Students hit street for skills meet n'greet
- Source: Global Times
- [23:05 September 30 2009]
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By Liu Meng
Finding university education limited, rigid and unable to keep abreast of the dynamic modern job market, student groups from Nanjing to Chongqing are breaking the confines of academia. Organizing creative projects and taking to the street, students garner hands-on experience in sales, promotion, quick thinking and fast talking, all essential skills for survival after graduation, skills they're not getting at school.
The great markup race
A bottle of soda for 20 yuan ($2.93)? A pack of tissues for 10 yuan?
These prices are insane, but that's the game; prices set in a contest between dozens of student-salesmen scattered around different upscale neighborhoods in downtown Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, competing to sell everyday stuff for as much as ethically possible.
Leng Kaizheng, secretary of the Youth League Committee at the School of Business, Nanjing Normal University (NNU), said that since late July nearly 100 students from NNU have participated in "high price promotion" exercises aiming to improve students' creativity in marketing.
According to Leng, all participants are divided into groups, each of which determines the time and location to set up shop. The group that sells out their stock of sodas and tissues for the most profit in the shortest amount of time is crowned the winner.
As long as its legal, students are encouraged to use every sales pitch, song, dance, or parlor trick they know to hock their wares to passers-by and charm the yuan off of them.
Gao Xiuzhong, a senior majoring in dynamic engineering, led his team to the top, making an exorbitant profit of 155 yuan ($22.7) from just 16 bottles of soda and 10 packages of tissues in two hours.
"Our overhead was no more than 50 yuan ($7.32)," said Gao. "Our gimmick was teaching potential customers tricks on how to beat a rubik's cube. If we help them figure it out, then buy something in return."
"Profits will be donated to 'Lesheng Foundation', a charity supported by alumni from the Business College," he added.
Li Yanshu, dean of the NNU School of Business and activity organizer, told the Global Times Wednesday what "high price promotions" stress is not the value of the goods themselves, but the additional value added during the transaction, such as a sellers' performance.
"If you want your customers to pay top prices, you have to provide something of additional value to them, which requires creativity, courage and the ability to adapt to changes in the market."
"Developing these skills are crucial for survival in society, especially creativity, something key for a student who wants to start his own business," Li said.
'Guerilla' public speaking
Simmering with something to say, the Guerilla Speakers can strike at any public place near you. In an exercise of bravery and courage, university students in Chongqing are taking up their podium in spots all over the city, giving its members a sink-or-swim chance at public speaking.
A sophomore surnamed Jin majoring in social work at Chongqing Technology and Business University (CTBU) gave her first guerilla speech on her university mall at 8 pm on September 18.
Nearly 30 students were seated on the grass, watching Jin make a brave start while her ringing voice attracted dozens of other onlookers.
"At first, I was really nervous, and it was going a bit rough. But after the first few sentences, I got caught up in it and felt a lot better," she said.
After the speech, while Jin humbly expressed appreciation for her audience, she was answered with a salvo of applause.
"A woman even came from crowd to give me suggestions, saying that I shouldn't always stare at the ground and make more eye contact," said Jin.
Always timid in school, Jin has always lacked self-confidence in social situations.
"I was always too shy to initiate a conversation. Thanks to a friend who introduced me to the 'guerillas', I've improved a lot since I started in May," said Jin.
Attracting students from local universities all over Chongqing, Guerilla Speakers is the brainchild of a senior surnamed Li majoring in business at CTBU.
Li told the Global Times that his bad experiences at a job fair two years ago forced him to face his social shortcoming. Despite being good-looking and having a qualified educational background, Li couldn't find the bravery to talk to a single recruiter.
"From then on, I decided to make a change in myself. Also, there are so many others like me with the same problem, so I wanted to create an support group to help them learn how to assert themselves," Li added.
With its open door policy, anyone who wants to join up can participate in the club's guerilla activities.
"I encourage them to take every opportunity they can to talk for an audience, while the club organizes activities for them on overpasses, in public squares or at bus stations," said Li.
"I overcame my fears by public speaking this way, and it's really effective," he added.
Li also said that many people are a little put off at first by Guerilla Speakers randomly sounding off in the streets, but after knowing the reason behind it, many express support for such positive and ambitious students.
Jia Hong, a psychologist at a psychological counseling center in Chongqing, said that practicing public speaking is an effective way to improve one's confidence.
"Setting up a team environment to encourage each other's efforts in overcoming shyness is ideal," said Jia. "But building confidence should be done step by step. Taking on too much at once can have the opposite effect," she added.
