제 7 호 "It is Not a Spam Message!" Interview with Hyun-Ho Moon from Job & Career Department
Kicker: SM NEWS
“It is Not a Spam Message!”
Interview with Hyun-Ho Moon from Job & Career Department
by Nam-Ho Yun, Cub-Reporter
If you have blocked his number on your cell phone just because he looked suspicious, you are missing out on great opportunities. The Job & Career Department at Sangmyung University is always trying to help students find their own paths. To find out more about his work and how they can help out students, The SM Herald sat down with Mr. Moon via e-mail on September 7.
Would you introduce yourself first?
I have worked in the HR/HRD(Human Resource Development) Department, recruiting and educating employees for 28 years. I have been helping students at universities for 8 years in total. Here, Sangmyung University is like my sweet home because I have been here for six years. I majored in Industrial Engineering, and started my first career in HR department at a mid-sized group company. There, I loved meeting people and supporting them. Of course, I am still having lots of fun with my job. That is why I plan to do something meaningful to others for the rest of my life.
How did you come up with the idea of sending text messages to students?
I started text messaging when I first got here. At the time, I was finding the best way to communicate with students, from freshmen to graduates. Kakaotalk was hard to keep up with countless numbersof students. Thus, I decided to send text messages instead of it. Sometimes I get replies at midnight, or on weekends. Some other times, I get harsh words too. However, after I realized that texting a message is the only way to keep in touch with the students, I became comfortable and passionate about it.
What does the Job & Career Department do for the students?
We help students to set their career goals and advise them on how to prepare for a job. If one wants to set his/her career goal, we have to let him/her know about job duties. We also need to let them meet graduates who are working at many kinds of companies. If one wants to apply for a job, we help him/her through various programs and consulting such as cover letter correction and pre-interview. For now, we try to focus on making programs that meet the students’ needs.
What can you proudly say about the Department?
We send text messages until students are “literally” tired of them, believing that they should know about our support. We try hard to let students realize that they can get what they need and where to get some help. Whether our students are interested in it or not, I can confidently say that Sangmyung University is the only one that its students recognize the name, Job & Career Department.
How does the Department deal with the global pandemic?
We have decided to put our student’s safety first. Consulting will still be available face-to-face, one student at a time. The numbers of participants for our programs will be minimized (less than 11), or one on one if a student wants to. Also, we provide live, online special lectures where the students can ask questions and share their thoughts.
Are there any specific programs you are planning for the future?
The finest feature of our programs is that it is students who decide what we will do next. We just let them be informed about a program’s intention and basic outlines. Right now, we try to focus on programs where students can keep in touch with employed graduates, setting realistic career goals and getting some advice. Also we will gradually increase the number of programs that our students request.
Can foreign/exchange students also get some help?
We have not made a foreigner-focused program yet. However, our ongoing programs are also open to foreign or exchange students. Plus, with this interview as a momentum, we will try harder to promote our programs to them.
Do you have something in mind to say for the students?
Not too long ago, there was an online job fair under the slogan of “where is no, what is yes.”
Yes, you read it right. It is what you do that matters the most, not which company you work at. I really want to tell this to every student out there. You should ask yourself what kind of work you want to do, and which occupation you like the most. Just setting a specific company or a civil servant as your ultimate goal is not desirable. I can guarantee that chasing the company’s reputation and salary is not a good idea if you are finding something you can continue to do even after 60. Therefore, I want you to actively take part in our main programs that show you how the graduates got their jobs and what they actually do. In conclusion, “Finding a job or occupation you really love as fast as possible” is the key point. Even if you are a senior, you need to keep reminding yourself.
