This blog post introduces how to effectively weave overseas cultural exchange experiences into a trade resume by connecting them to global awareness and communication skills.
Growth Process
“Developing an interest in foreign countries.”
Discovering a pen pal site by chance became the turning point that shaped my dream. Having just created my first email address at the time, I was fascinated by the idea that this single email address could connect me to the world. I was captivated by the desire to try it myself. So, I joined a cafe and left my address, and I actually received contact from a foreign friend. The friend I communicated with back then was from the UK. He knew little about Korea, and I, caught up in a strange sense of patriotism, obtained his home address and sent him Korean items. I sent him a Hahoe mask, calling it a traditional mask, and I also sent him a jori, an item believed to bring good fortune to the home. Sometimes I’d pack small amounts of non-perishable fermented foods to send. In return, my friend would send me things like traditional British clothing or food similar to what I’d sent. It was my first time trading, really. Through this trading, I developed an interest in foreign countries and found it fascinating how different foreign cultures were from ours. Through communicating and building a strong friendship with that friend, we still stay in touch. Whenever they come to Korea or I go to the UK, no matter how far apart we are, we always make the effort to meet. We became deeply affectionate friends. Building that kind of relationship made me want to make communicating and interacting with foreign countries my profession.
An Experience Overcoming Difficulty
“Volunteer Work Nobody Cared About”
After entering university, while traveling, I suddenly resolved: instead of spending money on myself like this, I should do something for others. Coincidentally, the book I was reading at the time was about volunteering, and I immediately set out to find volunteer work I could do. That volunteer work was blood donation. Filled with hope, I resolved to engage in fun activities through campaigns meeting people, promoting blood donation, and sharing its benefits. But the crucial thing was, the team members who joined then were all more interested in networking or activity funds than in blood donation itself. No one cared about the essence of volunteering. Only a few friends and I were genuinely trying to do the volunteering work diligently. To make matters worse, even the person in charge didn’t look after us, so the activity funds weren’t deposited either. I thought about quitting this activity, but quitting now felt like it would make this first-ever endeavor of mine come to nothing. So, together with a like-minded friend, we used our own money to run a blood donation campaign, driving a blood donation bus around the country. In the end, we were able to finish the activity meaningfully. Through that experience, I learned the will to persevere and see things through to the end when problems arise, and I gained the valuable experience that with just one like-minded friend, you can travel anywhere in the country.
Strengths and Weaknesses
“The epitome of thoroughness”
My personality strength is ‘meticulousness’. I plan and execute tasks methodically in everything I do. This means I never panic when tackling any task. My most active period for exchanging packages and pen-pal correspondence with foreign friends was during high school. While I only wrote letters in middle school, I started actively exchanging packages starting in high school. During that time, a package got lost in transit, forcing me to write a letter to the Japanese airline. Although I didn’t know any Japanese, I made a plan and calmly did what I could, ultimately ensuring the package was delivered safely. Also, when I did the volunteer work mentioned earlier, I was already overwhelmed with part-time work and studies. But again, I found a niche, made a plan, and tackled it step by step. As a result, I successfully completed the volunteer work. I believe this success came from spending ample time planning before starting any task.
My weakness is that I tend to be cautious. I sometimes hesitate when faced with tasks that require quick action. While my planning and caution have often had positive effects, I recognize they could also become a foundation that prevents me from acting with quick reflexes. I will always strive to ensure my strengths don’t become weaknesses and my weaknesses become strengths.
Career Experience (or experiences demonstrating work capabilities)
“Building work capabilities through part-time jobs and extracurricular activities.”
My very first trade experience, as mentioned earlier, began with pen pals. This activity heightened my interest in foreign countries, making me curious about cultures, clothing, and food not just in my own country but in others too. So, I worked part-time jobs to fund many trips abroad. Experiencing various part-time jobs was a significant learning opportunity about society. Traveling independently, without a guide, allowed me to perceive the world in a richly diverse way, which I consider a valuable experience. Working part-time in service industries like restaurants, performance venues, and convenience stores allowed me to understand what foods people primarily seek, what clothes they wear, what cultures they enjoy, and grasp the trends of today’s youth. Additionally, while working, I was able to retrain myself in the most fundamental aspects: greeting people properly, keeping appointments, and other basic attitudes. Through overseas travel, I could compare different countries with Korea, sense each nation’s unique characteristics, and it became an opportunity to nurture dreams for the work I aspire to do now. Furthermore, external activities promoting Korean culture, conducted in collaboration with foreign embassies, deepened my understanding of our own culture and prompted me to consider the best methods for conveying that culture to people abroad.
Self-Development
“Expanding Language Skills”
As a trade major, I have never neglected studying language skills since dreaming of a career in trade. Believing English was essential, I began preparing early in my first year. After surpassing a TOEIC score of 900 and achieving Level 6 in speaking, I maintain my language skills by watching American TV shows to practice conversation and reading English novels to cultivate my reading habit. Furthermore, recognizing the importance of learning not just English but also Chinese, the language of today’s most prominent country, I studied Chinese diligently and recently achieved the highest level on the Chinese Proficiency Test. To keep my Chinese skills sharp, I tutor Korean to Chinese students, ensuring I continue using the language. Recognizing Japanese’s importance, I’ve just started learning it. By continuously acquiring languages this way, I aim to become a versatile employee valuable anywhere.
Motivation and Aspirations
“I will become someone who shares your company’s fate.”
In a sense, trade is like gambling. It involves pioneering markets unknown even to locals, a challenge of taking Korean goods abroad to compete. To be the indispensable talent needed in this relentless pursuit of meeting buyers and closing deals in places where success may seem unlikely, I believe one must possess a deep sense of loyalty to the company, a strong attachment to it, and immense pride in their work – someone who would share in the company’s fate. And I can confidently say I am that person. As someone who loves the trade industry and dreamed of working in it since childhood, I will join your company, which is actively expanding globally, treat it as my own life, and become someone who constantly takes on challenges. If you place your trust in me, I will repay it with sincerity. I look forward to working with you.
