In this blog post, we will introduce ways to include the spirit of challenge required for construction jobs in your application letter in a concrete and convincing manner, using actual experiences and examples rather than simple statements of intent.
Growth
“A childhood when construction was my only dream”
I have been curious since I was a child. My greatest curiosity arose at the home of my best friend. At that time, I was a carefree 10-year-old child who liked to hang out with people without thinking too much. I happened to meet a friend who had similar interests and hobbies, and I enjoyed playing with him. Then, I was invited to his house. It was my birthday, so he asked me to come over and play with my best friend. I remember that my friend’s house was the most expensive apartment in our neighborhood. At the time, I lived in a small villa with narrow corridors, but I never thought that my house was bad or not very nice. On the contrary, I enjoyed living in harmony with my family. However, seeing my friend’s house completely changed my mind. I was amazed that there were houses like that in the world. The height and size of the house were breathtaking, and it was surprising that it was even more comfortable and spacious inside. From that moment on, I started thinking about houses and construction. It was just a childish thought, but I wanted to build a house for my parents so that they could live more comfortably than anyone else. With that simple thought in mind, I studied hard and entered university. In the meantime, my family fell on hard times and we were scattered, leaving me responsible for my two younger siblings, which made things even more difficult, but it also fueled my passion. I worked hard at home for my siblings while continuing to study diligently. I think I had a simple but passionate childhood, with construction as my only dream and working hard to achieve it.
Life philosophy and strengths and weaknesses
“Always challenge yourself, don’t stay in one place.”
My life philosophy and strength is my “challenging spirit.” In this rapidly changing world, I believe that standing still is choosing to be left behind. So, when I find myself stuck, I push myself to wake up and challenge myself. That’s how I’ve been able to experience so many different things. There was a time when my school was recruiting people to assist with a documentary in the jungle. There was no pay, and after training as a camera assistant, I would be going into the jungle with the film crew for two months, sharing life and death with them. Naturally, I applied. I applied, passed all three interviews, and was about to go, but everyone around me tried to stop me. My parents were especially worried and tried to stop me. However, I felt that I would not be able to go to the jungle at my age and with my physical strength, so I finally shook off their discouragement and headed for the jungle. For two months, I couldn’t drink water, my physical strength was depleted, and I was on the verge of death while carrying a heavy camera. I lost 12 kg and returned home. However, through that experience, I was able to appreciate everything I had, and I realized how precious the people around me were. I also gained a sense of generosity and composure that allowed me to not be swayed by small things. I especially liked having that composure. The world looked different, and I became less swayed by small things. In addition to this experience, I am a person who takes on challenges through various activities. At ○○ Construction, I promise to be a person who takes on challenges first without thinking that something is impossible.
Passionate experience
“Volunteer work that tested my limits”
I have experience volunteering in Cambodia for three weeks. It was a different experience from the jungle because I had to meet and communicate with Cambodian children and build schools. First of all, the weather was really bad, and it was difficult to communicate with the Cambodian children. In addition, the construction work had to be done quickly, but it was delayed due to the sudden change in weather, and we often had to sit and wait because the funds did not arrive. People who were passionate about their work became impatient and made mistakes, and we often fought with each other because of our impatience. However, I thought that it was important to stay focused at times like this. So I started doing what I could, one thing at a time. I knew how to play the guitar from when I was young, and I happened to have a ukulele that I had brought with me for a talent show. I played the guitar and taught the children songs one by one. At first, the children were shy and just smiled, but as they became more comfortable, the adults also relaxed and joined in. As the atmosphere became more harmonious, the situation naturally eased, and even though we couldn’t build anything, we decided to exchange cultures and got to know each other better day by day. Then, the next day, as if by magic, the weather cleared up. So we were able to build a small school quickly with the help of the people we had become friends with. Through that experience, I realized that even when things are urgent, people come first.
Choosing my major and why
“Why construction is necessary in this country”
I became very interested in construction when I was studying architecture. When I was younger, I was simply interested in building things, but as I grew older and learned more about the situation in the country, I came to believe that construction was the answer. People think that we no longer need buildings, but that is a rather simplistic view. There are still many people living in poor conditions, and because of the limited space available, I believe that houses need to be designed more accurately and tailored to individual needs. In addition, there are many different areas of construction waiting to be explored, such as individual construction and commemorative construction, rather than uniform construction without any individuality. Therefore, I did not transfer to another department and continued to study diligently in my major. With the skills and enthusiasm I gained from studying hard and designing, I will grow into an indispensable new employee at XX Construction.
Desired job and future aspirations
“Not for myself, but for others, for the people.”
XX Construction became independent from XX Cement Construction Division and established itself as XX General Construction in XX, 19XX. In 19○○, it opened branches in ○○, ○○, and ○○. In 19○○, it received the top prize for overseas construction exports worth ○○○ dollars, and in July, it began consignment management of ○○ Construction. Since then, ○○ General Construction has grown into a leading Korean company and a major corporation promoting Korea to the world. Despite the sluggish construction industry, we overcame difficulties and won the “Best Safety Management Award” from the Royal Institute of Prevention in the United Kingdom in ○○, and we continue to grow as a company that is developing day by day. That is why I majored in construction and chose ○○ from the day I decided to pursue a career in the construction industry. I was particularly impressed by the company’s challenging spirit to expand its market without being limited to any particular region. I respected the company and decided that I definitely wanted to work there.
If I am hired by your company, I will become a person who builds truly good buildings, not for myself, but for others and for the people. I will always keep my head down and walk with humility in order to learn what I do not know. I will grow into a new employee full of enthusiasm and willing to take on challenges. Thank you very much.
