See Tamkang, the Favorite of Enterprises (Alumni Performance in the Financial Industry)

2023/03/27

Preface

In the “2023 Favorite University Graduates Ranking for Enterprises” published by the magazines Global View Monthly (GVM) and Cheers, our university ranked first among private universities. Notably, our alumni in the financial industry were among the top performers in the “industry performance” category, ranking 3rd in GVM and 5th in Cheers, which is impressive.

GVM pointed out that for the human resources executives of the top 2000 enterprises, what they value most is not whether a major is popular or not, but soft skills such as problem-solving ability, interpersonal relationships, communication, stress resistance, and internship experience. This feature report will analyze the characteristics of our university students and alumni performance, introduce the university's layout for cultivating talents in the financial industry, for the benefits of the readers.

The TKU motto of simplicity, truthfulness, firmness and perseverance nurtures the soft skills that cannot be tested in exams

“Being able to play and study well” is the footnote that Mr. Chin-Tsai Chen, an accounting alumnus and the President of Tamkang University Worldwide Alumni Association, gave to Tamkang alumni. He said that Tamkang alumni are lively and intelligent, but when it comes to work, “I will do what others won't do, work harder than others to compete with them. Naturally, business owners will have a different impression of us.” “Not being proud is very important.” He believes that when entering the workforce, the values and school spirit of TKU motto of simplicity, truthfulness, firmness and perseverance naturally instill qualities of diligence, cooperation, and hard work. When seniors encounter younger alumni in the workplace, there is always a sense of warmth and mutual support. He said, “This is natural, sincere, and not pretentious.”

Dean of Business and Management College Li-Ren Yang fully agrees with these qualities of Tamkang alumni: "These abilities are not tested in exams." During his tenure as the Chair of the Department of Business Administration, he found that EMBA alumni were not necessarily the best students, but they had developed the ability to maintain good relationships with customers and collaborate with each other through their experiences in society. He believes that "these abilities are developed through school activities.”

Turn defects into merits and squat down to learn

"The most obvious characteristic of our students in the department is their ability to solve problems," said Dr. Pei-Chien Lin, Chair of the Department of Industrial Economics, adding that it is also one of the educational goals of the department.

"National university students' shortcomings are the advantages of Tamkang University students," she said. Having taught at Tamkang for 18 years, she observed that Tamkang students may face more challenges in their studies and may feel inferior, “but they are humble and willing to learn”. She herself graduated from a national university and understands the difference. When alumni return to share their experiences, she is often impressed and humbled by what Tamkang alumni have achieved.

Hardworking, high EQ, and strong marketing skills

The Chair of the Department of Banking and Finance, Dr. Yun-Yung Lin, proudly stated that "Tamkang students become the favorite graduates of enterprises because they possess the ‘Tamkang qualities’ of willingness to work hard and make progress. Only after entering society can they gain recognition from business executives." He cited Cathy Liu, the deputy general manager of IBF Securities, who was awarded Outstanding Alumni of the Department of Finance and Banking this year, as an example of excellent performance in the financial industry. Within a year, she was able to increase the visibility of IBF's underwriting market and the number of SPO submissions increased from only 1 to 12, ranking in the top 5 in the market. In addition, she significantly improved the department's operating performance in just one year, ending the long-standing deficit status the following year, achieving multiple growths and winning the "Top 100 MVP Managers in Taiwan" award from Managertoday magazine in 2020. Dr. Yun-Yung Lin analyzed that in addition to her strong financial analysis skills, "her marketing skills are also excellent. she is good at interpersonal communication, very friendly, and has a strong 'Tamkang quality’.”

He mentioned that with 300,000 Tamkang alumni, the network of Tamkang is surprisingly extensive after Tamkang students enter the workforce. "When applying for a job, the interviewer may very well be a senior fellow student," he said. Tamkang alumni support each other, and the Tamkang traits not only foster the growth of students but also connect people and fate.”

Able to bend and stretch, with strong resilience and communication skills

The Chair of the Department of Economics, Dr. Yen-Ling Lin, believes that the unique characteristic of Tamkang University students is their ability to “adapt to different situations”. This advantage is mainly demonstrated in their ability to handle pressure, which is related to the university's emphasis on a liberal and self-directed learning environment in the process of cultivating talent. By allowing students to have freedom and autonomy in their learning, they are able to quickly transform pressure into motivation when faced with various pressures in the workplace, and still actively seek breakthroughs and opportunities for performance.

She cites the example of Dr. Yi-Huang Chiu, one of the first alumni and organizer of the department alumni association, who is currently a branch manager at Bank SinoPac. After graduating from the university, he entered the financial industry and started from the basics. After experiencing the ups and downs of the financial industry, he became a branch manager at the age of 37, leading his team to complete the merger of Taipei Commercial Bank and Chien Hua Bank, demonstrating his outstanding leadership qualities and resilience. While actively seeking better performance for the company he works for, he also seeks self-improvement and is not afraid of pressure. He pursued a Ph.D. degree in finance at National Chengchi University while working and obtained his degree in 2022.

Dr. Jyun-Ji Tien, Chair of the Department of Risk Management and Insurance, believes that under the influence of Tamkang University, students have developed excellent interpersonal communication skills and enhanced their understanding of the importance of teamwork, which are essential qualities for future professionals in the financial industry.

He cites the example of Dr. Su-Chu Hsu, the Chief Auditor of Taiwan Financial Holdings, to illustrate this point. From an industrial perspective, auditing is a challenging profession that involves a wide range of specialized knowledge. Whether it's communication within a team, the ability to handle pressure when facing problems, or problem-solving skills, Dr. Su-Chu Hsu has demonstrated a perfect balance of these qualities. Despite facing many challenges, she persevered with great perseverance, which is admirable.

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