How to Win at a Chinese Job Fair

In my Globalization class, we were shown this image of a Chinese job fair and asked what we would do to differentiate ourselves.

There are thousands and thousands of people vying for positions in these companies. There don’t seem to be many booths and there are clearly a huge number of people. So what do you do?

This is the world we’re living in. How do you stand out in this crowd? You can’t out-study your competition. There are thousands of people that want your job. Your high-paying, safe, American job.

The way to win is to flip this situation on its head. The way to succeed is to be the person with a booth. You can’t win by being a better fish in that overcrowded sea. You win by being the person that thousands are seeking. You win by taking a risk to stand out and try something new.

Being the best at following the rules isn’t a long-term strategy for success. You can never be better than a computer is at following rules.

What’s scarce is the people making the promises to people that their work is valuable. You don’t win at this job fair by being a better applicant. You win by making another booth.