This blog post explores how the attitude of attentively listening to customers can become a competitive advantage in insurance sales.
Growth Process
“Live by donating your talents” – my parents’ teaching
I grew up observing the lives of my parents, who are medical professionals, up close. My father majored in medicine and worked as a doctor for many years, while my mother studied nursing and began working as a nurse early on. Now, she runs a hospital alongside my father. Thanks to my father, a doctor, and my mother, a nurse, I always had a reliable pillar of support nearby whenever I was sick or had health concerns. Because both my parents possessed extensive medical knowledge, I naturally learned to address health-related questions or concerns as I grew up.
Yet my parents never viewed their medical knowledge and skills merely as a means to earn a living. Instead, they considered it a ‘gift’ and lived their lives willingly sharing that gift with those in need. They did this through medical volunteer work.
Across the country, there are blind spots where medical care doesn’t reach. For the elderly in remote mountain villages lacking medical facilities, foreign workers outside the social safety net, and vulnerable groups who find it difficult to even visit a hospital for various reasons, medical volunteer work literally serves as a lifeline. My parents opened a clinic regularly every week for these people, continuing their free medical volunteer service. My mother and father went beyond being mere doctors and nurses; they extended a warm hand to those desperately in need of help.
I, too, began participating in medical volunteer activities with my parents. Though I lacked medical expertise, my responsibilities were far from insignificant. I handled basic tasks like registering patients, guiding them to the waiting area, and organizing and preparing supplies. What I initially thought of as simple errands gradually revealed themselves to be tasks that provided tangible help to others’ lives.
Though I didn’t perform direct medical treatment, I was deeply moved by the realization that my small acts of assistance could offer comfort to someone who had endured a difficult day. At the same time, I personally felt how precious and meaningful it was to see my parents helping people based on their medical knowledge.
From that moment, I made a resolution: someday, I too would become an expert in a field and share that talent with those around me. Whether that talent is expressed through a career or a hobby doesn’t matter. What matters is that my abilities can help someone, and that I aspire to a life lived together, rather than success for myself alone.
My parents’ life philosophy, ‘Talent exists to be shared,’ became the compass for my own life. I want to keep that meaning close to my heart and grow into someone who can be helpful to others.
College Life
“From Statistics Major to Actuarial Path”
In high school, I excelled exceptionally in mathematics. I possessed not only strong computational skills but also a talent for devising strategies and solving problems based on mathematical reasoning. Because of this, friends often brought me difficult problems to ask for help, and I took great pride in the subject of math.
Maintaining consistently strong grades in math led me to enter university with a top-tier score in mathematics, securing admission to the Statistics Department. Statistics proved to be far more than just excelling at math. It demanded not only mathematical reasoning but also the ability to collect and analyze vast amounts of data. Fortunately, it aligned well with my aptitude, allowing me to immerse myself in my studies without significant difficulty.
However, as my studies progressed, practical concerns began to surface. While the major itself was interesting and satisfying, envisioning a career based on statistics felt somehow mismatched with me. The question arose: ‘Could this path truly be my career?’ This naturally led me to look elsewhere.
That’s when actuarial science caught my interest. Actuarial science is a field closely connected to financial mathematics and mathematical statistics, and I had already encountered some related subjects within the statistics curriculum. To seriously explore this field, I began studying step by step: auditing classes outside my major and attending lectures by professors in related fields. When I felt that the university lectures alone were insufficient, I supplemented them with online courses, steadily building my knowledge from foundational to advanced concepts.
Thus, building upon my foundation in statistics, I gradually began to carve out a new path in actuarial science. Though initially unfamiliar, the more I studied, the more fascinated I became, and it has now become a clear direction I wish to pursue.
This journey of studying my major while simultaneously seeking new possibilities held meaning for me beyond mere academics. My university life was a time for learning, for exploring myself more deeply, and for envisioning my future. Actuarial science stood as a crucial milestone in the midst of that journey, illuminating my path.
Extracurricular Activities
“Experience as a Youth Camp Leader”
I have been a believer in God since childhood, attending church and living as a person of faith. Through my faith life, I naturally developed the habit of reading the Bible. After becoming a university student, I began leading classes where I read and interpreted the Bible with younger teenagers. Through these classes, the youth not only sought to understand and accept God’s word but also desired time to build friendships with each other.
Respecting their wishes, I co-planned a ‘youth-led camp’. While churches typically offered various group camp programs, camps planned and led directly by the youth themselves were rare. I aimed to break from the conventional format, fostering deeper growth through the experience of the youth themselves creating and running the program.
The friends I had studied and discussed with, though young in age, possessed deep faith and solid convictions. Trusting them, I took on the role of advisor and guide during the preparation process, providing only general direction while allowing them maximum autonomy in planning. We consistently discussed the entire program—what lecture topics to cover, what format to use for concerts or performances—building it piece by piece.
The camp structure incorporated diverse elements. We collaboratively designed a balanced program blending spiritual activities and communal experiences: discussion time for participants to freely share thoughts, quiet time for deep meditation on Scripture, and moments of unity singing hymns together.
The core of planning and execution was entirely in the hands of the youth; I focused on supporting them from the sidelines to ensure they didn’t lose their way. After the final camp program was completed, I also participated in promotional activities alongside the youth. I helped create promotional materials and distributed them directly to local churches and youth communities, contributing to spreading awareness about the camp.
On the day of the camp, I participated as a leader, managing the overall flow to ensure the program ran smoothly and occasionally stepping in as an emcee to guide the atmosphere. Throughout the camp, I observed participants’ reactions, flexibly handled unexpected situations, and supported overall operations.
Through these activities, I personally experienced the role of a leader and felt immense fulfillment. I learned that regardless of age or experience, genuine communication allows for deep connections with anyone. The program planned by the youth deeply moved many people, and being at the heart of that experience remains a profoundly valuable part of my life.
Moving forward, I wish to continue participating in community-based activities that foster mutual growth by believing in others’ potential, building upon this experience. It was a precious time where I once again witnessed the transformative power created by faith, sharing, and sincere communication.
A Hobby, a Skill, and a Way to Share
“I have a talent for mastering design tools.”
I possess the talent to skillfully handle various design tools. This ability was first discovered during a liberal arts course on design programs I happened to take in college. That class sparked my interest in design and revealed my own design sensibility. My professor advised me, “You should pursue an interest in design, even as a hobby, and keep practicing.” Taking that advice to heart, I consistently worked with design tools to build my skills.
Following the joy of discovering this new talent, I practiced various design tools and have now developed the capability to plan and produce an entire webzine. While I don’t currently use this talent directly in my main profession, I find immense meaning in the fact that design allows me to create ‘my own original works’. Being able to independently plan and produce design products where I hold full copyright is a great source of pride and joy for me.
Building on this ability, I personally create various design products for practical use in daily life. Sometimes I give these creations as gifts to acquaintances, and other times I produce them in quantities for sale. However, the income generated from this process is mostly used not for personal purposes, but rather donated to worthy causes or offered as volunteer work to those in need.
When giving gifts or making donations, I always first consider ‘where help is needed.’ I find greater fulfillment in the fact that this isn’t just a hobby, but can make a meaningful contribution to society. The thought that I can positively impact someone through design, and that my talent is being used for good, resonates deeply in my life.
Above all, these activities greatly benefit my mental health. Creative work relieves stress, and the knowledge that I can help others plays a significant role in maintaining life balance. I intend to continue sharing with society through my modest talents. I hope this path brings me lasting joy and meaning.
Post-employment aspirations
“An insurance salesperson who listens to the customer’s voice”
I invested considerable time preparing for interviews while applying as an insurance designer at KDB Life. This was because I learned that KDB Life places greater emphasis on interviews than on documents when selecting new insurance hires. Indeed, I believe I can better showcase my true capabilities in an interview than on paper.
On paper, I may appear to be a complete novice with no experience. My university activities would be the entirety of my background. However, I possess a firm passion for the role of Life Planner and have consistently studied to deepen my understanding of the insurance industry as a whole. While a lack of practical experience is certainly a drawback, I want to emphasize that I am someone who has prepared diligently within the opportunities given to me.
I am confident that any such concerns will naturally dissipate once you meet me in person during the interview. I cultivated my leadership skills by taking on leading roles in various camps and events during my university years. With my outgoing and positive personality, I communicate easily with others and possess the guts and drive to act decisively even in unfamiliar situations. I’m often described as possessing a combination of tenacity, flair, and coolness.
I believe this disposition will be a definite strength in the field of insurance sales. In particular, I believe that building relationships based on trust with customers and genuinely listening to their stories are among the most important qualities in insurance sales. I aspire to be more than just a salesperson; I want to be a ‘listening expert’ who collaborates with clients to consider and design their lives.
Moving forward, I will be an insurance professional who always listens to the client’s voice. By sincerely engaging with each individual client’s life and building trust through this process, I will gradually grow into a successful insurance expert.
