beginning

After 1 and half year, studying while I was working, I got the offer from RSM Erasmus University. I don't know how to describe that feeling. Just like everything is paid off. Two years ago, I was thinking that could it be possible that young man as me was capable of studying abroad. Many years I told myself that was just a dream and I can never make it. That was luxury thing for me. I came from a business family, very local, very humble. After starting my career, I saw many friends made their dream come true and I just kept telling myself I don't need it. But deep inside I cry for it. Finally that sound was so loud that I cannot ignore. I decided to chase my dream.

Essay 3

Describe the nature of the business in which you are currently employed, the scope of your current job, your overall responsibility and any international exposure.

Galaxy Software Services (GSS) is a leading company in Taiwan with proficiency of integrating information technology, workflow and industry knowledge in application software development and service. Setting up in 1987 with committee to being long standing business and customer satisfactory, GSS has developed the innovated application system and service highly regarded by clients from the areas of financial business, governments, hospitals, telecommunication and manufacture through mature software architecture, project management, usage of information technology and outstanding ability of system architecture design.

GSS provide professional service and productive tools of software for twenty years as well as to software developing, methodology of project management and accumulation of knowledge. These experiences and methods are accomplished in e-manufacture system of the company for efficiency and productivity to help customers stay competitive.

There are three mission of my job: formulating marketing strategy, expanding numbers of effective distributors, and selling directly to customers in hospitals, manufacture, and financial business in Taiwan. According to my experience in the business front line, I contributed market intelligence and held strategy meeting with vice president, product manager, and other salesmen. Made price and promotion plan of our products: Knowledge Management System, Customer Relationship Management System, and e-Mail System. Expanded distributors network and guided them to sell in their existed customers. Also, I was to be in charge of annual sales quota of NT$28M(£46K). Case by case, I coordinated project manager and pre-sale staff to make win strategy. Recent years we plan to enter market of China and Japan. I was responsible for introducing our products and discussing business plan with China's local sales team and Japanese distributors.

Describe and comment on your career progression to date

By the time I graduated from university, I decided to be a salesperson as the first job in my career because there are many CEOs started their career of being salesperson. My strengths were interpersonal skills and knowledge of information management. My philosophy was that I can grow up faster than others in software industry by utilizing my IT background. Actually, my theory did realize and the most important skill I have learned was strategic selling. I have been able to sell solutions requiring approval from multiple decision makers and provide consulting services in a role of resources vendor. Because I maneuvered sales skills to close new customers and sell new products, I was selected as The Best Contributed Associate for 2005. Moreover, my marketing knowledge and first hand information from customers also helped business unit to formulate marketing strategy. After few years, I was promoted as product market development supervisor in 2007.

As a supervisor, my goal was to build up distributor network and expand marketing share. That was the whole new business model for my company because we got used to sell directly to our customers. Therefore, I had to pick up the knowledge of channel management skills faster than other competitors. In order for me to become a suitable supervisor, I consulted many business partners who ever practiced successful distributor model. In 2007, although we have great progress than before, the distributor rule still needs to be improved. This year, our strategy was to educate distributors how to promote our system and services in specific industry. As accumulating industries know-how, we can accelerate selling, duplicate success, and expand marketing share.

CONFLICT

It's been team-based competition in B2B selling cycle. Team mates held different position and function which are arranged based on mates' professionals. But sometimes conflicts do happen because different people in different positions held different views. For example, when a sales tells a RD that I need this function of the product because of customers' need, RD would say that can you promise that customer do buy-in this product? If not, I wouldn't do this. Usually sales always hesitate to make promise because they knew there are many customer needs not reveal yet. Likewise, when RD tell sales that give me orders or I would not have resources to develop better products. Sales also answer that if your product functions are too insufficient to sell, how can I give you orders? That's what I called CONFLICT.

How to solve that? I'm still figuring out.

Marriage

In my age, almost every friends talked about marriage. But few of them really get married, including me. In the end, I discovered that most of them just want to have love affair, not marriage. Those reasons are easily to understand. Reason number 1: I don't have enough money to get married. Reason number 2: I still have to many things want to do. Marriage will be an obstacle to chase dream. Reason number 3: I don't have boy/girl friend. My work is so busy. I don't have time to meet Mr./Ms. right. But those are all excuses. In fact, deep inside everyone just wants to have ''true love''.

Learning English

I have been studied English for almost 20 years. Not until now I discovered that practice is the key to crack learning language. In the past, I just practiced easy part of language, reading and listening. I didn't spend much time on speaking and writing. Even I pushed myself to take TOEFL test, my weakest part of English didn't improve as much as I thought. In fact, I have already known how to learn. All I need is to do it. No more excuses. After all, action speak louder than words.

Please comment on your undergraduate degree result. Do you think that your result accurately reflects your ability? If not, please explain why.

When it comes from my undergraduate degree result, I don’t really think it reflects my ability and potential. Evidently, I am a practitioner more than a dreamer. I am training on the job, learning from mistakes, and contemplating during competitions.

On the one hand, when I was a freshman, I decided to develop my competitive edge: leadership and the ability to add value to knowledge and skills while learning. My leadership was cultivated by experiences of extra curriculum. As my resume., I always became a leader in a diverse group because my accountability, ambition, and aspiration made my mates follow. On the other hand, I was an entrepreneur in university. After learning how to assemble PCs and basic theory of business, I set up my own company and made profit. I purchased parts, assembled, and delivered PCs to my clients, students or families who needed professional services. I put what I have learned from class into practice even when I am just a student.

Even in competitive environment, I brought not only quality products but team based services to customers. New customers I won accounting for 74% of my business unit from 2004 to 2007. Moreover, my salary growth rate reaches 58% from 2004 to 2008. Those statistics sufficiently proved that I am capable of coordinating a team and landing contracts. Also, my supervisor recognized that I am a skilled talent.

In conclusion, maybe my GPA was not so excellent, but my personality and experience make me different.