Please tell us why you have chosen to apply for Citi and this particular program. (maximum 300
words)
Citi is one of the leaders in the banking industry, which has many professional talents and
an excellent working environment. Besides, Citi is also a responsible business operator for
its ESG contribution. Greater Bay Talent Program is quite attractive to me as it can offer a
precious opportunity for a university student to work with professionals in a real business
environment.
From your understanding, in which ways is this business area changing and developing? Why are
these changes happening? Where are the opportunities and challenges? (maximum 400 words in
total for the 3 questions)
Our business has changed a lot after being affected by Covid-19. I would like to mention
the three most significant ones I have noticed.
The first is the working mode. Previously, employees are required to work onsite most of
the time, while now many works have shifted to the online version. Actually, before Covid19, the technology had already reached online working requirements, while lockdowns
accelerated its process. In the future, remote working will be a trend. The banking industry
focuses more on financial services provided to customers instead of physical needs, which
means Citi can benefit a lot (e.g. less cost) by adjusting employees’ working mode.
Second is the development of AI. ChatGPT can serve as a typical example here. Such
advancement in AI can be introduced to the business area. For instance, through its
communication with our potential customers, our customers’ investment requirements can
be better identified, promoting a more effective transaction.
Third is people’s attention to sustainability. ESG is not a new idea among Gen Z, as people
started to care more about environmental issues and corporate social responsibility. Citi
has done much on such issues, which are also the general trend in the business area. In
the near future, a better ESG profile can become a company’s competitive advantage
among the industries.
Overall speaking, we see opportunities in virtual (including financial service) and
sustainable business. One major challenge to be noticed is how to train our employees to
avoid being replaced by AI technologies. Another one is regarding the lack of standards in
ESG reporting and ranking, which makes ESG profiles less trustable in the capital market.
Please tell us about the most significant project (either at university or elsewhere) that you have
delivered to date. –
How did you identify the key goals / priorities? –
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
How did you deal with it? –
What feedback did you receive from others about your strengths and development areas during the
project? (maximum 400 words in total for the 4 questions)
My most significant project was done in the university’s business consulting club. In order
to become formal members, six students formed a group to prepare for a final case
presentation in a week. After receiving the case material, I contacted group members and
arranged a discussion first. My priorities are located in two main aspects, how to break
down the topic and the distribution of tasks. After this meeting, I collected everyone’s
timetable and found two timeslots for the next catch-up sessions.
The biggest challenge during our preparation is the inconsistency of styles during
discussion. Some of them would like to present in a more academic way while others did
it in an informal way. As the team leader, I had to make some adjustments. We reviewed
the case together and I pointed out that the data analysis and evaluation parts are better
than being more academic for a business presentation. For group mates who preferred to
present in an informal style, I recommended they work on the background introduction part,
which was intended to be as attractive as possible.
Our presentation was a success according to the judges. Other team members praised me
for my effective communication skills and professional analyzing ability on business topics.
One thing they thought I could improve is that sometimes I was too focused on producing
a perfect outcome, which might transfer stress to surrounding members. Since then, I paid
more attention to the whole team's performance consciously through more frequent
communication with everyone, in case of making anyone feels stressed out.