Where Are the Jobs!? Exploring Career Opportunities in Asia

So the economy downturn is bad. But we are lucky. We are lucky that we are still young and didn’t slip too hard. It’ll be a tough start after school, but hey, we have nothing to lose, and so much to learn/gain!

Many students now started to look outside of US. Indeed, there is plenty of exciting career opportunities internationally, but where to start? Many people asked me about resources in exploring careers in Asia, so I thought it might be time to discuss it on our AMSA Blog. Little do we know, UCLA Anderson Parker CMC and varies identity clubs provide great resources to help you investigate, it’s up to you to dig deep. Here are several places to start:

• Vault Guide to International Careers. Available online through Parker CMC website: http://parkercmc.anderson.ucla.edu/CareerResources/Research/
  
• DISCO | Career Forum. This event brings together recruiters and bilingual Japanese-English speakers for job opportunities throughout the Pacific Rim. In addition to "live" conferences in San Francisco, Boston, London, and Tokyo, DISCO also offers an online career forum during the winter.  
  
• Class of 2008 International Alumni Friends of the Parker CMC. Started in 2008, these alums are happy to speak with UCLA Anderson students on international careers.
  
• MBA-Direct.  Promotes genuine, international, executive MBA job opportunities across the global recruitment marketplace and provides an advanced, effective method of recruitment across geographic boundaries, industry sectors and recruitment schedules. 
  
• Hong Kong Investment Banking Day on the Job Trip. GCBA, IFC, and Parker CMC collaborate on this DOJ to Hong Kong. Contact IFC about the trip.
  
• Wilbur Woo Greater China Business Conference. Coming February 2009, right on Anderson campus. Great chance to network and meet recruiters from Greater China.
  
• AMSA Resume Book & Career Survey. Reaching directly to Asia recruiters, the AMSA member-only resume book & career survey are a great way to get exposure. Submit your resume today to chenghsin.ouyang.2010[at]anderson.ucla.edu if eligible. 

At the end of the day, networking might be the one most important piece to land you a job in Asia. Be sure to be active in varies identity clubs at Anderson, and make time for some networking/mixer events! 

If you have further questions regarding International Career resources, Limor Einey at Parker CMC would be the one to talk to. Best of luck to myself and everyone, on our journey to the perfect gig in Asia! 

Asia Society Southern California Gala-- Honoring Anderson Alum Bill Gross, Founder of PIMCO

On May 20, hundreds of people gathered at the Beverly Hilton for the Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala. The purpose of the event is “to enhance dialogue, and generate new ways of thinking in policy, business, education, and culture to foster harmony and understanding between Asia and the United States,” said Donald Tang, Chairman of Asia Society.

This year, the honoree of the Gala is an Anderson alum and founder of PIMCO—Bill Gross. Several Anderson students along with Linda Baldwin and Marcia Shachelford atended to show our support. David Bonderman, a Founding Partner of Texas Pacific Group and its Asian affiliate Newbridge Capital, joined Bill Gross for a discussion of the evolving economic relationship between Asia and the United States. The discussion between the Wall Street gurus was inspiring as they talked not only about the financial markets but also life and success.

For Mr. Gross, happiness is ‘having something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.’ For student representative Michael Kit Lo (’09), perhaps happiness simply means being there in the same room with Gross and Bonderman. “This is literally the Who’s Who event in the finance world. I feel like it might be the best night of my MBA life,” Michael concluded.
--Jenny Lee