This blog post introduces how to effectively weave your motivation for choosing accounting and your values into your personal statement.
My Upbringing
‘Is our family actually poor?’ That was the thought that often crossed my mind as a child whenever I saw my mother, who always pursued frugality and lived modestly, even though my father, a salaried worker, earned a substantial income. Even though the tuition for my academy, the price of my clothes, or household items didn’t seem particularly burdensome, my requests to my mother were often denied. My mother herself was always hyper-focused on the household budget. She rarely made impulse purchases at the supermarket beyond what was already on her list. Snacks I craved often went unfulfilled, and I frequently felt disappointed by her iron-fisted management.
We lived in an apartment slightly larger than other kids’ homes, she readily bought me tutoring classes and textbooks, and occasionally splurged on clothes following the principle of high cost and high efficiency, telling me to wear them for a long time. Yet, young me overlooked those details and found it a bit unfair that she was always so careful about unnecessary electricity or water usage. One day, when I voiced these concerns, my mother smiled and showed me her bankbook. It contained sums I could never have imagined. She explained that saving isn’t just for those without money; rather, the more money you have, the more you need to constantly discipline yourself and manage it wisely to avoid being swayed by material desires and maintain a clear mind. She warned that if money starts leaking away under the mindset of ‘it’s no big deal,’ ‘it’s okay to spend a little,‘ or ‘it won’t strain my life,’ it could spiral into spending beyond imagination. She also said it’s a matter of respect for the money that comes into your hands. Whether the amount is small or large, he said, one must treat it equally with care and value, never spending it frivolously. Only then will it not easily slip away but remain abundantly by your side. This philosophy about money left a deep impression on my young heart and influenced my spending habits for life.
School Days
Though my family was more affluent than most of my friends’, I made friends with a wide variety of people without feeling constrained by that fact. This was because my parents held a strict educational philosophy: just because I was fortunate enough to be born to parents with good incomes, that did not make it an advantage or elevate my position in any way. Furthermore, adhering to my parents’ principle that judging people by their wealth prevents genuine connection with those truly worthy of respect, I pursued relationships based on equality. Consequently, some friends who later learned of my family’s means were genuinely surprised. They said they never would have guessed, as I hardly gave off the air of being a rich kid.
I realized my family background and circumstances could create distance among friends, so I took considerable care not to flaunt it, wanting to avoid being tied to such considerations. This was truly an uncomfortable aspect as I built diverse friendships. And whenever I mingled with other children at their level, I came to realize that having money or not was an utterly insignificant difference compared to each child’s talents, character, or individuality. So I, too, enjoyed free-flowing exchanges unburdened by each other’s circumstances. Building friendships this way allowed me to maintain an attitude free from prejudice. It ensured I never missed opportunities to encounter diverse people in life, using these encounters as stepping stones for growth.
Personality Strengths and Weaknesses
I value actual experience over preconceptions and biases, prioritizing hands-on learning and firsthand experiences. This is because others’ perceptions and my own feelings can differ, and impressions received can vary depending on whether they are swayed by prejudice or not. Therefore, I place greater value on experiences I vividly feel firsthand than on impressions conveyed through words or writing, and I always strive to jump in with both feet. Consequently, since my school days, I have taken a deep interest in volunteer work, cultural lectures, and experiential activities, striving to accumulate diverse experiences, and I also traveled abroad whenever opportunities arose.
Some have said that my personality stems from never having experienced life’s setbacks, leading me to view the world unconditionally positively and actively seek out hardship and experience. While it’s true I grew up in a more privileged household than others, granting me many opportunities for firsthand experiences, my pursuit of diving headfirst into intense challenges isn’t rooted in that secure foundation. Rather, it’s a challenge to test and develop myself across as many diverse fields as possible. That’s why I still strive to experience the world’s diverse phenomena and facets by running on my own two feet, seeing with my own eyes, hearing with my own ears, and touching with my own hands.
Life Philosophy
Live a life where you control money, not the other way around. This is the philosophy emphasized by my mother, who treated money with the same consistent attitude regardless of whether my father earned a high salary or not. Among the many conditions necessary for living, money occupies an absolute position. Yet, its presence can sometimes be so overwhelming that it consumes life itself. To live one’s own independent life, she taught, one must first recognize money not as the subject of life, but as a tool. When money is scarce, its necessity can feel so urgent that one becomes entangled by it. Conversely, when it becomes abundant, its immense power and influence in society can be intoxicating, making one feel as if it were their own strength—a state equally dangerous.
Therefore, the attitude we must cultivate is maintaining a consistent stance regardless of our financial status. We should not alter our circumstances or way of life based on money, but rather become accustomed to using money as a means to realize our unshakable principles and beliefs. I still deeply engrave in my heart the advice that we must always prioritize order, ensuring money never becomes the top priority in life.
Reasons for Applying and Aspirations After Joining
When applying for a position handling finances, the most crucial indicator I considered for a company was the difference between being “controlled by money” and being “a place that manages money.” It wasn’t merely about having or lacking finances; what I found profoundly appealing was your company’s virtue of knowing how to use money as a tool, not just fixating on maintaining the status quo or sales figures, but also daring to challenge bold investments. Your company’s decisive approach, which relentlessly breaks the worldly principle that money stagnates and stagnates when hoarded, inspired me to want to share in that same energy.
I am fully aware that the knowledge I gained in university and the experience from part-time jobs are still rudimentary. Though I have taken my first step into the workforce, I deeply recognize that I am a newcomer with a long, steep learning curve ahead. I am committed to constantly improving my professional capabilities with unwavering diligence. While handling money entails significant responsibility, I will be mindful not to let the pressure overwhelm me or hinder my efficiency. I will maintain an independent work attitude, handling money without being swayed by it.
