Why Being ‘Different’ is Key to Career Success, According to Eric Sim

In a recent LinkedIn post, Eric Sim discusses the critical importance of differentiation for students and young professionals navigating the early stages of their careers. Sim argues that in a competitive job market, standing out from the crowd is not just advantageous but often necessary to secure desired roles, even when traditional metrics like GPA might be lower.

Sim highlights the challenges hiring managers face in distinguishing between candidates, particularly students who may present very similar academic profiles. He suggests that possessing unique skills or engaging in distinctive activities can significantly boost a candidate’s appeal.

“Students with a lower GPA can still get the job they want if they have done something special, or built a skill set few others have.”

The Power of Unique Skill Sets and Side Hustles

According to Sim, students can cultivate this differentiation through several avenues. He points to three key areas:

• Pursuing personal interests or side hustles outside of their academic coursework.
• Developing strong storytelling and selling skills, which are transferable to many professional contexts.
• Actively building a network of working professionals.

These strategies, Sim suggests, equip students with tangible advantages that go beyond a standard curriculum. As Sim notes, these differentiators can create a compelling narrative that captures an employer’s attention.

Overcoming Peer Pressure and Building a Personal Brand

Sim also addresses a common obstacle faced by those who try to be different: the tendency for peers to discourage or even mock such non-conformity. He shares personal anecdotes from his own experiences to illustrate this point.

“When you try to be different, the people around you will try to pull you back. But if you persist, the difference becomes part of your brand.”

Sim recounts instances from his engineering student days, his first banking job, and even a later move to Hong Kong, where his choices to deviate from the norm—whether in dress or activity—drew questioning remarks from classmates and colleagues. These experiences underscore his assertion that embracing individuality can be met with resistance.

The Long-Term Value of Individuality

Despite the initial social friction, Sim emphasizes that perseverance in being different ultimately shapes a unique personal brand. This distinctiveness, he argues, is what makes a candidate memorable and valuable to employers. He uses his own teaching experiences as an example, where he intentionally invites guests who are different from him to expose students to fresh perspectives and professional networks.

“I often bring a few guests who are different from me when I teach. Students get fresh perspectives, and get to network with working professionals.”

Sim illustrates this with the example of Joel Low, an actor with an earring, contrasted with his own background as a former banker in traditional attire. This contrast serves to highlight how diverse individuals can offer unique insights and value. Ultimately, Sim challenges his audience to consider their own approach to individuality in their professional journeys.