Introduction: She impressed in her interview for the new energy market position by referring to “SOC/SOH” as “battery level and health report”
Last week, while having milk tea with a recent graduate named Xiao You, she sighed while holding a hot cocoa: “Sister, I interviewed for a market position at a new energy vehicle company, and the HR asked, ‘You are in marketing, why do you need to understand SOC and SOH?’ I was momentarily confused and said, ‘These are technical terms, users might not care’—the HR immediately replied: ‘The core of marketing is understanding the user. If you don’t even understand the technical indicators that users care about, how can you impress them?’…” I pulled out her interview notes, which were scribbled with: “SOC = State of Charge, SOH = State of Health.” (Xiao You’s inner thoughts: “I memorized these two terms, but why should users care?”)
“Silly girl, users might not be able to articulate SOC/SOH, but they complain daily about ‘misleading range’ and ‘poor battery life’—this is the shadow of SOC and SOH!” I pointed at her notes and said, “Today, I will use this interview as a case study to teach you how to translate ‘technical terms’ into ‘user voices’, so that HR can see your ability to ‘understand the market and even better, understand the users’!”
1. Incorrect Answer: HR is looking for ‘User Insight’, not ‘Technical Irrelevance’
Xiao You’s response of “users might not care” revealed a typical misconception among newcomers in marketing: separating oneself from technology, thinking that ‘users only care about price and appearance’, while ignoring the real pain points of users. I have seen too many similar scenarios:
- A recent graduate named Xiao Zhang interviewed for a smart electric vehicle marketing position, and when HR asked, “Do you know about BMS (Battery Management System)? Why does marketing need to understand this?” he replied, “That’s a matter for R&D, users don’t care.” (HR’s inner thoughts: “Users care most about range when buying electric vehicles, and BMS directly affects range. How can you say users don’t care?”);
- A transitioning operations specialist interviewed for a marketing position at an energy storage company, and when HR asked, “Do you need to pay attention to the battery’s cycle life?” he replied, “Cycle life is a technical indicator, users might care more about price.” (HR’s inner thoughts: “When users buy energy storage batteries, don’t they hope to use them for 5 years without replacement? Cycle life is their ‘money-saving code’!”).
HR’s real need: is not for you to memorize the definitions of “SOC/SOH”, but to use a ‘user perspective’ to connect technical indicators with their real needs—for example, “When SOC is low, users fear being stranded, and when SOH is low, users fear expensive battery replacements”, allowing HR to see your market sensitivity in “digging user pain points from technology”.
2. Correct Answer Breakdown: Using ‘Battery Level + Health Report’ Analogy to Transform ‘Technical Terms’ into ‘User Voices’
Xiao You later reorganized her language according to my advice, and HR’s eyes lit up: “You can link technical indicators with user daily experiences, which shows you really understand ‘what the market needs’!”
Correct Answer (Simulation):
“I previously conducted user research on new energy vehicles (related experience), and found that users are most conflicted about two points: 1) ‘The navigation shows 30% battery left, but it dies halfway’ (user pain point); 2) ‘After 3 years, the battery degrades significantly, and replacing it costs tens of thousands’ (user pain point). In fact, these two issues are directly related to SOC and SOH (technical correlation)—SOC is ‘remaining battery’ (analogous to battery level), just like your phone shows 10%, but after a couple of WeChat messages, it shuts down, users are certainly anxious; SOH is ‘battery health’ (analogous to health report), just like you check your ‘heart function’ during an annual health check, if the battery SOH is below 80%, it means its ‘health’ is starting to decline (life analogy). When we in the marketing department promote, we can say ‘The XX model is equipped with an intelligent BMS that displays SOC in real-time, with range predictions accurate to one decimal place, so you never have to worry about being stranded; the battery SOH monitoring technology can be checked via a mobile app, allowing you to know in advance whether to maintain it, avoiding unnecessary expenses for battery replacement’—this is the significance of SOC and SOH for users!”
HR’s inner thoughts: “She not only knows the technical definitions of SOC/SOH but can also extract real pain points from user research and even thought of how to translate them into promotional language—this is the kind of market talent I want who ‘understands technology and even better, understands users’!”
3. ‘Technical Term Response Formula’: 3 Steps to Transform ‘Terms’ into ‘User Stories’
So how do we translate the ‘significance of SOC and SOH for users’—this ‘technical question’—into ‘market needs’ that HR can understand? I summarized 3 steps that I have tested to make HR feel you are “great at identifying user pain points”!
Step 1: Identify ‘Real User Pain Points’—Replace ‘Abstract Needs’ with ‘Contextual Complaints’
Key: Don’t talk about “users caring about technology” in vague terms, but use “user quotes” or “common complaints” to pinpoint specific pain points (for example, “misleading range” or “rapid battery degradation”).Response Template: “I previously conducted user research/community observation (experience), and found that users often complain about XX (specific scenario)—for example, ‘When fully charged, it shows a range of 400km, but actually only runs 300km’ (user quote); or ‘After 2 years, the battery’s range dropped by 30%’ (user quote).”Case Practice (Smart Electric Vehicle Marketing Position): HR asks: “Do you know about OTA upgrades? Why does marketing need to pay attention?” Incorrect answer: “This is a technical upgrade, users might not care.” (separating technology) Correct answer (Step 1): “I previously operated in a new energy community (experience), and found that users are most looking forward to ‘OTA upgrades’ (user quote)—for example, one owner said, ‘The manufacturer pushed an acceleration optimization upgrade, and it was noticeably smoother’ (scenario); and another user complained, ‘Old models don’t have OTA, and their functions lag behind new models’ (pain point).”
Step 2: Link ‘Technical Terms’ and ‘Pain Points’—Use ‘Analogy + Explanation’ to Lower Understanding Barriers
Technique: Choose a familiar life scenario (for example, “battery level” or “health report”) to bind technical terms with pain points, avoiding “technical jargon bombardment”.Response Template: “XX (technical term) is like ‘XX (life scenario)’ (analogy), it addresses the user’s ‘XX (pain point)’—for example, XX (specific phenomenon).”Case Practice (Energy Storage Marketing Position): HR asks: “What does cycle life mean for users?” Incorrect answer: “Cycle life is the number of times a battery can be charged and discharged, users might not care.” (too vague) Correct answer (Step 2): “Cycle life is like ‘the number of times you can use a power bank’ (analogy)—when you buy a power bank, you certainly hope it can charge 500 times and still be like new, rather than only 100 times before it stops charging (life phenomenon). For users, a low cycle life battery (for example, only able to charge 300 times) means they might have to spend 20,000 to replace the battery after 3 years (user pain point); while a high cycle life battery (for example, able to charge 1000 times) means users can use it for 5 years without replacement, saving enough money for two years of electricity bills (user value)!”
Step 3: Discuss ‘Market Actions’—Use ‘Promotion/Service’ to Prove ‘Technology Can Be Implemented’
Key: Don’t stop at “user needs”; explain “what the marketing department can do” (for example, promotions, services, events) to demonstrate the ability to “drive technology implementation”.Response Template: “We can do XX (market action), for example, XX (specific plan), allowing users to intuitively feel XX (technical value).”Case Practice (Photovoltaic Inverter Marketing Position): HR asks: “What does conversion efficiency mean for users?” Incorrect answer: “Inverters with high conversion efficiency are better, users might choose on their own.” (passive waiting) Correct answer (Step 3): “Users care most about ‘power generation’ (pain point), and conversion efficiency directly determines power generation (technical correlation). Our marketing department can conduct ‘real measurement comparison activities’ (market action)—for example, using an A brand inverter (conversion efficiency 98%) and a B brand inverter (conversion efficiency 95%) on the same household rooftop, measuring power generation continuously for a month (specific plan). The results show that the A brand generates 30 more kilowatt-hours per month (data), allowing users to save 200 yuan on electricity bills per year (user value). This way, users can see that ‘high conversion efficiency’ is not misleading, but a real benefit (technology implementation)!”
4. Practice: Today, Practice ‘Technical Term Transformation’ so HR Nods in Agreement
Now, I will guide you through practical exercises—choose one high-frequency technical term for the new energy market position, and reorganize your language using the “3-step formula” to simulate an interview response!
Exercise 1: Simulate Marketing Position—”What does DC/AC inverter mean for users?”
- Incorrect Answer: “This is a technical component, users don’t care.” (separating technology)
- Correct Translation (using Steps 1+2+3): “I previously interviewed household photovoltaic users (experience), and found that users are most troubled by ‘having photovoltaic panels on the roof but wasting the generated electricity’ (user pain point). The DC/AC inverter is like a ‘power translator’ (analogy)—the photovoltaic panels generate direct current (DC), while household appliances use alternating current (AC), and the inverter can convert DC to AC (technical explanation), allowing excess electricity to be fed into the grid for sale (solving pain point). Our marketing department can emphasize in promotions (market action): ‘The XX inverter has a conversion efficiency of 98.5%, which is 2% higher than the industry average, generating an extra kilowatt-hour per day, which can earn an additional 300 yuan a year’ (user value)!”
Exercise 2: Simulate Marketing Position—”What does battery thermal management mean for users?”
- Incorrect Answer: “This is a safety issue, users might not care.” (ignoring needs)
- Correct Translation (using Steps 1+2+3): “I previously observed in a winter electric vehicle user group (experience), and found that northern users are most afraid of ‘the range being halved in winter’ (user pain point)—one owner said, ‘I left home fully charged in the morning, but after half an hour of heating, I lost 20% battery’ (scenario). Battery thermal management is like ‘putting a down jacket on the battery’ (analogy)—heating the battery in low temperatures and dissipating heat in high temperatures (technical explanation), allowing the battery to maintain 80% capacity even at -20°C (data). Our marketing department can conduct a ‘winter range challenge’ (market action): select 10 vehicles equipped with thermal management systems, and test their range in -15°C conditions, showing that they can run 150km more than those without (data), allowing users to see that ‘thermal management is not a gimmick, it really can withstand the cold’ (technology implementation)!”
5. Toolkit & Pitfall Guide: Directly Copying Homework, Saying Goodbye to ‘Technical Self-Indulgence’
🎁 End of Article Bonus: Scan to Get the ‘New Energy Market Technical Response Toolkit’
Includes:
- A list of high-frequency technical terms in the new energy market (with ‘user pain points + analogy templates’);
- A ‘3-step formula’ manual for responding to technical terms (including user research methods + promotional language library);
- A free e-book titled ‘From Technology to Users: 10 Core Technical Logics Every Marketing Position Must Understand’ (quickly grasp the ‘user perspective’);
- A 10-minute emergency card before interviews (quick reference for common technical terms related to user scenarios).
⚠️ Pitfall Guide (Must-Read for Marketing Positions!)
- ❌ Don’t say “users don’t care”! Find “what users haven’t said but need” (example: “Users don’t mention SOC, but complain about misleading range”);
- ❌ Don’t pile on “technical definitions”! Bind “user scenarios” (example: “SOC = remaining battery” → change to “When the phone shows 10% battery, users feel anxious, when SOC is low, users fear being stranded”);
- ❌ Don’t stop at “user pain points”! Discuss “market actions” (example: “Users fear battery degradation” → change to “We create an SOH monitoring app, allowing users to check battery health in advance”).
6. Real Case Action Suggestions: 3 Steps to Turn the Tables Using the ‘3-Step Formula’
- List ‘User Pain Points’: Spend a week before the interview browsing new energy forums/Xiaohongshu (keywords: “misleading range”, “battery degradation”, “slow charging”), and circle 3-5 high-frequency user complaints;
- Create a ‘Technical-User-Market’ Comparison Table: For each technical term, correspond it with one user pain point (for example, SOC → range anxiety), and one market action (for example, promote ‘real-time range display’);
- Simulate Interview Practice: Find a friend to play HR, ask questions about ‘technical terms’, and practice the ‘pain point + analogy + market action’ language until it flows naturally.
Conclusion: Marketing Positions Are Not ‘Technological Insulators’, But ‘Translators of Technology to Users’
Xiao You used the method I taught her, responding with “Users fear misleading range (SOC) and battery degradation (SOH), we can promote intelligent BMS for real-time display and monitoring” during her interview at a new energy vehicle company last week. HR immediately said: “You can start from user pain points and transform technical terms into market opportunities, which shows you really understand ‘what the market needs’—offering you 26k, welcome aboard!” Remember: an interview is not a ‘technical exam’, but a dialogue about ‘using the user’s language to explain how technology solves problems’. Now, close this article, open the new energy forum, choose a technical term, and practice using the ‘3-step formula’!↓ Click here to unlock the ‘New Energy Market Technical Response Toolkit’, and let HR praise your ability to translate technology ↓