Universities and colleges in provincial areas are facing great challenges. Not only having difficulties in attracting new students but also showing poor rates of employment upon graduation compared to universities in the Seoul and its metropolitan area. Contests, support programs, employment fairs, study groups, and internship programs are abundant in the capital area, but it is hard to get such opportunities to explore careers and improve resumes in non-capital regions. One consultant from a well-known company remarked, “Students in provincial universities seem to lack the capacity and enthusiasm for preparation for employment.” “Students in provincial universities should prepare for employment harder to compete with students in the capital metropolitan area.”

There are in fact students who are doing career activities well to get a job, or students who have done well and succeeded or are hoping to succeed in getting a dream job while at CNU. We interviewed three of them. The first interviewee, Gwak Eunseo, started her undergraduate studies in the Department of English Language and Literature in 2019. She is now a senior student. The next interviewee, Kim Euitae, is a third-grade student majoring in economics. He started his undergraduate studies in 2020. The last interviewee, Jung Hyunmyung, works for Samsung Electronics Co. Now it’s time to meet them!

▶ The Interview with Gwak Eunseo

What kind of work or job would you like to do in the future?

Eunseo: I haven’t decided yet, but I want to work in the field of broadcasting and journalism.

Now you are in LA in the US participating in an internship program. When did you leave the country and when did you begin your internship? Plus, what kind of company are you working for?

Eunseo: I left on September 6, and I started my internship on September 8. I am doing my internship as a reporter for Radio Korea, which is a broadcasting station and press newsroom.

Why did you apply for that company?

Eunseo: First of all, I looked for companies where I could utilize what I have learned in my major. And the press was a good choice for that. Also, I thought that I could learn a lot from this company since Radio Korea is a big company in California and is also known for being the largest Korean-American broadcaster.

Could you explain your work for your company?

Eunseo: Briefly, there are three tasks that I do. The first one is translating news articles posted by local press such as KTLA, Fox 11, and the LA Times into Korean and posting them. Also, I edit audio news reports that are produced by Korean broadcasting stations such as KBS and SBS and sent by Radio Korea reporters working in Korea. Additionally, I type and edit the script that the anchor will read on live news. Lastly, as a newsroom reporter, I prepare the news of the day, reading it and recording it. It is broadcast when we deliver news about local accidents and incidents. I am practicing now to do this work.

What is good and what is hard about your work?

Eunseo: The good thing is that I can build up my experience in this field by doing a lot of work. Also, there are many snacks like kimbab, rice cake, coffee, and other refreshments. What’s difficult is that I need to be quick to follow up on news articles and send broadcasts without any problems. Furthermore, I need to write articles per the company’s style of writing.

How did you get information about the international internship program?

Eunseo: I came across a notice on the school homepage.

How did you prepare for the international internship program?

Eunseo: I began my preparation a week before the company’s interview schedule was announced. I think the most important things in getting a J-1 visa are the company and embassy interviews. I practiced answering interview questions in English every day in my spare time (10-15 minutes).

(J-1 visa: The J1 visa is issued to people participating in educational and cultural exchange programs. The programs promote the sharing of individuals’ knowledge and skills in education, arts, and sciences. This visa is for students, trainees involved in on-the-job training, etc.)

Regarding your career, what kind of activities did you do? And do you have plans for what to do in the future?

Eunseo: I applied for a position at The Chungdae Post because I thought it would be helpful for my career. Though my reason for applying was unrelated to my interests, it is great that the experience of writing articles for the school newspaper is related to the job I am doing now for a broadcasting station. I am also considering whether to keep working in the U.S. or return to Korea. If I choose the latter, I will take a TOEIC speaking exam after I return.

Do you have a motto or hold any values?

Eunseo: Trusting myself is important. Even if you feel like you are behind others, you still need to believe in your infinite potential and move forward to achieve your goals.

You seem to do very well in finding a job! What do you think is the secret to exploring your career path and being active?

Eunseo: I think that joining the club (The Chungdae Post) was a good choice. It eventually helped me choose my career path. Plus, it is important to find activities and participate actively in them by checking notices on the school homepage. There are a lot of events and programs like internships, job experience placements, etc. Doing this will help broaden your horizon. Also, demonstrating that kind of initiative makes you valuable in the job market. The fact that one graduated from a university in non-capital regions can be disregarded.

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say to CNU students who are in the process of considering their careers?

Eunseo: Even if you haven't decided what you want to do yet, I think you can find a career path by chance someday if you make continuous efforts in your major or field of interest. And I recommend that you acquire common qualifications such as a respectful TOEIC score, computer application ability certificate, etc.

▶ The Interview with Kim Euitae

How did you become interested in economics?

Euitae: When I was in the military, I couldn’t use a cell phone because I served in the special forces. I read an economics book by chance in my spare time, and it was really fun. That led me to read many more economics books during my military service. And that’s how I became interested in economics.

What kind of employment would you like in the future?

Euitae: I want to work in the finance industry. The top of my most wanted job list is working for the Bank of Korea (BOK). As I participated in a monetary policy contest held by BOK, I was able to learn about the great effects of central bank policies on the real economy and financial economy. I would feel rewarded if I could influence society through my work. Next on the list is working for a stock firm. If I cannot manage monetary policy, I want to work somewhere I can make a profit.

You won a prize at the monetary policy contest held by BOK. How did you prepare for this contest?

Euitae: I happened to find out about this contest while I was searching the Internet. And this contest was my second attempt. It was not easy to organize a team at first, but after I assembled my team, every member played a great role. Sometimes their activities put me under pressure.

We met and wrote a report whenever we had spare time, writing these reports until 11 P.M. for about one month. It was an intense schedule. Also, for this contest, I repeatedly read basic books on monetary policy (Macro Economics, Monetary Finance, and Korean Monetary Policy written by BOK). I tried to understand monetary policies and how BOK expresses economic phenomena by reading each book three times. I also read almost every reference issued by BOK.

We covered the subjects stated in BOK references at least twice. Though we referred to BOK a lot, we also tried to express our views in our paper by providing new evidence, different indexes, or different ways of interpretation.

Regarding your career, do you have plans for what you want to do in the future?

Euitae: Now I don’t have any special plans. I am studying the latter part of econometrics, which is not covered in our undergraduate course. I am considering doing some activities that enable me to utilize the econometrics I am studying now.

How do you plan to spend the rest of your college life?

Euitae: I don’t think I will spend the rest of my time at college in any special way. First of all, I will study for an employment exam (to join BOK). Also, I want to write an economic thesis because I might go to graduate school.

Do you have a motto or hold any values?

Euitae: Though it is not a motto, when I am in trouble or find it difficult to choose something, I take a rest and think about the nature of what I am doing: What is the essence of it and why am I doing this work? This mindset was helpful when I prepared for the BOK contest. I always remind myself of the essence.

And the essence of studying economics is pleasure?

Euitae: Yes.

You seem to do very well in finding a job! What do you think is the secret to exploring your career path and being active?

Euitae: I just do all things because I like them. The way of doing things to improve my resume is tiresome and takes a lot of time and endeavor, but I don’t consider the cost seriously. I focus on what I can learn rather than considering the costs.

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say to CNU students who are in the process of considering their careers?

Euitae: I think companionship is important. When we do things together, we can escape our thoughts and expand our vision. This is different from typical test preparation that can be done alone because we often need someone else to do things with at each step when preparing for employment and after being employed. It would be great if I can develop my career with other colleagues. Sadly, it is not easy to find someone to work together with.

▶ The Interview with Jung Hyunmyung

Would you please introduce yourself briefly?

Hyunmyung: I started as an undergrad in 2014, graduating in August 2020. I graduated from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

How did you choose a job in college? By counseling? Or was there any personal motivation for your job?

Hyunmyung: First, the curriculum of our department focuses on semiconductors. While participating in research with a professor and postgraduate students in the third grade, I thought I’d better work in semiconductor production.

Which section did you apply for? And are you doing it?

Hyunmyung: I applied for the area of semiconductor processing technology.

Please explain what you’re doing more specifically.

Hyunmyung: I try to solve issues that arise during the production of semiconductors. I conduct semiconductor yield analyses. By improving the processes of producing semiconductors, we ultimately raise productivity. In short, we improve the mass production process of semiconductors, thereby increasing quality and reducing the significant differences between products.

Do you have a motto or hold any values?

Hyunmyung: I put effort into many different things. Trying to enjoy diverse experiences is my motto.

How do you remember your college life? (Were you satisfied with your college life?)

Hyunmyung: I was really satisfied with my college life. As I just mentioned, I tried to experience various things in college. That’s why I have hardly any regrets about my college life.

I practiced using equipment as an undergraduate-research participant. Plus, although I wasn’t a student council member, I participated in every department event. I was the chairman of our department club (bowling club) in the third grade. So I often met freshmen and interacted with them even in the fourth grade. I was very involved in the RC mentoring program (The school dormitory program). Finally, I received training in Canada, where I enlarged my circle of friends and was selected as an outstanding performer.

What did you do for extracurricular activities―among work in the laboratory, Baekma internship, international activities, contests, student council, etc.

Hyunmyung: I completed a Baekma internship, and I also worked in the nano-lamellar laboratory of Professor Soongill Yoon. At that time, I could realize my career interest while practicing using a lot of experimental equipment. As for international activity, I engaged in a patent strategy contest, winning the grand prize.

It seems like international programs are concentrated in the capital area. Didn't you have any difficulty attending those programs?

Hyunmyung: I didn’t experience difficulties like that. Rather, there were many programs offered near me. So I believe we have many even better chances than the students in the national capital if we apply ourselves to taking such opportunities.

(Additional questions) Do the professors select students as undergraduate researchers based only on their grades? Weren’t there any difficulties using the equipment in the laboratory?

Hyunmyung: The professors don’t regard only students’ grades when recruiting students to work with. They see how much a student has an interest in the area relevant to the research. Since students have to do laboratory work and also attend lectures during the semester, the professors consider the sincerity of applicants the most. In short, grades are not the sole standard for recruitment.

Of course, it was hard to handle equipment at first because it was my first time after learning theoretically. However, not only the professors but also postgraduate students taught me how to use it, and ultimately I could fully understand how to use the equipment properly. Learning how to use the equipment is our duty as chosen undergraduate participants in research. So if you’re recruited, don’t be afraid to ask, participate, and learn in the laboratory. Agonizing about what to do and fulfilling requirements is necessary.

Please advise students in the first and second grades and third and fourth grades.

Hyunmyung: To first- and second-grade students: Experience one thing and another, identify what you want to do in the future and how to further your career.

To third- and fourth-grade students: I want to say the same thing to third- and fourth-grade students. Rather than doing something obligatorily just for employment, I want you guys to make an effort to discover what you want to do, to find your career. If you prepare for employment blindly and suddenly become employed, the reality will hit you hard.

So as first- and second-grade students, you guys have to find out what you want to do. Investigate the reality of your ambitions by asking directly those already employed. Also, have Zoom interviews with hired, older alumni, or contact older alumni personally. And I want you guys to perceive real job conditions. This doesn’t mean making use of official chances like a career fair. You should obtain candid and realistic information about the job which you hope to have.

Did you get any help from professors through the school program called “Counseling for Future Designing”?

Hyunmyung: Counseling with the professor was helpful for me. I don’t know what other programs there are for third- or fourth-grade students which are relevant to establishing a career because I didn’t take any.

Is the knowledge you acquired in college useful for company work?

Hyunmyung: Yes. In the third and fourth grades, I developed expertise and industrial knowledge relevant to semiconductors, batteries, pure metal, etc.

Not only that, the subjects I took in the first and second grades were about overall materials' properties. Indeed, all the subjects I learned in college were useful for the work I am doing now.

Upon finishing reading the above interviews, I guess your paradigm of preparation for employment has changed, hasn’t it? Since preparing for employment means choosing what we will do for a living, we must contemplate autonomously, passionately, and most seriously what job to apply for. Ask your alumni already employed to learn about the reality of your dream job. Check if this is in accordance with your values and motto. And be together with your great colleagues if you can.

There are many unexpected opportunities, but it is common to miss them. We should be positive and finally identify a career. Some people prepare for employment well. So individuals must make the most of their chances in school and elsewhere. Demonstrating “that kind of initiative makes you valuable in the job market. The fact that one graduated from a ‘provincial university’ can be disregarded.”