In this blog post, we will introduce how to effectively incorporate overseas cultural exchange experience into a trade self-introduction letter by connecting it to global awareness and communication skills.
Growth
“I am interested in foreign countries.”
Discovering a pen pal website by chance led me to decide on my dream. At the time, I had just created my first email address, and I was fascinated by the idea that I could communicate with people in other countries just by having an email address. I was so eager to try it out that I left my address on a café website, and I actually received messages from friends abroad. The friend I communicated with at the time was from the UK. He didn’t know much about Korea, and I was filled with a strange sense of patriotism, so I asked him for his home address and sent him some things from Korea. I sent him a traditional mask called a Hahoe mask and a wooden spoon, which is said to bring good luck to the home. Sometimes I also sent him small packages of fermented foods that wouldn’t spoil. In return, my friend sent me traditional British clothing and food similar to what I had sent him. It was my first experience in trade. Through this trade, I became interested in foreign countries and found it fascinating that other people’s cultures were so different from ours. My friend and I built a strong friendship through communication, and we are still in touch. Whenever he comes to Korea or I go to the UK, we make sure to meet up, no matter how far apart we are. Building this relationship made me want to pursue a career in communication and exchange with other countries.
Experiences overcoming difficulties
“Volunteer work that no one was interested in”
After entering university, I was traveling and suddenly decided that instead of spending money on myself, I wanted to do something for others. The book I was reading at the time happened to be about volunteer work, so I immediately started looking for volunteer opportunities. That volunteer work was blood donation. I was full of hope and determined to have fun through campaigns to meet people, inform them about blood donation, and promote its benefits. However, the problem was that the team members who joined at that time were more interested in networking and activity expenses than blood donation, so no one was interested in the essence of volunteer work. Only a few friends and I were trying hard to do volunteer work. To make matters worse, the person in charge did not look after us, so we did not receive any activity expenses. I thought about quitting, but I felt that if I did, everything I had worked so hard for would be wasted. So, I got together with some like-minded friends, spent our own money, and drove a blood donation bus around the country to promote blood donation. In the end, we were able to complete our activities in a meaningful way. Through that experience, I learned not to give up when problems arise and to see things through to the end, and I gained the valuable experience of traveling around the country with a friend who shared the same interests.
Strengths and weaknesses
“Synonymous with thoroughness”
The strength of my personality is that I am thorough. I plan everything I do and act accordingly. That’s why I don’t panic when I have to do something. When I was in high school, I was very active in pen pal exchanges with friends abroad. In junior high school, I only wrote letters, but in high school, I started sending and receiving parcels. Once, a parcel got lost in the mail, and I had to write a letter to the Japanese airline. I didn’t know any Japanese, but I made a plan and calmly did what I could, and in the end, I was able to deliver the parcel safely. Also, when I was doing the volunteer work I mentioned above, I was already very busy with my part-time job and schoolwork. However, I found some gaps in my schedule, made a plan, and did one thing at a time. As a result, I was able to complete the volunteer work without any problems. I think it was because I spent a lot of time making plans before starting work.
The downside is that I tend to be cautious. I sometimes hesitate when faced with tasks that need to be done quickly. My planning and caution have often had a positive impact, but I think that this planning and caution can also prevent me from acting quickly when necessary. I will always strive to ensure that my strengths do not become weaknesses and that my weaknesses become strengths.
Career (or experience that demonstrates your work abilities)
“Building work skills through part-time jobs and extracurricular activities.”
As I mentioned earlier, my first experience in international trade was through pen pals. Through that experience, I became interested in other countries and wanted to learn about the cultures, clothing, and food of other countries. So, I got a part-time job and traveled abroad a lot. It was a great experience to learn about society through various part-time jobs, and I think it was also a good experience to see the world in a colorful way through traveling on my own, rather than with a guide. While working part-time in restaurants, concert halls, convenience stores, and other service industries, I was able to understand the trends of young people today, such as what kind of food they usually eat, what kind of clothes they wear, and what kind of culture they enjoy. I was also able to retrain myself in basic skills such as greeting people politely and keeping appointments. Through traveling abroad, I was able to compare different countries with Korea and learn about their unique characteristics, which inspired me to pursue my current career. In addition, through external activities to promote Korean culture in collaboration with foreign embassies, I learned a lot about the culture of Korea, and it made me think about how to convey that culture to people from other countries.
Self-development
“Expanding language skills”
As a student of trade, I have never neglected my language studies since I first dreamed of working in the field. I believed that English was essential, so I started studying it early in my first year. After scoring over 900 on the TOEIC and reaching level 6 in speaking, I watched American TV dramas to keep my language skills sharp and developed my reading skills by reading English novels. In addition to English, I thought it was important to study Chinese, which is the most popular language in the world today. So I studied Chinese and recently achieved the highest level on the Chinese Language Proficiency Test. To keep my Chinese skills sharp, I tutor Chinese students in Korean, which allows me to continue using Chinese. I also think Japanese is important, so I have just started learning it. By continuing to learn languages in this way, I will become an employee who can be useful anywhere.
Motivation for applying and aspirations
“I will become someone who shares the ups and downs of your company.”
In a sense, trade is a gamble. It is a challenge to pioneer markets that even local people do not know about and to take Korean products to foreign countries to compete. In the constant challenge of going to places where the chances of success may be slim, meeting buyers, and closing deals, I believe that the people who are truly needed are those who are loyal to the company, have a strong attachment to it, and take pride in their work, to the point where they would be willing to share their life with the company. I can say that I am exactly that kind of person. As someone who loves trade and has dreamed of working in this field since I was a child, I will join your company, which is actively expanding into the global market, and become a person who treats your company as my life and constantly takes on new challenges. If you place your trust in me, I will repay you with my sincerity. I look forward to working with you.
