All new beginnings are marked by both excitement and jitters. They are filled with a sense of achievement for having started something, as well as expectations and renewed confidence. But there is also anxiety about doing something you have never done before. There may be concerns about both a brand new environment and an uncertain future. Taken together, they can be described as mixed emotions. Having passed through this tunnel of vague expectations and uncertainty, the Hyundai Glovis staff members who are now in their first, second or third year in the company are no longer rookies. Here they talk about the “real Hyundai Glovis experience” and give some “first-hand advice” for new recruits.
“I dressed up to go for my first visit to the new office building, which had a view over the entire city of Seoul. I remember feeling nervous while looking around the place that was to be my future.” As Manager Oh Hye-sung reminisced about the day before he started work, the excitement he felt at that time was still apparent. Just entering his second year at Hyundai Glovis, his first impression of the company was its “youthful energy.”
“That impression may have been stronger because an unusually large number of people were being recruited at the time, but youthful energy was also evident in the senior employees that we met coming and going. I had wished for a dynamic office life working with multi-talented managers and colleagues, and I felt like half of that dream had already come true. I’m proud of our magnificent new building at Seoul Forest, with our smart office environment, and of working at a company with a youthful lifeforce.”
Of course, no working life is easy but learning through mistakes is a privilege afforded to rookies. Manager Oh revealed that he had experienced some dizzying moments, but that they acted as prompts to grow his mindset, allowing him to become a true Hyundai Glovis staff member, all through encouragement and perseverance.
“At one time, I was clumsy with my work and I was scolded a lot. I felt really bad, but it was because I was so disappointed with myself, not for being criticized. Since then, I have continued to manage my working life with more care.”
Manager Oh Hye-sung is currently in charge of selling non-ferrous metals sourced from overseas in the Korean market.
“Trading involves the business of importing aluminum and copper from overseas smelters, and then selling it to the Korean processing plants. My team deals with the tasks of deriving reasonable sales conditions and concluding import contracts within the frequent market fluctuations of non-ferrous items. We handle the overall process that include the loading and unloading of the product, customs clearance, inventory management, and customer deliveries. I’m mostly responsible for the operations involving aluminum items.”
Manager Oh felt the proudest when he analyzed the business operations of a customer, identified their problems, and presented suggestions for improvement to them.
“In the process of analyzing their operational data accumulated over a period of three years, I poured over and worked with a huge volume of data for a long time in order to identify all the implications. It was very rewarding when I finally finished. With this project as a turning point, I believe I was also able to grow as a Hyundai Glovis employee. I work much faster now! When I first joined the company, I would spend whole days working on Excel spreadsheets or writing emails, but now my brain and my hands seem to be working together at last (laughs).”
Declaring that he will continue doing his best to fulfill his duties as a Hyundai Glovis employee, Manager Oh stated two main goals.
“I want to become a trading specialist, by responding to the countless variables that occur in the diverse areas of trading operations such as imports, loading and unloading, inventory storage, customs clearance, sales, settlements, and emergency issues. I also want to continue developing my foreign language skills, so that I can one day be dispatched to an overseas office in the future. Since my dreams of joining this company came true, I hope that I will also achieve these goals one day (laughs).”
To new recruits – Tips for applying to Hyundai Glovis!
I recommend searching for interviews and reading domestic and international news related to the team you are applying for, and training yourself to collect and analyze as much information as possible. Make an effort to analyze, estimate, and predict the current situation in that team, and to propose an answer by establishing various hypotheses. They don’t have to be accurate. The important thing is establishing your own point of view and logic, and to showing your determination in joining the company, while highlighting your abilities. Since you are already a capable individual, if you approach the application process with confidence and believe in yourself, I’m sure you will be successful!
“On the day when Hyundai Glovis announced its final list of new employees, I was so nervous that I couldn’t press the “Check Result” button for 40 minutes. I finally got up the courage and clicked, to see that I had been accepted. I was so happy that for a while I couldn’t believe it was real.”
Manager Kwon Da-in, who was notified about her acceptance to join the company at the beginning of this year, remembers her first day. She went to work after getting only four hours of sleep, because she was excited and nervous at the same time.
“I’ll never forget the moment when I saw the other 69 new employees at the company’s training center, at 9 am on January 3rd. I felt awkward, out of place, excited, tense, and nervous. It was a day filled with so many different emotions.”
Manager Kwon’s first task was to send some emails. They were simple messages, but she will never forget how worried and fearful she felt about making a typo every time she typed a word or deviating from the proper format, before finally pressing the “Send” button. But whenever her work seemed difficult and stressful, something that gave her strength were her 69 fellow recruits, who made her realize that she was not alone, and whose presence alone was comforting.
Having just passed the two-month mark since joining Hyundai Glovis, Manager Kwon is presently working with the PCTC Special Cargo Team of the Shipping Business Subdivision. Her team contributes to the company’s sales and profits by collecting highly-focused special cargo on automobile carriers and realizing a stable sales structure. This is being done through long-term transportation contracts with global heavy equipment companies. Improving the profitability of the automobile carriers by intensively collecting non-affiliated new cargo groups (bulk, heavy cargo, defense, etc.) is also one of the major tasks of the team.
“It has only been two months since I joined the company, and I have a long way to go since I’m still adjusting. However, I’m slowly finding harmony with the company, with guidance from my manager and the support of my fellow colleagues.”
Manager Kwon revealed that from her first day at work to this day, she feels proud to be a member of Hyundai Glovis every time she enters the lobby of the company’s building. She cited the reasons for her belief that this is the best company to work for. First, you can’t help having pride because “it is a company that anyone wanting to work in the field of logistics would like to join.” Also, you are actually glad to come to work because “the company has a horizontal organizational culture that expands an individual’s capabilities to the maximum.” In line with being a member of an organization that values autonomy and responsibility, Manager Kwon Da-in’s goal for 2023 is to be recognized as a hard-working colleague with whom others want to work.
To new recruits – Tips for applying to Hyundai Glovis!
To new recruits dreaming of joining Hyundai Glovis! I’m sure you feel nervous and a bit lost, because there are so many hurdles to overcome before your finally receive that acceptance notification. I felt the same. But, whenever you feel overwhelmed, try to put your mind at ease by pretending that you are playing a game of quest. When you try your best one stage at a time, you will find that you have completed all the screening process in the blink of an eye. Also, when you are preparing to find a job, you may find yourself focusing only on your shortcomings and tending to compare yourself to others. However, every experience has its own value, so don’t lose confidence!
Manager Choi Ji-eun is presently working as a member of the Property Management Team. Her strategy for joining Hyundai Glovis was thorough preparation and showcasing her experience. As a member of the team that manages and plans the diverse assets of the company, such as its logistics centers, regional offices, company housing, and head office building, her tasks include managing the leasing of company-owned worksites and provide support for company housing. In college, she completed a double-major in real estate and urban planning, to gain extensive knowledge about real estate and to become a licensed real estate agent and urban planning engineer. In addition, she had experience working part-time and as an intern in real estate-related jobs involving housing, offices, and land. As a result, there was no doubt she was a talent ideal for the Property Management Team.
“Even though I had worked part-time, having the chance to apply the theories I had learned in practice, such as issuing building and land ledgers myself and understanding the relationships between property rights, bonds, and various other rights through certified copies of the register, proved to be a significant help after joining the company. If you are a student with a clear interest in a particular job, I recommend taking advantage of on-campus academic clubs and extracurricular activities, to build the relevant experience and capabilities.”
Immediately after receiving her acceptance notification after her long and steady efforts, her good fortune didn’t seem real at first. Manager Choi remembered the excitement she felt preparing her first day saying, “The day before I started work, I styled together an ‘effortless look’ before going to sleep.” Since she was traveling from Suwon, the fact that she had to wake up at 5:50 in the morning to catch the bus before 7 is another fun memory. She does not remember much of the content of the training for new employees on the first day, because she was so nervous, but the large lecture hall and the temperature of the spacious and comfortable coffee shop remain vivid in her mind.
“After finishing the training for new recruits and being assigned to my team, I still remember having tea with my team members, even though it was a short meeting. I remember trying to quickly memorize and match their names to their photos before meeting them (laughs).”
There were moments when she struggled due to the many assignments that poured in, but the task that took Manager Choi by surprise was “processing slips”.
“Dealing with the slip processing system was a little difficult for me. It’s still not easy, but my senior advisor is teaching me and patiently reviews my work, so I’m slowly getting better at it. In other areas, I am receiving even more help from my manager who asks for and listens to my opinions every work meeting. As a result, I believe that I’m approaching my work more actively and eagerly.
According to Manager Choi Ji-eun, “Hyundai Glovis is the best company to work for, because we can study the related fields endlessly and make improvements that lead to a better direction, rather than being satisfied with the present reality.” She also revealed her future aspirations saying, “Since I am working for the ultimate leader in the logistics industry, I would like to study and learn more about the logistics market, perhaps by acquiring a license as a logistics manager.”
To new recruits – Tips for applying to Hyundai Glovis!
I believe the most difficult aspect for anyone preparing to join the job market is the interviews. I remember the presentation interview the most, because I thought about it a lot and found it difficult. My best advice for anyone preparing for that type of interview would be to go about it by telling yourself, “I’m just a talking potato”. Also, rather than trying to show off all that you know a lot about the subject, you should focus on your main weapon with the mindset, “Yes, I may still be lacking but I know this one thing for sure!” I decided to focus on just one area. I then researched it, thought about it, and made it my own. Rather than memorizing a script, I rehearsed my presentation style of talking about what I know and my thoughts. To summarize, make one thing completely your own, and then rehearse and supplement your information repeatedly! You can do it!
“I’ve always believed that the higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment, so I started my working life with as few expectations as possible. However, right from the time I joined Hyundai Glovis, I have only encountered satisfaction, so my convictions are collapsing around me. My days at the company are all exceeding my expectations.”
The expectations that Manager Choi Beom-seong tried so hard to suppress were satisfied, even on his first day at the training center.
“There were more fellow rookies than I thought there would be, and they all looked so cool. I felt proud to be one of them. I believe I’ve managed to fit in as a new employee without any problem, thanks to my great colleagues and team members who have been a strong support. I receive a lot of advice and encouragement often over lunch or a cup of coffee.”
Manager Choi is part of the Advanced Technology Team in the Future Innovation Technology Center. The team researches and verifies the advanced technologies necessary for implementing smart logistics centers, while at the same time promoting the internalization of core technologies. In particular, the team is taking the lead in introducing new technologies related to robots and smart logistics through PoC, and is developing a design and control SW for automation convergence facilities. Manager Choi is responsible for surveying the latest logistics technology trends and reviewing the related technologies. His first assignment was “improving the congestion in front of the elevators when the workday starts.”
“As a common project for new recruits at the Future Innovation Technology Center, an OJT took place under the theme of “improving the congestion in front of the elevators when the workday starts.” My colleagues and I researched and analyzed the relevant data together. We formed a bond while discussing the various solutions, and we were able to achieve good results.”
Manager Choi cited his experience with diverse projects as the key to successfully carrying out the task. In other words, if you have experience in different projects relating to technological developments, you can apply the right method at the right place when conducting work in the company. He also added that his technical experience in using Excel, Python, C++, deep learning libraries, embedded systems, and mechanical design programs proved to be a great help in carrying out his current job.
While answering questions about his days as a Hyundai Glovis rookie, he cited the fantastic location of the company building as a factor that raises the quality of life at work.
“I’m proud of the fact that I work at a company in a location that everyone envies (laughs). This is a dream geographical location for engineering students. I love coming to work, because I can do my job while looking out over the Han River (laughs). If I have some extra time before an engagement after work, I spend it in the massage chair on the 31st floor – life couldn’t be better!”
To new recruits – Tips for applying to Hyundai Glovis!
I believe that knowing yourself is very important. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses properly, to reflect them in your cover letter, and to address them effectively in the interviews. Try to figure out how to make your strengths stand out more, and study how to supplement your weaknesses. If you are an engineering major, I believe an effective strategy would be keeping in mind how your knowledge of your major will be used, and thinking about how you want it to be used at Hyundai Glovis. If you do this, I’m sure that it will be of great help not only in the interviews, but also in your future work life.
Manager Park Jung-bin rarely cries, but she nearly did when was accepted to Hyundai Glovis. For her, life at the company was about breaking the vague prejudices she had about working life.
“I was surprised, because the working environment at Hyundai Glovis was different from what I had expected. I had expected to do my work quietly at a fixed place, but I loved the working atmosphere where communicating was easy based on a flexible seating system. I also found it refreshing that each office floor was decorated with a different individual concept. Everything has been beyond my expectations.”
Manager Park belongs to the Asia Auto Parts (KD) Biz Team, which works to ensure that necessary parts are delivered to overseas car plants in a timely manner, to prevent any problems in the operating production lines. Her main task is procuring parts for the Hyundai Motors plant in India.
“Since I majored in international logistics in college, I have always been interested in logistics companies and the related processes. The Auto Parts (KD) Biz Team manages the entire process, from issuing requests to the relevant departments to place orders for the necessary parts, to setting up packaging plans according to the product plans and orders for parts relayed from the overseas factories, to composing documents for the export of parts, to the invoicing and collecting that take place at a later time. The knowledge and experience I accumulated while studying logistics, such as maritime and air transport, international law, and FTA, have been very helpful in understanding the responsibilities of my team. It’s also interesting to be able to apply what I learned in class to my work, and to come in contact with diverse methods while working.”
Manager Park half joked that she finally realized she was an office worker when she got into the habit of starting her day with a cup of coffee, which she didn’t drink much before. Her heart still skips a beat when she sees the locker with her name on it.
“I feel a sense of security and belonging, in the fact that there is a place and a space just for me. I’m presently proud of myself for doing the work I want to do, with warm people and in a good environment. I want to be able to handle my duties accurately and grow to become a reliable member of my team and the company as quickly as possible.”
To new recruits – Tips for applying to Hyundai Glovis!
When compiling your application documents, be sure to keep the interview process in mind. I believe that if you compose these documents with great care, you will be able to answer any questions with confidence at the interview. I hope you get the results you want, and I can’t wait to see you at the office. I will cheer for you wholeheartedly!
By the Editorial Department
2023.03.21