Human Resource Competency Development class at GHRM MBA, instructed by Professors Chen Shyh-Jer and Heidi Chang, recently welcomed Alexis Lin, an accomplished HR professional with a wealth of experience spanning Financial, Tech, and Leadership development consulting firms. With a Master's in Human Resource Management from National Sun Yat-sen University and an MBA in International Business from ESSCA, France, Alexis Lin shared profound insights on personal branding and its impact on career development.

Alexis Lin offered insights gained from over 11 years of experience, beginning with his work as HR Director at Cathay Life Insurance, where he focused on learning and development and employee relations before transferring to an overseas HR Business Partner. He then moved into the technology industry as an Overseas company Manager at TPIsoftware, where he oversaw overseas company operations. His most recent position as a Solution Account Manager at Development Dimensions International (DDI) provided him with experience in B2B solution sales and business development. This diversified career path provided him with a thorough awareness of the complexities of human resources across businesses and locations, which served as a solid foundation for his discussion of personal branding.

Addressing the changing character of the modern job, Alexis Lin highlighted the growing prominence of freelancers, who account for roughly 46.7% of the worldwide workforce. This trend, which was previously limited to low- and middle-income gig workers, has now spread to a wide range of professions, owing to the disruptive impact of digital technologies such as AI, blockchain, cloud computing, and data analytics. These advancements have catalyzed disruptions across traditional industries, necessitating agile and customer-centric approaches to work.

Alexis used the notion of the VUCA era (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) to highlight the issues created by change's rapid pace and unexpected nature of changes. He contextualized these ideas within the context of Taiwan's work market, pointing out a significant job scarcity despite a 24% increase in job vacancies in 2022 over the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwan is dealing with a talent supply-demand mismatch, as indicated by the net outflow of its labor force and a considerable disparity in talent supply and demand when compared to other countries.

Alexis also discussed the concept of "Quiet Quitting," citing a 2022 Gallup survey indicating that at least half of the U.S. workforce comprises disengaged employees likely to leave their jobs. This phenomenon underscores the critical importance of personal branding in navigating today's fiercely competitive job market. He outlined a comprehensive 7-step process for building a personal brand and aligning it with one's career aspirations. This process includes defining one's purpose, conducting an audit of personal brand equity, constructing a compelling personal narrative, embodying the brand, effectively communicating the brand story during interviews, socializing the brand, and continuously reevaluating and adjusting the brand to ensure its relevance and resonance.

In conclusion, Alexis emphasized that the dynamics between talents and organizations have evolved, necessitating individuals to proactively enhance their personal value through effective personal branding. He pointed out that personal branding is a dynamic and continuing activity, necessary for thriving in the ever-changing environment of work. The session concluded with engaging discussions and interactive exercises, empowering students to apply these insights to their own career development journeys. Alexis's enlightening session left a profound impact on the students, equipping them with invaluable tools to navigate and excel in their future careers.