This blog post introduces how to convincingly incorporate investment club activities into your resume, connecting them not just as participation but as evidence of financial investment competency.
Growth Process
“The Greatest Name I Admire: My Mother”
You’ve likely encountered an essay prompt like “Write about the person you admire most” during your school days. From first grade onward, whenever I faced this question, I wrote “Mother” without hesitation. While other friends thought of historical figures like Admiral Yi Sun-sin or King Sejong the Great, to me, my mother—who silently cared for our family by our side—was the most magnificent and admirable person.
My father worked abroad for a long time. He spent over eight years overseas providing for our family. He would occasionally take a vacation to stay briefly with us, but soon had to leave again for distant lands. Though they spent much time apart, they always respected and cared for each other, and thanks to that, our home atmosphere was warm and stable. However, in reality, Mother had to care for me and my two younger brothers alone, so a heavy responsibility always rested on her shoulders.
Though constantly busy with work, Mother always started her day earliest and ended it latest for our family. Even returning from a business trip, she immediately tackled the dishes and laundry upon arriving home. Only after checking that the youngest hadn’t skipped homework would she finally go to bed. The next day, without fail, she rose at dawn to prepare breakfast for the children. My mother was truly our family’s superhero, and she was the image of a genuine adult I saw closest in my life.
So, from a young age, I sincerely respected my mother and nurtured the dream of living like her. As I grew older and wiser, I naturally wanted to lighten her load, and at some point, I began taking over household chores myself. Preparing breakfast, in particular, became my responsibility. Of course, there are days when exams or part-time work leave me exhausted, making it hard to get up, but in those moments, recalling the devotion and passion my mother poured into me for me gives me strength again. To me, my mother is more than just someone I “respect”; she is the one who steered the course of my life and gave me the strength to live.
Even now, I strive to be like my mother. I resolve to live each day with sincerity and to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to others. My growth was shaped by my mother’s love and sacrifice, and the lessons learned within that environment have become the foundation for my future life. So, today too, I begin my day with that great name deeply engraved in my heart. Mother, you are the name I respect most.
Strengths and weaknesses that helped me discover myself, and the record of that growth
The greatest strength I’ve felt through experiencing people is my ‘extroversion’.
As a child, I had a passive personality. Whether it was because I grew up without a father or due to an introverted temperament, I lacked drive or passion in my approach to life. Naturally, my relationships with friends were quiet and cautious, and perhaps because of this, I always ended up making friends who were as calm as I was. I firmly believed myself to be an introverted person.
However, upon entering university, I began to feel a desire to change that part of myself. I had a longing to experience a more diverse world and meet a wider variety of people. As a first step, I impulsively joined a club that simply drew me in. Surprisingly, that club was the ‘Securities Investment Club’. At first, just hearing the name made me imagine a quiet, scholarly atmosphere, but the reality was completely different. There were people who studied with more passion than anyone else, and at the same time, there were people who played with more energy than anyone else when it was time to have fun.
Through meeting various people there, I realized an important fact. I wasn’t as passive as I thought. In fact, around truly introverted people, I often took on a more proactive role. Especially during department activities or promoting school events, I found myself stepping forward without even realizing it. Dancing while promoting my department or speaking brightly in front of people was a side of me I never imagined before. Only then did I understand: the reason I was quiet wasn’t because of my personality, but because of my environment. By engaging with good people and exchanging positive energy, my extroverted side naturally began to emerge. Since then, I’ve come to enjoy socializing, and it’s become second nature to approach people first and greet them wherever I go. Today, I can confidently say that the greatest strength of my personality is ‘extroversion’.
Of course, where there are strengths, there are also weaknesses. The downside of my personality is a tendency toward ‘perfectionism’. I enjoy working with numbers and making plans. Once I set a plan, I can’t rest easy until it’s completed. I often stay up past midnight, and even when my body is exhausted, I simply can’t relax until the work is finished. Sometimes, even though taking a break could actually boost my efficiency, I tend to ignore that and push myself harder. Recently, I’ve become aware that this trait causes me stress, and I’m practicing adjusting it little by little for my own mental and physical health. Pursuing perfection, but not pushing myself too hard. I’m currently striving to find this balance.
Looking back, I had long limited my own potential by labeling myself as an ‘introverted and passive person’. However, meeting diverse people and challenging myself in new environments allowed me to discover my true self. Through this, I newly realized that I am an extroverted person and that I have a tendency to pursue perfection. Now that I recognize both my strengths and weaknesses, I feel I understand myself better than ever before. I want to continue gaining more experiences to know myself more deeply and grow in a better direction.
Personal example related to corporate values: Kindness and Proactivity
After raising my English and Japanese to a certain level, I gained diverse experience through interpretation part-time jobs and interpretation supporter activities. This process allowed me to closely observe people from different cultural backgrounds communicating and collaborating smoothly, from which I learned and felt a great deal. Among these, the most memorable activity was my experience as an interpretation supporter at the World Youth Summit. Initially, I joined thinking it was just a simple part-time job opportunity. However, upon visiting the site, I found the event was smaller than expected, and the organizers were struggling to operate it profitably. Witnessing this situation, I participated for the first day as paid work, but then volunteered to continue providing interpretation support for seven more days without pay.
To be honest, when I first heard it described as a ‘gathering of youth,’ I recalled my own teenage years and thought of it somewhat lightly. However, the young people I met on-site possessed depth of thought and attitude that far exceeded my expectations. They were participating as representatives of their countries, seriously contemplating their nations and the future. Watching them made me reflect on myself. From then on, I felt a sense of mission, recognizing these young people as the important future leaders who would guide their respective countries. This motivated me to approach my interpreting duties with even greater kindness and proactivity.
I went beyond the role of simply providing interpretation. I took a more proactive stance, reaching out first to guide necessary questions and facilitating smooth communication based on those exchanges. I also strived to be more courteous in guidance and communication, which enabled me to foster deeper connections even with those from different cultural backgrounds. This experience imparted value far beyond mere language proficiency. I came to understand that attitudes like volunteerism, kindness, and proactivity are not just personal virtues but essential assets for adapting flexibly to diverse situations.
I believe this mindset will shine brightly at Shinhan Financial Investment Trust as well. In interactions with diverse clients, the kindness, proactivity, and voluntary attitude I experienced will play a vital role in building trust and delivering value. That week’s experience held meaning beyond mere volunteer work; it became an opportunity to reaffirm my attitude towards life and my approach to work.
Work Ethic
“Sweat is meant to be shed.”
I too have experienced various part-time jobs, but one thing remained difficult to understand throughout that process: how easily people would utter the phrase “it’s hard” while working. To me, work is inherently hard, and I’ve always believed that only by sweating can one earn money as compensation. Therefore, saying it’s hard felt like a meaningless act in itself.
Therefore, I believe that “a job exists to be sweated over.” I am prepared to endure all the busyness, hardships, difficulties, and even fears encountered while working. I will not back down in any situation and will grow into an exemplary employee who sets an example for everyone based on sincerity. Though starting as an intern, I aspire to develop into a new employee who will lead the future of Shinhan Financial Investment. I promise to become a talent who learns and practices diligently in all assigned tasks, fulfilling my responsibilities to the fullest.
Reasons for Applying and Post-Hire Plans
“I want to start where the greatest potential lies.”
Financial investment companies are comprehensive financial institutions encompassing most financial services except banking and insurance. The implementation of the Capital Markets Integration Act (Capital Markets Act) in 2009 was a pivotal turning point that significantly expanded the role and scale of financial investment companies. The financial sector, previously fragmented into securities firms, financial companies, futures companies, asset management firms, and trust companies, was consolidated under a single law. This established the current financial investment company framework, creating a foundation for mobilizing and managing substantially larger capital.
Financial investment companies can perform all business activities stipulated under the Capital Markets Act, including investment trading, investment brokerage, collective investment, discretionary investment management, investment advisory services, and trust services. We believe Shinhan Financial Investment stands at the center of this ecosystem. Shinhan Financial Investment, originating from Hyosung Securities in 1963, has grown through diverse transformations within the financial market over many years. Having weathered numerous mergers and challenges, it now stands as a central player in the financial investment industry, backed by the powerful financial brand of ‘Shinhan’. I believe this represents more than just a name; it is a symbol.
It was precisely this symbolism and potential that drew me to apply to Shinhan Financial Investment. The trust and stability embodied by the ‘Shinhan’ name, coupled with the expertise and execution power rooted in its securities industry heritage, held great appeal for me. As a member of this company, I aspire to be more than just an affiliate; I aim to be a member who brings no shame. I will become an intern who cultivates the ability to read the currents in the rapidly changing financial market, continuously studies trends, and prepares one step ahead, even if it means staying up all night when necessary.
With pride in bearing the Shinhan name, I will maintain a bright attitude while never losing my meticulousness and sense of responsibility. I wish to take my first career step at Shinhan Financial Investment, which holds the ‘first possibility’ in financial investment. I will do my utmost to ensure this beginning is a valuable start.
