This blog post introduces methods to persuasively convey practical skills and communication abilities in your application essay, based on diverse customer service experiences and expertise gained as a CS instructor.
Growth Journey
“From Problem Child to Model Student and Filial Son”
During my school years, I was the kind of student who engaged in many behaviors typically associated with so-called problem children. Starting in high school, I smoked cigarettes, came home late at night, drank alcohol with club friends, and sometimes caused trouble within the school. While I didn’t commit any extremely serious offenses, I did cause minor problems that led my parents to visit the school. Becoming this kind of troublemaker meant I was labeled at school, and I thought I could never lead a normal school life throughout high school. In my first year, I started because my friends were that type, but later, quitting smoking became difficult, and changing my behavior felt impossible. It wasn’t until my senior year that I finally came to my senses and started striving to become a model student.
The reason I suddenly decided to transform from a problem child into a model student was entirely thanks to my homeroom teacher. This young teacher, newly assigned from another school, had no preconceived notions about me. Instead, she showed me more affection and care than she did other students. He always called me his “cute friend” and told me that once I got a job at a company, I’d be adored wherever I went. Hearing that, I initially wondered what was cute about me, but later, I started acting cute just to live up to his expectations. I suddenly started studying hard, gradually quit smoking, and found myself preparing for the college entrance exam. I ultimately succeeded in getting into college and majored in Consumer Studies. To this day, I still consider my homeroom teacher my mentor.
School Days
“Starting Work in the Service Industry.”
In college, I succeeded in getting into a prestigious university in Seoul and majored in Consumer Studies. My decision to major in Consumer Studies stemmed from working part-time at a gas station during high school. It was the only part-time job available to me as a high schooler at the time. Working at the gas station exposed me to diverse types of customers and conversations. Interacting with them made me realize the need for employees who truly understand the consumer’s perspective. While most just did the minimum required and complained about pay, I was someone who genuinely thought about and was passionate about the work. Because of this, the gas station owner particularly favored me, entrusting me with important tasks and even delegating customer management duties to me. This experience led me to major in Consumer Studies in college, where I could learn in detail about customer needs and practical customer service techniques.
Driven by the belief that knowledge must be applied, I also began working in the service industry. While I worked without much thought in high school, my mindset was different now. So, during college, I started working at large malls and department stores. At the mall where I worked, I initially served as a parking attendant. After six months, I transferred to the customer service center. Another six months later, I moved to the cultural center within the department store, where I greeted students and provided information on schedules and class content. I took on these diverse roles because I personally craved variety in my work. As my supervisors observed my performance, they introduced me to various departments, recommending me as a “dependable and reliable worker,” which made me quite popular within the department store. Thus, while studying Consumer Studies, I spent my college years passionately working part-time jobs, grounded in my understanding of consumers.
Work Experience
“Working at the department store’s customer service center.”
The job I enjoyed most while working at the department store was at the customer service center. It was the only role where I could directly communicate with customers and think about ways to improve the store’s services. While department stores and marts need various staff—parking attendants, cashiers, logistics managers—few positions allow direct communication with customers to gather their opinions. At the customer service center, I handled lost and found reports, transaction corrections, event operations, and discount settlement processing. I witnessed nearly every possible situation that could occur within the department store firsthand and interacted face-to-face with customers facing those situations.
Working at the service center taught me what customers truly wanted. It was kindness first and foremost, and kindness second. It’s true that during events, many customers seek out low-priced or sale items. Similarly, when handling price difference settlements, I often encountered customers preferring products priced lower than competitors. However, I learned that for customers visiting large malls, kindness takes precedence over simply finding cheap, high-quality products. After all, inexpensive goods can be found at traditional markets or ordered online. But I came to understand that the very act of coming to the supermarket and interacting with staff carries meaning—it’s about creating a happy shopping experience through kindness. So, I resolved not to view service-oriented work solely as emotional labor, but to become an employee who could offer kindness first. I worked with that mindset and achieved high attendance.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Personality
“A person who prefers accuracy and speed”
In a word, I am an ‘accurate person’. I am very precise, logical, and prefer things to be definite. My personality is particularly evident when speaking or giving presentations. Of course, even when having one-on-one conversations with business partners, my ability to establish clear relationships and express myself accurately comes through. However, this aspect is even more pronounced during presentations, where I possess the ability to provide precise summaries and accurately explain the summarized content. The basis for my ability to explain so precisely is my inherently precise personality. For example, while preparing for a career in the CS field, I received training as an instructor. Service instructors often need to clearly express concepts and teach lessons to their audience. Therefore, preparing for classes led me to practice precise expression even more.
I always assume my audience is at a middle or high school learning level, and strive above all to explain things clearly and concisely. I believe there is no more efficient approach than explaining things clearly and responding swiftly, regardless of the relationship with the person. Speed is also important at times. While speaking too fast can hinder understanding, the attitude itself must be prompt. What this means is that even during presentations, there may be aggressive questioners, and in such situations, demonstrating quick wit and agility is meaningful. Therefore, to exercise agility, I carefully listen to the perspective of the person I’m conversing with or the audience attending my class, and strive to respond with quick judgment. If I have a weakness, it’s that I tend to overthink and can be somewhat indecisive, but since work is a professional domain, these aspects don’t typically surface.
Motivation for Application and Aspirations
“I will serve with high loyalty to the organization.”
As a specialized recruitment company that hires talent and provides job information, your company’s services are utilized by numerous hiring managers and applicants across the country. The position I applied for is as an instructor at the CS Center. I received training as a CS service instructor before graduating from university, so I have a thorough understanding of working at your company’s CS Center. Beyond my training, I also have experience working as a freelance CS instructor. As a freelance instructor, I was dispatched to various companies and conducted classes at a high standard. I can confidently say I have about two years of experience, focusing on both the quality and quantity of my classes. Furthermore, I have experience working as a customer center manager in organizations like department stores. If hired by your company, I will leverage this experience to work as a professional instructor. While working freelance, I focused primarily on my personal income. However, as an employee of your company, I will strive to demonstrate high loyalty as part of the organization.
