The Student
Laurence Wong was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, to parents who emigrated from Hong Kong. He went to Ryerson University in Toronto before taking a job in the printing and publishing sector. This industry proved, however, to hold little interest for Wong and after two years he decided it was time for something new – though he didn’t know what.
After moving to Hong Kong, he wanted to make himself a more attractive job candidate, so he started studying an MBA course at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He also hoped the MBA would give him some good ideas as to what sort of career he could pursue after graduating.
Why did you choose HKU?
As well as going to recruitment sessions I reached out to anyone who had done an MBA at the university and asked them for advice, their personal experiences of the school and what elements of the course mattered to them the most.
What have been the major challenges of your MBA studies?
There have been several, including prioritising my duties, motivating myself to do my best work, maintaining a healthy school/life balance and trying to get along with everyone in my class.
What kind of support are you getting from those around you?
I’m getting lots of emotional support and constructive criticism, which really helps me as a student and as a person.
How will your MBA help you with your career and personal life?
For my career I think it will make me more attractive in the job market and give me opportunities that I felt I deserved before, but did not necessarily get. I now have a much broader and more international perspective on business issues and news coverage.
On a personal level I now have a broader perspective on life after meeting so many different people during the programme. It makes me appreciate my personal time and space, and my relationships, a lot more.
How do you see things developing after graduation?
I have had multiple job offers with significantly higher salaries and more responsibility than before, which goes to show that the MBA does help.
With the new skills and attitude I’ve developed from the MBA, I expect to eventually progress to senior management or to have my own business – or both.
