you can gain experience through trading simulations;

4). Sharpen self skill sets, including programming.

Zoe Zheng, A Born Entreprenuer

After sharing her previous working experience in an investment bank, Zoe introduced her company's business model to our students. Golend aims to provide a transparent, effective platform for both borrowers and lenders. She also shared with our students the hardships she experienced throughout the process. Zoe Golend CEO

Zoe offered 3 pieces of advice to our students for their career planning:

1). Follow your heart. Zoe believes she made every decision by following her heart and choosing what she really enjoys. Once she makes her decision on choice A, she never looks back on choice B, C, D... She just focuses on A, sticks with A till works it out.

2). Ready to Adapt. Zoe used a quite good word 'adapt' to describe the necessary evolution process throughout the way of running business. Sometimes the market needs were just far beyond what we originally expected. The only way to survive and develop our business is to adapt to the market.

3) Be optimistic. Alex Wu, our speaker in the last career talk, also put forward this advice to our students. Optimism is one of the most crucial personalities which a true entrepreneur must have. Like Jack Ma, who suffered many failures before his Alibaba finally succeeded. Zoe encouraged our students to try, to work hard, and never be afraid of failures.

Zeyu LI's new move

Zeyu, our CEO shared his view why he gave up his luxurious position as a top trader in an investment bank and turned to focus on his 2 businesses. He emphasized his perspective on the relationship between risk and decision - making. Starting business is definitely embracing huge uncertainties. But uncertainty is not necessarily risk; only when uncertainty in the downside, it will be a risk. zeyu li EssenceEdu CEO

Zeyu thought whether fresh graduates from university should start his/her business or not depended on 2 factors:

1. your ability;

2. your long-term goal.

Zeyu suggested that if you could not shine in your job, it is very hard for you to successfully start your own business. While speaking to the long-term goal, he also referred to following your heart. If you have found certain demands, you should start your business right now, like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill gates. Alternatively, Zeyu suggested you to work for a while to accumulate your core competences and your resources first before you dive into the uncertainty.