On Wednesday, November 9th, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lien Chia. A fourth year Ryerson student pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce, in Human Resources Management/Organizational Behaviour. Lien works as a BUS100 Strategies for Success Lead Facilitator, she sits on TRSS’s Student Group Funding Committee, School of Business Management Council, and the Faculty Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. She plans to graduate in the Spring of 2017 and from our short time together I could tell she was very driven.
It was only about an hour or less that Lien and I talked, I got lost in the conversation she is so inspirational to listen to, but I learned so much from her that I plan to share here with the readers today.
1. How did you become involved with Human Resources? What inspired you to choose this field?
Lien said to me that she worked a lot part-time jobs in retail and hospitality and through those experiences she gained an interest in people management. She believes that people are a company’s greatest asset. She has a passion for people and helping them, she wants individuals to reach their full potential and that is how all of this came together.
2. What does leadership mean to you? What should it mean to others?
Lien thinks that ‘leadership’ is less about the title itself and should focus more on the impact one person can have on others. It is not a one size fits all idea, and for some it can be very structured and guided, and for others it is more free-wheeling. However, for everyone it means to rally your team and to achieve your goals.
3. What are some tips you can give our readers who find motivation difficult on how to be successful?
Lien has this way of thinking, she believes that everyone has “99 lives” between work, school, and family, it seems like students barely have time for themselves. According to Lien, It is so easy to think of the negative but we need to take care of ourselves first and to remember the endgame of whatever plan you have. She follows the BUS100 motto “do not let the moon eclipse the sun that is you”, basically the moon is whatever obstacle or hardships that are in your life and you are the sun who shines bright, you can get through this. Do not let yourself become overwhelmed there are so many campus resources to help you continue on to success take advantage of them.
4. What are some things you can say as a woman of colour in a powerful position?/How are you perceived by others?/How do you want to be perceived?
At a company that Lien used to work for she was 1 of 2 girls in a group of 8 males. She knows that in situations like this for her to gain any respect or acknowledgement she has to work twice as hard for the minimal. But, she feels at Ryerson University her minor identity has little influence on her leadership role and passion, she is treated well and feels very fortunate. All the respect she earns comes from the work she shows and the impact she has. Business students value their diversity and embrace it.
5. Any final thoughts or quotes for the readers?
Lien always wants people to take advantage of the opportunities on campus quoting Wayne Gretzky’s famous saying “you miss 100% of the shots that you do not take.” For Lien it is important to take your time, if you want to stick with the same degree for four years you can but it is also viable to change gears and pursue something else. Forget the prescribed timelines and do not rush, go at your own pace and find your passion project. Also for Lien, you need to invest in your relationships as she has with, her friends, employers, business partners, students and student leaders, and mentors. These are the people who will support you and help you get where you want to be. And lastly, Lien wants to say that learning begins at the point when you take a chance and try new things.
I loved doing this interview with Lien, she is a great human being with a lot of love for her campus, her major, and her ideas. If you want to get more involved with the groups Lien is involved in you can check her out at the following…
Course Union Human Resources Student Association on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook for updates.
Instagram, SnapChat, & Twitter: trsm_hrsm Facebook: HRSA.Ryerson
Rotaract Club (of which she is the co-founder) on Facebook: RotaractRU
They are hiring their pioneering team, please visit their Facebook for application links.
Co-Founders: Lauren Kohli, Lien Chia and Hannah Abraham
These are all safe and open spaces and do not forget to mention this article, you might get an extra big smile from Lien herself.