Catherine Zhao
Product Management & Strategy Consulting
Hello
Here's who I am & what I do
Driven, detail-oriented, and creative.
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I am Catherine, a sophomore student at WashU studying Finance and Data Science.
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On campus, I’m involved with Biztech, Asian American Association, and Olin Peer Tutoring. These activities support me in developing both professional skills and community leadership, preparing me to move on to a higher platform and achieve my goals wherever my footsteps land!
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Having both a business background and technical skills is what makes me stand out and what I can offer to the table. Passionate about the intersection of business and technology, I aspire to enter product management or strategic consulting in tech.
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More About Me.
I am an achiever, problem-solver, and communicator.
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1.) Achieving and adaptability:
I am a self-starter and fast learner. Interested in data analytics, I self-learned R and SQL skills with completion of the Google Data Analytics Certificate within two months. I also stepped us as the treasurer of my a cappella group in response to the sudden leave of a member. I quickly navigated through student union finance policies, familiarized the expenditure authorization system, and successfully secured the necessary funds for our two annual concerts.
2.) Problem solving and effective leadership:
In an experience leading a case competition team, I minimized distraction in our discussions by breaking down key steps to solve the problem, made sure that all members’ voices were included, and assigned tasks with due dates to ensure accountability. I also scheduled subsequent meeting times at the end of each discussion to eliminate inefficiencies in texting.
3.) Interpersonal and collaboration skills:
As the Social Chair of WashU’s Asian American Association, I corresponded with 22 multi-cultural clubs for the annual Night Market event, set up meetings with each one to brainstorm activities they could bring to individual booths, and made sure the event went smooth and consistent by providing clear guideline documents.
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Strengths
Organized.
Communication.
Creative.
Technical Skills.
Weaknesses
Overloading
Stress Management
Assertion
Opportunities
Consulting Experience
Leadership
Community Engagement
Threats
Work-life Balance
Competition
Work Visa Sponsorship
"I aspire to enter
Product Management
or Strategy Consulting......"
Why
Product Management?
Product management is about setting the vision, balancing business objectives with consumer needs, and mapping a clear development trajectory for each product stage. It sits at the crucial intersection of stakeholder's expectations, consumer trends, and product design, determining the future of products so they bring value for all parties.
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Product managers research on market gaps, analyze business performances, plan strategic roadmaps, and communicate specific goals down for action. Gathering information to set clear visions on product objectives requires clear communication: asking the right questions from stakeholders, and delivering accurate information to product teams to push forward the production. They have to empathize with the consumers, understand the user experience to optimize their experiences, while making sure product development teams don't deviate away from the envisioned objectives.
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I am passionate in new technology and innovation. I admire how the smallest items in life are intricately designed by incredible teams with envisions of fitting society's needs and making the best out of people's experiences. I enjoy problem solving by figuring out parts of the solution and putting them together in creative ways to build unexpected results. I want to take part in the envisioning, where I can apply my knowledge and communication skills in facilitating the integration of goals and where final products emerge to be both useful, valuable, and most importantly, enjoyable.
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I am a strong communicator. I have valuable experiences in leading teams in event planning, coordinating with different groups about needs and schedules, and creating marketing content to promote organizations. All such experiences has strengthened my skills in organization, creativity, and leadership -- all of which would make me a strong product manager. Being a peer tutor and teaching assistant has also allowed me to develop skills in connecting learning objectives with students' questions, which allowed me to develop individualized approaches in helping different students, which would be applicable in the planning process of products.
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Why
Strategy Consulting?
Consulting is about problem solving, understanding people, and creating solutions through data analysis and expertise. Consultants travel to clients’ sites as a team, spend weeks collecting data about the company and industry, and find the best balancing solution to meet company's needs with market trends.
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Being a consultant means living a fast-paced and unsettled life. Business problems could be similar in nature, but it is the nuances that makes each case stand out to have different solutions. It also means being adaptable to new situations and being able to communicate efficiently. Consultants are expected to be fast learners, to learn about new companies and industries within a short time frame and build a comprehensive solution to be brought to the table. Thus, communication and understanding is key to everything: it means understanding what is most important to clients, asking the right questions through a structured approach, efficient teamwork, and presenting the solution in an understandable way.
I love meeting new challenges in life, digging into data to extract meaningful insights into the market, and feel rewarded by solving complex with an efficient team. I also view consulting as the fastest way to build all the soft and technical skills crucial for any field, career, or business setting. From understanding clients’ needs and clarity in communication, to task division and handling stress, I could strengthen effective interpersonal and communication skills through working in cases in a team. I could also reinforce and apply my data analytic skills through active market research and financial analysis, using data-backed insights to build confident solutions.
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Having both a business background and technical skills is what makes me stand out and what I can offer to the table. I am experienced with working in teams in creative projects, case analysis, and event planning. My technical skills in R programming and SQL make data analysis processes more efficient, accurate, and insightful. I am also proficient in Tableau and could make data visualizations that are most relevant, clear, and on-the-point to stakeholders.