This blog post introduces how to naturally weave planning capabilities into your strategy/planning resume, based on insights and user-centered thinking that stem from meticulous observation of everyday life.
Growth Process
As a child, when I heard terms like ‘school supplies’ or ‘fancy goods,’ I simply thought of pencils, erasers, and notebooks sold at the local stationery store. However, a fancy goods store I visited with my cousin completely changed that perception. The memory of that day remains vivid in my mind, like a colorful treasure trove.
When I went to the downtown area to meet my cousin, she said she wanted to quickly stop by a store to buy some writing instruments and took me to a certain shop. Naturally, I imagined the small, simple stationery stores commonly found in neighborhoods, run by grandpas or aunts. But the store we entered was a completely different world. Colorful items filled the display shelves, and uniquely designed stationery, dolls, character goods, and sparkling stickers captured my attention. I even asked if it was really a store selling school supplies. That scene, as dazzling and unfamiliar as an amusement park, was utterly foreign to me yet left an intense impression.
Inside, most of the customers were girls, and I felt like a complete outsider. Yet, the space held a strange charm that was hard to resist. My sister intended to buy just some stationery and leave, but I grabbed her hand and wandered around the store for a long time. I imprinted every detail of that scene onto my memory – an experience quite rare for a boy my age. Even after returning home, I’d recall the sights of that store while at our neighborhood stationery shop, starkly aware of the difference.
Such a feast of intricate, colorful fancy goods wasn’t something I could easily share as a topic with friends. But one day, overhearing girls in my class talk about how they visited such fancy stores whenever they went downtown, I was surprised all over again. The realization that this world, unknown only to me, was already a familiar part of my peers’ daily lives stirred an indescribable sense of alienation and, at the same time, a peculiar curiosity.
Looking back, that day’s experience went beyond a simple memory; it was a moment that shook the framework of ‘what was taken for granted’ within me. That small shop opened a new perspective for me, making me realize for the first time that even everyday objects could hold emotion and personal taste. Since then, I’ve developed a habit of looking at various things with curiosity, gaining an awareness that another world exists beyond the familiar.
School Days
During my school days, I had a hobby I could never reveal to my peers. I naturally gravitated toward the cute dolls and fancy goods that girls my age typically liked, and whenever I went downtown, I would secretly collect them one by one. I knew I’d be teased if my younger siblings or friends found out, yet the desire to secretly hoard them grew within me.
Perhaps the societal pressure that made it hard to buy such things openly actually gave me a strange thrill. The fact that it was a secret hobby unknown to others acted as a kind of excitement for me, and I think that’s what drew me deeper into it. I carefully organized all the fancy goods I’d collected over time into a cardboard box hidden deep inside a drawer. Occasionally, I’d take it out, look inside, and feel a small, private satisfaction. That’s how deeply I cherished the things I’d gathered.
But as the saying goes, ‘A long tail gets stepped on,’ and one day, my secret was in danger of being discovered. One day, while quietly enjoying my usual solo shopping trip, I unexpectedly ran into some girls from my class. I hastily hid the basket I was holding behind my back and mumbled, “I’m picking out a gift for my cousin,” but the excuse didn’t fly with one girl who had seen me there several times before. Along with the shock of being found out, I felt so embarrassed my face burned.
But surprisingly, that incident became a turning point, bringing another change to me. The sense of liberation from no longer needing to carry that secret alone quietly eased my mind. Living with a secret I couldn’t tell anyone, forced to hide it deep inside my throat, was harder than I’d imagined. Suppressing my emotions day after day was, frankly, a burden.
And strangely, after that day, I gradually started talking with girls I’d previously found difficult to approach. Perhaps it was because we unexpectedly shared common interests. I found myself naturally connecting with friends I thought were worlds apart from me, chatting about dolls or fancy goods, and within that, I could feel small but precious joys.
Looking back now, that ‘secret hobby’ from those days wasn’t just a solitary pleasure; it seems it served as a small bridge connecting me to the world.
Strengths and Weaknesses of My Personality
I pour boundless energy into areas that interest me. When I develop an interest in something, passion naturally follows. That passion often goes beyond simple curiosity, turning into a persistent drive to delve deep until I achieve a certain level of results.
For instance, when I was once deeply into collecting fancy goods, I ended up gathering so many items that my drawers overflowed, eventually causing a commotion when my family discovered them. When I developed a preference for certain foods or clothing styles, I would stubbornly stick to just one type, constantly seeking only that. This ‘single-pointed focus’ attitude is a prime example of my own temperament, charging like a buffalo in one direction. Even my family often marveled at this level of immersion.
Once I get on track, my tendency is to unleash indiscriminate energy. This focus and passion have been a huge help in achieving results in my professional field. My nature demands seeing things through to the end; after setting a goal, I’ve repeatedly pushed through to deliver results exceeding expectations.
However, this temperament hasn’t always worked solely in a positive direction. Someone once advised me, “Rather than blindly focusing on just one thing, it’s also important to approach things with discernment and a diverse perspective.” In fact, I’ve gradually come to realize that becoming overly immersed in just one thing can disrupt the balance of daily life and ultimately lead to unexpected problems.
So lately, I consciously strive to avoid leaning too heavily in any one direction, whether in my job or daily life. I especially guard against my tendency to become so absorbed that the line between work and life blurs, paying attention to channel that energy in a constructive direction.
Ultimately, my personality is built on the strengths of ‘absorption and passion,’ while also carrying the challenge of ‘moderation and balance.’ Nevertheless, I firmly believe that if this energy can be channeled correctly, it will undoubtedly unlock greater potential. I aim to recognize my strengths, work on my weaknesses, and continue maturing step by step.
On Values
I aspire to live freely, unbound by stereotypes about gender roles or preferences. As a child, I had tastes slightly different from the boys my age. I remember being naturally drawn to cute, fancy items often considered “things girls would like.” That doesn’t mean I had a female self or experienced confusion about my gender identity. I was an ordinary boy, just with tastes that differed somewhat from my friends.
Yet, the anxiety that this ‘difference’ might lead to teasing or ridicule was always present in my heart. So, I had no choice but to adopt an attitude of hiding and avoiding those tastes. I had to make desperate efforts not only to avoid detection by my friends but also by everyone around me, including my family. Back then, I lived in an atmosphere where deviating from society’s set standards was seen as strange or wrong.
Through these experiences, I became certain of one thing: each person’s tastes and preferences deserve respect, and a culture that honors this is necessary. However, it must never become so generalized that it functions like a rule, labeling those who don’t fit the standard as ‘abnormal’. Such rigid frameworks prevent people from honestly revealing their true feelings and significantly hinder their ability to fully accept themselves.
I believe a healthy community is one where everyone can be honest about their emotions and tastes, where difference is not interpreted as wrongness but is instead respected. Dreaming of such a world, I strive every day to sincerely face the diverse facets within myself.
Reasons for Applying and Future Aspirations
Growing up, I lived in a quiet neighborhood somewhat removed from cultural benefits. Since even school supplies or simple fancy goods could only be bought at the small stationery shop in our neighborhood, I thought that was all there was to the world. Then one day, following my cousin into the city was a kind of cultural shock and a turning point in my life. That day, encountering a specialty fancy goods store for the first time was nothing short of a ‘revolution’.
Character goods bursting with vibrant colors and unique designs, along with a dazzling array of school supplies, unfolded before my eyes. All of it stirred my delicate sensibilities and led me into a new world. From that moment, I developed a deep affection for fancy goods and secretly cultivated a hobby of collecting them. Throughout my school years, your products became more than mere consumer goods in my daily life; they were sources of inspiration and emotion. I nurtured the dream of one day becoming someone who could personally deliver that same sense of wonder.
As someone who has sincerely loved and cherished your products for so long, I am applying for this position with the utmost sincerity. My desire to grow alongside your company has been equally long-held.
Should I be granted the opportunity to work at your company, I will always carry in my heart the excitement and wonder I felt when I first visited your store. I will strive to deliver that same experience to every single customer. That moment, when I was just a naive child holding my cousin’s hand and felt as if I had entered a fantasy world, remains vividly etched in my memory to this day.
My hometown has changed significantly since then, with new infrastructure and shops emerging. Yet that initial sense of wonder remains an unwavering driving force for me. I aspire to be someone who can leave a similar impression in customers’ hearts. I wish to walk that journey alongside your company.
