In this blog post, we will introduce specific expression strategies and methods for effectively demonstrating your English and second language skills in your self-introduction letter for trading companies.
Growth
My upbringing could have led me to develop a negative mindset, but I was able to change my way of thinking and always look on the bright side. Due to my father’s job, I moved around a lot, but rather than seeing it as a nuisance or something negative, I accepted it as an opportunity to experience different places. In fact, moving once or twice a year taught me to pack only the things I needed and not to hold on to things I could throw away. I think it was thanks to frequent moves that I grew up to be a person who is good at organizing and tidying up. Despite my positive outlook, the hardest thing for me was saying goodbye to my friends. At first, I cried profusely when saying goodbye to friends I had grown close to over the course of a year. However, when I thought about it differently, I realized that it wasn’t a complete separation, so there was no need to feel so sad. I realized that as long as we wanted to, there were many ways to stay connected, so there was no need to be sad as if we were parting forever. So I decided to cherish the relationships I had formed and do my best to maintain them. I believe that maintaining relationships requires effort. Even if you want to see someone, it is difficult to do so without making an effort. It is difficult to meet the friends I made while studying abroad due to time and distance, but I keep in touch with them through email, phone calls, and Facebook.
School days
I went to college in China. I decided to study abroad in China when I was in my first year of high school, so I studied English and Chinese in high school. The university I applied to offered all classes in English, so I didn’t need to learn Chinese right away, but I thought it would be difficult to live in China without knowing any Chinese, so I prepared for my study abroad by learning some basic Chinese conversation. Thanks to my uncle, who had already adapted to life in China, I was able to quickly adjust to life there. My uncle runs an education agency in China. It helps Korean children studying in China to enter Korean universities and helps children studying in China to adapt to life in Korea. By my second year of college, I was quite fluent in English and Chinese, so I was able to help my uncle a lot with his work. In particular, I taught simple Chinese to students who had come to study in China from South Korea to help them quickly adapt to university life in China, and I also told them about things to keep in mind while living in China. I think my personality changed a lot during this time. I became more outgoing, approaching people I had never met before and asking them if they needed help.
While majoring in international relations, I analyzed diplomatic relations between countries. I was interested in trade, so I organized a small study group in my department and wrote a paper on international trade, which was well received. In order to increase my expertise in my major, I set a goal of reading 300 books related to my major, and by the time I graduated, I had read 313 books and kept a record of them. This will serve as a good foundation for me to demonstrate my expertise in trade. Based on this, I will strive to achieve outstanding work performance.
Strengths and weaknesses
The greatest strength of my personality is my consideration for others. When dealing with others, I focus on communicating with them based on sincerity. I believe that it is thanks to this attitude that I was able to make friends of various nationalities in China. My open mind and attitude of accepting their culture and good points were sincerely reflected in them, and I believe that this allowed me to build trust and maintain long-lasting relationships. Because I have this open mindset, I do not insist on my own opinions, but humbly accept criticism from others. When someone points out my mistakes or faults, I reflect on myself and think about what I did wrong. I was able to grow one step further by making efforts to prevent such mistakes and errors from happening again. When I was active in a small group within my department, I was able to lead the group by gathering various opinions from my friends and acknowledging my mistakes. I will actively utilize these strengths to be recognized as a valuable member of your company.
However, sometimes I felt that my optimistic thinking made me lazy. I reflected on whether I had dismissed my complacent thinking that “everything will be fine” as positive thinking, and I decided that I should do my best and then wait for the results with a positive attitude. This is because nothing can be achieved without effort. I will strive to maximize the strengths of my bright and positive personality to achieve the best results.
Career history (or experience that demonstrates your work abilities)
While helping my uncle in China with his study abroad agency, I realized how active international mobility is. My uncle told me that, unlike in the past, the number of international students is rapidly increasing, which further strengthened my desire to work in international trade. While working at the study abroad agency, I was responsible for general tasks and helped international students adapt to life in the United States. This was because I believed that providing what customers want is the basis of business. I believe that working at the study abroad agency helped me develop a mind for management and economics. This was because I was able to naturally learn the basics of management, which is understanding customer needs. During school breaks, I would visit South Korea for short periods of time, where I translated English and Chinese documents at the request of an acquaintance. The documents were related to export and import contracts and contained a lot of technical terms, so it took more time than translating ordinary documents, but it was very helpful for me as they were trade-related terms. Although it was basic document translation work, I think it was a good opportunity to gain practical experience. Based on this experience, I will do my best to perform my duties at your company.
Motivation for applying and aspirations
T. S. Eliot said, “Only those who risk going too far can go far.” I believe that risk always exists. However, people forget about it and only regret it when danger strikes. In order to avoid such regret, I always live my life with the awareness that risk exists. Your company, which is taking on such challenges, may also be a risk for me. However, I believe that overcoming those risks and becoming a better person will provide me with a foundation for pursuing greater security. I believe that active trade in this era of globalization can revitalize national economies. I decided to study abroad in China because I felt that I needed to adapt to this trend. Considering the importance of China as a large trading market, I felt that it was necessary to learn about China, and I am now convinced that my decision was correct. I learned about your company, which is actively engaged in trade with countries around the world. I believe that economics plays a major role in international diplomacy, alongside politics. In this regard, I believe that your company also contributes greatly to enhancing Korea’s national power and international image. I applied for a position at your company because I would like to participate in this great endeavor. I majored in international relations in China and took courses related to international politics and economics to gain expertise in the work I will be responsible for. Now I think it is time to apply the theoretical knowledge I have acquired in practice. I want to become a talented person who creates the highest value by combining theory and practice.
