Career Planning and Development

QFRM programme offers individual and group career coaching, training and advice. A number of career training workshops covering all aspects of the job hunting process will be held in the first semester and early in the second semester. These will equip students with a complete set of skills and techniques, from identification of leads, to CV writing, interviewing and job hunting strategies. There will also be practical coaching and drilling such as mock interviews, sharing sessions with alumni, mentorship and buddy programmes and so on. Students are strongly encouraged to take part in these career activities early on in their studies to gain a clear picture and good understanding of the expectations and challenges of finding a job or an internship.

 

Alumni Sharing

Further Studies

Michael Chau Ph.D in Mathematical Finance, Imperial College London The QFRM programme has equipped me with solid theoretical knowledge of the quantitative methods and statistical tools used in finance. The experience gained during my half-year of exchange study at Uppsala University, Sweden, is valuable in my future studies, while my summer internship at the Royal Bank of Scotland enhanced my understanding of market risk management from the practitioner’s point of view. After completing my undergraduate degree, I chose to pursue a Master’s degree in risk management science at CUHK. The guidance and training offered by the Department of Statistics has enabled me to produce two original research papers for consideration in top-tier academic journals in the field of stochastic control and optimisation with application to operations research and finance. With this solid background in mathematical finance, my next step is to pursue a joint PhD at Imperial College London.

Brian Ling Ph.D in Statistics, Columbia University The QFRM programme has a well-structured curriculum, which has equipped me with solid, practical knowledge of statistical methodologies and quantitative tools that are vital for my further studies. The valuable exchange study in the University of Toronto, Canada also broadened my horizons and gave me the experience of studying in a foreign country. As an undergraduate, I was also given the opportunity to be a research assistant under the supervision of Professor Wong Hoi Ying, and was a summer intern in the financial services risk management department at Ernst & Young. I therefore experienced both the academic research life and the business of risk management from the practitioner’s point of view. After graduating, I chose to pursue a Master of Philosophy degree in Risk Management Science at CUHK. The guidance and rigorous training I was given while studying for my Master’s helped me produce two original research papers in the field of statistics, which I submitted for consideration to top-tier academic journals. I am currently studying for my PhD in Statistics at Columbia University.

Ashley Shen Ph.D in Finance, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania My name is Lin (Ashley) Shen. I spent four treasured years at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and received my BSc in Quantitative Finance and Risk Management Science (QFRM) in 2013. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The QFRM programme in CUHK provides students with training and resources in both the Business School and the Faculty of Science, which gives us great advantages when applying for jobs and graduate schools. In my case, I participated in the exchange programme with the Wharton School and took two finance PhD courses in the CUHK Business School. These experiences and all of the quantitative training that I received at the Faculty of Science have turned out to be very helpful to my PhD coursework and research.

Lester Chan Ph.D in Economics, Boston University The QFRM programme offered me comprehensive academic training and equipped me with solid theoretical knowledge and practical quantitative tools, which are essential to my future studies. The valuable exchange experience at the University of Toronto also broadened my horizons and prepared me to further my studies overseas. As an undergraduate, I was a summer intern in the consumer credit risk management (secured) department at the China Construction Bank (Asia), where I learned more about risk management through actual practical experience. After graduating, I embarked on a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics at CUHK. The knowledge I acquired from the QFRM programme turned out to be very useful in the study of economics, and particularly important in research studies. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Economics at Boston University.

 

Career Prospects

Lorraine Zhao Goldman Sachs During my time at university, I treasured the chances available to go outside Hong Kong and explore the world. In my first year, I visited Scotland and attended an English Enhancement Course at the University of Edinburgh. Over the second summer holiday, I took part in an exchange programme with students from Tsinghua University. Both of these exchange experiences enabled me to better understand the wider world and cultivate a mind-set that embraces different cultures and values. This is essential to prepare me for work in an international company. In addition, I gained valuable experience in my last internship. Working with supervisors who had different styles taught me how to adapt to various working styles and how to prioritise tasks when schedules are tight. In job interviews I was frequently asked how I worked under pressure, and my internship experience provided valuable lessons regarding this. As a QFRM alumnus, I am very grateful of having joined the programme and learned technical skills and life values. The rich resources provided by the university have enabled me to aim higher in planning my future after graduation.

Fiona Chou Bank of America, Merrill Lync Four years ago, a little girl was struggling with her JUPAS choices up until the last minute, feeling extremely lost as she tried to strike a balance between academic work, internships and extracurricular activities. Today this girl is graduating, ready to enter society. If I were to make my choices again, QFRM would still be my top priority. Although the coursework is demanding, it prepares us with solid analytical and soft skills that are prerequisites for developing a career in finance. One could not get a better mix of training and exposure elsewhere. During the study, I managed to undertake an exchange in the US, complete summer internships in investment banks and a hedge fund and, most importantly, make many lifelong friends who motivated and inspired me all the way through. Had it not been by the support of the Faculty, my time at university would not have been so fruitful.

Robin Zhao Deutsche Bank My university life can be summarised by several keywords: QFRM, friends and hostel, exchange, internship and fun. As business foundation students at CUHK, we are free to decide on our major in our second year. QFRM is definitely a good choice compared with other programmes, with its combination of finance courses and other quantitative mathematical and statistical courses that prepare students for a broad range of opportunities. I spent my five university years at New Asia College and lived in Chih Hsing Hall, which is a great hostel with an excellent view and friendly staff, and I have also met some of my best friends here. QFRM students enjoy a distinctive advantage in exchange opportunities, as we are eligible to apply for the exchange programmes offered by both the Business Faculty and the Science Faculty. QFRM students can also take advantage of career guidance services from both the QFIN and the RMSC programmes and receive more information about internship and graduate jobs.

Jonathan Kwok JPMorgan QFRM is the best programme for building practical knowledge combined with solid quantitative skills. Along with strong career support and cross-faculty benefits, I have made a number of long-lasting friends who are all quite intelligent and supportive. Three of us, including me, joined JPMorgan as summer interns in its Risk Management division. By applying our classroom knowledge to reality, all of us have grown significantly, and I was lucky enough to secure a full-time position. Beyond my studies, I went on two exchanges: UC Berkeley in California and Sciences Po in France. By seizing these chances, I’ve left my footprints in over 20 countries. Isn’t it amazing?

Cheung Fuk Shing BlackRock My three-month summer internship experience in one of the largest asset management companies, BlackRock, was extremely enriching and provided me with practical experience in the financial markets. Working with other experienced traders in the iShares Capital Markets team, I was responsible for monitoring flows of ETF and presenting them to the management board. I also wrote pitching reports explaining investment opportunities to clients, and illustrating trading strategies. The internship helped me understand more about passive investment, and gave me further insight that will assist my career development in asset management business. The QFRM programme provided me with good, solid knowledge in both finance and statistics, and gave me many opportunities to experience things like case competitions and exchanges to enhance my soft skills. I am proud to be a QFRM student.

Bosco Lam Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited The QFRM programme is an all-round curriculum that provided all of the necessary skills and opportunities for me to explore the financial industry. I received rigorous financial and mathematical training through lectures and projects during my 4-year study. Meanwhile, I participated in various trading competitions, case competitions and internships, which allowed me to put my programming skills and the financial theories I learnt to use. Working at HKEX is highly dynamic, especially with its growing business opportunities and its mission to shape market development. It is a place where you meet professionals from all over the world and work on the cutting edge of the financial market.

Kelvin Ng Deutsche Bank Having been a QFRM student for four years in my university life, I am glad to say that I have achieved more than I expected. Throughout my university life as a QFRM student, I joined one exchange programme, completed a few internships and absorbed useful knowledge and skills in finance and risk management. My overseas exchange experience was a rewarding one. It was an unforgettable journey and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. With the support of our department, I was also able to complete a few internships, which provided insights into the industry. Finally, the demanding yet rewarding courses in QFRM provided us with a solid theoretical background and practical applications to the business world. I would say the programme is one of the best programmes for students aiming for a career in finance and the risk management industry.

Felix Chan Microsoft QFRM provides the best environment for students to grow because you can learn from both Business and Statistics perspectives. I had several internships in commercial and public sectors, thanks to the training and guidance I got from the departments. Besides academic and working experiences, studying abroad will definitely help prepare you for future challenges. I went to the University of St. Gallen for exchange and went backpacking in several European cities. However, I was not satisfied with doing the same thing after my graduation. I tried to be different and all these track records paved the way for my work at Microsoft, a global software company.

Michelle Lam Goldman Sachs Being a part of QFRM has been my great pleasure. With the support of both the Business and Science faculties, we can enjoy increased benefits and opportunities. The lectures build our strong mathematical and logical thinking skills, and the events strengthen our personal skills and allow us to expand our networks. Personally, the professors supported me to attend exchange studies at two top universities in the USA and China. All of these opportunities have allowed me to gain valuable experiences and a good start to my career.

Chapman Lo HSBC QFRM equips me with both qualitative and quantitative financial knowledge, which helps a great deal in gaining opportunities in getting internship opportunities and applying my quantitative knowledge. I have worked in the Eurex Frankfurt AG/Deutsche Börse Group as a sales intern in Frankfurt for half a year. I was required to conduct research on structures and market dynamics of derivatives to explore capital market opportunities in Asia. Now I am turning a new leaf as a trading analyst at HSBC. Through QFRM, I could utilise my derivative knowledge and quantitative modelling skills to understand the structured FX products and facilitate the pricing of structured derivatives.