Job hunting without making money is a sign you’ve already gone off track

Your first company after graduation is crucial. This is the only time in your life when you’ll be job hunting as a fresh graduate. When signing the tripartite agreement this time, you must be thorough—it’s the starting point of your career. After the tripartite agreement, you should no longer be job hunting. From then on, you should only be headhunted.

There are three ways to be headhunted: first, the target company comes directly to you—what we call “three visits to the thatched cottage.” Second, they hire a recruiter to poach you. Third, someone within the target company refers you internally. Those are the only three.

If it’s none of these, and you’re still job hunting with a resume in the market despite no longer being a fresh graduate, it means your earlier path has been off track and you’ve failed to build meaningful experience.

Positions you hunt for come with no authority. Without authority, you can’t get anything done.

Sure, you might say you’re okay just doing menial work. But menial work is pointless—it won’t enhance your industry credibility or help you build a personal brand. In short, you’ll become less and less competitive.