On the afternoon of May 17, 2026, the 23rd "Passing the Torch" Alumni Lecture Series and the Zhizhou Culture Exclusive Recruitment Fair of Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication were held at the East Coast Campus. Cai Qingqing, a 2009 alumna of the Broadcasting and Television program and Publicity Director of Zhizhou Culture, along with Zhang Qi, Senior Project Manager at Zhizhou Culture, delivered practical industry insights, analyzing the marketing strategies and talent demands of the entertainment industry. The event was hosted by Hong Mengdian, Deputy Party Committee Secretary of the college. Following the sharing session, the Zhizhou Culture exclusive recruitment fair was held, offering three types of internship and employment positions for undergraduate and master's students of the college.
"Imagination is the core competitiveness of communication professionals. Many breakout marketing campaigns originate from the courage to think boldly and try new things." Cai Qingqing, who possesses 12 years of marketing experience and has orchestrated numerous S-level projects such as Tencent Video All Star Awards and Go Fighting!, stated bluntly that the AI era has significantly lowered technical barriers. "You can enter the industry without knowing Photoshop or Premiere, but what truly cannot be replaced are aesthetic judgment, analytical skills, learning ability, and execution." She particularly emphasized that what recruiters value most are students' real-world cases, such as managing social media accounts or creating viral content, and encouraged everyone to engage with the market as early as possible, letting their work speak for itself.
Senior Project Manager Zhang Qi, under the theme "Before You Begin," shared essential survival principles for newcomers in the workplace. "Those seemingly 'useless' hobbies—watching variety shows, studying marketing accounts, accumulating copywriting inspiration—can all become your core competitiveness." She advised students to clarify three questions before applying for jobs: their motivation for entering the industry, the work environment they expect, and the growth they hope to achieve. In the workplace, one should "be smart and responsible, and avoid blindly pushing through difficulties," communicating workload in a timely manner; accept the lag effect of effort and not be discouraged by the lack of short-term feedback; and quickly prove one's value during the probation period, avoiding self-indulgent late nights fueled by emotional labor. "You don't need to be good at everything—if you can excel in one or two areas to the highest level, you can establish a firm foothold in the industry."
Following the sharing session, the exclusive recruitment fair commenced, offering full-time and summer internship positions in areas such as publicity planning, video editing, and visual design for the college's undergraduate and master's students. The event featured resume submission, multi-interviewer interviews, and position consultation sessions, with outstanding candidates receiving on-the-spot letters of intent for employment.
This event combined industry experience sharing with practical job-seeking opportunities, building a direct bridge for students to leading publicity enterprises, helping them precisely connect with high-quality workplace resources, and enabling them to take a steady and confident step from campus into the professional world.
Text by: Chen Fengqi, Yang Yuxuan
Photos by: Yan Xiangyi
