I am the HNC career services coordinator here at the HNC. I also work for SAIS DC on the Global Careers team. I am their Asia Talent rep, and I run this office at the HNC. I split my time between both campuses, but try to spend most of my time in Nanjing while school is in session, and work out of DC during breaks and when school is not in session. I am also a HNC graduate myself. I did the certificate program here from 2014 to 2015.
What activities are put on by the HNC Career Services office?
We do all kinds of different activities. A few of the main ones are career coaching sessions, which cover topics that many students have including resume writing, networking, cover letters, interviewing, and other general information sessions to prepare students for the job search. We also do individual coaching. Starting this year across all SAIS campuses we have an open-door policy, meaning students don’t need to make an appointment and can stop by any time I am in the office. We also do alumni events and career treks, as well as hosting employers on campus, which are great networking opportunities for students.
Can you talk a little about the Career Treks?
Career treks are a huge piece of what I do. Historically the HNC has done two career treks a year. One is the Beijing Trek, which is about 4 days in Beijing that usually happens over the spring vacation in late April. We also do a joint trek with SAIS DC called the Asia Trek, where we travel to Shanghai and Hong Kong. This trek is in January during the first week of winter vacation here and the last week of vacation for the SAIS DC students. We take a group of 17-20 students, with about half from the HNC and half from SAIS DC, with 2 days in Shanghai and 3 days in Hong Kong. It is very busy, as we usually meet about 18 employers over the course of those 5 days. There are also alumni events in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Some participants say those events are especially helpful, as there is a chance to meet some of the same people in a less formal setting, as well as people from different companies and industries. These are usually in a bar or restaurant, where students can get more insider information.
These treks are very much informational. The value is not as much about getting an internship for the summer, which can and does happen, but the real value is to expand your network, meet new people and alumni in working in diverse industries doing interesting things. These connections are valuable whether or not you are applying for an internship now, and they are a great way for students to learn what opportunities exist for those unsure what they want to do.
Are there networking opportunities for students while at the HNC?
Career treks are a major networking opportunity, as well as any alumni events we have, whether they come on campus or whether we have an alumni event locally or in Shanghai. We have a number of those events every year. Employers who come to campus are important for students to network with for now and in the future. Additionally, I always encourage students to not just network vertically but also horizontally. I have noticed in my personal career and others can attest to this as well, sometimes the relationships that you build with your classmates, on both the international and Chinese sides, can be just as valuable down the road as opportunities to meet with executives from companies.
What can you say about the HNC alumni network?
The alumni network is one of the most valuable takeaways of the HNC/SAIS education. It took me a bit to realize that, but the sooner you do and start cultivating it, the better. It will be helpful for your long-term career regardless of what career you go into. As a HNC graduate, even if you never go to the DC campus, you will still be considered a SAIS alum, so you can also utilize the SAIS alumni network throughout your career. Almost every city has an alumni presence, and many have an alumni coordinator. While you are in school, you can start to use the alumni network by seeking informational interviews. You shouldn’t feel reticent about reaching out to alumni for information as a student. I especially encourage students to reach out to younger alumni, as these relationships are often overlooked but can be very valuable. Networking is a two-way street, so for the younger graduates, there is more of an incentive for these grads to work with you.
What are typical internships that HNC students might expect to be competitive for?
There are a lot of different internships opportunities in Greater China. We have a lot of students go into financial service/accounting firms, political risk firms, market research firms—especially in Shanghai, multilateral organizations (mostly in Beijing). The State Department also has internships our students have success with. We are also working with some government organizations. I was in Taipei recently and met with a representative from the Taipei city government. He is building an internship program I am excited about, because I think it has the potential to be very valuable for HNC students to gain experience with the mayor’s office in Taipei. Besides this, there are opportunities in pharmaceutical companies in Nanjing, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and Beijing loves to have interns as well.
What are typical jobs HNC students might expect to be competitive for?
For entry-level jobs, there are a couple of different areas students tend to go into. One is due-diligence and business intelligence. I have some experience in this field. I think students like to go into this field because the requirements are essentially what all HNC students are good at: research, the ability to read quickly and comprehensively (in Chinese), then analyzing and synthesizing to write well-written English reports that uses that model. Lots of political risk firm entry level positions are in due diligence. Market intelligence/research firms are reliant on a lot of the same skills. Finance and accounting firms do take quite a bit of students as well.
The US government is also a common destination, and many students come to the HNC knowing they want to work for the government after graduation. We have students who go into the Foreign Service, but also the Consular Fellows program, as the program looks for students with Mandarin skills. For those looking for opportunities in China, a lot of students interested in financial services might go to Hong Kong, while Shanghai has a broader cross-section of industries.
What sets HNC graduates apart from others in the job market?
The most obvious difference is language skills. Additionally, students come out with high-level research abilities and analytical skills. This past spring we had a SAIS alum who is currently working in financial services in Shanghai teach a mini-course here. He talked about career development with students as well, and he said the skills HNC and SAIS teach are like an upside-down pyramid. The things you learn here are things you will need at a senior level with decades of experience managing a large, multinational corporation.
Interview conducted by Will Putzier, Certificate '20 + Johns Hopkins SAIS MA '21
