1. You succeeded in finding a job as a staff member at Keimyung University. Can you tell us the most important factor in getting the job?

If I select the most important factor, it is acquaintances around me. My friends, seniors, and juniors helped me to prepare for my job. They helped me to revise my self-introduction, corrected my attitude and way of speaking, gave me the latest information about interviews, and held mock interviews without ever missing a day for one month. In addition, various programs in the Employment Support Office gave me tips about employment.

2. On which points did you focus to differentiate yourself from other applicants?

In addition to my studies, I participated in many international programs provided in Keimyung University. I liked to socialize with many foreign friends from KELI House, and I participated in other international programs in Keimyung using English. Above all, among the opportunities, the best thing was being selected to join the 2009 Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean Undergraduate Student Leaders, which contributed to my English. In addition, I used to write English diaries for seven years and participated in domestic and overseas voluntary work programs.

3. What did you do to prepare for a successful interview?

Nowadays, there are many kinds of interviews. Interviewers evaluate candidates through discussion, presentation, and living and working together. I learned a lot by participating in clubs for employment to get familiar with interview styles, and I think it was the most important.

4. Could you say some words for students who want to become school staff?

I think it is important to not just do a good job but also work with a sincere attitude. Your respect for school is key to working as a staff member.

1. Shinhan Bank's competition rate was one out of fifty this year. What do you think was the main reason you were selected?

I am not specialized in the financial field and don’t have a distinguishing ability in that field. In addition, I feel shy when I talk. However, I do have positive thinking. Whenever I started to worry about my job, I did not give up and said to myself, Where there is a will, there is a way. Thinking of these kinds of motivating words, I kept preparing employment strategies and interviews. Don’t let yourself get stress from employment. Just think positively, and good news will come to you soon.

2. Many women want to apply for banks, so can you suggest any special tips to making a good impression on interviewers?

People say the first impression is important at job interviews, so I tried to take a lot of pictures for my resumes until I got a good picture. I wore a scarf and bobbed hair style to make a neat image. Later, I heard from my interviewers my picture stood out conspicuously among the others. Scores on TOEIC and TOEFL are important, but equally important is the picture or self-introduction.

3. Usually, the interview atmosphere is very serious. How was your interview?

The moment I entered the interview room, the atmosphere was like the interview for flight attendants. Actually, I was downhearted due to fierce competition, but the interviewers tried to make a comfortable atmosphere. I collected information about Shinhan Bank through books, newspaper articles, and so on. I tried to appeal to the interviewers by explaining the organization of Shinhan Bank through the information I had gathered. Through the preparations, I realized the best thing for job applicants is self-confidence in what they do for job interviews.

4. Could you give some advice to Keimyung students preparing to apply to banks?

I think, first of all, tellers should try to become financial specialists. If you are a sophomore or a junior, obtaining various financial certificates, including Certified Fund Investment Advisor (CFIA), will be very helpful when you enter a bank. After entering my present bank, I feel like I have become a student again. I have to take an online lecture every day and take exams.

1.What is the most important factor in getting a job?

Don’t give up your dream! After I came back from studying abroad for a year, I started to prepare for getting a job from the first semester of my senior days. To share information with other students, I made an employment study group and prepared for interviews. For a year, I tried to find a job by visiting all of the job fairs and presentations about employment in Korea. However, some students who faced difficulty finding a job gave up and withdrew from the study group over time. Many people told me about the difficulty, but I didn’t give up and I got a good result. I experienced failure sixty-four times, but finally I succeeded. In my opinion, only a person who does not give up can get a good result.

2.What is the key point to success in your resume and cover letter compared with other candidates?

- Differentiated Certifications
Most students try to obtain certifications for business and finance, Chinese characters, or computers. I thought that I should have different certifications than others. After I got advice from seniors who already had succeeded in finding a job and analyzed the trend of employment, I started to obtain specialized certifications like smile therapist, recreation coach, sports massage, and athletic trainer. It revealed my character, so I won the competition with 247 competitors after 5 interviews.

3. How did you impress the interviewers?

After I succeeded in the first examination, I thought that it was not enough for me to analyze basic information about KT&G. Because of that, I made a questionnaire about KT&G by myself and did research of one hundred supermarkets and convenience stores, and smokers. I submitted the research data to the office of human resources and the final interviewers. It gave the interviewers a good impression.

4.Do you have any memorable interview question or episode?

Make us smile
In most interviews, the interviewers ask interviewees to introduce themselves or ask questions to evaluate their ability in difficult situations. For example, Please introduce your self, and What will you do if some bad situation happens? However, I received a different question, You have a smile therapist certification. Can you make us smile now? I already had had this question in another company’s interview, so I was used to that question and could answer more easily. When I answered the question, other applicants burst out laughing and it changed the atmosphere.

5.Could you give some advice to KMU students who are preparing to get a job?

She Can Do It! He Can Do It! Why Not Me!
When I attended a lecture about employment, this was the most impressive phrase to me. If you trust yourself and keep running for your goal, the day will come when you smile at the finish line. Go for it!

1.Many students spend money and time to find a job. In your case, what was the most helpful activity when you got a job?

I think an employment study group was the most helpful to me. I participated in two employment study groups. Through these activities, I got more information than others, for example, presentation skills, interview skills, mock interviews, and so on. An employment study group helps in the real interview, so if you do not participate in a study group, you are different from the people who participate in a study group and practice mock interviews. It can be difficult to find a study group to work with you, but if you have a strong purpose, you can find it. I really recommend you join an employment study group.

2.What is the most important factor in finding a job?

Companies want to know not how smart a man is but how much experience he has. I think I have more specialized experiences than others. Through these activities, I learned essential skills like relationships in society. In a company, harmonious relationships are very important. I worked as a party planner and in a soccer club, and I participated in volunteer work abroad, so I think the company gave more points to me.

3.What did you focus on in your resume and cover letter?

I think showing your passion and preparation for the company is most important. Actually, in Korea, we cannot ignore the gap between the universities which are in Seoul and in other provinces. TOEIC score, certifications, and cover letter are next. If you lack any part, you should get points from other parts. SL is an automobile parts corporation, so I had to show my knowledge about them and interest in cars and SL Corp. on my cover letter. I tried my best to show my passion to enter the company, and when I needed some expert knowledge, I asked professors. Maybe this effort and passion meant that I could be one of the 47 lucky applicants out of a total of 7200 applicants.

4.Recently, SL Corp. and many other companies are looking for applications. Could you give some advice to KMU students who are preparing to find a job?

First of all, everyone can find a job, but at different times. Sometimes you could well experience bitterness and hardness when you are turned down by a company. However, if you do not give up, you can get more experience and some day you can talk about it with a smile. Don’t be frustrated and do your best!