Chapter 533: Talent War

Three days after the news of the Three Swordsmen's strategic cooperation was announced, the telephone of the Human Resources Department at Wanxiang Dasha was swamped with calls.

HR Manager Liu Min, holding that thick call log, appeared at the door of Li Yaozong's office. Forty-two years old, she had worked at Wanshang for fifteen years, rising from recruitment specialist to HR manager, having seen all kinds of scenes. But today her expression was something Li Yaozong had never seen before.

"Li Zong, in three days we've received 3,700 résumés. Among them, 37 are PhDs returning from abroad, and 12 are from MIT and Stanford."

Li Yaozong took the record and flipped through it.

"That many?"

Liu Min nodded.

"As soon as the news of the Three Swordsmen came out, everyone in the circle was talking about it. Some said, following Wanshang offers better prospects than going to a foreign firm."

Li Yaozong closed the record.

"That's good, but it's not enough."

He looked at Liu Min.

"Among these people, how many can lead a team? How many can stand on their own?"

Liu Min thought for a moment.

"It's hard to say for now. We'll know after the interviews."

Li Yaozong nodded.

"Then let's interview. But just waiting for them to come isn't enough."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"Let's take the initiative."

At three in the afternoon, the meeting room was full of people.

Chen Feng, Zhao Ming, He Xiao, Liu Yang, Zhou Ye, Wang Bo, Lin Jiawen, and Liu Min.

Li Yaozong got straight to the point.

"The news of the Three Swordsmen has attracted many people, but what we want is not quantity, but quality."

He looked at Liu Min.

"Manager Liu, what data do you have on your end?"

Liu Min opened her notebook.

"Currently we are lacking most in three areas: crystal-core architecture, artificial intelligence, and new materials. Among our existing team, fewer than twenty people can handle these areas independently."

She paused.

"The offers from overseas big companies are 1.5 to 2 times ours. In the past three months, seven people have been poached."

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

Chen Feng spoke up.

"The crystal-core area is the worst. Nationwide, fewer than five hundred people do architecture design. Samsung and TSMC are poaching them, and we can't retain them."

He Xiao nodded.

"The same goes for automobiles. Headhunting calls for intelligent-driving algorithm engineers never stop."

After listening, Li Yaozong looked toward Liu Min.

"What do you suggest?"

Liu Min closed her notebook.

"Li Zong, simply raising salaries isn't the solution. Samsung can offer higher pay, and we can't compete."

She paused.

"We need to change our approach."

Li Yaozong looked at her.

"What approach?"

Liu Min stood up and walked to the whiteboard.

She wrote a few words: Future Scientist Plan.

"We shouldn't compete with Samsung on money. We can't outspend them."

She drew a line on the whiteboard.

"We need to compete for the long term—on development space, sense of achievement, and sense of belonging."

Liu Min pointed at those words.

"The Future Scientist Plan has three tiers."

"The first tier is young scientists. We recruit those who have just earned their doctorates or postdoctoral degrees. They lack experience but have drive. We give them a platform, projects, and resources, and within three years let them lead teams."

She wrote a few numbers on the whiteboard.

"Starting annual salary of six hundred thousand, plus project bonuses with no upper limit."

He Xiao whistled on the side.

"Six hundred thousand? That's higher than what I currently make."

Liu Min ignored him.

"The second tier is senior scientists. We recruit those who have renown in the industry and can lead teams. Starting annual salary of one million, plus dividends from technological achievements."

"The third tier is chief scientists. We recruit those who are internationally top-tier and can set direction. Starting annual salary of two million, plus equity incentives."

She put down her pen.

"These three tiers cover talent from newcomers to top experts."

Chen Feng raised his hand.

"Money is one thing, but these people value other things more."

He looked at Liu Min.

"You just mentioned development space, sense of achievement, and sense of belonging. How exactly should we do it?"

Liu Min was already prepared.

"Development space: each scientist who joins leads an independent project. They set the project direction themselves and assemble their own team. The company only provides resources and does not interfere with the process."

"Sense of achievement: technical results are credited, papers can be published, patents are shared by the individual and the company. The things produced can truly be put into products for billions of users."

"Sense of belonging: housing, children's education, and spouse's employment are covered by the company. Settlement in Shenzhen is handled by the company."

She paused.

"There's also one more—research freedom. As long as it's legal, you can study whatever you want. The company does not evaluate short‑term output."

Zhou Ye raised his hand.

"Would this research freedom be too broad? What if someone researches for ten years without results?"

Liu Min looked at him.

"Zhou Zong, basic research is inherently a ten‑year sword‑forging process. If we wait ten years, the talent will be snatched away by others."

She paused.

"Moreover, truly top‑tier people don't go ten years without results. What they lack is trust. We give them trust, and they give us returns."

Li Yaozong nodded beside her.

"Director Liu is right."

He looked at Zhou Ye.

"For researchers, the greatest fear is not failure but lack of opportunity."

Lin Jiawen raised his hand.

"What about the budget? How much money do these people require per year?"

Liu Min turned to another page.

"In the first year, we plan to recruit fifty people: thirty young scientists, fifteen senior scientists, and five chief scientists. The total budget is about 120 million."

Lin Jiawen did the math.

"120 million accounts for 0.5 % of last year's profit. Not much."

Li Yaozong nodded.

"Fine."

Wang Bo raised his hand.

"Director Liu, could we change the name of this plan?"

Liu Min looked at him.

"What should we change it to?"

Wang Bo thought for a moment.

"Call it 'Wanshang Future Scientist Program'. That's too long. Just call it 'Wanshang Scholars'. Concise and easy to remember."

Zhou Ye interjected.

"'Wanshang Scholars'? Sounds a bit academic."

Wang Bo smiled.

"It's meant to be academic. The only difference is that the academic results must become products."

Li Yaozong thought for a moment.

"'Wanshang Scholars'—not bad."

He looked at Liu Min.

"Let's use this."

Liu Min continued.

"Recruitment channels are divided into four streams."

She wrote on the whiteboard.

"First stream: domestic universities—Tsinghua, Peking University, Fudan, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Zhejiang University, Harbin Institute of Technology—establish a targeted training mechanism. Outstanding students are locked in early and join Wanshang directly after graduation."

"Second stream: overseas talent. Offices are set up in the United States, Europe, and Japan to liaison with Chinese students abroad. Regular briefings inform them that a platform awaits their return."

"Third stream: headhunter cooperation. We partner with the world's top headhunter firms to poach well‑known figures in the industry."

"Fourth stream: internal referrals. Talent recommended by current employees receives priority interview; successful referrals are given substantial rewards."

She put down the pen.

"All four streams will be launched simultaneously, and within three years the talent gap will be filled."

Zhao Ming raised his hand.

"Director Liu, how will the interviews be conducted? Does the HR department understand the technology?"

Liu Min smiled.

"So we need your cooperation."

She looked at the several technical leaders present.

"For each field, an expert interview panel will be formed. The chip direction will be led by Chief Chen, the software direction by Chief Zhao, the automotive direction by Chief He, and the new‑materials direction by Director Liu."

"You decide the expert panel members. During interviews, you are responsible for technical vetting; the HR department handles background checks and salary negotiations."

Chen Feng nodded.

"That works."

He Xiao raised his hand.

"Director Liu, how will the housing, children's education, and spouse employment you mentioned be implemented?"

Liu Min turned to another page.

Housing: there are two buildings in the Wanshang Community that haven't been allocated yet. Priority goes to newly hired scientists. If that's not enough, build another building.

Children's education: negotiate with the best schools in Shenzhen, reserve slots for Wanshang employees' children. The company subsidizes half of the tuition.

Spouse employment: give priority to internal Wanshang positions. If the profession matches, place directly into the corresponding department. If not, administrative or logistics posts are also acceptable.

He Xiao nodded.

"This is good."

Li Yaozong, after hearing everyone's statements, stood up.

"President Liu, I agree with this proposal."

He walked to the whiteboard and drew a line beneath those few words.

"The Wanshang Scholars Plan officially launches today."

He looked at Liu Min.

"You take the lead on recruitment. If resources are needed, go directly to Lin Jiawen. If personnel cooperation is needed, ask those present."

Liu Min nodded.

Li Yaozong then looked at the several technical leaders present.

"During interviews, evaluate candidates carefully. Not just their skills, but also character, potential, and whether they can integrate into Wanshang."

He paused.

"We're not hiring laborers; we're hiring people who can fight together with us."

After the meeting adjourned, Liu Min did not leave immediately.

She walked up to Li Yaozong.

"President Li, there's another matter."

Li Yaozong looked at her.

"Speak."

Liu Min was silent for a few seconds.

"What if someone joins this plan and then leaves? We spend so much money training them; what do we do if they leave?"

Li Yaozong thought for a moment.

"If they leave, it shows we didn't do well enough."

He looked at Liu Min.

"But we can't stop hiring just because we're afraid people will leave."

He hesitated.

"As long as five out of ten stay, it's profitable."

Liu Min nodded.

"Understood."

At seven p. m., Li Yaozong sat alone in his office.

Outside the window, Shenzhen's night was deep. In the distance, the Nanshan R&D Center glowed brightly, and countless people in its laboratories were working overtime.

He recalled the numbers Liu Min mentioned today.

Thirty‑seven PhDs returning from abroad.

Twelve from MIT and Stanford.

Seven who were poached.

He remembered his father's words from back then.

"Talent is a company's most valuable asset."

At that time he didn't quite understand.

Now he understands.

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside, the city's lights shone as a sea of illumination.

Within those lights, countless young people were working overtime, writing code, tweaking algorithms, and researching materials only an atom thick.

Some of them will become Wanshang's future.

He stood for a long time.

Then he turned around and walked back to his desk.

He turned on his computer and began reviewing the implementation plan of the "Wanshang Scholars Plan."

Outside, the city's lights shone like dawn.