English translation · Reader alias: XingzhouRead the Chinese original ↗
Echo correspondenceNO. 05
First exchange / For Airing
From Xingzhou
Accept what is in front of me, or keep looking?
Reader alias · Xingzhou
NO. 05Letter
Xingzhou to Airing
Dear Airing,
I have recently been struggling with some career choices. I thought you would have experience in this area, so I wanted to ask for your advice!
As you can see, I am in the autumn campus recruitment season, or rather, nearly at the end of it. I have offers for backend development at [cloud services company] and software development in test at [mobility company], and have already signed with the former. The latter pays considerably more, but I do not really enjoy test development: I tried it in an internship and did not like it. I also feel its future career path is narrow, which is why I chose the former.
Neither offer is my ideal choice. The former may be adequate and is not something I dislike, apart from the lower salary [work location and exact compensation removed]. Honestly, when I see friends receiving packages worth [amount removed] and then look at mine, I do feel envious.
Should I quit while I am ahead and be content with this? A local mid-sized company, a backend role and work–life balance are not bad, perhaps? Or should I keep going through spring recruitment to look for something better, possibly while interning at [cloud services company]? Put another way, is sacrificing work–life balance for a higher base salary worthwhile?
I would be grateful for your guidance!
NO. 05Reply
Airing to Xingzhou
Xingzhou,
Let me answer directly first:
1. I suggest interning at [cloud services company] while continuing with spring recruitment.
2. For campus recruits from ordinary financial backgrounds, do not prioritize work–life balance in the three years before graduation. (Translation note: the original says “before graduation”; the explanation below discusses the early years after graduation.)
First, why do I recommend continuing with spring recruitment?
One reason is opportunity.
For interviewers, internship experience matters more than education on a campus recruitment résumé; work experience matters more than education for experienced hires. This is where the campus résumé screen becomes difficult, because the biggest companies want both. But there are two situations in which you can get in without a strong résumé:
1. Some teams have unfilled headcount during spring recruitment and urgently need people, so they may relax their résumé requirements. Unfilled positions can be taken back at the midyear review. At that point, finding someone who can do the job matters more than finding someone exceptional.
2. Companies outside the very top tier [examples removed] also tend to be more flexible about résumés, particularly later in the recruitment cycle.
The second reason is preparation for the future.
Your first experience as a graduate is important: it becomes a springboard for your next job search. If your starting point is low, today’s difficulty may simply be passed on to that future search. My advice is to deal with problems now, rather than avoid them or pass them on to your future self.
Next, why do I recommend [cloud services company]?
The role matters because it determines your future ceiling. You have noticed this too: a development role is absolutely preferable to a testing role. Apart from testing’s lower ceiling, testing has low status within these companies, and the work itself is very repetitive and dull. That can seriously erode your enthusiasm for work.
When choosing your internship, you focused too much on getting an early internship on your résumé, which led you to this role. But that can backfire. As I said, the résumé screen considers internship experience. With a testing internship, it is harder to interview for development roles during campus recruitment. Interviewers will also question your fit for the role, raising the résumé barrier. In effect, you have passed today’s difficulty on to the future, creating the situation you now face.
Finally, I do not recommend prioritizing work–life balance for campus recruits without a substantial financial cushion.
The first few years after graduation are when personal growth is fastest. After many years in education, entering society brings a boost of enthusiasm that can make you efficient at whatever you do. That enthusiasm, your age and your recent learning experience also strengthen your ability to learn. You are curious and eager to understand things. Use those advantages: identify and address weaknesses, discover what you enjoy and develop your strengths quickly, in preparation for the future.
If you take the work–life balance route, you can easily become fixed at your starting point, losing the possibilities you once had. You may later feel regret, but making up for it will be very difficult. Fundamentally, this too is a way of passing today’s difficulties on to the future.
These are only my personal views, for your consideration.