Résumé

Hi.

My name is Chin Xin-Ci, but do feel free to call me Xinch.

I’m a Psychology major. I am passionate about my future. Penang. the Internet. Malaysian politics. Design. Photography. And food. Specifically, good food.

I speak and write fluently in English, mediocre B.M. and some Mandarin, Hokkien & Cantonese. And for some reason, I’ve been asked to make PowerPoint slides since… forever.

Prior to this, some of my adventures include bringing together big brands and local celebrities for a successful charity concert + fashion show fundraiser, rolling out the online communications strategy for a non-profit organization, designing and marketing Psychology-themed t-shirts and ghostwriting articles & designing e-book covers for Internet marketers.

My Current Focus

Since July 2009, I’ve been working alongside some 50 geniuses, marketers, visionaries and entrepreneurs from 20 different countries at MindValley. When I’m not connecting with personal development gurus and authors, I utilize various social media avenues to locate and dominate lucrative niches using the Bloodhound (yes, Bloodhound) Model.

Where I Went To School

Bachelor of Psychology (2006-2009)

Graduated with Second Upper Class Honors (CGPA = 3.11)
HELP University College, KL
Additional Modules: Mass Communication, Public Relations Strategies, Elementary French, Public Speaking, Sociology, Intercultural Communication

GCE ‘A’ Levels (2004-2005)
KDU College, Penang

Secondary Education (1999-2003)
Methodist Girls’ School, Penang

Projects I’ve Undertaken

Branding & Communications, Agathians Shelter

Agathians Shelter is a a non-profit organization that owns a home for abandoned / orphaned children. I undertook this project, not just to fill all the free time I have, but to also in some way continue contributing to the home and to the children that I have built a relationship with while volunteering there. The main challenge faced by the committee is attracting potential donors and sponsors for the sustainability of the home. Working alongside the committee, I have just devised and will execute an online communications strategy, which includes:

• a new logo
• a new website
• an updated story
• external communications
• building a community of volunteers / child sponsors through various social networks.

So far, I’ve created a mock-up of their new site and pending approval from the committee, will be helping them build a community of volunteers and child sponsors.

Psychotees

Psychotees is a label producing Psychology-themed t-shirts, targeting Psychology majors. I designed the tees and marketed them to Psychology majors using Facebook and an online blog shop.

Relevant links:
Blogshop
Facebook Group

Freelance Ghostwriter / Designer

Since late 2007, I have ghostwritten / transcribed over 50 articles on various topics on online marketing strategies and self-improvement subjects. I have also designed more than 20 e-book covers. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

In addition to offering design services for Internet marketers, I have also designed several e-flyers for the local independent gig-organizing body, Project Bazooka.

Rhythm Rascals

Creative / Photography

Rhythm Rascals was an independent and non-profit project I undertook with 3 other friends in our own time to spread music to underprivileged children to help them express themselves creatively. We brought a group of percussionists to teach the children of Agathians Shelter how to play traditional drums two Sundays a week from late 2007 to early 2008. Using our blog and Facebook group, we managed to gather volunteers to help us with our bi-monthly routine. Rhythm Rascals is now defunct.

Relevant links:
Rhythm Rascals Blog
Facebook Group
Flickr Gallery

Rock Up! 2008, in aid of Agathians Shelter

Co-Founder & Entertainment Coordinator.

What initially started as an outlet for the children to perform and showcase their new skills turned into a full-fledged fundraiser when we realized that Agathians Shelter was severely in need of a new home. Rock Up! 2008 brought The Curve, Calvin Klein, Naf Naf and local celebrities such as Amber Chia, Deborah Priya Henry & Stephanie Chai together for a charity concert + fashion show. Through sponsorships, t-shirt & raffle sales and on-site donations, it successfully raised RM40, 000 in addition to gaining media attention from TheStar, KLue magazine, Utusan Online & FlyFM.

Facebook proved to be a powerful and integral tool as it was the main tool I used to enlisted the voluntary participation of almost all the celebrities and performers. In addition to Facebook, a coordinated blog marketing strategy was utilized to successfully draw in crowds and the media for the event. It was through this charity event that I learned the true power and capacity of social media and how strong of an influencer it can be. To date, Rock Up! 2008 is the personal project that I am most proud of, and felt most fulfilled by.

Relevant links:
Blog / Website
Facebook Group
Photos of the Event
Gua.com.my’s video coverage
Dzof Azmi’s (The Star columnist) review of our event
KLue’s review of the event

MindValley

Intern / Research Assistant

During my 2007 summer break, I applied for (and successfully obtained) an internship with MindValley. For 1.5 months I worked alongside a marketers and technologists from 5 different countries to help build and launch a web 2.0 blogranking system called SocialRank. During my time there, I identified and analyzed top blogs in various niches in the blogosphere, learned of the power of Internet marketing and the importance of surrounding yourself (and partying with) with brilliant individuals.

Click here to download a referral letter by Mike Reining (the founder of MindValley & former Head of New Venture & Strategy of EBay Inc.), whom I worked directly under.

Tower Records

Sales Assistant

While waiting for the Psychology course intake, I decided to spend 4 months selling music to strangers. By the time my first month was over, I was also cashiering and in charge of liaising with music suppliers such as Warner, EMI and Sony Music to communicate and coordinate special customer orders.

WHILE IN SCHOOL

Academic Research

In the 3 years of my degree, I have performed 8 full academic research projects.

1. Family Connectedness & Social Connectedness as Correlates of Emotional Autonomy in Malaysian Adolescents (Undergraduate Thesis Research topic)
2. The Effects of Relevance and Humour of Captions on Memory of Brands and Products in Advertisements (2009 Outstanding Group Research winner)
3. Interactions Between Gender and the Inclination to Retaliate Under Provocation (2007 Oustanding Group Research winner)
4. Kiasuism: Hypercompetitiveness and Job Satisfaction
5. The Effects of Gender & Priming on Pro-Social Behavior
6. Gender & Ethnicity on Emotional Intelligence
7. Gender Differences in Mate Selection
8. The Stroop Effect

Our department hosts a Psychology Colloquium two times a year. My team won the “Outstanding Group Research” prizes in 2007 and 2009 and in 2009, I was among the three students who were awarded the “Outstanding Speaker” prize.

Student Representative

2007-2008. I was elected the Year 1/2 student representative in the annual Department of Psychology student council elections.

Function: Middle(wo)man between department and students to enhance student experience

Additional roles:

• Social Events Co-organizer
  I also co-organized several successful social events such as the department’s Acoustic BBQ nite and first Annual Psychology Ball. On each organizing committee, I took charge of event publicity which included promoting the event via flyers / posters / banners, Facebook and the department’s student network site. All flyers / posters / banners were designed by me.
• Resident Designer
  In addition to designing all flyers / posters during our term as Student Council members, I also designed and sold over 300 Psychology-themed t-shirts in 1.5 months to successfully to raise funds for the Student Council.
• Student Council Group Moderator
  I set up and moderated the online student council Google group where council members communicated their proposed activities, shared files and downloaded meeting minutes and important information.

Art and Layout Editor

2002-2003. I was handpicked by teacher advisors to be on the Art & Layout team for my school’s seemingly elite editorial board. Using my self-learnt Adobe Photoshop skills, I was responsible for working with the team to generate a layout for the school’s annual magazine. I also managed to obtain a large advertising / sponsorship package from KDU College, Penang for the magazine. On top of that, I dabbled in proofreading and photography.