Honest Words from Headhunters: Career Selection Guide in the "Salary Cut Era" | Career Ascender Open Talk

36Kr "Career Bonus" (ID: ZhiChangHongLi)

The scariest thing in the current job market is not the salary cut, but the fact that even if you accept a salary cut, you may not necessarily find a suitable job.

In the user group discussion of "Career Elevator AI", we saw many typical job - hunting questions. In order to respond to your questions and concerns, and to interpret and elaborate on the product function optimization and iterative upgrade plan, we planned and held the community live - stream "Career Elevator Open Talk".

This time, we invited several senior headhunters to participate, and set up a "Neighbor Mutual Assistance Session" to provide practical suggestions for users' career planning, and to make professional interpretations and recommendations on dividend companies and dividend tracks.

In the first issue of "Career Elevator Open Talk", Yu Wenjun, the founder of Career Future, presided over the event. We also invited Zhu Qile (Marcus), the head of the hard - tech industry at the leading headhunting firm Michael Page, and "Headhunter Xiaolou Talks about FMCG", a former FMCG industry headhunter and a blogger with tens of thousands of followers on Xiaohongshu. Next, you will see various actual bottlenecks that users encounter in career planning. We hope the discussions can inspire you as well.

"The 35 - year - old curse": The cost - performance dilemma under the halo of big companies ╱ One

Facing the temptation of an iron rice bowl, make good use of the "scoring and quantification method" to choose a career ╱ Two

Two years after quitting without a new job lined up: How to get back into the job market with "unorthodox methods"? ╱ Three

Outsourcing positions in big companies: A gilded springboard or a place of exile? ╱ Four

"The 35 - year - old curse": The cost - performance dilemma under the halo of big companies

 @Alex : I've been working in a leading new energy company for nearly ten years. The platform is really good, and there are many opportunities. But in the past two years, I've felt a bottleneck, especially in balancing career development and family. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and change the environment. As a result, after looking for a job for several months, I found it quite difficult. The headhunters either said that I was not suitable because of my age (35), or the location was not right, or the position had been cancelled. I'm really frustrated. Is the market really that strict with age?

 Zhu Qile (Marcus) : As long as your cost - performance is high enough, age is never a problem. You've worked in a leading company like CATL for ten years, so your salary must be quite high. In other companies, it's hard to find a position that can fully utilize your past value. Naturally, enterprises will weigh the cost and output. If there are young people in the market who can complete 70% - 80% of the work, many enterprises will give them priority.

But there are exceptions. I once served a chip design company. They finally hired a 68 - year - old retired professor from Shandong University. Because his abilities and experience were the most suitable for the requirements, and the client was also willing to offer an annual salary of one million.

 @Alex : Actually, in 2022, many headhunters came to me, and I also got some good job offers. But later, because I was pregnant, I didn't accept them. Now I find that there are far fewer people approaching me actively. I also asked some of my former suppliers. After they started their own businesses, they are indeed more cautious when recruiting "women of the right age who are unmarried" or "women who have just given birth". They still consider cost - performance.

 Zhu Qile (Marcus) : Indeed, now enterprises value more whether you "can solve problems". For start - ups, they need to achieve results as soon as possible. Delivering results one month earlier may lead to completely different outcomes. So what enterprises value most is whether you can do better than others.

The changes you've encountered this year are actually closely related to the market environment. 2022 was the peak of the job market. At that time, "there were few positions and many candidates". Now, on the contrary, "there are many candidates and few positions", and the salary level is also adjusting. You need to adjust your mindset according to this cyclical change.

 Yu Wenjun : Yes, actually many people don't realize that the entire salary market is declining. Many companies don't explicitly say they are cutting salaries, but for example, canceling year - end bonuses, offering discounts in disguise, or delaying payments are all signals. So many people are not leaving their jobs voluntarily now, but are "passively trapped", and the turnover rate has actually decreased.

 @Alex : I'm now in a dilemma. Should I stay in my current company or try to find new opportunities?

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Is your job more consulting - oriented or technology - oriented?

 @Alex : I'm in charge of the enterprise's informatization and digital transformation project management, mainly dealing with solution - related work. It's more project - management - oriented.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : It seems that you are the type of "using high - level skills in a lower - level environment". You've done complex project management in a top - tier company. Bringing your experience to second - and third - tier companies to help them imitate and then surpass is what many enterprises want, and it also constitutes your premium and scarcity. I suggest you sort out the following two directions:

First, who are the business clients you served at CATL? Which companies have they been poached to? These companies can't just focus on the business side when replicating the CATL system. They also need to improve the middle - platform infrastructure. Try to get internal referrals from these former colleagues.

Second, who are the suppliers you worked with at CATL? Since you've witnessed the ten - year development of the industry's top company and enjoyed the best - in - class service from the industry's leading suppliers, you can provide the highest - level solutions in the entire industry. You can consider going to a supplier company to be a BD, pre - sales, or solution - responsible person, because you can diagnose the procurement needs of different clients at different stages and customize solutions for them. This is very valuable.

What you need to do is to obtain these leads through industry exhibitions, former colleagues, suppliers, clients, etc. Your dilemma is not that "you're not good enough", but that you haven't found the "buyers" who really need your kind of abilities.

 @Alex : I have some business cards in hand. Although I don't want to rely on personal connections, I'm also thinking about how to use these resources more effectively.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : You need to view personal connections dialectically. Job - hunting is a matter of great importance. The resources you use are actually helping employers solve problems. Don't be shy. Of course, if you're not in a desperate situation, you won't be willing to use your connections. But by the time you're really desperate, the market may have passed the best window period. It's never too late to make a move, but it's also never too early. The key lies in whether you have a clear priority list for yourself.

 @Alex : You're right. I'm really starting to feel confused. I've been in one company for too long and haven't jumped out, so I don't know how to re - position myself. I'm not very clear about how to write a resume or where to find job opportunities.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Then you need to prepare in advance. For middle - level managers like you, many of your abilities are "hidden" and used within the company, and there aren't many opportunities to show them externally. You need to re - train your expression ability and influence, and turn the experience you've accumulated over the years into value that others can understand.

 Yu Wenjun : Many people stay in uncomfortable positions but dare not change jobs. Many are waiting for a "package deal", but as their original industries decline, leaving voluntarily may bring more opportunities. Time is the most precious thing, and it's a pity to waste it. It's better to take the initiative and jump into the job market than to be forced out.

Facing the temptation of an iron rice bowl, make good use of the "scoring and quantification method" to choose a career

 @Riley : I've been working in the finance field for five years since graduation. I've currently received three job offers. The first one is from a leading agricultural enterprise in the potato full - industry chain, and the position is the head of headquarters budget analysis. The second one is from a small manufacturing company with an annual revenue of 1.4 billion, and the position is a marketing finance BP. The third one is from an e - commerce company with a slightly higher salary. The e - commerce company offers a higher salary, but the workload is heavy. How should I choose?

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Let's rank the priorities for job - hopping. Among the five dimensions of salary, boss, industry, company, and job content, how would you rank them?

 @Riley : My ranking is: 1. Industry prospects; 2. Job - content match; 3. Salary level; 4. Direct supervisor; 5. Company size. I especially value whether I can do the specific work I want.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : I suggest you use the [Scoring Method] to quantify your decision. Give each dimension a score from 1 to 10, and then calculate the weighted score. Regarding industry selection, you need to pay attention to three points. First, the growth dividend of the industry. Currently, there are no obvious growth dividends in the industries of your three job offers. Second, the value density of finance positions in different industries. For example, the manufacturing industry focuses on cost control, while e - commerce focuses on business analysis. Third, the job extensibility. The manufacturing industry has more Shared Service Center (SSC) positions, while e - commerce/TP companies need more Business Partner (BP) positions.

You're at a critical stage of career development with five years of work experience. You need to clarify your long - term direction. It's recommended that you clarify your functional priorities now and choose an industry to delve into. Frequent cross - industry practitioners often face a decline in market value. Industry focus is the core competitiveness.

 @Riley : Is the financial BP position an advantageous direction within the finance system?

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Absolutely. In the trend of AI replacement, the survival value of support departments depends on their influence on the business. Taking Fortune 500 companies as an example, the top three functions from which CEOs come are sales, marketing, and finance. Excellent financial BPs can quickly enter the trust circle of the decision - making layer. You should have felt the company's recognition of the value of the BP position during the interview.

But you also need to pay attention to the differences in industry talent density. The talent mobility in agriculture/manufacturing industries such as potato is low, and career development relies more on personal connections, similar to the "in - system" ecosystem. E - commerce is an area with high - frequency talent flow.

 @Riley : The reason I currently tend to rule out the agricultural company is the risk of industry conversion. I'm worried that my future career choices will be limited. In comparison, does e - commerce seem to have a wider employment scope?

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Actually, you may be hoping that someone will support you in choosing e - commerce. But let's look at the problem from a different perspective. Take the feed industry where my father works as an example. The talent mobility in this kind of agricultural field is extremely low, the career life cycle is generally long, and the industry has strong financial strength. The primary target of the No. 1 Central Document every year is agriculture. For example, Mr. Liu Yonghao of New Hope Liuhe and Mr. Qin Yinglin of Henan Muyuan are entrepreneurs who have topped the wealth list in the agricultural field. Although the system of this kind of bulk commodity trading is complex, considering your Henan background - if you develop in Zhengzhou in the future, this kind of agricultural and animal husbandry enterprise may not be a second - choice.

Two years after quitting without a new job lined up: How to get back into the job market with "unorthodox methods"?

 @Zoe : I'm confused about my career planning. I used to be an assistant to the CEO of a small Internet company for four years. In the last two years, I led a team of three. Then I quit without a new job and became a freelancer for two and a half years. Recently, I entered the knowledge - payment IP circle and have accumulated about ten project experiences, covering areas such as private - domain operation and user operation. I'm now considering whether to return to the job market. There are two directions: one is to enter the overseas market, especially the AI industry; the other is to return to a company as a business - oriented general assistant, combining my previous experience as an assistant to the CEO. I hope to participate in more business instead of doing functional support positions.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Actually, the job market is a two - way matching game. We need to figure out two things first: what the market needs and what cards you have. Take myself as an example. As a headhunter, if I want to change jobs, I can either go to a company as an HR or continue to be a headhunter. If I want to find a third way, I need to see which market demands my headhunting resources, career - consulting ability, and training experience can meet. Now that it's difficult for everyone to find a job, there's a need for personalized job - hunting services, which has led me to my current path.

Back to you, everyone wants to get into the AI and overseas markets now, but there's actually no shortage of talent in this industry. So where is your value? It depends on what cards your experience as a general assistant and in the knowledge - payment field can give you. You just mentioned that you've done a lot of private - domain and user - related work. If this is your main strength, I think you can be labeled as an "all - around operator". My suggestion is to target the pain points of early - stage start - ups. They need low - cost all - around players to get their business off the ground. People like you, with your multi - faceted abilities, can use the industry connections you've accumulated in the past two years as a stepping - stone. It may be more effective than trying to break into big companies.

 @Zoe : I've actually contacted some founders of AI companies and overseas - oriented companies recently. I have more resources than before.

 Headhunter Xiaolou : Let me give you a real - life example to help you understand the objective law of career transformation. As a senior headhunter with a master's degree from Sun Yat - sen University, I've served many Fortune 500 foreign - owned clients. I've never changed jobs in my career and have top - notch performance. But if I want to make a career transition now - even though I have many enterprise - executive resources, when I propose to "switch to the business side", the response I usually get is a polite rejection. The only feasible paths are to become an insurance broker, an HR, or a headhunter in the same industry.

What does this mean? Seniority doesn't equal the capital for cross - border development. Every field has invisible entry thresholds. Your experience as an operator is valuable, but whether you can enter your target field depends on whether the other party recognizes the "conversion formula" between your abilities and the position. There's no one - size - fits - all formula for career choices. All I can do is help you analyze the real - world variables, but I can't give you an absolute guarantee. This is the responsible attitude for both of us.

 Yu Wenjun : From a practical perspective, there's a mismatch between your abilities and your wishes. You can do full - link operations and master IP incubation capabilities, which are scarce resources in the era of the rise of "super individuals". But the contradiction is that the demand for B - side enterprise content construction is