Warren Buffett, Goldman Sachs, and Helen: Global Leader Interview

One of the smiling faces above belongs to Helen. One belongs to Warren Buffet. Helen’s journey to the top has only begun, but even so she has much to teach us, of any age and any income group.

*******************************************************************************

Can you tell us about where you grew up and went to school in China?

- I was born and grew up in Beijing. I went to the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University for junior high, and one year of senior high before studying abroad in the United Kingdom. I completed my high school in a boarding school in a small town located in mid-north England.

Experimental High School, International Division

Do you remember having to prepare for the exams that determined which schools you would get into in your city? How hard did you have to study for them and how hard did you study in high school?

- I more or less remember the senior high school entry exam, but even that was years ago. We had a few important mocks before the regional exam. I was guaranteed a spot (under a contract) at my future high school because I performed well in a mock exam. For this reason, I studied just about the amount to fly me through the bottom score in the contract. I did not study too hard in high school because soon after my first semester I figured out I was going to the U.K.

Some schools in China now emphasize more than just preparing for the Gaokao. Was your school like this?  How about your classes? Were they based on memorization or did you have any teachers that tried to instill a love of learning?

- I would say my school was probably the vanguard of liberal high school education. Doubtless the faculty still put enormous efforts and focus to Gaokao, but it also encouraged students to study abroad. My school started an ‘international program’ for high school students who plan to go to universities abroad. They face fewer requirements from traditional Chinese high school classes, and take AP classes in the last year of high school.

- As far as I remember my year of high school in Beijing, I really enjoyed Mathematics and History. Nevertheless, most syllabuses stress memorization, largely restrained by the format of questions in Gaokao. Some of my teachers were brilliant at instilling the knowledge as well as the exam techniques.

 
Your English is phenomenally good. How difficult was it for you to become so fluent? Did you do anything special to develop your skills?

- To be honest, my parents (esp. my mom) should be credited as far as my fluency in English is concerned. I do not recall extreme difficulties with oral English at any point of my life. Both my parents speak fluent English, so maybe I had the gene haha. My mom taught me <New Concept English> when I was like 6, and she literally forced me to recite the articles. In retrospect, I guess memorization sometimes does the job pretty well for language fluency. Also, my dad bought me a ‘learn to sing to learn English’ music tape that had classic tracks from Carpenters (and many else I cannot remember now). He drove me to school every morning, so we sang the songs every morning for almost an hour. Although most of the times I had no clue what I was singing, I really enjoyed listening to them and grew to fancy English. Maybe this is the so called ‘love the house, love the crow’.


When did you decide to study in the US? Was this your decision or did your family decide for you?

- I decided in mid-August of the year of the U.S. common application. I was not sure I wanted to pursue the degree at the school I got into in the U.K., so my parents encouraged me to apply to the U.S. to give myself more choices.

Helen as a young child

How did your parents approach your education over all? Were you just a wonderful child who did not need to be pushed or did they have to help motivate you in any way?

- My mom pushed me very very very very hard. Sometimes I just hated it, but I love it now when I see my achievements; then I know she was right about it. I would not call myself a self-disciplined person, or at least not born to be. My parents gave me the right push at the right times, and these motivations are critical to who I am now. Despite how rigid and unreasonable this might sound to many western families, I am very grateful for my parents. They taught me as much life lessons as academic knowledge, they have been very proud of me at all times which gave me a lot of positive energy when tackling tough tasks.


How did you decide which schools to apply to? How many did you apply to? What helped you decide on the school you chose?

- I really wanted to go to Yale at first because they have the best history department. But apart from this, it was pretty much all about the ranking back then. I did not have time to do much research, so I put in applications to some Ivy League schools, some schools ranked 20-30, and 1-2 schools outside top 30 to be a ‘safe haven’. I think I applied to 10 in total.

Helen with UK classmate Visiting China

Can you describe the transition from home to the US? Were you homesick?
What did you like best about living in the dorms? Least?

- Since I spent two years in the U.K., western culture was not foreign to be when I started school in the U.S. That being said, these two countries were more different than I initially imagined. I was barely homesick; I enjoyed the freedom studying abroad.
-
- I lived in a single room in a suite my first year. My favorite part about it was privacy, and the least favorite was the segregation. I had to make a lot of efforts to stay close with my suitemates, and did not have a best American friend (who is usually the roommate).

Were the classes you took easier or harder than you expected? You were taking a number of prerequisites courses that were needed to get into the highly competitive business program. Was there intense pressure and competition or did student help one another?

- It depends on the subjects. Humanity classes were generally more challenging, but rewarding at the same time. I did not take many science/math classes apart from a few math ones. They were definitely harder than I thought, probably because I did not complete my higher education in China where science and math classes are usually very advanced. There was doubtless some pressure coming from the prerequisite classes. All the pre-commerce students knew that they contributed to ‘mini GPA’, which was a major competitive force to be successful for Commerce School applications. (Parke’s note: Students at Helen’s university must apply for the commerce program in the second semester of the second year. The average GPA needed for students from China to get accepted has been above 3.7 in recent years.) Fortunately, my friends and I studied together for almost all of them.

Who did you hang out with first year? Did you stay in the Chinese bubble? Who do you mostly hang out with now?

- I pretty much stayed in the Chinese bubble. At times, I hung out with my suite mates and other people I knew from classes and extracurriculars. I knew a few people in my university from high school and childhood, and we became even closer friends in university. Now, my friend circle is half Chinese, half non-Chinese. I enjoyed learning about other cultures, and they brought a lot of diversity to my life.

Helen with the leadership of the Student Ambassador Program

Do you think a lot of students have stereotypical views of students from China? Do you think faculty do?  Do you ever feel you have to try to break down the preconceived notions people have about students from China?

- Definitely. Chinese students are usually seen to be extraordinarily smart, hardworking, nerdy at times. I think faculty thinks the same way, but usually in a very positive way. Science teachers can expect a lot from Chinese students because they have traditionally assembled brilliant academic records in science classes. I have taken a very untraditional route as far as the Chinese stereotype is concerned; however, this was not intentional. I was deeply intrigued by history before coming to college. My writing skills were definitely below the average standard as a first year, but I visited professors’ office hours very often, and learned a lot from them. I might have broken some preconceived notions about Chinese students, but I believe many Chinese students these days are doing the same thing unintentionally by exhibiting interests outside the traditional science and math fields.

After being accepted into the business program many of your courses are based on the case system. Can you describe one of the cases you worked on and what it was like to work I a group to prepare for your presentation?

Helen with her first Commerce Study Group

- My first big group work was to analyze the competitive advantage of a French airplane engine maker in a bid to be the supplier of a new airplane. It was a very challenging case because there was a lot of information not given; the faculty did not provide some intentionally in order to challenge our research abilities. Group work at large was a whole new foreign concept to not only me, but also many American students. We all experienced weeks of run-in period. Fortunately, we had a group leader that everyone looked up to; we had a team of people who later became friends. Looking back, I think it was very important to quickly figure out everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and to delegate work based on                                                                                              these factors.

Helen and other members of Mainland Student Network

What activities and experiences did you take part of that supplemented your in class education? Are there some that were very helpful?

- I was and still am very involved with Mainland Student Network (MSN) and Student Ambassadors. MSN is a Chinese student association designed to help Chinese students bond and reach out to the bigger American community. I worked and became close friends with some amazing Chinese people through MSN. And I deeply value all the connections I developed with University officials and faculty while I was serving in MSN. I am currently the president of Student Ambassadors, an organization under the Office of Engagement that volunteers at summer-send off party globe wide, and on grounds. That was the first time for me to be in a leader position in an American-dominated organization. It was challenging but super rewarding. Again, I made great friends and enjoyed what I was doing.

Do you have a mentor—either a student or a faculty member? Do you talk with your professors?

Helen with Jewish Studies Professor

- I have more than one mentor, some are senior students, and some are faculty. They have given me tremendous help along the way, and I would not have gotten where I am now without any of them. In particular, my history major advisor has shaped the way I think and my work ethics. I still talk to him every month on average, and we talk about many things outside my curriculum.

The first year in the business program is also the time when students typically look for internships. Can you describe your approach to getting internships?

- I went to a few bank information sessions in the spring of my second year, but did not really reach out and stay in touch with any people I met until my third year. I took more initiatives to apply to externship programs (a day on the job sort of thing) and reached out to many alumni my third year fall.

Early on you heard back from some of the top firms on Wall Street. I talked to you before your first interview and you were nervous. What did you learn about interviews? What things did you work on to improve your skills?

- I interviewed with a top bouge bracket bank, it was my first big super day so I was extremely nervous. The interview was a lot less formal than I imagined; it was more like 3 conversations than 3 interviews. However, I was too nervous to be the real me, and I knew I sounded like a recital machine. Something I learned from this experience is to:

1. Prepare really well for your interview.
2. Be confident and be yourself
3. Talk to the interviewers instead of answering their questions.


Can you describe the interview with Goldman? What kinds of questions did they ask and how did you answer a couple of them? Why do you think you got an offer?

- My super day with GS took place end of January. I flew to New York on the day and had networking lunch with GS analysts. I had three 1-1 interviews. My first interview was quite technical, involving brainteasers, math problems and product pitches, but it went well. The one following was much more conversational, I got asked a question about the 2008 financial crisis and was not sure about it. The interview walked me through the basic knowledge and asked me to solve the problem. I was in a very laid back mode and thanks to this attitude, I was able to think on my feet. The last interview is quite untraditional. After my interviewer introduced his job, I started asking him questions about the product he was selling, and that was all about the interview really.


You will be working for Goldman this summer. Can you describe what it is you are going to be doing?

- I am doing three rotations with the Sales and Trading Division. I have not figured out my first rotation yet, but I am open to all products and all positions (sales, trader, research).

You are looked up to by a lot of students at your school. Why do you think this is?

- I would like to think of myself as a fun and helpful friend to have. My multi-culture experiences made me a very open-minded person. I like talking to different people and listening to their stories; these help me understand who they are and what they are passionate about. I have made many friends that are precious to my life at my university, and I think most of them think the same way as I do.

Do you have a dream about what you want to be doing a few years from now?

- I am more of a ‘go with it’ person than a ‘planned’ person. I would like to see where life takes me as opposed where I want to be in 10 years. I am very open to living/working in many locations, not restricted to my hometown and NYC. That being said, I would love to pursue higher education, especially law school if my financial conditions and time allow.

For students back in China what are some skills they should be working on in addition to doing well on tests and in school?

- Have a hobby that you are truly passionate about and be able to talk about it. Make yourself good and unique, don’t be good and general. Keep doing sports, health will only become more important as you progress in life.

How have you changed since coming to the US? Does it feel a bit strange when you go back home?

- I have learned from success and failures during my three years at university so far. My changes came from not only the new environment, but also from my growing age, and the people I know. Thanks to the diverse environment at my university, I have grown to be more open-minded. I am truly grateful for the support from many of my professors; they helped my find where my passion lies. And the hardworking, driven and charismatic people I now proudly call friends have only made me more driven, and self-reflective. Going back home to Beijing, I definitely feel less familiar with the city than I did years ago, but I know I am injecting new energy into the growing city, so are many young peers who are studying abroad nowadays.

Any advice you might give to parents or students about how to approach the process of applying to schools or what to do one they have enrolled?

- The ranking does mean something, but it is not the only thing that matters. I had been extremely lucky to settle down at a university that truly fits who I am. But if I were to go through the application process again, I would have done more research on the school, emailed the admissions office, and went to more info sessions where alumni came back to give talks. School seeking is almost exactly like job seeking; it’s a two-way selection process. While the colleges are evaluating the applicants, the applicants should also take initiatives to evaluate the fit and match between themselves and the school.
-
Do you think schools pay enough attention to the needs of international students, not just at your school, but overall given what you hear from friends enrolled in many places around the US?

- I think schools have in general done a good job at helping international students. They have provided mentors, special language assistants and platforms for international students to better adapt to the foreign culture. That being said, there could be natural culture gaps that could be fully eliminated by human efforts. However, we should be open-minded too, not frustrated by these differences. Differences in culture and in people add so much diversity to the academic and social community that no international studies or curriculum could match up to.

What do you do for fun?

- I love doing Yoga; it is now part of me. I started practicing yoga myself since my second year abroad- when I was 16. I found peace in yoga positions, they help me focus and facilitate thinking. I knew Yoga would challenge me because I was never a coordinated person, and I found joy and fulfillment overcoming my inner barriers through time. I think not only women, but also men should try out Yoga (Ashtanga-what I am practicing now). Other than this, I like outdoor sports, mountain climbing etc.

Anything else you want to add?

- Nothing else really, this is a very comprehensive list of questions hahahahah- Hope they are constructive in some way.

******************************************************************************

Helen with friends

Every time (well, almost every time) I see Helen she is smiling. I see her with friends and she looks like she is having the time of her life. I think she is. She knows how to relax, stay healthy, and get involved in a variety of activities as a leader.

And while what I have just said is true, so too is the fact that she works incredibly hard and done exceptionally well. You don’t get your photo taken with Mr. Buffett for nothing. As is the case for some of the best students I know, Helen is humble hen it comes to her accomplishments.

For those who do not know about super days, they are invitations from the tops investment banks. I talked with Helen before her first interview and she was nervous. After that she learned how they worked and she ended up securing an internship with Goldman, one of the most sought after slots in the world. Her advice about relaxing and having a conversation in an interview should be something everyone hoping to pass what some call the airport test should learn.


The mix of learning how to interact well, communicate fluently linguistically and culturally, and still do exceptional work academically, increases the chances for great opportunities. Helen mixes an interest in business with history; she has academic passions and mentors. She’s a global citizen who attended one of the best high schools in China, a great boarding school in the UK and one of the top business programs in the US. For those who hope to secure Goldman internships these are the kinds of students you will be competing against.


A question for reader: If you are a students do you wish you had a parent who pushed you “very very very very” hard? For some, this description (and this may be the first time I have seen a student use 'very' 4 times in a row) of a mother would categorize her as a Tiger Mom. On the other hand, the results of the pressure have lead to success and gratitude.  In a future entry, I will be addressing issues surrounding how much pressure is too much and how much isn’t enough.

For now, I would simply like to thank Helen for her wisdom and clear description of how to get ahead in an increasingly competitive job market. For those willing to put in the work, in and out of class, meeting and chumming it up with Mr. Buffet is not that big of a deal.

Helen and the leadership of Smart Women Securities

*******************************************************************************

Since this interview was posted great things have continued to happen for Helen. She will be starting a job with JP Morgan after she graduates in May. For those who are not aware of the competition for jobs like this, let's just say it makes getting into any Ivy look easy. Helen will be one who will make a difference, not just on Wall Street, but to others she will mentor and help both in the US and in China.