This blog post specifically examines how candidates holding an actuary certification can connect their expertise and practical skills to weave them into their cover letter.
Growth Process
“Books and Taekwondo”
As a child, I was a calm and quiet kid. I enjoyed sitting at my desk observing and exploring things more than playing outside with friends. When I encountered new knowledge while reading, I found it truly fascinating to search for related information on the computer, piece by piece, and organize it. I would become deeply immersed, completely losing track of time. At one point, I was so engrossed in new information that my mother would say, “Stop using the computer! Put those books down!”
Concerned about me, my mother decided I needed to build up my physical strength and sent me to a taekwondo dojang. At first, I resisted, throwing tantrums and refusing to go. But what changed my mind was the dojang instructor. She was a female instructor, bright and charming enough to be popular among the boys my age. Standing there terrified, clutching my mother’s hand, the instructor gently reached out to me first. That single warm touch opened my heart. From that day on, I harbored the thought, ‘I want to become someone as wonderful as the instructor,’ and naturally began to take an interest in taekwondo.
Learning taekwondo, I discovered the joy of shouting loudly and moving my body while sweating, and my physical strength improved noticeably. Most importantly, my personality began to change little by little. I, who had been introverted and quiet, gradually transformed into an extroverted and proactive child, becoming comfortable naturally mingling and playing with friends. Being taller than most of my peers also allowed me to act confidently anywhere, which became a great asset to me.
When I entered my sophomore year of high school and started attending cram school, I temporarily stopped taekwondo due to lack of time. However, it was such a meaningful and precious activity to me that I returned to the dojang after entering university. The experience of a quiet child growing through taekwondo and discovering a new self became a crucial turning point in my life and greatly influenced who I am today.
Personality Introduction
“Clear-cut positive energy—I’m a happy virus.”
I’m often described as “clear-cut,” meaning I’m logical and persuasive. This trait began in middle school through my book discussion club. While I joined out of a love for reading, it didn’t stop at simply reading books. Discussing and debating books from different perspectives naturally cultivated my ability to think logically and express my thoughts precisely. This decisiveness showed not only in my words but also in my actions, leaving little room for hesitation or indecision. As a result, I often give the impression of being a “bold and straightforward person.”
This personality proved to be a significant advantage throughout my school life. I consistently took on the role of class president each semester, responsibly leading my peers and faithfully fulfilling my duties as a leader. My parents often recall my childhood, when I was buried in books, and say they never imagined I would grow into such an active and leadership-driven person. I believe Taekwondo was the driving force behind this change. Learning Taekwondo trained both my body and mind, and through this process, I gained confidence and a rhythm to my life.
Living each day with a bright and positive mindset naturally led me to spread pleasant energy to those around me. Among friends, I was often called a ‘happy virus,’ and I felt truly grateful that this phrase captured me so well. As I enter professional life, I want to remain just as positive, continuing to spread good vibes to colleagues and seniors I work with. I hope the ‘crisp, clear positive energy’ within me can reach and connect with even more people.
Social Activities
“Overseas Volunteer Work Through Taekwondo: A Month in Fiji”
Through a recommendation from my instructor, whom I’ve known since elementary school, I joined the World Taekwondo Peace Corps during my university years. This volunteer corps dispatches around 100 university students annually to countries worldwide to teach Taekwondo and promote Korean culture. Its key purpose extends beyond simply conducting Taekwondo classes; it involves building bonds through exchanges with local Korean communities and residents, fostering a positive perception of Korea.
I was assigned to Fiji, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, where I served for about a month. Assignment countries are randomly selected, and being sent to a South Pacific island nation, a place I rarely had the chance to visit, was both a great fortune and a new challenge for me. At the local taekwondo dojang, I instructed students in poomsae (forms) and basic stances, conveying the spirit and techniques of taekwondo while also naturally introducing Korea. Before departing for the volunteer work, I prepared items to introduce Korean culture, such as traditional game tools and hanbok. I conducted cultural experience programs using these items, which garnered great interest and positive responses from the locals.
Working in a country where information about Korea is scarce, I always carried a sense of responsibility that my every small action could represent the image of Korea. Therefore, when meeting foreigners, I was extra careful with my words and actions, striving to demonstrate Korean etiquette and sensibilities well. When I finished my activities and returned home, seeing the local children bid me farewell while handing me cards and gifts they had written and made with great care, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment, thinking, ‘I really did something meaningful.’
This experience was more than just an overseas adventure. The time spent encountering unfamiliar cultures and people through Taekwondo, communicating with sincerity, remains an unforgettable and precious memory in my life. Above all, it was a valuable time that allowed me to grow further as a ‘Korean’ and as a ‘Taekwondo practitioner’.
School Life
“A Thoroughly Prepared Actuary”
While majoring in English Literature at university and pursuing academic inquiry, I chose Economics as a minor. Though I had an interest in literature, I found greater fascination in the process of logical thinking and persuasive communication. I also felt this inclination would better suit my future career. While preparing for employment and building my foundational skills in English and computers, I began contemplating ‘something that could become my unique strength’. It was then that the insurance actuary certification, introduced by my professor during an economics class, caught my attention. Though unfamiliar at the time, I was drawn by the description of it being a promising professional field and immediately began researching it.
The actuary certification wasn’t something you could simply solve by preparing for one exam. It demanded mathematical reasoning skills and a comprehensive understanding of economics and finance, and the subjects required for preparation were far from easy. Balancing this study with my academic workload wasn’t simple, but the very fact that it was ‘difficult’ actually fueled my competitive spirit. Wanting to gain more certainty, I asked my parents to introduce me to a working professional who was an actual actuary, through one of their acquaintances. I cautiously approached it as an interview for a school assignment, but when we actually met, I poured out my honest concerns and interests. Though they were initially worried, they praised my passion as remarkable, giving me tremendous courage.
Right there, I heard detailed accounts of the challenges and rewards during the certification preparation process, as well as the real value of the job felt in the actual workplace. This practical advice, a whole different level from what I knew only from books, provided substantial help for my exam preparation and further solidified my confidence in my career path.
I am now nearing graduation and have obtained my actuary certification. Additionally, I have steadily developed my English and computer skills, so I believe I am reasonably prepared to enter society. Particularly thanks to the advice from a senior actuary I met during an interview, I developed the goal of becoming an expert who designs insurance products that benefit both customers and the company, rather than simply obtaining the qualification.
The path to becoming an actuary wasn’t one predetermined for me from the start, but I discovered greater meaning through the process of contemplating and seeking it out myself. Moving forward, I aim to grow into a more responsible professional by maintaining an attitude of constant exploration and challenge.
Motivation and Aspirations
“I will design people’s happy lives!”
I still remember a remark my aunt made during last Chuseok when the whole family gathered at my grandfather’s house. She mentioned that she had purchased a children’s insurance policy which, beyond basic coverage, offered services to diagnose her child’s growth and development, analyze their self-directed learning abilities by subject, and even provide coaching on customized learning methods. My aunt marveled, “Insurance these days really seems to understand moms’ needs,” and I learned that product was Lotte Insurance’s ‘Doodream Children’s Insurance’. Among countless insurers, Lotte Insurance deeply impressed me by moving toward adding tangible value to customers’ lives. This convinced me I too wanted to become part of this company and grow together.
Lotte Insurance’s mission, ‘Designing people’s happy lives with the best financial services,’ may seem simple on the surface, but it resonated with me more sincerely than anyone else’s. I believe insurance is more than just financial protection; it’s a means to positively impact customers’ entire lives, and at its core lies a warm heart for families. Based on this conviction, I aspire to become an actuary who understands people’s true needs, plans and designs insurance products that meet them, and earns customer trust. Furthermore, by reading customer and market trends and developing hit products with forward-thinking insight, I aim to contribute to Lotte Insurance’s next leap forward. I believe that realizing this mission of designing people’s happy lives with my own hands will, in itself, make my own life more meaningful.
