“Don’t compete where the crowd is. Go where the crowd isn’t looking.”
My former students often message me several terms later, sometimes right before graduation, sometimes right after, and the questions are almost always the same:
“How do I compete in the job market?
I often wish they had asked earlier, while we still had months together in the classroom to prepare. But maybe this is one of those questions that only begins to weigh on them once the finish line is in sight. So let me try to answer it here:
The geography of growth
My wife and I love traveling with our children because it’s our way of reconnecting with ourselves. Looking back on years of itineraries and photos, I realized that we rarely followed the “script” or stuck to the “Top 10 Must-See” lists.
Instead, we gravitated toward places that do not always make it on FB or IG, such as the outskirts of Anchorage, or a city like Tijuana, where many tourists would not even dare to cross. While others visiting California or New York lined up for the Hollywood Sign or Times Square, I found myself walking the streets of Compton and Harlem because I wanted to understand communities that are often reduced to stereotypes. To be honest, I did not feel scared. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in Manila, not the polished version of the city, but the “dog-eat-dog” Manila. I believe that taking the unfamiliar path forces you to observe more and assume less. You learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
It was in these places where I realized something: we take the road less traveled not to be “different,” but because of what it teaches us. These experiences have shaped how I lead and how I teach. For my students who ask how they could compete, I’d like to offer them two strategies rooted in these lessons.
Don’t compete where the crowd is
Every year, hundreds of thousands of graduates enter the job market with similar degrees and identical internships. If you follow the same path as everyone else, you become easy to compare and unfortunately easy to replace.
Companies are no longer just looking for a diploma; they are looking for people who understand sustainability, social impact, and long-term value creation. According to the World Economic Forum (2023), “green skills” and environmental stewardship are no longer optional; they are among the fastest-growing requirements in the global labor market. These principles are anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and this is where opportunity hides in plain sight. Fields like sustainable supply chains, ESG reporting, and circular economies are the future.
In a study titled “ESG and Financial Performance,” Professor Whelan and her team analyzed over a thousand studies to prove the business case for sustainability. Whelan, a professor at NYU Stern and former President of the Rainforest Alliance, found that firms prioritizing ESG metrics do not just “do good”, they outperform their peers financially over the long term.
And that is your “Anchorage, your Harlem and Compton.” While others crowd into traditional roles, you can build a niche in sustainability-focused initiatives or data-driven ESG strategy. When you acquire skills aligned with the UNSDGs, you aren’t just applying for a job, you are solving the problems the world is desperate to fix.
Marketing ‘product me’
My undergraduate degree was marketing, and I quickly realized that my most important product was myself. As early as my second year, I was already thinking about graduation. I knew the competition would be fierce, so I asked:
How could I differentiate my “product”?
First, I pushed myself academically, eventually becoming a Dean’s Lister (my wife was my “toughest competitor” and no matter how hard I studied, she managed to stay ahead, which kept me on my toes). But I knew grades were not the whole story. I also needed professional experience. So, I started applying for jobs before graduation. I still remember attending my graduation on March 31 and reporting for work on April 1.
A year later, I enrolled in my Master’s, not because I was chasing titles, but because I realized that in a competitive landscape, standing still is the fastest way to fall behind. Today, that landscape is shaped by digital transformation and ethical leadership. If you can speak the language of data and sustainability, you are speaking the language that today’s boardrooms are being forced to understand.
The real message
So, how do you compete? Don’t compete where the crowd is. Go where the crowd isn’t looking. Build skills that matter to the planet, not just for a paycheck. Learn to measure impact, not just income. Treat your career like a journey, not a checklist. In your professional life, just as in travel, the most meaningful growth happens on the road less traveled.
Dr. Rhoey Lee Dakis is a Professional Lecturer in the Department of Decision Sciences and Innovation at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. He also serves as Vice President of one of the world’s largest coconut export manufacturing facilities. He may be contacted at rhoey.dakis@dlsu.edu.ph.
The views expressed above are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty, or its administration
