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Editor’s Note
Both the world of finance and the market trend change quickly. In this season that witnesses the start of youth, by showcasing these young people’s vivid stories in Dishui Lake Advanced Finance Institute (DAFI) located by the Dishui Lake, we hope to record how they lay a solid foundation with their professionalism and forge ahead relentlessly on their journey toward the future with their belief. Some of them overcome obstacles in data modeling, some explore in the field, and others practice in the changing financial market. Although their stories are different, they share the same value: proactivity, perseverance, and the integration of knowledge and action.
Today, we turn our attention to CHEN Xinzhi, a patient pursuer who hones his pace through exploration and choices. From investment banking to research institutes, from trial and error to certainty, he has used solid accumulation and calm judgment to arrive at his own answer: there’s no need to seek shortcuts on the road, what matters is taking steady steps one by one.
Profile
CHEN Xinzhi is a graduate of the Master of Finance (Financial Analyst Track) program at DAFI. During his studies, he received the Second-Class Academic Scholarship and was awarded the “Outstanding Student” title. He has completed internships at the Industrial Securities Research Institute and the Haitong Securities Investment Banking Department, and now has signed with the Changjiang Securities Research Institute to work in industry research.
Before Choosing: From Exploration to Gradual Certainty
01
When I first arrived at DAFI, I didn’t have a clear understanding of my future career path. The finance industry is vast, with numerous positions to be held, and every possibility seemed worth trying.
In my first year of the master’s program, I completed two internships: one at the Industrial Securities Research Institute (the “Research Institute”) and the other at the Haitong Securities Investment Banking Department (the “Investment Banking Department”).
My work at the Research Institute allowed me to engage in research projects and industry analysis for the first time, and I began to feel the sense of fulfillment from connecting thinking with writing. By contrast, the Investment Banking Department operated at a fast pace, focusing more on project advancement and execution-oriented work, which also helped me develop my stress resilience.
After these experiences, I had gradually realized that I was more suited to roles requiring long-term accumulation and logical reasoning, rather than the fast-paced, execution-focused rhythm of investment banking. This realization didn’t come in an instant; it took time to solidify through repeated exploration and comparison.
By the time autumn recruitment began, I had basically confirmed my top choice of career direction: positions at research institutes.
Screening Opportunities: A Test of One’s Patience
02
When the actual job search started, I set two fundamental principles for myself:
——Screening takes precedence over mass applications.
——Clarifying intentions comes before piling up options.
Faced with a flood of job information, I focused on three types of opportunities: first, research-related roles with a clear conversion-to-full-time mechanism; second, positions at institutions with robust overall platforms and clear development paths; and third, options in locations that allowed a balance between career growth and personal life.
During this process, I turned down many positions that seemed glamorous at first glance but had uncertain conversion prospects or vague development paths. There was even a period when I felt anxious about not receiving any offers due to my strict screening criteria.
But later, I came to understand that job hunting is a two-way selection, it’s not a game of quantity, but a game of compatibility. Truly suitable opportunities can’t be “pieced together” arbitrarily.
The offer from the Changjiang Securities Research Institute was the best reward for this persistence.
Interview Preparation: Polishing Fundamentals and Expression
03
Instead of casting a wide net during the job search, I focused my applications on a few suitable platforms based on my positioning. Once my goals were clear, I spent a lot of time preparing in two key areas:
First, strengthening my professional fundamentals.
This included organizing core knowledge points from courses like Financial Statement Analysis, Corporate Finance, and Portfolio Management, as well as reviewing projects and research topics I had participated in during previous internships to figure out the contents I could discuss in interviews.
Second, practicing expression.
A researcher’s job isn’t just about understanding things oneself, it’s also about making others understand clearly. While preparing for interviews, I tried to explain complex logic in simple and precise language. I also simulated self-introductions and interview responses several times, hoping to present myself truthfully and coherently during formal interviews.
During my summer internship, I systematically learned research frameworks and covered different types of research topics as much as possible. From financial modeling to industry judgment, I focused on honing the basics in every detail. One interview question left a deep impression on me, it was simple but incisive: “If you had to choose between stress tolerance and writing ability, explain why.”
I chose stress tolerance. In my view, writing ability and stress tolerance were equally important for a researcher. But no matter how impressive one’s past reports were as credentials, the Changjiang Securities Research Institute would still be willing to extend the olive branch of opportunity to someone with strong stress tolerance.
During the final interview, I didn’t overpackage myself or try to put on a standout performance. I simply articulated clearly what I could do and what I had done.
In the process of preparation, I had gradually realized that job hunting isn’t a sprint, it’s more like a systematic assessment. It evaluated not only your professional skills but also your communication, thinking, and self-management abilities.
Beyond Professionalism:
Learning to Think and Manage Myself at DAFI
04
Research institute work requires great stamina. It involves sifting through extensive foundational information to find small but crucial pieces of data, and connecting scattered information into a complete logical chain within a short time frame.
DAFI’s curriculum unknowingly helped me build a foundation in this area. Courses like Advanced Corporate Finance, Portfolio and Asset Management, and Financial Statement Analysis didn’t just impart knowledge, and more importantly, they taught us how to systematically analyze issues, refine perspectives, and deliver practical outputs.
In particular, in Professor ZHANG Jubao’s Fixed Income class, every in-class discussion and group presentation trained me to “summarize patterns from complexity and extract key points from details”.
During the job search phase, these skills may not have yielded immediate results. But once I truly stepped into the workplace, when I faced an annual report or analyzed an announcement, my underlying cognition and methodologies became the real pillars I could rely on.
DAFI was more than just a place to acquire knowledge, it’s like a bridge that helped me transition from a student to a new professional. The process wasn’t rushed, but every step was solid.
小Tips：
Tips
Internships are for confirming your direction, not just “padding your resume”. The value of trial and error lies in finding a path you can pursue for a long term.
When screening opportunities, always set clear criteria. Don’t lower your standards due to anxiety, as compatibility is the key.
The most powerful expression in interviews is clarity instead of flashiness. Accurately articulating your thoughts is more important than being “perfectly packaged”.
The glamour of your career starting point doesn’t matter, what matters is the sustainability of your accumulation. Choose a path that allows you to build cognitive capital, and move forward slowly.
Message:
Walk your path clearly, and don’t take shortcuts. Use time and patience to turn your choices into things worth persisting in.
