It is crucial to market oneself. Some individuals possess a wealth of talent, yet remain unknown, unable to promote themselves, and thus fail to realize their potential value. Any item left unsold in storage, though valuable, cannot be converted into tangible worth. If you can successfully market yourself, you might be valued at two thousand, four thousand, or even more. Therefore, we must consider how to effectively promote ourselves.

First Point: Skills are Crucial in Self-Promotion

Do not assume that because you are a believer, you need not promote yourself, thinking "good wine needs no bush." The current era is far from that; even the finest wine is useless without promotion. If you do not promote yourself, others will. Observe carefully in the workplace, and you will notice that some individuals occupy positions not because they are significantly smarter or more capable, but because they are adept at self-promotion, securing jobs that others miss due to a lack of such skills.

This is not mere superstition. Even as a Christian blessed by God, you still need to learn to market yourself. What skills do you possess? What value can you create for others? What unique qualities or talents do you have? Some might argue that Apple iPhones need no promotion, but that is incorrect. Their marketing is exceptionally effective.

In Apple stores, each new iPhone model sells out quickly, often leading to shortages, due to effective promotion. Virtually no one can enter the workforce without promoting themselves.

Self-promotion is a vital skill. Some say, "I believe in the Lord, and I trust God will bless me with a job." Yet, self-promotion is still necessary. Why? Because it presents you to the leaders of potential employers, showcasing your character and qualities.

Packaging oneself is one thing; possessing genuine substance is another. Having substance without packaging is also not ideal.

For example, would you buy unpackaged food in a store? If it could sell for $50 with packaging, it might only fetch $10 without it, or even remain unsold. People often prefer to spend $50 on a packaged item rather than $10 on an unpackaged one.

Whether packaging and promotion are equivalent is debatable, but I believe effective self-promotion requires both inner substance and attractive packaging—genuine quality presented beautifully.

Can you imagine an iPhone wrapped in rags? It is incongruous. Notice how exquisite the packaging boxes are, and how well the contents are arranged. Therefore, a talented individual must possess both the ability to promote themselves and genuine skills. Both are indispensable.

Second Point: Character is Key to Education

Whether one has character or not makes a significant difference in how skills are perceived. Character adds charm. We must change our educational philosophy. As times evolve, we continually discuss educational philosophies. Though not yet universally adopted, our foresight allows us to see that in ten or twenty years, our educational ideas may no longer be novel.

The Core of Character is Confidence

Our educational philosophy emphasizes that character development is the most critical aspect of education. The core of character is confidence. By building confidence, we instill a sense of optimism about the future, which manifests as a particular character—a key educational outcome. With this character, further skill development is needed.

Experience Yields Skills

Educational practice shapes character and skills, not just knowledge. We were once taught that "knowledge is power," but much of that knowledge proves unusable and powerless. We often say someone is experienced, implying they are knowledgeable, but knowledge does not guarantee experience.

An experienced person certainly possesses relevant skills, and with those skills, they have knowledge. Conversely, knowledge does not necessarily lead to skills, and skills do not always equate to experience.

What is experience? It is the accumulation of using skills to solve problems, or using skills combined with knowledge to resolve issues. The educational ideal is to shape a child's character and skills. Experience, then, should be tested in the market or gained through controlled experiences in school.

Experience Comes from Real-World Practice

Real-world practice is essential. Schools are not true battlefields, but if students can be brought into controlled real-world environments to develop experience, that is ideal.

Therefore, the key to self-promotion is showcasing your character's charm. The character you project to others is crucial; character is a form of charisma.

Third Point: Character is Intrinsic

What is character? It is not merely external but intrinsic. For example, a child with resilience will demonstrate that quality in their words and actions. Similarly, a confident character will be evident in their expressions.

Character is a vital component. Someone without character is unlikely to succeed in self-promotion.

Training character in school or in life is crucial. Promoting oneself is promoting one's character.

In a job interview, self-promotion is most effective when it reveals character. Poor grades can indicate many things, but a person with character should generally perform well academically.

Why do many struggle academically? Because their character lacks something, leading to a distorted state that results in poor grades and a weak character. In an interview, they might say, "Although my grades are poor, it doesn't mean I can't learn. I am resourceful because I focused on developing my specific talents, which were overlooked."

If the interviewer finds these explanations and stories acceptable, that is fine. Some stories might even be far-fetched. For instance, a young man facing difficulties in an interview said, "I fell in with bad company for three years and learned to play computer games, but I want to change completely. I am not unintelligent; I can study well if I try." He still got the job.

Do not assume that poor academic performance means everything is lost. Grades represent the past; what is needed now is to present a character.

For example, if someone is asked why they only have a junior high diploma, they might say, "My family was poor, and I had to work." While many families are not impoverished today, you can still demonstrate your abilities. For example, despite a poor background, you have been self-studying and might be stronger than someone with a college degree because you have gained practical skills in the workplace. This also reflects character.

Therefore, in the process of self-promotion, cultivate the habit of promoting your character; character is very attractive. Qualities like perseverance, resilience, focus, decisiveness, resourcefulness, and interpersonal skills are all part of character.

Fourth Point: The Core Competitiveness of Self-Promotion

A famous person once said that many young people today know a lot, but only superficially—"an inch deep and a mile wide," which is useless. The market needs core competitiveness, leading to more precise and detailed division of labor in society.

If you excel at one thing, you are highly valuable. But many become frustrated without this core competitiveness. Without core competitiveness, you are promoting an empty shell. You cannot sell a box without a phone inside; it is useless.

Therefore, today, we must know our core competitiveness. A brother once told me he wanted to pursue a master's degree, and I said it was good to package himself. But the question is, which is better: spending time on a master's degree or building core competitiveness? I believe having core competitiveness is extremely important.

Chinese society is shifting from an emphasis on diplomas to an emphasis on core competitiveness. You must have skills; without genuine ability, you cannot last long, even if you get a job through deception. So, introduce your core competitiveness. To build your core competitiveness, you must understand the market. Building core competitiveness without knowing market needs can lead to obsolescence.

Fifth Point: Know Yourself, Know Market Needs

We must understand that everything is driven by the market. A society driven by the market is a market economy. The difference between a market economy and a planned economy is that the market economy is driven by market demand; without demand, there is no business. Therefore, recognizing market demand is a crucial component.

Know yourself, recognize market needs, and you will know where to develop and what core competitiveness to equip yourself with. Then, promote your core competitiveness; know how to clearly describe your core competitiveness. In terms of market demand for core competitiveness, I believe market research, reading, and learning are good habits.

For example, reading the book "Industry 4.0" will tell you that many industries will gradually disappear in the coming years. If this is true, we must be careful not to jump into the ranks of market obsolescence, which is called structural unemployment.

Know yourself, recognize market needs, and constantly adjust. Sometimes, I think people must have a long-term vision. A famous person once said, "To see the next few years, I must first look at 30 to 50 years. Only by seeing the market situation in 30 to 50 years can you plan for the next three to five years."

Then, based on the three- to five-year plan, adjust your one- to two-month, or even three-month, plan. Know what kind of material you are, what you can and cannot do. Know what level you have accumulated, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and then recognize market needs. This is very important.

I once ministered to a girl who was twenty-seven or twenty-eight but essentially had achieved nothing. She studied theology for half a year under the teachings of a traditional church, but accomplished nothing. Then, I bluntly pointed out her most painful areas. Although she knew I was right, she could not accept it.

Later, she went to a first-tier city to sell insurance. Did she really understand the insurance industry? Did she really know herself? Did she really understand market needs? She did not. She knew neither herself nor market needs.

For example, let me tell you about a veteran's approach to selling insurance. If you do not have enough savings to support yourself for one to two years, do not sell insurance. But many people borrow money to sell insurance; is that not courting death? Today, unless I say, "Believe that you have received it, and you will receive it," may miracles happen to such children. But the problem is that faith is important, but faith does not mean we should deny ourselves.

Point 6: Learn the Language of Salesmanship

If the business is not on the right track, the returns are barely enough to sustain it. Therefore, knowing yourself and understanding market demands are key to selling yourself. How you respond to questions asked reflects the needs of the market and what you possess to meet those needs. Even if you embellish the story, it must be credible; you cannot fabricate an implausible tale.

Learn to speak, to use the language of salesmanship. Every industry has its own way of speaking. Diplomats have diplomatic parlance; salespeople have their sales pitches; selling oneself has its own linguistic patterns. Cultivate the habit of speaking effectively. So today, brothers and sisters, we begin to understand how to speak, what kind of words to use. Simply asking if someone has eaten or had a drink is not the language of self-promotion.

The language of self-promotion must be precise. It has a unique characteristic: it always revolves around the same core. No matter what you are talking about, it boils down to your skills, what problems you can solve, what value you can create, and what market needs you can satisfy.

I once taught people how to handle job interviews. If the interviewer asks an unrelated question, like what book you are currently reading, and you answer with a novel, they are likely uninterested. You must learn to speak appropriately. You should say, "I am currently researching..." If you are applying for a job in online marketing, you should be researching online marketing. "I have even written a short article summarizing the key aspects of online marketing." Then, you take out a printed copy of your summary.

If you have written a short book, say twenty or thirty pages, on "How to Do Online Marketing," and you print it out, that is the language of salesmanship. Recruiters do not have time to hear about the novels you have read; you need to write your own story. You need to explain what you can do for them. So, what seems like an unrelated question is actually very relevant. Why? Because you must learn to speak pertinently.

Whether I am serving as a pastor or working as an entrepreneur, I would not claim to be exceptionally good at self-promotion, but I believe I do it reasonably well. If I were to seek a pastoral position in an English-speaking country, I think it would not be too difficult.

For example, during a recent conversation with my pastor in Singapore, I promoted myself quite effectively. I promoted my books, mentioning that I had written over thirty. I presented him with a copy, and after he glanced through it, I highlighted key elements: church building, my research findings, and insights from the Bible. A few sentences were enough to impress him.

Although I was scheduled to leave the country the next day, he insisted that I meet with one of his subordinates to provide some training. Why? Because I had successfully promoted myself. He believed I had genuine skills and knowledge. Whether one actually possesses the substance is one thing, but even a knowledgeable person who cannot articulate their value will fail to sell themselves. Therefore, you must learn to speak, to get to the point.

If you are addressing an investor, use the language of investment. This involves discussing your industry, whether it is on the rise, your business model, your profit-making strategy, and your team. This is the language to use with investors. You need to understand the language of each industry. You do not need to know what is irrelevant to you, but you must align yourself with what is relevant. You need to learn to speak appropriately, avoiding irrelevant remarks.

For instance, if an investor asks me what I am currently reading, I would say, "The Game of Capital." Why? Because I am speaking to an investor. If you are talking to a novelist, you might say, "I am currently reading a book on how to write novels." What if you have not read it? Then you should read it.

But if you have not read it, you could say, "I have heard that this book is excellent, but I have not had the time to read it yet." I believe everyone should cultivate this habit, equipping themselves to be useful members of society, to be good citizens.

We Must Equip Ourselves to Be Talents in This Society

I believe we should do what we can and avoid what we cannot. As for systemic or institutional issues, those are for others to manage. Let us be good citizens, equipping ourselves well, learning to speak effectively, and promoting ourselves properly. If you think the social environment is problematic, I believe China's environment is quite good. Does China's environment have problems? Problems exist everywhere. Do not be misled by such notions.

Look at the chaos and negativity in other countries! Many are pessimistic about China, but I am confident that the next twenty years will be a period of China becoming a strong, developed nation. China will become one of the leading powers in the world. You must focus on the big picture. Are there problems? Yes.

Your task is to equip yourself to be a talent in this society. This society needs many stabilizing factors. We must become stabilizing factors in this society. As Christians, we pray, but we do not cause trouble. We focus our energy and abilities on positive endeavors, learning to speak effectively, learning the language of self-promotion, and learning to equip ourselves.

Point 7: Rapidly Equip Yourself, Enhancing Your Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

I watched a video of an old farmer sitting on a bench in a park. He was not a mayor, a Party Secretary, a county head, or a county Party Secretary. He was just sitting there, and the video was quite long. He was pontificating about how things should be done. I tell you, that is pure nonsense. He should have spent his time equipping himself.

In England, there is a place called Hyde Park where people can say whatever they want. Singapore has also created such a corner where people can freely express their opinions.

I believe that if you have the time, you should rapidly equip yourself, enhancing your knowledge, skills, and experience. What is experience? It is what you gain after using your knowledge and skills to solve problems.

What are skills? Skills are the ability to create something based on your knowledge, the ability to operate effectively. What is knowledge? Knowledge is information from books that you store in your mind. You read it, but you do not know if it is practical or not. So, rapidly equip yourself. If you have the opportunity, equip yourself with experience; if not, equip yourself with skills.

Knowledge, at best, is just an understanding. Without experience or skills, without having worked in the market, you cannot do it. Even if you only have knowledge, you can still promote yourself.

A young man who studied computer engineering wanted to find a job in marketing. I suggested that he read Philip Kotler's "Marketing Management," which has over twenty chapters, including one on direct sales and online marketing. He read the first two chapters and gained some basic knowledge of marketing.

Then he went for an interview and got the job. How? Because he knew how to speak. How do people evaluate candidates? Sometimes the interviewer is not skilled at interviewing, or they cannot discern much. It sounds reasonable, but is there anything wrong with what is in the book?

Therefore, rapidly equipping yourself allows you to continuously enhance your knowledge, skills, and experience. Perhaps you can seize one or two opportunities. I hope that today, brothers and sisters, we can begin to learn how to learn. Once you understand the market's needs and your own capabilities, you can start equipping yourself with knowledge, setting up research topics, and enhancing your skills.

If possible, gain some practical experience. Today, with computers and the internet, the era has truly changed. For example, circuit designs can be done on a computer and look almost like soldered circuits. There is so much knowledge and so many skills available today, including online courses. Even if you have never seen something before, you can watch videos and learn a lot.

Successfully Promote Yourself and Find a Job That Suits You

Some time ago, I took everyone to my office. We were renovating, and we needed to sand and paint the wood. By watching videos and listening to the master craftsman, we did a pretty good job. That is called painting experience. In the past, it was difficult, but today you can quickly equip yourself with practical experience. For example, to write a program, all you need is a computer. To do a live broadcast, all you need is a computer and a camera. Today, we live in an era where you can quickly equip yourself. If you say you have no experience, no skills, and no knowledge, what can you sell?

So today, you need to know what skills, knowledge, and experience you possess. When you go out to promote yourself, you can reintegrate these elements and turn yourself into something valuable. That is how a person's value is realized. Without promotion, there is no value. I believe that successfully promoting yourself will lead to finding a very good job. To summarize, if you want to successfully promote yourself, follow the steps I have outlined. Are there limitations to this process? Yes, there are. For example, if you are a doctor and have never performed surgery, that is difficult. I once saw a Korean movie about training people to perform surgery. They used fish bladders, and the trainees had to cut around the bladder without puncturing it. If the bladder broke, they failed the exam.

Therefore, to successfully promote yourself, I think you should find something that suits you. Some things require training in a very controlled environment, such as becoming a doctor. I would not teach people to do that. So today, brothers and sisters, there are many things we can do and many choices we can make. Making a living is hardly a problem today. If you are willing to work hard, learn, and promote yourself, you will be very successful. I believe that the path to self-promotion requires continuously accumulating experience. If you have the opportunity, promote yourself. Even if you already have a job, occasionally send out a resume and go for an interview to see what the market is like. So today, I want to share this with you. Now, let us see how God blesses you.

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