‘Don’t ask which year offers the best employment prospects; this year is the best year for employment.’ I’ve heard this kind of voice around me for some time now. So, by mid-May, I started a comprehensive search for internship positions. Persistent effort pays off. On an ordinary day in June, I opened Boss Zhipin as usual, and the software pushed a notification for 'SLKOR recruiting summer interns for marketing positions.'

Everything went exceptionally smoothly, as if it were destined. Chatting, scheduling an interview, starting work—before I knew it, I was already sitting in the office. Before starting, I had heard that the company offered great benefits, including team-building events, 'afternoon tea,' and basketball leagues. These perks reflect General Manager Song Shiqiang’s 'people-oriented' management philosophy, which creates a consistently pleasant working environment. What surprised me was that, in addition to these benefits, the company also offers irregular 'presidential training.' Just a few sessions of training, however, resolved the vague question that had long troubled me—what are we ultimately seeking in life?

Seeing Myself — No Longer Underestimating Myself

I still remember when General Manager Song first gave us training and mentioned that the search engine marketing system is a marketing approach derived from people's high reliance on and usage habits of algorithms.

General Manager Song once said that successful marketing must have a market impact. I deeply agree with this.

General Manager Song Shiqiang of SLKOR provided training on the "Deming Circle" management theory

In an era dominated by algorithm-driven platforms, the asymmetry of information and the characteristics of quick, short-lived content amplify people's anxieties. The same topic, approached from different angles, leads to various goals and target audiences. During my internship search over the holidays, I came across a post on a social platform about non-985 and non-211 university students struggling to find internships. The algorithm picked up on this information, and I soon started seeing posts about how second-tier university students could overcome employment difficulties and find internship opportunities, almost all leading to the final goal of paid internal referrals. Looking back, the essence of these posts was to first emphasize the extreme undervaluation of non-top-tier undergraduates, and then claim to have referral opportunities at major companies—give a slap and then a sweet date. The outcome often falls short of expectations.

I must admit, this marketing strategy was effective. During that period, I was indeed trapped in that information bubble, plagued by self-doubt. Some say the world is a vast makeshift stage, and there will always be people who don’t even know how to get on it; others say life is a wilderness, and travel can heal everything, even though some are stuck in repetitive, mundane 996 work routines. But my life is not limited to these choices, just as my value is not determined solely by my academic background.

Rather than being swept along by algorithms, it's better to understand the perspective of the designer, adapt to the rules of algorithms, and use them for my own benefit rather than being controlled by them. In doing so, I can truly see myself.

Seeing the Bigger Picture—Recognizing Limitations

After some time on the job, at the end of a training session, Mr. Song asked us interns if we had any personal insights into the overall operations of the company. Having been with the company for nearly a month, we all understood the significant role that the company’s official website and social media platforms play in its development. Therefore, during the discussion, everyone shared their perspectives based on their experiences with these tools in their daily work.

SLKOR General Manager Song Shiqiang Training

Although everyone's questions and responses were different, they ultimately converged. Our focus was primarily on our own experiences with the company's website, while Mr. Song Shiqiang, the General Manager, viewed things from the perspective of a "product developer." Frequent terms in his answers were "monetization," "conversion," and "cost." The internet marketing mindset is crucial for the company's operations, so designing and continually optimizing the website and social media platforms from a marketing perspective was Mr. Song’s approach to addressing our questions.

This highlighted how habitual thinking influences our perspective on issues. Terms like monetization, conversion rate, and production cost are common, yet I naturally overlooked them when thinking about problems. This difference stems from identity and ingrained thinking patterns. The brief Q&A session made me realize my own cognitive limitations, much like initially defining something for sale as a "commodity" rather than a "product." Viewing issues from different angles allows for a more complete understanding and reveals the essence of societal functions. Commonplace concepts and principles also need to be revisited through practice to gain new insights.  

The purpose of awakening is solely to become oneself.

In Siddhartha, there is a line that reads: "Most people are like a leaf, swirling and fluttering in the air, eventually stumbling back to the dust. A very few, however, are like the stars in the sky, following a fixed path. No wind can move them; they have their own inner laws and trajectories."

During my nearly month-long internship at the SLKOR Promotion Department, my most immediate impression was encountering a group of wonderful colleagues, especially the two mentors—Guo Jie and Yajun Jie. They gradually introduced me to the semiconductor industry, leading us on tours of semiconductor warehouses. This allowed me to connect the images in my computer with physical objects and further deepen my understanding of the industry's supply chain.

SLKOR best-selling PN

Some senior colleagues in the company, though not directly aligned with their fields of expertise, still leverage their strengths to create their own value. For instance, before founding Kinghelm and SLKOR, Mr. Song achieved success in real estate and later, through solo effort, carved a path in Huaqiangbei. By employing international perspectives, forward-looking strategies, and internet marketing methodologies, he propelled Kinghelm and SLKOR to new heights.

This reminds me of a quote: "A person who has awakened has only one duty—to find themselves, to hold on to themselves, and to walk forward along their own path, regardless of where it leads." Thus, I no longer stress about aligning my future career strictly with my field of study. When exploring, focusing too narrowly on what one is seeking often leads to nothing and prevents meaningful absorption. Understanding that accumulating, persisting, and refining a skill is crucial has become clearer to me.

The paths others describe in detail are based on their own journeys. Unique experiences in life shape who we are. I no longer feel lost searching for a precise future direction. By knowing and understanding myself, I can enhance myself, and the path will naturally unfold beneath my feet. Ultimately, seeking is merely about discovering oneself. When feeling confused, pause, turn around, and see yourself.