A friend of mine is the HR manager at a company. One day, I went to visit him and happened to find him interviewing a group of recent college graduates. Out of curiosity, I sat down and listened for a while, and was deeply struck. More than twenty bright and energetic students, each full of enthusiasm, introduced themselves and then expressed their passion for the positions they were applying for. The company was hiring for marketing and sales roles, yet over half of these students were not majoring in related fields—some studied Chinese literature, others foreign languages, and two were biology majors.
I asked them why they were applying for jobs outside their field of study. They replied that jobs are hard to find these days, and no one really cares about whether their major matches the job. I then asked how much they knew about marketing and sales. They admitted they knew very little and planned to learn on the job. I told them that certain things—like professional knowledge—should have been learned during university. Trying to learn completely new material while working is extremely difficult. First, you won’t have enough time; second, you won’t have enough energy; and third, a company is not a school—it won’t pay you a salary while letting you learn for free.
This is how many recent graduates are today. Fierce competition and inner anxiety drive them to apply across disciplines, blindly fighting for opportunities regardless of their background. However, before they begin their job search, they should at least understand two things: first, exactly what kind of job they are seeking; and second, whether they truly love that job.
Let’s start with the first point. These twenty-odd students were competing for sales and marketing positions, yet they didn’t understand the qualities the role requires. To some, sales means just handling a few major clients’ phone calls, closing a few deals a year, and watching products roll out by the truckload. But I once met someone who ran around visiting clients, handled business daily, and took long-distance buses regularly—he had profound insights into sales. Business travel isn’t a free tour across the country; it involves immense pressure. When students from unrelated fields abandon their majors and enter a new arena to compete, they must clearly understand what they’re applying for. They should research the profession beforehand, assess whether they’re suited for it, capable of handling it, and passionate about it. Otherwise, I suggest they not take this risk.
Now, the second point. Everyone wants a comfortable job, dreams of joining a Fortune 500 company, and desires prestige, salary, and benefits—these are indeed highly attractive. But few ever ask themselves whether they actually enjoy the job, whether they love it, whether they feel passionate about it. A salesperson should know everything about the product—its functions, target audience, spokesperson, advantages, and disadvantages. What does it mean to love something? Love means wanting to understand it at all costs; love means being willing to set aside pride and use every possible method to achieve it; love means feeling excited when you see the company’s advertisement, as if it were your own family’s business. Before taking on any job, you must ask yourself whether you truly love it. Otherwise, your work will be pure suffering—suffering merely for a paycheck—and that brings no real benefit to your life.
IKEA is well-known and hires new staff every year. One job seeker ended his application letter to IKEA’s HR manager like this: “Whenever I see those widely shared images of IKEA’s model rooms online, I feel genuine excitement. Those beautiful spaces, carefully crafted by hand with dedication and hard work, bring me great happiness. I sincerely hope to become an IKEA team member, starting from tightening a single screw or carrying a box, steadily planting the seed of my IKEA dream—a dream filled with love and warmth. I want to wholeheartedly provide the best home furnishing service to every customer, and share IKEA products and the refined lifestyle they bring with more people. This is my greatest dream and happiness.” Faced with such a candidate, no company could bear to say no.
You shouldn’t settle for a job. No matter how anxious you feel, when facing the work you’re about to undertake, pause and reflect: What does your heart truly love? What do you truly want? If you truly love that job, fight for it—don’t fear spending time or energy. Digging once on the ground only leaves a hole; only by digging deep enough can you create a well, from which water will flow. When the sands of time pass over, the hole will become flat land, leaving nothing behind. But a well will leave a permanent mark—a deep imprint etched into your passionate, forward-moving life, shaping your entire journey.