Statement of Career Goals

As an international student from the Taiwan, my primary career objective is to become a financial analyst specializing in accounting information systems for a multinational corporation. My desire to pursue a career for a multinational company does not merely represent a motivation to generate profits on my side. Far more essential, I feel that a com/strategic-management-and-competitive-advantage/">multinational setting can realize the potential of becoming a truly ethnical entity for globalization, mutual understanding and the extension of opportunity. In a manner of speaking, my career goal lays in the belief that I can help transform the international market from its highly profit-centered orientation into a more people-centered endeavor. While I do not hold the legitimate way of making money as contradictory to the ethical norms business, I nevertheless feel that working to ensure that the people’s welfare is met in the conduct of fair business is a duty second to none. Concretely, I seek to use my multi-cultural background to help develop ties among businesses and cause-oriented sectors. This I believe I can do by framing ways to increase interactions between profit making companies and non-profit or charitable sectors. Global corporations in America, for instance, have already donated millions to international charities. From such benevolence, I take inspiration in my desire to promote similar ties. By capitalizing on my multi-cultural background, as well as my meaningful working experiences related to finance and technology, on top of my ten-year commitment to charitable organizations, I believe that I can direct my future goals to clarify my idea of success. I intend to build on these accomplishments specifically by helping businesses thrive in a competitive global market, by exploiting information systems to perform increasingly more sophisticated, powerful and accurate analyses. I have already assisted a charitable organization to minimize its costs by helping them to digitize their data. I too have performed similar functions for profit-driven businesses which I have had the privilege of working with in Taipei. My desire to join the pool of a truly talented multinational workforce comes with a sense of relevance on my part. For one, Asia is fast becoming a hub for global financial communication. In view of such development, I believe that my Asian background and language skills will be invaluable to the current trend of global business. The dependency of many American firms on East Asian economies will surely demand people – Asians specifically – who play key roles in efforts to achieve powerful work ethics. As indeed, many competent Asians shall be asked to assist American businessmen in respect to the mutual cooperation within the vast business industry. Since I myself am an Asian, I am of the firm opinion that that success in the international field depends on a strong knowledge of Asian culture and ways of life. In a global economy, understanding cross-cultural communication is as essential as competent grasp of Math and/or English. Furthermore, information systems are at the center of international business nowadays. And I want to continue to learn about their functioning, evolution and their future, as this will maintain itself at the center of global communication. I want to learn more about the process of financial analysis in general, as well as technologies that can make such analysis more accurate, convenient, efficient and powerful in particular. Since I already have some knowledge and expertise in this area, I believe I will flourish in the classroom and be in a position to contribute to discussions. I envision creating group projects in which my peers and I demonstrate how, say companies can use the information systems available in new world markets. Among others, I am interested in learning new ways to apply accuracy of information systems if only business organizations can become more efficient. I define efficiency as the ability frame strategies so as to get the most results from the smallest amount of work. Far more critical, I want to learn the ways of efficiency since it will permit firms to use labor in a more humane way, especially in the developing world. Reforms in the labor market can only develop when firms are confident that they are getting the most out of their workers. Hence, the efficient use of labor and resources lies at the center of labor market reform. For me, business is ethics; without it, businesses are merely machines for exploitation. One of the great learning unearthed by globalization lays in the need for comprehensive labor reform – i. e. , forming a mindset that treats human persons neither as resources nor means to make money, but as ends. This ethical view can only help business become more humanitarian yet competitive in many respects. In view of such felt need, I believe that my extensive travels, diverse experiences, and sound grasp of the languages can summarily give me a unique ability to serve for a multinational setting. I do have significant experiences both in terms of community philanthropy as well as in international business. Which is why, and on a more personal level, I want to meet new people in the course of my employment. My frequent travels have made me realize that I am a citizen of the world; and I have come to understand different cultures even when economics does in fact greatly color my orientation in respect to future work and life goals. My long-term career goal is to make the world smaller. This might sound strange, but I hold to the view that international business is a benign force, a force that brings people together, provides opportunities where none exists, and even may help to contribute to world peace. Businesses seek peace and common welfare; not warfare or ethnic and religious tension. An interconnected world is a sure route to world peace. And the ease of communications is important in relation to this trend. Hence, I see my future profession as both ethically consistent and relevantly attuned to the demands of the signs of the times. Essay II: Statement of Need I grew up in an environment where hard work was stressed above all. At a young age, I was expected to get a job and assist in fulfilling certain household tasks. In ways more than one, failure was never an option. I was expected to work hard, interact ethically with others, and make myself as unobtrusive as possible. None of these were ever interpreted as being a wallflower. To the contrary, I was raised in an environment where professional duties, no matter how menial, are given higher premium than most. This is because my family fostered the values of dedication and hard work, as well as keeping a sense of history and setting high the bar of excellence in facing challenges. I have reasons to think that nearly all things about my upbringing were goal oriented. Hard-work was always underscored; idleness always shunned. In the same manner, labor for our family was considered a means of building character and goal-oriented personality. As a way to concretely cite the case in point, I took upon myself the tall challenge of working full shift while learning English simultaneously. I took cue from the inspiration lent by my parents, as they were the ones who taught me that â€Å"multi-lingualism† was central to being successful in business. In fact, they encouraged multiculturalism because it does not entail that one’s tradition were to be abandoned or watered down by some vulgar, polyglot, or identity-less morass. To the contrary, multiculturalism was to manifest one’s own culture more actively and more tolerantly, being that it fully appreciates the distinctness and uniqueness of one’s tradition. While the phrase is surely overused, I have reasons to think that I was, in my own concrete way, living the American dream long before I arrived here in the United States of America. This is because I simultaneously held a job while working hard to ensure succeeding in high school back when I was in Taiwan. I have had a fair share of life’s struggles; I would run home after school, quickly change my outfit and, after grabbing a snack, proceed hastily to work at a restaurant within Hilton Hotel. I was like living two different lives in one day – i. . an ordinary high school student in the morning and a professional thereafter. That being said, I take pride in managing the routine so well in that moving between school and work soon became second nature to me. But while I have many good reasons to think that I can face similar challenges here in the United States, my visa unfortunately does not permit me to work and study at the same time. To this end, I am currently unemp loyed, not because I had choice, but because the nature of my visa would not permit to work in this country yet. My situation is therefore precarious. As an international student, I have many obstacles to overcome. While the fact that I am able to study in this country is in itself a blessing to be grateful about, I am always left anxious about keeping an acceptable and decent lifestyle while I am in course of pursuing my studies. If truth be said, the living expenses here in the United States are high; more importantly, tuition costs here in Michigan is higher than for most Americans. Strictly speaking, I am spending about $32,000 annually to defray my tuition expenses. And I must cover all of these expenses by myself, as I am living alone. One can only therefore surmise that the aggregate costs of basic living, daily food, apartment rentals, clothing allowance, provisions for books, necessary computer equipments, among others are just very high. Since the American government forbids that I engage in any professional work while studying, I believe that I can do little to support myself financially. At present, I receive a small sum of money from my family in Taiwan; the amount of support that I am able to receive is quite minimal. My father is 65 years of age and has retired from his profession. In fact, his savings are now almost depleted. In addition, our family has already mortgaged our home in China so as to assist me in my studies. My personal savings from my previous work in Taiwan is also almost completely exhausted. My other option is to go heavily into debt, which I am already doing. Unfortunately, I cannot have this continue. Hence, this scholarship is extremely important to me. And I am willing to work hard if only to prove that I do deserve to be helped on account of my qualifications as well as exigencies. Since coming to the United States, I have maintained a GPA of 3. 6 at the University of Michigan and Mercer University. I need to also mention that I have consistently maintained my position in the Dean’s List for many years. Ever since I have been here in Michigan, I have met people from all over the world; and I value these fruitful encounters precisely because of the learning that these people have left me with. In applying for International Business, I seek to continue learning from as many fronts as possible – i. . , from the peoples of different walks of life in general, and the University in particular. Hence, I wish to categorically state my willingness to learn, and let the committee know that money that shall be spent on me would never go wasted. America has done much for me. But my struggles continue. I do not view these as barriers however. To the contrary, I see them as welcome opportunities. My life has been one of hard work and struggle. As indeed, my lif e here at Michigan is just one more phase of this struggle. The struggles are some of my most precious memories; for only though hardship can we truly learn and grow. Without them, I would not become as sharp or hard working as I am today. Struggles keep one’s heart strong and tenacious. As of this writing however, my financial standing has come to a critical point that I need the help of the University and the scholarships available in order to help me to continue my studies. I am more than certain that, when given this rare privilege, the University community will not regret extending their helping hand to me.