CAICAI

/
Midnight Talk

Midnight Talk 8

I watched a video about Chi Shang, Taiwan, and it made me miss my kind friends and the peaceful countryside. Mini EVs are booming, even in Shanghai! I've interviewed many young product managers, noticing they lack clarity, depth, and communication skills.

3 min read
Midnight Talk 8
Summary

I watched a video about Chishang, Taiwan, which made me miss the town and its people. Their simplicity and natural environment felt like a haven. I'm also seeing mini EVs gain popularity, even in cities like Shanghai. Lastly, I've noticed young product candidates often lack clarity in their career, thinking, or communication.

Chishang

While browsing YouTube, the algorithm recommended a video by Chiang Hsun, and after watching it, I felt a strange sense of emotion. It wasn't about Chiang Hsun himself, but rather the place depicted in the video: Chishang. Chishang is a township in Taitung County, bordering Hualien. It might not be as well-known to tourists as Hualien; the only time you might hear about it is the occasional mention of "Chishang bento" at train stations. What made me miss Chishang so much was the friends I made there.

When I was studying in Taiwan, I was lucky enough to be invited to visit a friend's hometown in Chishang. The week or so I spent there made me, someone far from home, feel incredibly welcome. The simplicity of the people in Chishang, along with the unspoiled natural environment, makes you feel like you've stepped into a Shangri-La described by Tao Yuanming. Standing beside the rice fields, with the breeze blowing, you can even smell the fragrance of rice. There's nothing more I miss.

Mini Electric Vehicles

Lately, I've noticed many traditional car manufacturers starting to jump into the mini electric vehicle market. The most famous example has to be Wuling's Mini EV. With a low driving range, it's priced at just 29,000 RMB (approx. $4,000 USD), which is incredibly tempting. Plus, its mini size makes it super convenient to get around cities. Many people might think Wuling's brand does well in third-tier cities, but that's actually not the case. The Mini EV's largest orders are actually coming from Shanghai. Thanks to the widespread adoption of electric vehicle technology, these types of small cars are becoming popular again, kinda reminding me of how popular Fiat was in Europe back in the day.

bilibili

Interview

Over the past year, I've interviewed a ton of product candidates to build our product team – pretty much one a week. The young candidates these days are all quite impressive, but they tend to have a few minor issues. Basically, product managers in their first few years in the industry generally show these problems:

1. Not having a clear idea of what you want (career path, goals, interests)

2. Not thinking deeply enough about what you're doing (industry, users, scenarios).

3. Can't express things properly (communication skills, professionalism)

If you've really thought through all of this clearly, then for a young product manager, aside from professional skills, the interview is basically about how well you fit the role.