In this blog post, I’ll introduce how to effectively incorporate practical problem-solving skills and creativity into a programmer’s resume, based on game and app development experience gained through personal projects.
Growth Journey – Harmonizing Two Worlds: Music and Programming
Throughout my school years, I grew with a deep passion for music. I enjoyed listening to diverse genres like classical music, piano pieces, and pop songs more than mainstream pop, which naturally sparked a desire to play myself. So, I enrolled in piano lessons early on and began serious practice. Playing the piano, which allowed me to express delicate emotions, was an immensely satisfying experience.
My piano practice, which began in elementary school, continued steadily until high school, and my playing skills improved significantly during that time. I occasionally participated in competitions and even won prizes. Most importantly, I gained a lot personally as my musical knowledge, including harmony, deepened. In middle and high school, I was confident enough to almost always score perfect marks on both the practical and written parts of my music exams.
However, I realized my skill level was still insufficient to major in piano or grow into a professional performer. As a male performer, I sometimes felt a lack of subtlety in expression, and regardless of gender, I considered that my fundamental musical sensibility and technique were not perfect. Around that time, I became increasingly interested in computers and programming, subjects I’d consistently enjoyed since childhood, and ultimately decided to pursue a career as a programmer. I intended to continue piano playing as a hobby.
Specifically, when playing piano, I placed greater value on enjoying the music I loved by listening to it directly with my ears, rather than striving to play it ‘perfectly well’. In this way, music was more than just a hobby for me; it was a precious tool for organizing my thoughts and finding solace.
Even during my senior year of high school, a time fraught with college entrance exam stress, music provided immense comfort. Sitting at the piano and playing a few pieces would often lighten my complicated heart. At the same time, I focused on computer science courses to seriously study programming, while also preparing for the college entrance exam and studying for the necessary subjects.
In the programming club I was active in during high school, I came up with ideas myself and even created simple games with my teammates. My musical knowledge proved to be a great help in this process. When making games, background music or sound effects are needed, and my sense of what kind of music would suit the mood came naturally.
Through these experiences, I realized that music, computers, and programming are not entirely separate worlds. Both fields require creativity and share common ground in how emotion and logic work together. Therefore, I plan to continue expanding my interest in both areas. I pursue balanced growth: cultivating emotion through music and developing logical thinking through programming.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Personality – Long-Term Focus and Deep Contemplation
I possess strong long-term focus. Once I immerse myself in a task, I have the perseverance to see it through to the end without easily losing interest or giving up. While I don’t tend to become so immersed that I block out surrounding sounds in the short term, I consider my sustained focus—maintaining interest and consistent effort over long periods—to be a greater strength. This trait allows me to avoid losing interest easily and gives me the power to push through and complete what I set out to do.
For example, I’ve been learning piano since childhood. It started as a hobby, but I practiced steadily without ever giving up until I reached high school. I could have become interested in other instruments along the way or felt discouraged by difficult pieces, but I focused solely on the piano until the end. Through this process, I learned a great deal of patience and perseverance.
Especially when playing long, highly difficult pieces like classical sonatas, I placed meaning not just in playing them, but in completing them. I set a goal to finish within a few months and practiced systematically. While others might skip difficult sections or substitute slightly altered harmonies, I made it a principle to play strictly according to the original score. Even if I couldn’t complete it within the target time, I flexibly adjusted my plan—extending six months to a year—and ultimately succeeded in memorizing and performing the entire piece.
This same attitude applies when studying programming. For example, even if I set a goal to complete a simple game within a semester and encounter scheduling difficulties, I never give up or quit midway. Instead, I adjust my plan with a longer-term perspective and strive to see it through to completion. Through this process, I frequently experience how sustained focus translates into achieving actual goals.
On the other hand, a clear drawback exists: I tend to overthink things. I enjoy deep contemplation and value time spent reading extensively and organizing my thoughts. While this tendency has undoubtedly aided my growth, overly complex thinking has sometimes become problematic. I’ve often found myself overanalyzing simple issues, drifting away from the core problem or delaying action.
Since becoming aware of this, I’ve been training to achieve a ‘balance in thinking’. In everyday situations, I practice thinking as simply as possible and making quick judgments based on the facts immediately before me. Conversely, when truly important decisions are required, I strive to engage in deep contemplation and deliberate thoroughly. This is how I am working to balance the depth of my thinking with the speed of my actions.
I believe my long-term focus is a significant advantage for sustaining and completing tasks. While excessive contemplation can sometimes be a hindrance, now that I’m aware of it and can regulate myself, I’ve come to see even this shortcoming as a factor contributing to personal growth. I want to continue this deeper, more solid growth by carefully balancing these two aspects going forward.
Studying Programming Languages: A Hobby and a Specialty
Some people live their lives with a clear separation between hobbies and work. However, in my case, I can say I live a life where hobbies and work are naturally connected. Generally, hobbies are enjoyable activities that don’t require complex mental effort, while work is often seen as a means of livelihood demanding more obligation or responsibility. But since I dream of becoming a programmer and am engaged in creating computer programs and planning software myself, I live without drawing a clear line between these two.
When programming, I don’t categorically label it as ‘work’. Instead, I find great enjoyment in the entire process of planning, developing, and executing programs. Studying programming languages is also a hobby I naturally gravitate towards whenever I have free time. In this sense, I believe I live a life where work and hobby align.
Currently, I’m intensely studying various programming languages. The more I study this field, the more it benefits my work, and since it never feels like a waste of time, I persistently pursue learning. I expand my knowledge by taking courses, thoroughly reading textbooks, and consulting specialized books. Languages I’ve mastered so far include C, JSP, MFC, and JAVA. While I’ve reached a level where I can handle them reasonably well, technology changes rapidly, so I constantly strive to upgrade my skills.
Studying can often feel tedious or difficult, but programming languages are an exception. This field is strangely fun and fascinating to me. This makes me realize once again how my studies, hobbies, and work are organically connected.
My specialty is the ability to modify and improve existing programs using these programming languages. Of course, designing and developing entirely new programs is my ultimate goal and what I most want to do. However, in my daily life, I frequently analyze and improve existing software, apps, and games. Especially when using Android games or various applications, I don’t just remain a simple user. Instead, I practice modifying them myself based on thoughts like, ‘Wouldn’t it be better if this feature were added?’
This process of applying my own ideas to existing programs goes beyond simple imitation; it greatly helps develop new strategies and planning ideas. In fact, through repeatedly making these improvements and modifications, I feel my own development intuition and critical thinking skills have grown significantly.
To summarize, for me, studying programming languages is more than just a hobby—it’s a part of life and simultaneously the most effective way to hone my skills. Moving forward, I want to continue enjoying the process of learning, refining, and creating, with the aspiration to one day become a developer who unveils completely new software to the world. I believe every experience I accumulate along this path will serve as valuable groundwork.
Motivation for Application and Aspirations
“I will become a hands-on professional who creates added value for your company.”
I am applying to join your company as a hands-on professional dedicated to developing content and applications for customers. During my university studies in programming-related majors, I gained experience through various industry-academia collaboration projects, solidifying my capabilities as a developer.
Specifically, I participated in projects linked with large corporations like CJ, executing practical tasks ranging from simple game programs to promotional advertising programs. This process cultivated my practical skills, encompassing team collaboration, schedule management, feature implementation, and comprehensive consideration of user experience. For my graduation project, I developed a real-time location tracking program. To minimize potential errors and buffering issues, I focused on enhancing stability and efficiency through repeated detailed technical adjustments.
I understand your company is currently seeking talented individuals skilled in developing data security and encryption security programs. While I possess foundational knowledge in the security field, I also recognize there is much I still need to learn. With this awareness, I will approach my work with a humble attitude, constantly learning, mastering new skills, and steadily building my capabilities.
My start as a developer may be small and slow, but I will grow steadily through continuous self-development and hands-on experience. Ultimately, I aim to develop into a talent who adds tangible value to your company’s technology and services. In the rapidly changing IT environment, I will remain a customer-centric thinker with practical expertise, becoming a developer who designs the future alongside your company.
