In this blog post, we will introduce some experiences that are good to include in your self-introduction letter when applying for an engineering position, as well as how to effectively convey your practical skills.
Growth
“Choice and Focus”
When I was young, I was a child who wanted to do so many things. I was very curious and challenged myself often, learning various things such as art, English, math, physical education, and kendo, wanting to do everything. However, my child’s mind and physical strength had their limits, and in third grade, I became exhausted and contracted hepatitis A. I couldn’t go to school for a month and literally couldn’t do anything but rest. Even at a young age, I realized the importance of physical strength and that when you are sick, you can’t do anything. I also realized that as a human being, you can only do one thing at a time. That’s when I realized that it is essential to choose and focus. After recovering from my illness and regaining my strength, I decided that I wanted to focus on one thing. That thing was “experimentation.” Now I know that I was interested in assembly and design, but at that time, I just liked going into the laboratory like a scientist and trying things out. I enjoyed using the equipment, discovering new facts through the course of the experiments, and deriving expected values through the experiments. What I enjoyed even more was assembling the experimental equipment as I pleased to create new experimental tools. When I created new tools, I felt like I had become a great person, and it made me happy. Based on this temperament, I spent my childhood in the science room with my science teacher. As a result, I gained confidence by winning many science-related competitions and invention contests, such as invention contests, chemistry contests, and physics contests, from an early age.
Personality
“I like adventure, alcohol, and people.”
There are three strengths to my personality. I like adventure, alcohol, and people. I think the reason I like adventure is because I am very curious. I am a very curious person, and I like to explore different places, so I love traveling and have visited many countries in Europe and Southeast Asia. I also find new things much more interesting and fun than doing the same old things, and I love adventure so much that I even enjoy the fear of going to new places. This personality trait comes across as enthusiasm when I am working, and it motivates me to get things done quickly. I also love alcohol. Since my love for alcohol and people are closely related, I think I should mention them together. I love alcohol and people. I like places where I can talk freely with others, and I like the people who are there with me. That’s why I have a lot of people around me. I like to give to others, so I like to treat people to meals, and I have many younger colleagues. I also like to talk, so I am close with my colleagues and seniors. I am sociable and active, and I am currently the president of my alumni association.
My weakness is that I am easily influenced. I want to be a more determined person, but unfortunately, I like people so much that I am easily swayed by what they say. I am a good listener, but I will learn to control myself so that listening to others does not harm me or my work. Thank you very much.
Experience related to the position you are applying for
“I learned practical engineering skills through my study abroad experience.”
I learned engineering while studying abroad at a Japanese company. At that time, there were many applicants for jobs at Japanese companies, but I won first place in a PowerPoint competition held to select the most proactive applicant, and was sent to Japan for training. While observing the process of manufacturing and designing machines, I compared them to the machines I had seen during my industrial training, and I began to think about what kind of machines would be necessary to run factories in Korea more efficiently and export products. Thanks to my good grades and the impression I made, I was given the opportunity to participate in an internship. I found it interesting to learn about every aspect of the industry through products that were more detailed and smaller than those in Korea, and I was able to gain practical knowledge. When I joined STX as an engineer, I began to think about ways to further develop the trading business. In addition, through communicating with Japanese people at that time, I was able to consider the pros and cons of their rational way of thinking. I took careful notes on what knowledge and methods I could apply to my work if I were to join the company. Although I do not have any full-time work experience, I am a talented individual who has accumulated a wealth of ideas through industrial training and study abroad experiences. I look forward to working with you.
Success and failure experiences
“Living the last two years as a business administration student.”
I once attended a lecture by Ahn Cheol-soo. What impressed me most was his statement that even engineers need to learn management. He said that in order to work with a clear understanding of the company’s vision, it is necessary to learn management and become a talented person who can use technology with an understanding of the company’s direction and a long-term perspective. Hearing this, I decided that I definitely had to study management. So, at the young age of 24, I applied to double major in management. My professors tried to dissuade me, but my determination was so strong that they eventually gave me their permission. Thanks to their support, I worked hard for two years to graduate with a degree in management. I had already learned most of the technical skills and completed training, so learning management was something new, and it was difficult to use a part of my brain that I had never used before. However, I am the type of person who, once I start something, sees it through to the end, so I pushed myself to the limit. At first, my grades were so low that it affected my overall grade point average, but I worked hard and eventually my grades improved. In addition, I joined a team that required a lot of teamwork, and although I had to ask people to let me join at first, I was eventually recognized for my abilities, became friends with everyone, and it became easier to work as a team. Based on this experience, I learned about management and realized that hard work always pays off. By the time I graduated, even though I was a student from a different department, I was confident enough to aim for the second-highest position in management.
Future plans
“I will become someone who expands the world of STX.”
If I am hired, I would like to say that I will become an engineer who expands the world of STX. First of all, I am a talented person with a strong spirit of challenge. I couldn’t mention everything in my application, but I love adventure, and the many challenges I have taken on have made me a stronger person. If I become an engineer at STX, I promise to be a new employee who takes on challenges and acts decisively, constantly seeking new things. In addition, I am a talented individual with language skills. In line with STX’s global expansion, I have studied English, Japanese, and Chinese, and am currently studying Vietnamese and Spanish. I believe that it is no longer true that engineers only deal with technology. This is because I believe that engineers must study languages diligently, search intelligently, and be able to take on challenges on their own. I am just such a talented individual. I am still small and insignificant, but I have worked very hard to prepare for employment at your company. I have challenged myself every day, sacrificing sleep to acquire management knowledge, technical knowledge, and language skills. If I join STX, I will work hard to keep pace with the company’s progress. I look forward to working with you.
If I am hired, I will first strive to accurately identify and analyze problems that arise as a technology development engineer and solve them in new ways. I will always ask myself “why?” to find better ways. I will study continuously until I solve all the problems encountered in the production of STX products. Through such study and effort, I hope to achieve my vision of becoming a recognized professional technology development engineer. Second, I want to become an engineer who can analyze and solve problems from various angles. During my four years at university, I majored in materials engineering and studied various fields such as metals, semiconductors, ceramics, LEDs, and solar cells. I believe that knowledge in various fields is very helpful in looking at problems from multiple angles and developing technology. Based on this diverse knowledge, I plan to become an engineer who can solve more problems creatively. Third, I plan to keep up with the latest trends by regularly reading electronic newspapers and academic papers, and develop new technologies that will lead the way in the future. At STX, a global company, I will steadily improve my English and Chinese conversation skills so that I can expand into markets beyond South Korea. In this way, I hope to help STX further solidify its position as a global company.
