The training program for the first batch of Renren Iron Army was a systematic plan developed by Duan Jiaming and others.
This first group was essentially guinea pigs, helping to refine the entire training system.
This closed training was somewhat similar to Ali's "Hundred Major Plans."
During the training phase, new employees would undergo a full month of intensive, around-the-clock training, receiving comprehensive instruction and learning in three aspects: cultural values, product knowledge, and sales skills.
After the closed training, the remaining new employees would be assigned to different positions.
Specifically, Renren.com, Renren Waimai, and Renren Online Games, each responsible for different businesses.
After taking their posts, there would still be two months of training, but it would no longer be around-the-clock.
Instead, they would work during the day and train after work.
The content included sales tool training, work process guidance, market understanding, practical exercises, mindset coaching, product training, and so on.
Ultimately, only those who achieved satisfactory results in all areas could become full-time employees.
This was also jokingly referred to by Chen Pingjiang as "recruit company" and "joining the company."
The elimination rate for each stage was 10%.
In other words, of those currently undergoing closed training, only 90 would remain after one month, and only 81 would remain after two months of working.
The high elimination rate was accompanied by high intensity.
In Chen Pingjiang's view, training was not a vacation or a performance for employees; it was more like a military exercise.
Therefore, everyone wore camouflage uniforms at the mobilization meeting.
The training intensity was about 1.5 to 2 times the usual workload.
This way, after starting their jobs, new employees would feel that it wasn't as tough.
Immediately after this training concluded, the second and third batches would follow.
In addition, previously recruited older employees would also undergo training in batches.
Ultimately, this was the way to enhance the company's competitiveness.
When Chen Pingjiang and the other four arrived at the thousand-person lawn, the scattered groups immediately converged, their expressions becoming serious.
After looking around, Chen Pingjiang remained silent for a long time.
Only when the atmosphere was sufficiently built up did he slowly begin to speak.
"Everyone, with your casual and unrestrained demeanor, are you really treating this training as a vacation? If you are, then I'm sorry, because you won't be smiling for long."
"Some big companies in the internet industry offer new employee training without social insurance and housing provident fund, and their monthly salary is only eight hundred yuan, despite providing food and accommodation. What I'm offering you is five times their benefits."
"So, this money isn't easy to earn."
"Also, let me introduce myself. My name is Chen Pingjiang, and I am the chairman of Renren.com, in other words, the big boss you've heard about."
Chen Pingjiang immediately asserted his authority!
The atmosphere of the entire scene instantly became a little tense.
Some new employees had seen Chen Pingjiang's photos, while others thought he was an instructor brought in by the company.
They never expected him to be the big boss.
With the big boss's aura, even though Chen Pingjiang was young, who would dare to underestimate him?
"The purpose of this training is to continuously help everyone develop self-awareness, clarify what their goals are, and start with the end in mind."
"Who you are today was decided three years ago; who you will be three years from now is decided today. What do you truly want? What do you have? What can you give?"
"Only those who highly identify with the company's corporate culture, absolutely identify with the company's products, identify with themselves, and constantly strive for self-transcendence will be able to stay."
"Among you are graduates from prestigious universities, middle and senior management from other companies, and fresh university graduates. But here, regardless of age or rank, everyone is just a student."
"..."
Chen Pingjiang spoke freely, completely off-script.
Behind him, Duan Jiaming, Xiao Liangdong, and Wang Kun secretly exchanged glances, their eyes full of admiration and surprise.
Our new boss is extraordinary.
MAX public speaking skills!
His ability to paint a grand vision and brainwash is superb, just like someone who has attended Ali's Hundred Major Trainings.
"Old Duan, why does it feel like he's from the same school of thought, but not quite?"
"Maybe he looked up Ali's training content online and added some of his own insights?"
"Stop guessing, no matter what, he's amazing at this age. No wonder he can make money; he's even better at drawing a big picture and brainwashing than Feng Qingyang."
Chen Pingjiang didn't hear the three behind him secretly whispering.
His ability to brainwash and draw a big picture – oh no, it should be called public speaking – wasn't innate; it was continuously developed.
When Chen Pingjiang finished speaking, many new employees secretly clicked their tongues in admiration, but more than that, they were excited.
Companies that can conduct training to this extent are generally not bad.
Especially for a group like Renren.com, which has only been established for a full year but has already expanded to multiple product lines, it's a time when they truly need people.
Those who can genuinely stay and strive hard will not do poorly.
Gao Songbin, standing at the very front of the line, felt the most pressure!
"My life has been like walking on thin ice. Do you think I can make it to the other side?"
This sentence was truly an accurate portrayal of Gao Songbin's inner feelings.
Whether in terms of education or experience and ability, he genuinely wasn't outstanding among these hundred or so people.
He was purely a loyal follower who got lucky.
For him personally, this training was a major examination, and he had to score two hundred points, so to speak.
......
The story of the Chery owner whose car model wife was taken by a BMW driver escalated.
Many forum websites were reposting it, creating a siphon effect, as everyone wanted to see what the original post looked like.
Chen Yizhou of Xiaonei.com was quite angry, grumbling:
"This Chen Pingjiang, actually playing the gossip news paparazzi game. I had someone check, and it's nothing but hype!"
"He's really shameless, all for traffic."
A senior executive below him laughed,
"If they can do it this way, so can we. It's always frustrating to trail behind them."
Indeed, Xiaonei.com and Kaixin.com were currently treading closely behind Renren.com.
It was very difficult to overtake them unless they came up with some revolutionary new product or major initiative.
But can major new products be developed just by saying so?
"Recently, the update frequency for Renren.com's 'Steal the Parking Space' has noticeably accelerated, even giving me an irrational feeling, as if they can't wait to update it until the end of the game's life."
Chen Yizhou raised an eyebrow and asked,
"Could it be that they are anxious? Trying to widen the gap between us through version updates?"
Although everyone had 'Steal the Parking Space', after several months of evolution, the Xiaonei.com version and QQ Space version of 'Steal the Parking Space' had more or less diverged from the Renren.com version.
Renren.com always made the first move, while Xiaonei.com was always passively defensive, forced to follow up, and really wanted to turn defense into offense.
"Our internal analysis suggests they might be releasing new social games."
It wasn't hard to guess that Renren.com was developing new social games, as Xiaonei.com and QQ were also doing the same.
Seeing how popular social games were, and not wanting to be led by Renren.com, it was foreseeable that everyone would develop new games.
However, the executive's remark couldn't help but make Chen Yizhou's heart pound.
If Renren.com were to overtake them again, widen the gap, and then launch another popular social game, Xiaonei.com would be in danger.
......
Chen Pingjiang, who was on Chen Yizhou's mind, had already driven back from Yongquan Mountain Villa and returned to the University of Finance and Economics.
Ning Yongde had called him, asking him to come collect his commendation certificates.
Looking at the thick stack of "Outstanding Individual," "Three-Good Student," and "Excellent Student Cadre" certificates in his hand, Chen Pingjiang was speechless, a mix of laughter and tears.
To this, Ning Yongde said with a smile,
"I know these aren't much to you, you might not even care or value them, but it's the school's gesture, and we can't not show it."
On the way back to the dorms, driving with the thick stack of commendation certificates.
Many freshmen looked somewhat excited upon seeing Chen Pingjiang's car.
Having been at the University of Finance and Economics for only a month, the name Chen Pingjiang was what these freshmen heard most often.
The name "Chen Pingjiang" was now the brand of the University of Finance and Economics.
In class, teachers used Renren.com and Chen Pingjiang as examples; senior students would also talk about how Chen Pingjiang was.
Even the Student Union of the School of Industrial Management was incredibly impressive, with other student unions giving them a wide berth.
They weren't giving face to the Industrial Management Student Union, but to Chen Pingjiang.
After returning to the dorm, Dong Tinghui's face turned green when he saw the stack of commendation certificates in Chen Pingjiang's hand.
"Damn, our school is such a sycophant. Old Chen, you don't even go to class. I can understand you getting 'Excellent Student Cadre', but what the hell are these scholarships and 'Outstanding Individual' awards?"
Chen Pingjiang rolled his eyes at him:
"What do you know? Haven't I told you long ago that college students don't just study? Social practice is also very important."
Zhao Shaoyang, standing nearby, laughed,
"Old Dong, hasn't a year gone by and you still haven't figured it out? I'd believe it if the school gave Brother Chen a guaranteed spot in postgraduate studies tomorrow."
Chen Pingjiang turned his head back curiously and asked,
"How did you know the school plans to give me a guaranteed spot for postgraduate studies?"
Now it was Zhao Shaoyang's turn to be stunned:
"No, seriously, they're giving you a guaranteed postgraduate spot? We're only sophomores! Normally, it would be in the second semester of junior year, right?"
Dong Tinghui finally saw clearly the reality of society,
"Haven't you understood yet? The school is afraid other universities will snatch him away."
"So, did you agree?"
Chen Pingjiang shook his head:
"They just mentioned it and asked for my opinion. I said I'd consider it in junior year."
The new knowledge imparted to everyone this day was more than what they'd learned in an entire year.
The school actually had so many cunning tactics, which was indeed irritating to see.
But they couldn't refute it.
Even if they were the principal, a student like Chen Pingjiang would have to be recruited.
Dong Tinghui said somewhat plaintively,
"Old Chen, do you think I can also start a business? Guide me to a clear path, I also want to secure a postgraduate spot."
On the other side, Zhao Shaoyang couldn't help but scoff,
"Stop joking, you? Can you earn a million yuan after you graduate?"
A few classmates from the adjacent dorm saw that Chen Pingjiang had rarely returned and insisted on dragging him to play "Zhajinhua" (a card game).
At 9 PM, just as a group of people were intensely playing cards, they heard a loud shout from outside the dorm:
"Student Union Dorm Management Department - dorm inspection!"
Then they heard a continuous "bang bang bang" knocking on the door.
The ten or so people gathered in the dorm exchanged glances.
Zhao Shaoyang frowned:
"This is messed up, someone actually dares to inspect our dorm?"
The University of Finance and Economics was quite strict in this regard.
Generally, there would be irregular dorm inspections for each grade.
Freshmen and sophomores were the main targets; by junior and senior year, it was much better.
After all, student union members were mostly freshmen and sophomores; they wouldn't dare to inspect juniors and seniors, and even if they went in, it would just be a formality, a show.
Wu Zhaogang, closest to the door, was annoyed by the banging, and with Chen Pingjiang in the room, he felt even bolder.
The moment he opened the door, he spat out,
"Inspect the dorm, fine, but you're going to break the door down, are you idiots?"
Two boys, clearly freshmen, relying on their "official" status, didn't pay much attention to Wu Zhaogang:
"How are you talking? If you have an issue, you can report it to your counselor. Also, what are you doing? Gambling? There's so much money on the table."
The tall, thin boy immediately spotted a pile of red and green banknotes on the table.
"Damn, you little punks, you really think you're hot stuff? Do you know where this is?"
Wu Zhaogang felt insulted by a freshman, especially in front of so many people, and couldn't save face.
"Let me tell you, watch your mouth. We're on official business. Don't act recklessly just because you're sophomores. Do you want to hit me?"
Chen Pingjiang, sitting inside, smoking a cigarette and shuffling cards, winked at Zhao Shaoyang beside him and chuckled,
"Brother Chen, does this scene look familiar to you? Isn't it just like those two idiotic sophomores we met when we were collecting military uniforms in our freshman year? I remember you even slapped them back then."
Others nearby laughed and teased,
"Do you think these two freshman rookies, who are treating a chicken feather as an imperial decree and craving a taste of power, will slap Wu Zhaogang?"
The two boys inspecting the dorm, hearing that the room occupants were not afraid but rather laughing and chatting, felt their authority challenged and frowned:
"What's wrong with you guys?"
Just as they were about to rush in, they heard a "Holy crap!" from behind.
Then a figure quickly darted over, blocking the doorway, firmly preventing the two freshmen from entering.
The sophomore who arrived later had sharp eyes; he immediately caught sight of Chen Pingjiang sitting inside, and his face turned green with fright.
He saluted from a distance:
"President, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. These are newly recruited freshmen, they don't know any better. Uh... you guys carry on, carry on."
After speaking, before anyone could react, the sophomore quickly pulled the door shut with a snap.
Chen Pingjiang didn't mind, waving for everyone to continue playing cards.
Outside, the sophomore had just closed the door, looking at the expressions of the two freshmen as if he wanted to devour them alive.
He didn't stop until he dragged the two of them to the stairwell, then he couldn't help but shout:
"You almost got me killed! Do you know whose dorm that is? And you dared to inspect it? I was just on the fifth floor using the restroom and completely forgot to tell you."
"And you, you were so cocky just now, almost getting into a conflict. Damn it, if you want to die, don't drag me into it, okay? Didn't you even bother to ask around? Who dares to inspect this dorm? Even school leaders turn a blind eye when they come."
"Luckily, I heard something was off downstairs and quickly ran up. The situation hasn't become irreversible, otherwise, the three of us would be directly kicked out."
The two freshmen's faces changed.
Looking at their direct superior, the Vice Head of the Dorm Management Department, they couldn't help but ask,
"Senior, who was that, to make you so scared? Besides, they were gambling and were especially arrogant."
The Vice Head of the Dorm Management Department looked at the naive youngsters in front of him and sneered repeatedly:
"Who? Who do you think? That's our Student Union President, Chen Pingjiang! Good thing I reacted quickly, quickly closed the door and ran."
"(⊙o⊙)..."
"Uh!"
The two freshman newbies realized at this moment that they had caused trouble.
They felt both fear after the fact and a bit uneasy.
After all, this name was too prominent on the campus of the University of Finance and Economics.
The Vice Head of the Dorm Management Department looked at the two new officers' nervous expressions, his anger mostly subsided, and waved his hand in displeasure:
"Don't rely on the Student Union's reputation to show off by inspecting dorms in the future; that's only in novels. Especially in our School of Industrial Management, there are so many powerful figures, many of whom hold positions at Renren.com. If you report this to the vice president, the vice president might even give you an earful."
"But don't take it too much to heart. President Chen probably didn't take it seriously; he's a very good person and probably won't make things difficult for you."
(End of chapter)