曾经年少

2013.1.27 Ross Group Interview

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或许是受Wharton的影响, Ross今年R2也开始试水Group Interview了. 不过只是做为MBA录取群面的初次实验, 所以全球只是选择了Beijing, Shanghai, 与Ross本部做Group Interview的实验. AO开玩笑说是应为中国申请者众多, 有这样的条件做群面试验.

AO也非常明确的表明群面不只是为了测试大家英文水平, 而是测试大家在实际教学过程如何团队合作, presentation skill以及如何在英文的教学环境下进行brainstorming, discussion等等. 因为在MBA学习的过程中以及寻找Intern和final job的过程中, 都会有大量的这样的群体讨论以及面试等等，需要很好的沟通技巧与展现自我的方式. 希望每一个进入商学院的学生都能够在竞争激烈的情况下surviv吧.

 

群面的形式也比较特别, 不过由于昨天晚上就大概知道北京群面的情况,所以稍有准备, 否则临场发挥还是会比较歇菜的, 尤其个人部分.

Session One： individual part

make a story

随即抽取两种不同颜色的纸条, 其中一张纸条会有location信息，比如kitchen, farm, supermarket之类的. 另一张纸为noun，比如trouser, bone, knife等. 然后根据两个单词准备10分钟编一个故事, 然后用E问讲60秒故事。for example：

Monstershou: 我抽到Farm,Knife. 我编的故事某男在英国旅行的时候在一个农场遇到了某女，两人相约一同玩了一天, 某男被某女的charm所吸引，希望能够保持联系. 某女同意了, 但是希望不能直接给出联系方式或者姓名等联系到，而是分别给出五个关键字让对方后面可以通过各种方式寻找到自己. 然后某男回国后就一直在寻找这5个词的connection,几乎已经接近了，不过对于Knife这个词不知道什么意思为什么要写？ 然后一个月后某男生日的时候收到一封陌生邮件：Hello, Stranger: Happy Birthday! Do you find me? 然后说大家想知道其他几个关键字和某男某女接下来的进展么？下回讲述.

另一组员是：Library, noun忘记了. 就讲述了一个某男在图书馆遇到某女并成为初恋的故事.

其他组员也有将写其他和工作相关的故事，然后故事结尾讲述了一个大概的商业道理这样的逻辑.

 

Session Two: Group Discussion

这部分我们把之前每个人手上的location与noun的纸条放在中间，我们要在这些纸条中确定一个location的词以及三个noun的词，讲述一个商业故事. 给给坐在我们桌的alumni（扮演客户方），帮他解决一个问题等.

小组准备时间：20min

小组present时间：3Min （每人必须present 人均30s）

其实这个过程还是挺好玩和有趣的, 因为一开始当把两个地点和两个名词放在桌子中央的时候，大家就会各抒己见, 发表自己的看法和建议. 而这个时候其实是有一点混乱的, 因为每个人都想表达自己的看法，有些七嘴八舌的.而且我们也没有开始就确定好一个一个先发表看法，然后综合来推进这个过程. 我最后在六分钟的时候提醒了大家我们至少在10分钟的时候需要给出一个统一的共识，然后在花几分钟把presentation break down每个人分工, 最后在每个人准备自己的30s，然后在剩3-4分钟 过一遍. （ 不过在这样的场景下, 慢慢大家就会达成共识或者有一个人的建议占了大多数的共识, 一个人在lead team讨论下去）

 

我们小组最后确认的是location：supermarket, 名词： bone, knife, plate；然后设计了一个我们的客户销售额下降,管理层希望我们能够给些建议让它turnaround. 然后春节就要来了，我们决定抓住这次机会, 正对他的一些target customer做一些营销互动，更好的推动商品的销售. 基本主线故事定下来后，我们就开始商讨具体的方案, 比如cross sale or bundled sales等等给出了三种方案. 六个人主要分工了如下：

1. Monstershou我：介绍项目背景和情况以及我们在春节期间要推出方案.

2. XXX：介绍了为何要在春节推出这些方案.

3/4: 介绍了三种方案的具体方式.

5. 从财务角度进行了这些方案的大致分析.

6. 简单的总结.

 

其实故事本身或者方案可实现性和复杂性并不是最重要的. 关键在于在这样一个无组织无领导的小组讨论中, 要短时间内大家达成共识，然后分工, 最后要在有限时间内给出东西来的合作过程还是挺能看出一些人的团队合作精神以及未来在课堂中有可能会遇到的情况的. Anyway, 感觉这次试验应该也不会太做总体的考虑的，虽然alumni一直在记些东西以及有个表格在手里.

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曾经年少

2013.1.25 Ross Interview

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今天浦东国金中心面试, Ross, 第三个面试. 或许是由于今天面试前半小时还一直在处理工作上的事情, 有些准备的不够充分，关键心貌似不够太静,以及面试环境也不太安静,感觉面试效果一般.

 

地点：国金中心地下一层的星巴克, 有些喧闹, 讲话需要相对大声才能够比较正常的交流.

面试官: 一个非常nice的校友，在雅培工作. 台湾美国人，9岁去了米国, 美国接受教育，MIT 化学毕业. 一直当面试官, 对自己当面试官这件事非常的自豪, 希望给学校找到最Fit的人才进community.

问题如下：
1.谈谈个人的故事，成长，喜好，whatever. ( 其实就是教育与工作先不用说…谈谈自己)
2.Resume: 为什么加入这两家公司以及做的事情（academic 他觉得学校很好就不用说了…..）
3. Why MBA, Why Ross, CG? 一下子三四个问题…好残暴哦…pace 有点点小乱. 他连续问了好几个问题，让我当时感觉有些招架不住…心里有点小小的打乱了自己节奏)
4. leadership的认知，以及leadership的role model？ ( 这个问题其实答的不好..）
5. 你自己的leadership style以及如何带领团队. （故事选对了，但是貌似答的并不是非常的对应）
6. Teamwork. （还是讲了conflict 处理的问题）
7. 未来你创业的话，你在创业团队中你想当什么职位。
8. High tech挺多好的学校的，尤其西海岸，why Ross（⊙﹏⊙b汗…又补充了）
9. contribution to Ross
10. Q&A.
P.S. 整个聊天过程还是挺开心的，校友确实非常的nice, 尤其Q&A分享了挺多信息.
       不过选择了他办公楼下的一个比较吵的咖啡馆，面试效果感觉不是非常理想，提高音量的同时会影响pace. 感觉今天的面试的节奏掉的非常的厉害，不知道是因为自己由于之前处理工作心不静呢 还是面试官问的问题方式和角度切入的问题，或者周边环境的问题. 感觉不是非常的在状态, 有些急躁，说话有些快, 而且信息感觉有些杂乱, 后面的对话基本都是已临时性组织语言和重构故事为主. 因而缺乏清晰的组织和明确的逻辑. 总体感觉不是很好. 只能静待通知了.

 

所以选择一个安静的地方以及一个相对心静的状态, 让面试变成一次愉快的谈话还是非常重要的. 今天就是丢了自己的Pace了. 切记.

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曾经年少

Great News: UCLA Offer

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MBA申请之路总算是出现了点曙光, 让自己可以稍微安心许多了.

最近几天其实一直有点小忐忑, 毕竟一直没有消息. 昨天在酒店准备Ross的面试, 一边还刷刷邮箱。（最近刷邮箱简直成了一种病态习惯了, 没事就刷邮箱）。原本以为按照时差关系最快应该也要半夜才会有消息吧.

一封信邮件“嘣”的出现在眼前. 

Dear Canliang,

Your admissions decision is now available online. To retrieve your decision, please log into your application.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Best regards,
UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions and Financial Aid

 

非常简短, 简短的以为有些冷淡了. 之前曾经设想过好几次看到邮件时候的心情, 我总是告诉自己需要平静的面对一切, 我应该不会紧张或者激动. 可是我错了……..或许是我太期待有个结果来告诉自己, 证明自己的付出是有收获的, 告诉自己是会被认可的. 当我点开邮件的时候我真的是很紧张, 明显感觉心跳加速的很厉害. 那种紧张的心情或许已经很久很久没有体会了, 我都不知道上一次这样的感觉是在什么时候. 当我Login进系统的时候依然是一行告诉我”you admissions decision is now available“ 的时候, 我真的有些紧张了, 我真的有些害怕看到一些不愿意见到的结局, 因为其实我并没有准备好。在我点开继续连接进去看的时候, 我几乎是闭起了眼睛, 祈祷上天能够给我一个好消息, 能够让我安心的过春节。

 

所幸, 或许周末妈祖阁的上签真的灵验了！我收到了Offer, 来自UCLA的Offer, 来自我喜欢的西海岸加州的offer. 其实我也不知道我为什么莫名的喜欢或者偏向西海岸, 喜欢加州. 其实我并没有去过, 我对加州也并没有研究过谈不上多么的了解而喜欢, 就是一种简单朦胧的直觉. 这样的感觉伴随了我人生很久, 也伴随了我好多次重要的选择.

 

当然斯坦福, 加州伯克利和加州洛杉矶三所学校都是我很喜欢的学校. 虽然UCLA相对于UC Berkeley以及Stanford排名偏后, 但是在没有更好的Offer情况下, 我还是非常喜欢UCLA的.  不过Stanford和UC Berkeley招的人超级的少，Offer的几率实在低的可以让我感觉可以被忽略了也不觉得自己有多么的冤枉了. 申请过程中也碰到了很多的牛人, 越发知道自己的不足与平淡, 而进了MBA商学院之后这样的感觉其实只会更加的剧烈, 来自世界各自的在各自领域优秀的同学以及他们的故事都会到时让我赞叹和佩服, 提醒自己要更加努力和积极向上, 切勿懒惰成性.

 

P.S.

收到Offer激动了好一会, 初步估计至少有一刻钟左右. 我发微信群通知一起申请的人, 发短信和打电话给CD 六月班的同学, 联系告诉一直关心我申请情况的朋友, 同学, 老板, 同事. ( 人家牛人应该都很淡定吧？？ 我这么激动的告诉所有人是不是太不蛋定了？ 是不是太木有必要了？….其实我就是真的很开心的想让别人也知道(^o^)/~, 木有一点炫耀的意思~(≧▽≦)/~啦啦啦）. 我打电话给老妈, 老妈知道有好消息了. 因为一般白天我很少打电话给她, 而且也不是周末. …反正我恨不得让所有人都知道….哎╮(╯▽╰)╭….我这样太不低调了….原谅我…..)

 

今年春节过年回家终于可以写一写2012年的总结以及过去工作四年多的总结甚至是过去二十多年成长线路的初步总结了. 毕竟相对于我上私立中学, 考取复旦, 工作, 如今出国MBA 又一次站在了人生重要的十字路口. 可以总结挺多, 因为选择MBA，而且是出国读MBA本身其实已经超出很多人包括自己之前的计划于预期. 在不久或者没几年前这都是未曾想过的事。这又将再一次把我的人生轨迹抛出一个美丽的弧线了. 非常期待.

 

人生就是这么奇妙的, 以为自己永远不会选择的事, 其实有一天你也会做.

所以不要夸口做太遥远的规划, 不要给未来的自己提前做了各种选择, 把选择权留给未来的自己.

 

继续加油！

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旅行户外

澳门一日游

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上周, 广州出差培训, 借此机会, 周末顺便溜达去了澳门一趟.

14年前左右 初到人生转折重要一站 积极参加迎澳门回归电视知识竞赛小组 那会天天熟悉各种有关澳门历史的点滴 14年后有关澳门 只记得妈祖庙和葡萄牙两个关键字了 不过比记忆丢失好的一点是 我终于可以过来看看啦！

第一站 妈祖阁

过了拱北关口便直接打车去了妈祖阁, 求了个签 学业 上签[鼓掌]希望妈祖保佑[鼓掌] 万里遥[哈哈]. 虽则并非虔诚的信徒，然后每到一处，若有些庙宇也必会进去参拜一二, 偶尔也会抽个签. 这应该是我人生抽的第三次签. 细细回想，这三次签的时间, 环境以及之后遇到的状况和选择, 结果都或多或少有些暗合. 或许这便是上天神灵给的指引吧. 希望人生之路一直有天神护佑.

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第二站 大三巴和炮台

以前以为前面是个大广场呢 至少台阶下是个小广场吧 其实是个挺小拥挤的地方 不过还是不影响它的气势 话说澳门还真挺小的 不过公交很发达哇 坐了两程公车辆成计程车 其实在它交错高高低低的街道漫漫步还挺好的 可惜我只是匆匆一行

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IMG_1792IMG_1791IMG_1795IMG_1803

 

 

第三站新葡京

为防止久不出决定不吃晚饭直接去 每种台子都认真观望了遍 看懂玩的性质和押注的方式及概率 还是不喜欢纯拼运气的压大小和数字 选择了梭哈桌子坐下 打算送完2K就撤 岂料跟注连赢三把 十分钟就赢了1.8K 导致将近一个半小时才输完 若坚守策略 估计还可坚挺一小时 无最擅长的牌九很失望  

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曾经年少

Second Interview：UT Austin McCombs 2013.1.12

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11:00 AM Coffee Bar@Shanghai with Interviewer Ariel

 

Ariel came to me after her first interview this morning and I could find her nice and sincerity at the first sight. She must be a hardworking professional women as there was already white hair, or maybe it was just gene. I do appreciate she could spend her weekend to conduct the interview for me.

There was a relax and happy conversation about the travelling experience between us before the formal interview  as she jsut came from Cambodia. For the formal interview question as below:

0. ( No Go through the resume, I guess she already read my resume as she printed my resume)

1. Why MBA at this moment?

2. What do you want to do after graduation?

3. What are you passionate about?

4. What kind of colleage do you like? quality？

5. Your understanding about Leadership?

6. How do you manage the conflict with study group member if they just ignore you?

7. What do you do that exceed your expectation?( Achievement)

8. How do you build the relationship with others?

9. Share me something about the local product vendor?

10. How do you compete with the local partners as they will offer low price and still good product?

11. In the 5-10 ten years, the local vendor will improve their product and maybe even the same as you, how do you suggest the market strategy for that moment?

12.  Why UT Austin?

13. The most rewarding thing from your job and most frustrating aspect.

14. Give me some words to describe yourself.

15. The weakness in your application.

16. The strength/ the reason that UT AT Austin should offer you the ticket.

17. Your contribution to UT Austin community in and after graduation.

18. Your start-up experience?

19. Why you choose to IBM after two year’s management trainee at Oracle?

20…….

 

It was a long conversation with almost 100 minutes, not a tough and long interview as I think the process for this interview sounded like a long and deep conversation with my interviewer. She also shared with me her experience and understanding about MBA at Austin, both the positive and negative aspects of MBA study.

 

Well, long interview doesn’t equal to good interview….as I must said lots of silly answers or words during this long conversation. When you became a talk, maybe you couldn’t mistake it as a real conversation, you still should think seriously before you speak out.

 

For example: I said my biggest weakness was my spoken English, though she thought my oral English was good, not a problem.  I should choose something like I am lack of oversea study experience…..I will be a very good answer to this question….I must be shot at that moment… Hope it will not hurt my application.

 

While now, Cross figers and wait for the firecracker!

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曾经年少

First Interview UCLA-2013.1.10

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2013.1.10 00:30 Skype

Finally it comes my first interview from UCLA: Exciting and nervous.

My interviewer was a year2 MBA student from Thailand, while she spent many years in U.S. as she got her bachelor degree in University of South California and worked for PwC for several years.

 

The interview process was normal. After a warm-up conversation, she introduced the interview process which included 20m interview and 10m question to her. She was a very warm and easy-going women( yeap, I guess most of the interviewers are warm and friendly, at least they seems to, you know.) 

 

Some question for the interview:

1. Go through your resume.

2. Why UCLA ( Just stated why mba, why  now, why UCLA together..)

3. What’s your goal for 5-10 years. ( Short term and long term)

4. Leadership story and what you think could improve? ( ZJ tobacco case)

5. What will you involve in the community. ( HTBA, EA and C4C clubs)

6. How do you build the relationship with others. ( Conflict Managment- Inside sales)

6. Q&A. (She briefly introduced her background)

 

It was a happy and relax conversation, and I hope it will be a good ending.

Howerver, there is still something that could done better.

 

2. Why UCLA, I could talk about more detailed about the resource and course in UCLA. I mentioned Entrepreneurial focus, technology reputation, location, and Students and professors. Well it was OK, but seemed a little too general, could be more specific next time.

3. If she asked me about my long-term goal. I could stated the long-term goal firstly, then I could explain what was my short-term in order to reach the LG. Howerver, I stated my SG, then LG, which, I am afraid, would let her think that I just recited my prepared materials.

4. Leadership stories and improvement. I did stated the story about ZJ tobacco. While I may not clearly explain what I could improve as it seemed like a great achivement and happy ending. So the learning for improvement seemed a little weak.

5. I stated about the clubs I will involve and gonna to participate the renowned Knapp Venture Competition with good business plan. Is there anything I could add or improvement.

6. Build relationship. I stated about a story about how to manage conflict and build trust within the team. While it was OK. But actully, I could stated two stories, one about building trust with my college, and another about building relationship with customer with high business integrity. That’ s something I should add and improve.

 

Generall speaking, it was a friendly talk and I was not  sure about the result, but I do wish I can win the ticket, then my Spring Festival will be a celebratation. Otherwise… I gonna drop in the deep ocean of willies and worry.

 

P.S. I drank a Red Bull before my interview at about PM 11:00. The result was I couldn‘t fall asleep even at am 3:00. I got up and watched a movie” War Horse” and fell asleep till the morning about 5:30…. It was a tired night. I got up after 11:00 this morning and help polish the UCLA essay for one of my friend till PM 1:20…and visited a customer after the lunch at KFC near my apartment….I do feel I become the “ Monster” again those days…….

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曾经年少

Sunshine

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早上从梦中醒来 依稀记得最后一个梦竟然梦到了外星人或者异形生物吧。

 

走进一幢楼, 高塔式的建筑, 可是梦境却又很动画, 似乎是个平面游戏的界面。楼里到处都是各种花花草草, 需要穿越一层层的花花往高层奔去. 最后一楼的时候是各种硕大的花朵从屋顶悬挂下来。梦境似乎是说撕下花瓣即可. 在撕开花瓣的同时, 花朵似乎产生了异常强烈的吸引力, 就像食人花一样,把人吸进了花朵. 而这却正是进入顶层的唯一方式. 顶楼是个宽敞的圆顶建筑，四周都是透明的玻璃, 都能看到高楼外的景象. 楼的正中似乎是大理石建筑一样的棺木或者墓穴, 有凝重感的几级台阶往上. 而墓穴躺着一个巨人, 全身都是盔甲, 头盔很长,从鼻子一直往下延伸到了胸前, 似乎就像是之前电影"普罗米修斯"造物主的头盔.

 

昨晚各种阴错阳差至凌晨四五点方才睡去, 早上间歇性的醒来, 没有时间的概念. 窗帘的间隙间透进闪闪的阳光. 有些疑惑, 最近几天不是明明都是阴天么, 何来的阳光? 半睡半醒中看着窗前闪闪发亮的照射进来, 不知道是自己的梦境还是真实的阳光. 或许该有阳光照进我的生活了.

 

中午醒来又是阴天, 有点头痛, 眼睛也有些酸。

 

最后一天, 把最后一所学校的材料提交了, 有些机械, 不愿思索, 似乎最终都提交完毕才是目的所在, 而对结局的期盼早已没有先前的憧憬与强烈.

 

接下来或许又是等待.

 

或许早上的阳光是个好预兆, 2013也许也会阳光照进生活.

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曾经年少

Merry Christmas 2012

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Festival Season, Christmas and New Year.

 

While it is obviously that my focus is still on MBA application.

Write emailsl to alumnus, book the interview time, prepare interview questions, polish the essays  for R2 application. It seems there all lots of things to do and it is endless, as you could never tell yourself that what you have done is enough to get the interview ticket or even the enrollment. There would always be someone that is harder or smarter than you. What you can do is try you best, while I am always very lazy.

 

I wrote emails to my classmates, who now pursued their MBA degree in US, to write the support letter for me. Maybe it would be helpful or maybe it is just a waste of their time, I just want to improve the possibility to get in a better MBA school.

 

My previous boss and life long friend, Steve, told me: All I havd done today will be paid off in the future.  2013 will be the crossroad year of my life.

 

I do believe so.

 

My whole life is a good sample that prove the education investment  will be paid off.

 

Wait

Wait

Wait for the Big Day.

 

Michael Shou

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梦里开花

2012.12.21 Fly from Being to Shanghai

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2012.12.21 The last day of the world as expected by the Maya.

I am in Beijing and have stayed here almost one week for the contract of my biggest deal this year. While things is complicated and it seems already out of my control, and even out of my boss’s boss’s boss control.

Monday night, we were three persons to talk about this deal and negotiated with our partner to close the deal within this year. On the next day, one flied back to Hangzhou and another flied back to Shanghai yesterday, letting me alone here to strive for the final result.

Tomorrow is not the last day of the world, but it do be the last day of the deal.

 

Besides, I will conduct a mock interview with a UCLA students in Beijing, and later fly back to Shanghai late afternoon. If the Maya is right, maybe tomorrow night I would not back to Shanghai, the pilot would  definitely fly to Tibet.

 

Maybe everyone will remember what they will do tomorrow. Even it is not the end of our world, most of the people, I think, would ”celebrate“ the big day in their own way. I firmly believe most of the people expect this day for such a long time since they saw the movie’ 2012” One of my  friend even take our most of her cash and book a fly to Hongkong tomorrow, she would definitely enjoy the shopping those days.

 

To me, I will remember this Big Day, even it seems to be a flat Friday!

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曾经年少

Getting Better

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Though I was little upset two weeks ago that Duke didn’t invite me to the interview stage, things seem to get better as I have received the interview invitation from UT Austin McCombs and UCLA. Austin and Los Angeles both are exciting and innovative cities in U.S.

 

Now I have to better prepare my interviews. It has been such a long time since the last formal interview when I was still in the college, preparing for the job-hunting interview. It reminds me the days years ago, and now I will be on the way to a new chapter of my life.

Dreams will come true. Hold On, Sun shines.

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