Alumnus Mai Xuan An – Digital Marketing Experience and the Desire to Share Value with Younger Students.

Mr Mai Xuan An is an alumnus of the Faculty of Business Administration - International Economics, graduating in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Originally from Nha Trang, he moved with his family to Bien Hoa at a young age to live and develop his career. He currently resides in Tan Hiep Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province. He began studying at Lac Hong University in 2012 and was an active and outstanding student who participated in many activities organized by the Faculty and the University. Fortunately, he was among the students who participated in and experienced the first season of the Student Start-up Competition. With much surprise and novelty at the beginning, and thanks to the guidance and support of lecturers as well as his own efforts, his project “Vegetable and Fish Farming Model for Busy People” won Second Prize at the University level at the end of 2016.

After graduation, his main difficulty was a lack of clear career orientation—what job to pursue and which work suited him best. He worked for a garment company for a period of time but found it unsuitable and resigned. During his job search, noticing the development of information technology, especially in the field of digital marketing, Mr An began to quickly learn and develop his skills in digital marketing.

From July to September 2017, he interned at MicroAd Vietnam Company. Subsequently, from October 2017 to February 2020, he managed the YOOSE Vietnam campaign. From March to December 2020, he worked as a Digital Performance Marketing Specialist at Huge Win Media.

Since March 2021 to the present, Mr An has been working at Elixus Agency. He is currently responsible for communication planning and identifying target audiences; explaining and instructing clients on the proper technical integration of Facebook/Google Pixel; and closely collaborating with cross-functional partners such as account managers, designers, and sales teams in idea research and pre-sales advertising, etc.

In his view, securing a job aligned with one’s major after graduation is both fortunate and advantageous, as it enables the application of acquired knowledge. Students should understand how to work effectively in teams, and having a mentor is highly beneficial. Academic subjects can also become advantages after graduation. In particular, English proficiency is very important—listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communication skills at a basic level of 60–70% can greatly support work performance and job searching. With adequate English skills, graduates can proactively choose companies, positions, and appropriate salary levels; limited English proficiency will be a significant disadvantage. Students currently studying at the University should explore online marketing and recognize that society requires new business orientations and new approaches. They should consider using TikTok for sales and business activities, as such platforms attract large audiences and offer strong interaction capabilities. From his perspective, in addition to academic subjects, the University and the Faculty should supplement more skill-based courses.

His time studying at the University remains a beautiful memory and a period of valuable learning experiences. The lecturers in the Faculty always showed care and encouragement, motivating students to overcome difficulties and challenges. PhD Nguyen Van Tan – Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration - International Economics; PhD candidate Luu Ngoc Liem – Head of the Human Resource Management Division; and many other lecturers left lasting impressions on him. He hopes that in the near future he will be invited to interact with students of the Faculty of Business Administration - International Economics to share insights on academic matters, work experience, and many other valuable topics.