Why are you interested in Business Analytics? (Maximum 500 words)
In China, every high school graduate has to take Gaokao, the National College Entrance Examination. The results of Gaokao serve as the only criteria for college application. I didn't choose Food Science and Engineering as my major but I was chosen to the best majors in one of the best universities because of my good performance in Gaokao. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought, this is what defines me and is what encourages me to study hard.
In the university, though I was uncertain about the future at that time, I made full use every moment and took many elective courses in computer science, mathematics, and management. Undergraduate study fueled my insatiability and cultivated curiosity within me at a cellular level. Gradually I found my passion and potential in data analytics, especially in the context of business. I found it difficult to complacently accept the "what"; I want to hunt for the "whys" and dissect the "hows". The natural curiosity drove me to use analytics to uncover meaningful insights from data in all decision making.
After graduation, I joined Procter& Gamble as a process engineer and worked on the front line of manufacturing. One of my key objectives was the maximization of output with current resources by reducing waste in equipment and process reliability. Rather than repeated troubleshooting, I truly went through the analytics process to trace problems into origins with multiple systematical tools. It gave me the rush of accomplishment that came with interacting with peers from other departments, with defining root causes, and with solving chronic manufacturing issues. I always found a gem in each day as I was heading home.
After some time in the professional life in both Canada and China, I have met many manager from different cultures. I found that in China, many managers made decisions based on experience and intuition, while Western managers tended to be more data-oriented and looked for new ideas to move forward. Chinese executives who built their careers in intuition are struggling with the exponential growth of data to make the right decision. In my perspective, experience, intuition and the use of data and analytics are not mutually exclusive. The challenge is how best to marry the two. However, it is not easy for the corporate culture to transit instinctive decision-making to data-driven. My career aspiration is to foster a deep culture of evidence-based decision making in Chinese enterprises. To achieve this, first of all, I need to move fast and prove myself as a domain expert and throw in some quick wins based on data-driven results, which carry much more power than just saying "I think...". Business Analyst is not only a role I am passionate about but my career choice to help drive change in organizations and make the world a better place.
In China, every high school graduate has to take Gaokao, the National College Entrance Examination. The results of Gaokao serve as the only criteria for college application. I didn't choose Food Science and Engineering as my major but I was chosen to the best majors in one of the best universities because of my good performance in Gaokao. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought, this is what defines me and is what encourages me to study hard.
In the university, though I was uncertain about the future at that time, I made full use every moment and took many elective courses in computer science, mathematics, and management. Undergraduate study fueled my insatiability and cultivated curiosity within me at a cellular level. Gradually I found my passion and potential in data analytics, especially in the context of business. I found it difficult to complacently accept the "what"; I want to hunt for the "whys" and dissect the "hows". The natural curiosity drove me to use analytics to uncover meaningful insights from data in all decision making.
After graduation, I joined Procter& Gamble as a process engineer and worked on the front line of manufacturing. One of my key objectives was the maximization of output with current resources by reducing waste in equipment and process reliability. Rather than repeated troubleshooting, I truly went through the analytics process to trace problems into origins with multiple systematical tools. It gave me the rush of accomplishment that came with interacting with peers from other departments, with defining root causes, and with solving chronic manufacturing issues. I always found a gem in each day as I was heading home.
After some time in the professional life in both Canada and China, I have met many manager from different cultures. I found that in China, many managers made decisions based on experience and intuition, while Western managers tended to be more data-oriented and looked for new ideas to move forward. Chinese executives who built their careers in intuition are struggling with the exponential growth of data to make the right decision. In my perspective, experience, intuition and the use of data and analytics are not mutually exclusive. The challenge is how best to marry the two. However, it is not easy for the corporate culture to transit instinctive decision-making to data-driven. My career aspiration is to foster a deep culture of evidence-based decision making in Chinese enterprises. To achieve this, first of all, I need to move fast and prove myself as a domain expert and throw in some quick wins based on data-driven results, which carry much more power than just saying "I think...". Business Analyst is not only a role I am passionate about but my career choice to help drive change in organizations and make the world a better place.
