Jane Liu

Smith School of Business, Queen’s University

“Sometimes very outgoing, sometimes very shy.”

Hometown: Luoyang, Henan, China

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am the ‘illegal one’. Back home, none of my friends have siblings because of the One-Child policy, but I have an older brother. I always say “Yes, I’m the illegal one,” whenever they are surprised that I’m not the only child in my family.

Undergraduate School and Major:

Peking University, Bachelor of Arts, major in Linguistics and Literature

The University of Alberta, Master of Arts, major in Literature

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: CIBC, Senior Financial Advisor

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was able to inspire people working closely with me. I witnessed the worst economy in Alberta history in the past five years. It was an emotional and stressful situation, especially since my role was client-facing. I remained calm, focused, and committed; my associate told me that she was inspired even though I wasn’t aware of that. With her support, we had the best business results in a recessionary environment.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The Smith MBA values teamwork and the class model is built upon teamwork. Because my professional roles have been primarily as an individual contributor, I wanted to transition to a team-project working environment. The Smith MBA at Queen’s University is a perfect fit.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I look forward to making lots of friends and building lifelong friendships with them.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? The hardest one was this: “Why did you pursue a career in financial services but have an arts background?” While I was preparing for the interview, I was advised to connect finance with the arts. I did tell my interviewer the ‘right’ answer I prepared but I found it unconvincing. I turned around with my true feelings: Finance was new to me, and unknown, but attracted me. I learned to always be true to yourself, as sometimes the best answer is very simple and straight forward.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After working in the financial service industry in Canada for over five years, I feel that I have learned a lot. At the same time, there are other areas where I would like to continue to grow. Traditional banking is moving forward with lots of changes and I hope to play a role in those changes. I realized that I need more knowledge and experience with management to be able to make an impact on an organization. An MBA can help me fill that gap and prepare for the next step in my career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Ivey Business School – Western University

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I wanted a one-year program, so the length of the program was an important factor. I found that talking to current MBA candidates and asking questions about campus life, social events, and career opportunities was the best way to research culture. I also searched alumni on LinkedIn and reviewed their career progression since their MBA; I then reached out to them and asked them if my goal was realistic.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Being a first-generation immigrant was not easy and the transition from arts to finance was even harder. When I struggled with self-doubt, I encountered great leaders who truly welcome diverse perspectives at both BMO and CIBC. They welcomed me and supported my professional growth in financial services. These experiences made me believe that skills can always be built, but faith and passion cannot; I also learned to value people’s uniqueness and to look at things from different perspectives.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Where I am now is not what I expected ten years ago. I came to Canada in Aug 2011; it opened a new chapter of my life. The past eight years have been a journey for which I am very grateful, I have grown up and learned so much. I’m always open to new adventures, so I will keep exploring and becoming a better person in the next ten years.