No Experience Is Wasted: Joanne Wan Shared Her Career Journey with Honesty and Insight

The seminar “The Courage and Wisdom to Explore Your Career,” organized by the ESG Talent Development Program for Sustainable Development, invited Joanne Wan as the keynote speaker. 

The event drew a large audience of students and members of the public, many of whom were feeling uncertain about their careers or were actively seeking direction.

At the time, Joanne Wan worked as a voice marketing consultant, radio host, podcast planning advisor, and part-time lecturer at the National Taiwan University of Arts. Her career spanned both traditional and new media, enriched by a wide range of professional experiences. From working in a KTV and operating karaoke sound systems, to being an event MC, ski instructor, advertising agency professional, and online columnist, Wan demonstrated that a fulfilling career is not built by taking one giant leap, but by taking many deliberate steps, each one leaving a mark.

She shared with the audience that while interest may be the starting point, it is courage—the willingness to step out of one’s comfort zone and to take action despite fear, fear that truly propels people forward. Passion, when paired with effort, is what creates real opportunities.

Wan reminded the audience that the most common kind of transformation in a career is not sudden success, but slow and steady progress achieved through daily attempts and adjustments. She acknowledged that in the workplace, being misunderstood, denied, or blamed is often inevitable. However, she encouraged listeners not to retreat. Instead, by facing challenges head-on, individuals could grow stronger and develop resilience. The journey from “quantitative accumulation” to “qualitative change,” she explained, may seem slow, but it is real and meaningful.

Toward the end of her talk, Wan guided the audience through a process of self-reflection, inviting them to assess their strengths and weaknesses. By asking themselves, “What am I good at?”, “What do I enjoy?”, “What am I lacking?”, “How do others see me?”, and “What problems can I solve?” Students were encouraged to gain clarity and rediscover direction amid confusion. She urged them to organize their thoughts and build a path that truly belonged to them.

The seminar offered not only valuable insights but also deep inspiration. Attendees left with a better understanding that a career is something to be explored step by step, not something predetermined. Wan closed her speech by referencing Shohei Ohtani’s multi-layered mandala chart, encouraging students to make solid plans and take consistent action to become the version of themselves they envisioned.