In this blog post, I’ll share how to write a resume that effectively highlights your strengths when applying for an insurance product development role, based on my background in actuarial science and practical training.
Growth Journey
“A Child Dreaming of Vocal Music Embarks on a New Challenge.”
As a child, I held a deep interest and affection for music, particularly vocal music. My passion went beyond a simple hobby; I dreamed of majoring in it, and those around me recognized my talent. Naturally, I began receiving professional training under the guidance of vocal music majors and dedicated myself to serious vocal practice at an academy starting around middle school.
However, things changed when I entered high school. My voice changed more drastically than expected. While I could have continued with vocal music, it became difficult to maintain the stable voice and tone I once had. My voice grew increasingly deep, drifting far from my original timbre, and ultimately, I had no choice but to give up my dream of music.
The sense of loss from losing my dream was deeper and lasted longer than I expected. During that time, each day felt futile, and the reality that no amount of effort could reverse it was incredibly painful. My parents, who watched me most closely during that period, felt more heartbroken than anyone and comforted me warmly. At the same time, they encouraged me with a positive attitude, saying, “You’re still young, and there will definitely be a new path.” Their words became the catalyst for me to start gathering my resolve. I realized I couldn’t just stay stuck in despair anymore and resolved to take on a new challenge once more.
During my vocal studies, I had also developed a deep interest in harmony. Harmony was a field that demanded not only musical aptitude but also logical thinking skills—essentially, a mathematical sensibility. This naturally led me to take an interest in mathematics, where I discovered a different kind of intellectual joy from music. Recalling that experience, I threw myself wholeheartedly into studying mathematics. Mathematics became both an important escape route for me to let go of my lingering attachment to vocal music and set new goals, and simultaneously a new dream.
As a result, by around my second year of high school, I had developed the skill to score perfect marks on math practice exams or, at most, get only one or two questions wrong. I became known within the school as a student strong in mathematics. While not at the level of a science high school, I was able to enter the mathematics department of a four-year university and steadily build my skills. After entering university, I became interested in practical mathematics, particularly financial mathematics, and began to concretize my career path. Financial mathematics was a field that went beyond simple theory and was applied in the real world. The fact that I could use my abilities to solve practical problems was a major attraction.
After accumulating academic knowledge and experience centered on financial mathematics, I completed an actuarial science program. I applied to your company to realize my potential in this field. Though it wasn’t the path I initially dreamed of, the experiences and insights gained along the way have made me stronger. My pure passion for music led to a new challenge in mathematics, which became the solid foundation guiding me to where I stand today.
Strengths and Weaknesses
“My High Resilience”
I am someone who quickly bounces back from difficulties. In other words, I possess a very high level of resilience. Even when faced with hardships or situations that upset me, I don’t dwell on those feelings for long; I tend to shake them off quickly. My mind naturally sorts things out without me having to force myself to forget, and I have a tendency to calmly accept any situation, thinking, “Well, that could happen.” Rather than getting deeply caught up in my emotions, I look at problems objectively and rationally consider how they can be solved. By finding solutions and tackling problems one by one like this, I often feel a greater sense of fulfillment than if nothing had happened at all.
Because I have such high resilience, I believe I also possess flexibility in my thinking. I don’t get stuck in fixed patterns; I’m comfortable changing my perspective based on the situation and trying different approaches. During my university days, while working part-time, I was suddenly told, “You don’t need to come in starting tomorrow,” because the service industry wasn’t a good fit for me. In such situations, it’s natural for self-esteem to waver or pride to be hurt, but my first thought was, “I guess I felt that way too.” Since not everyone has aptitude and talent for every job, I accepted it as, ‘Through this job, I’ve discovered one field that isn’t right for me.’ Thinking that way, the situation didn’t feel entirely negative.
Of course, when I received the sudden dismissal notice, I was flustered and wondered if I had done something wrong. But I didn’t dwell on that feeling for long; I quickly pulled myself together and started looking for another job. Later, when I started a different kind of service industry part-time job, I actually performed well and received a lot of praise. This experience made me deeply realize the truth that “when one door closes, another opens.” I learned that instead of getting frustrated in front of a closed door, taking steps toward the open door is more meaningful.
Thus, I maintain a positive perspective in any situation and possess the ability to bounce back quickly. This is the driving force that makes my life lighter and more resilient, and I believe it will be the strength that allows me to respond flexibly to whatever challenges I face in the future.
Internal and External Activities
“Learning Insurance Mathematics While Completing Insurance Development Training”
After entering university and majoring in mathematics, I began to feel doubts about my choice of major at some point. Of course, delving into advanced algebra textbooks provided me with deep theoretical insights, which was an immensely valuable experience for someone like me who had previously focused mainly on problem-solving. Theories and problems that had seemed utterly incomprehensible during high school gradually became more natural to understand through repeated reading and solving of the textbooks, and sometimes even felt surprisingly easy. This experience was undoubtedly one of the joys and rewards of majoring in mathematics.
Nevertheless, the reason for my doubts was that a mathematics major often remained within the realm of academic research rather than directly connecting to real-world work. There were many high-level concepts that could only be applied after graduate school, rather than opportunities to utilize mathematical theory in daily life, leaving me with a thirst for a more practical direction.
After much contemplation, I sought a field where I could apply mathematics practically, which led me to develop an interest in financial mathematics and actuarial science. When an opportunity arose to receive relevant training, I seized it. The course covered diverse, practice-oriented topics, from interest theory to changes in insurance contracts, allowing me to directly experience how mathematics connects to the real world. The experience of applying insurance mathematics to actual product development, based on survival distributions, life tables, life insurance, and life annuities, was particularly meaningful. It was fascinating to directly perform practical calculations like determining pure premiums, calculating liability reserves, and calculating sales premiums, realizing how the theoretical mathematical knowledge I had acquired could be applied to solving real-world problems.
Furthermore, I concluded the program by studying more advanced topics like joint life insurance, multiple withdrawal models, and bivariate analysis. This allowed me to develop not just knowledge acquisition but also practical understanding and application skills. Even after the program ended, I continued receiving reference materials from the institute and maintained my hands-on product development practice. Based on this, I directly planned an insurance product incorporating my personal ideas and created it as a portfolio. This portfolio detailed the structure, mathematical model, and projected profit structure of the product I developed, serving as a key deliverable demonstrating my ability to make tangible contributions in the finance and insurance sector.
I actively utilized this completed material in my subsequent job search activities. In fact, I submitted it during job applications, effectively showcasing my ideas and analytical capabilities. I hope the insurance products I designed and the development process receive positive evaluation. The greatest achievement gained through this process was not merely accumulating knowledge, but directly experiencing how mathematics can lead to solving real-world problems and confirming its potential. This experience has further solidified my resolve to contribute to more practical problems based on the power of this applied mathematics.
Hobbies and Special Skills
“Playing music and singing are my greatest hobbies.”
I once harbored a deep interest and passion for music, even dreaming of majoring in vocal music. Although I made a practical choice to major in mathematics and pursue a career in insurance actuarial science, I have never separated what I love from what I do well. I have held onto my passion for music to this day. The expertise I can confidently claim lies precisely in the field I’m applying for at your company. Generating creative ideas required in the product development process, designing structures through mathematical analysis, and possessing a high level of interest and understanding in finance as a whole are areas where I particularly excel. On the other hand, my affection for music is driven not by calculation but by emotion. Because it stems from a deep sincerity within my heart, music remains a part of me always, even if it’s not my main profession.
Currently, I work part-time at a small theater while pursuing both music performance and singing. Being proficient in both acoustic and electric guitar, I accompany myself on guitar while singing songs I’ve composed. I constantly strive to delight the eyes and ears of audiences visiting cafes or performance venues. The happiness and sense of accomplishment I feel during this process enriches my life immensely. For this reason, even while preparing for employment, I continued my music-related activities until applying as a new employee to your company.
If I am fortunate enough to join your company, I aim to maintain a balance between work and life by dedicating my utmost effort to my primary role while continuing my current hobby. I was particularly delighted to hear about your company’s music club and in-house band activities. I am confident that by actively participating in these, I can broaden communication with teammates and gain energy through music, positively impacting my work. Drawing on my energy, I will develop new products that transform insurance market trends and grow into an energetic talent who constantly challenges myself.
