Your value depends on how irreplaceable you are—within this company, within this industry, among your peers. Constantly resetting yourself keeps you alert and ahead of the curve.
My parents' generation served only one company (state-owned enterprises) and pursued a single career path. Those days are gone forever. A multinational corporation I previously worked for, renowned for its strong corporate culture and generous benefits, has recently begun shifting its R&D operations out of the Chinese market. Many employees now face the challenge of finding new jobs and redefining their professional identities.
As labor costs rise in China, jobs once based here are shifting to lower-cost countries like India and Vietnam. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of the knowledge economy means our skills become obsolete faster than ever.
Throughout our foreseeable careers, we'll encounter more change—even if you're currently in a seemingly stable public institution.
Take job hunting as an example: the number of years listed on your resume is no longer the key factor. What truly matters is what you've actually done—whether your work was cutting-edge or obsolete. In the IT industry, a decade of experience is no longer seen as pure capital; it's more likely outdated knowledge. Moreover, ten years of experience means you're no longer considered "young."Therefore, someone with over ten years of experience should emphasize not their tenure, but their capacity for continuous learning and drive.
Rather than passively accepting this shift, proactively embrace it. Each of us should have the courage to "reset" and the determination to return to a "starting point." Personally, I'm currently organizing and taking stock of my past work while actively working on this "reset."
Regarding concrete reset measures, here are some suggestions:
1) Every two years, evaluate your market value in this profession. Explore the talent market—don't let a narrow perspective (i.e., your current company's internal assessment) cloud your judgment. Your worth depends on market demand and what it's willing to pay.
2) Clean out your bookshelf annually. Remove outdated books (give them away or sell them) and replace them with newer titles. Ensure your shelves always hold books you need to read, not just those you've already finished.
3) Update your resume annually. Regardless of your tenure, keep it to one page—list only the skills most in demand in the current market and those you excel at. Streamline it until only the essential elements remain. That's your baseline value.
4) Your management title matters little. Whether you're an entry-level manager, director, or even vice president, it becomes meaningless when you leave the company. Higher management positions only mean higher pay, greater responsibility, and increased risk—they are no elixir of eternal youth. The higher your rank, the more you must embrace a mindset of starting anew. Managers must constantly remind themselves: if all you do is delegate tasks, you become easily replaceable.
5) Stay true to your original aspirations and keep learning until you grow old. My first job after graduation was at Huawei. Though brief, I learned a spirit of relentless learning from my boss, Ren Zhengfei. Thirteen years have passed since graduation. Now, at 69, Mr. Ren reportedly still buys four or five books every time he flies. If someone this accomplished remains so open-minded and eager to learn, what excuse do we have for not finding time to read?
6) Explore cross-disciplinary learning. Accountants should study economics; programmers should learn development; designers should pick up coding. Each time you step into a new field, your preconceptions will be shattered, granting you a fresh lens to observe the world.
Note: Resetting doesn't mean constantly switching jobs or fields.Most of us will deepen our expertise within one field until we become seasoned specialists. This mindset of resetting forces you to continually push beyond existing professional boundaries and pursue new heights.
In The Cicada, Fabre describes the insect's growth process, highlighting molting as a crucial stage. Resetting is like shedding skin—only by discarding the old shell can new growth emerge.
Your value depends on how irreplaceable you are—within this company, this industry, and among your peers. Continuously resetting keeps you vigilant, ensuring you stay ahead of the curve.