Zuliang Hu

People often look back on their past to determine whether their choices were wise or foolish. But can we really tell? “Hindsight bias” makes us think our choices were “obvious” once we know the outcome.

I first set foot in Europe as a tourist in 2016, landing in Amsterdam. I never could have imagined that I’d still be here: studying, working, living, blending into the crowd like a single drop in the ocean of humanity. Making choices has been my only way forward, the sole path to shaping my life. After surviving the intense Chinese education and the college entrance exam, I chose to study event management in Shanghai. In 2021, I went to Germany for a six-month exchange program, and two years later, I landed an internship at a well-known FMCG company, my first real step into the professional world.

That internship set the tone for my career and life so far. It was my first time working on global brands and products. The massive social impact and consumer market feedback of a “big name” made me feel, for a moment, that marketing was inherently glamorous. But soon, I realized it wasn’t about me. The brand was already so established, wouldn’t anyone in my role have achieved similar results? I showed my new case study to my manager, confessing my confusion: I didn’t know which direction to take, whether I could succeed with a different brand, or if my work even had any unique value. My manager, an inspiring lady, looked at my slides and said, “Marketing looks like a dazzling dream, but dreams are built by people. I think you can do it, you remind me of myself at 20.”

In 2023, I returned to Amsterdam to pursue a master’s in international management. I was fortunate to intern for a year at a global multi-stakeholder organization initiated by major brands, diving into marketing and communications in a new way: learning different platforms, algorithms, languages, and cultures. On my walks home alone after work, I’d often think: I can’t believe I’m still doing marketing.

And here I am, still at it. Four months ago, I joined Miyagami, a fast-growing Dutch Softwear Agency, where I’m learning from scratch how to market tech products. Shifting industries meant changing perspectives, figuring out how to do B2B marketing for an agency through social media, industry events, and exploring possibilities from a digital product angle. I love this new opportunity and the choices I’ve made. I find joy in being on a constant path of learning and exploration. I don’t need to look back from the future to judge my past self, growing alongside Miyagami right now feels like happiness.

This journey, with all its twists and turns, is my proof that choices, however uncertain, keep pushing me forward.