After getting the partner sorted, the next step was to recruit team members. However, Zhang Yang was temporarily hitting a wall in this regard.
In W City, an eighteenth-tier small city, it's not easy to find professional photography and videography post-production personnel. Old Zhao was asking around and posting recruitment ads in newspapers, interviewed a few people, but either the salary was too high or the demands were too many, and he couldn't find a suitable candidate.
...
While Zhang Yang and Old Zhao were having a headache over finding the right team members, another person was also having a tough time.
Wang Yan, with late-stage social cow disease and newly declared "Little Fishing King" of Anfang District (self-proclaimed), was perpetually spending more than he earned; at the moment he had run out of money and couldn't even afford cigarettes or gas for his car!
Ever since Wang Yan met Zhang Yang and began to seriously engage in Black Pit fishing, this guy displayed extremely high aptitude, with his fishing skills improving rapidly.
However, commercial fishing is a consumer activity, and even if one makes a catch every session, additional money is still needed to replenish consumables like bait, fishing line, hooks, and small medicines.
Having originally spent all his savings on buying a DSLR, Wang Yan's finances were already tight, and given this recent period of only fishing with no income, his fragile financial situation completely collapsed.
But men with social cow disease never liked playing by the rules.
In Wang Yan's opinion, going back to work in the factory to earn a monthly salary of one or two thousand was purely a waste of time, and it would be better to use his photography skills to find a new job. Maybe he might be lucky and find one with low technical requirements.
Thus, Old Wang, who's barely an entry-level photographer, used his last bit of change to buy a few newspapers full of recruitment ads and started making phone calls all over the place to find a job.
By chance, he happened to see Old Zhao's recruitment information, so without any hesitation, Wang Yan called the number listed.
Zhao Bingguang and Wang Yan had met many times at Zhang Yang's shop, but privately their relationship was very average, the kind where they greet each other when they meet, but don't contact each other, and wouldn't think of each other if anything happened.
During the brief communication on the phone, Old Zhao and Wang Yan couldn't tell each other's identity.
In order to bluff his way into an interview opportunity, Wang Yan claimed full proficiency in whatever the other party mentioned, whether it was filming or post-production requirements, so Old Zhao arranged a place to meet with him.
The new company hadn't rented a suitable office yet, so Old Zhao and Wang Yan arranged to meet at a teahouse.
Each with their own agenda, they arrived on time.
Old Zhao was closer and arrived first, Wang Yan was a bit late. They ran into each other at the teahouse entrance.
"Hey, isn't this Little Wang? Coming to the teahouse to play cards? Haven't seen you fishing lately?" Zhao Bingguang saw Wang Yan from a distance, parking his old Bluebird, and greeted him with a smile.
Wang Yan: "Brother Zhao! What a coincidence, are you here for tea too? I'm meeting someone to discuss something!"
"I'm also meeting someone to discuss something. We'll fish together later! I'm going inside now!"
"Alright!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Old Zhao pushed the door open, went inside, and got a table for one from the waiter, taking out his phone to send a text indicating the table number.
After parking, Wang Yan walked in, checked the message, and followed the instructions in the text.
Seeing Old Zhao at the table, Wang Yan was a bit dizzy, realizing immediately.
Is Old Zhao the one interviewing me? No wonder the voice on the phone sounded familiar.
Old Zhao also noticed Wang Yan walking over, and seeing Wang Yan's expression, Old Zhao's heart skipped a beat.
"You're here for an interview?"
"You're here for an interview?"
Both spoke in unison, creating a big misunderstanding.
At this point, both of them couldn't hold back anymore.
On the phone, Old Zhao had said that it was a big company with excellent benefits, few tasks but high pay.
Wang Yan had claimed over the phone that he had superb photography skills, his own equipment, mastery of pre-production and post-production processing, and was ready to start working anytime.
Turns out, when they met, they knew each other and were fishing buddies.
More awkwardly, both had a pretty good understanding of each other's true skills, which made the situation slightly embarrassing.
"Uh, well, I saw a recruitment ad in the newspaper, looking for a photographer. I've been learning for a few days, wanted to give it a try, didn't expect it was your ad?"
Wang Yan was the first to break the awkwardness, given his thicker skin as a social cow disease person.
Zhao Bingguang rubbed his nose and said: "I partnered with Zhang Yang to start a fishing gear company, wanted to hire a photographer for product shooting!
Been recruiting for days without finding a suitable one, and the one found turns out to be you!
Are you really capable of the shooting and post-production stuff? Since we're fishing buddies, if you are, we could talk about it!"
Wang Yan also felt bad about bragging face-to-face, honestly replied: "I can definitely do the shooting, but for post-production, I've only learned the basics.
I originally planned to secure a job first and then learn it gradually later; I've looked into it, and I'm sure I can pick it up!
Buying the DSLR, coupled with high fishing expenses lately, has increased financial pressure. If I don't find a job soon, I'll starve to death!
What do you guys plan on shooting? Fishing? As long as meals are covered, I can start with a trial, if it works out I'll stay, if not you can find someone else!"
This agreement of trial and then decide completely won Old Zhao over.
During the early stages of team formation, neither should despise the other. If Wang Yan can really do a good job, it's actually better than hiring a stranger photographer; at least Wang Yan fishes himself and can capture the key points of filming, communication won't have barriers, collaborating would be better.