Life at work isn’t easy. But with each passing year, my own know-how grows. What are the differences between Hyundai Glovis employees with 2, 6, and 8 years of experience, and how have I changed over time? Let’s take a closer look at their past, future, and present.
How would you describe your current company life in one word?
The journey from newbie to newbie. I’m now in my second year, and I’m still learning as I go.
What is the most memorable event of your career?
I remember the first time we were trusted with an important pricing review for an international client, and it was rewarding to be recognized for our work.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career and how did you overcome it?
It wasn’t easy to make new connections, but my colleagues made it work.
Did you have a mentor who helped you solve the problem? Or did you solve it on your own?
When I’ve had problems, I’ve always had teammates who have been there to help and encourage me, and I want to be the first person someone reaches out to when they’re facing a professional challenge.
What’s it like now that you’re in your second year? Tell us about any mindset or attitude that has changed from your rookie year.
When I was new, I made a lot of mistakes because I didn’t understand what I was doing, but now I have a clearer understanding of what I’m doing and I’m working on improving my work.
Do you have any tips for being smart at work?
I think the smartest tip for working in a company is to see the good in people first. There are times in my work when I get jealous and see someone in a bad light. But that doesn’t get things done, it just hurts my feelings, so I’m always careful not to look at someone in a bad light and try to stay positive.
Click on the letter to enlarge it
If you are in your 8th year, where do you see yourself in 6 years?
I want to be a person who listens to different people’s opinions and always communicates with an open mind, and I think I’ll become more of that as I gain more experience. One more thing, I want to be a person who can solve problems by myself, not a person who blames others. Finally, I don’t want to be an oldie. ^^
If there’s one thing you don’t want to lose as you accumulate vacation days, what is it?
Like I said: It’s a “listen and learn” attitude.
Click on the letter to enlarge it
When you think about yourself four years ago, what has changed the most?
I think, in the past I did a lot of things just because I had to do them without knowing the meaning behind them, but now I work with an understanding of why I’m doing them and what they mean to me, so of course I think about how to do them better. I think my attitude has changed a lot from before.
What do you think are the best and worst things about having more seniority?
As I get used to my job, I think I’m spending less time on the dry stuff, but the faster I do it, the more work I get done ^^. Another good thing is that my coworkers have also accumulated quite a bit of seniority and are settling into their respective positions, so it’s nice to have people I can call whenever I need something. Loving your coworkers is not the same as loving your country.
What is your favorite memory from your second year?
I think the most fun I had was hanging out with my coworkers. I remember gathering at the cafe on the third floor in the morning to chat, and traveling around with my teammates.
If you could go back four years and tell yourself one thing, what would it be?
I would tell her that she was so nervous because she was being watched, and I would tell her that she doesn’t have to be, that it’s all human, so don’t worry about it and do what you think.
How is your work life?
They say that people are the most important thing, and I think that’s true. I’m very happy with how well we get along as a team. We get to know each other better by doing hobbies together after hours, so we can rely on each other and help each other out when we’re working and have fun at work.
If there was a time in your life when you wished you could go back in time, when would that be?
I’m happy with my life now and don’t really want to go back.
Do you have any advice for the juniors?
If you haven’t seen the drama ‘Misaeng’, I would definitely recommend you to watch it. I watched it when I was a new employee, and there were a lot of things that I could relate to in my work.
Click on the letter to enlarge it
Now that you’re in your eighth year, what are some of the things that have changed since then?
On the surface, I think the biggest thing is that I’m becoming more of an old man. Emotionally, I think it’s similar to when I was a new employee. I feel a mixture of fear and excitement when I think about my life at the company. The difference is that when I first joined the company, the source of these feelings was ignorance, but now it seems to be fear and excitement that come from awareness.
What would you like to say to yourself for being so loyal to the company?
Everyone else is doing it! Well done, but you’ve got a long way to go to get your act together. Keep up the good work!
What’s the biggest growth you’ve seen compared to your sixth year?
My sixth year was particularly memorable because I moved from a team that I’d been with for about four years, and it was a year of taking on a new role in a new team, and there was a lot of pressure to do something new, but on the other hand it was also an opportunity to own something completely new, so I took it all in and worked hard to experience it, and I think that’s what got me to where I am today.
What has been the driving force behind your growth?
I think I can say ‘people’ without hesitation. Whenever I encountered a difficult moment in my work, I was able to get advice from those around me, wise answers to unravel the mystery of the problem, and sincere support. Thanks to the attention of those around me, I think I was able to overcome difficult moments. In the future, I would like to be more sincere in my work and strengthen my inner strength so that I can become a person who is helpful to my juniors and those around me.
Tell us what you are trying to do to be a good senior.
I think the most important thing is interest. I think if you’re in your eighth year or so, you should support your juniors in their work and quietly help them when they make mistakes, and it would be even better if you could ask them how they’re doing, have lunch or dinner with them, and share your company life with them. To do that, I think it’s important to take a loving interest in your juniors.
Two years ago, when you were thinking back to your sixth year, what was the most memorable event?
I remember studying the introduction of marine biofuels in order to respond to maritime environmental regulations in our business group. It was a project that led up to actual test fueling, and there were a lot of parts that I didn’t know, so I studied and responded one by one. There were a lot of difficulties, but I took responsibility as a project manager and took it one step at a time, and in the end, it led to a good result. In my corporate life, I thought that responsibility was too heavy and burdensome a word, but through this experience, I realized the tremendous results that responsibility brings, and that if you don’t panic and face the problem, the situation will be solved. I still think about that experience whenever I encounter difficulties.
If you could go back to your sixth year, is there anything you would change?
When I think back to my sixth year, I think it was a series of late nights, and I wonder if it was because I was working unprofessionally, but now I have the ability to work more efficiently. Especially after my second child was born, I think I thought more intensely about work efficiency because I had less physical time. If I could go back to my sixth year, I wonder if I could work more efficiently than I did then, using the know-how I have now, so that I could spend more valuable time at work and at home.
What’s something you didn’t know then that you know now?
Work is efficiency. Don’t work in ignorance.
By Editorial Department
2024.03.19