Reinvention in the time of coronavirus

There is an English proverb which goes: "Necessity is the mother of invention", meaning that a problem is often the driving force behind innovations.

In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, this saying has proved to be particularly relevant for many people who have had to switch careers or transform how they do business.

The epidemic has disrupted the income streams for many people, especially those in the food-and-beverage and hospitality circles. For 25-year-old Chen Guibin, the crisis has compelled him to leave his career in the culinary sector.

Before the outbreak, Chen was working as a chef in a Sichuan restaurant called Wa Zhi Dao in Rugao, Jiangsu province. Even though the restaurant resumed its takeout service after it closed on Jan 26, Chen was not called back for work.

"I don't earn anything if I don't go to work," says Chen, who did not receive a fixed salary as a chef.

"Although I have some savings, I was anxious because I needed to pay 2,000 yuan ($284) for my car loan every month. I couldn't afford to just wait at home. I needed to find work quickly."

On Feb 25, Chen found a job packaging toys in a factory, but the work turned out to be too intense for him. He then tried to open his own food-delivery service, only to be shut down because he did not possess the required permit.

On March 16, he took a customer-service job with the delivery company, SF Express, answering online customer inquiries from 8 am to 5:30 pm.

"I feel relieved," he says, adding that he has a one-hour lunch break and is earning a monthly wage of 3,000 yuan during his probation.

"The restaurant called me back in mid-March but offered only half of my previous wage. That was when I decided to stick with this career change. Besides, SF Express is a leader in the industry. I see more room to improve myself here."