Hi! It's Fio once again. Today I come to you with a hopefully interesting review of my first ever internship.
Long story short, I studied Political Science, so I am relatively well versed in all things political ideologies, history, political parties, etc. Not so much elevators.
I graduated last month, but I had been feeling the pressure to find a job since I started my last year at university. What if I graduate and I can't find any decent work options? What if I apply to the D10 visa and I can't even find a part time job? I am sure most international students hoping to stay here after graduation have similar thoughts now and then.
Last year November, while browsing on K-Campus(shout out to Jandi) I found an announcement for a Global Winter Internship Program at Hyundai Elevator. My thought process went like:
"Internship??? Ok girl, just apply first and see what exactly you have to do later if you pass."
I applied to the Overseas Business Department (해외영업부) since it was the most adaptable to my major (of course I can't go into R&D as a Social Science undergraduate). To do business abroad you have to know other countries' politics! 🤓
I didn't have much hope, but I got a message saying I passed the first round (document screening) and was set to have an in-person interview on Dec. 8th (P.S.: the interview schedule could not be changed). I was ecstatic yet terrified. The day prior to the interview I perused the company's entire website, read their whole wikipedia page, memorized their slogan, CEO's name, looked up where they currently do business abroad, etc. I was R.E.A.D.Y.
The dreaded day of the interview arrived sooner than hoped for. It was super cold, but the nerves made me sweat as if it were 40 degrees outside. I kept repeating my self introduction in front of the convenience store facing the company building. "안녕하십니까? 저는 성균관대학교 정치외교학과 피오렐라입니다...😵💫🫠" The interview was at 9 A.M., and we entered in groups of three or two. To my surprise, the questions they asked were super simple, exactly what I had not practiced for. Some that I can recall were:
- What are some differences between your country's culture and Korean culture?
- If you travelled around Korea, where was your favorite destination and why?
- What were some difficulties you encountered in university and how did you overcome them?
- If you are overwhelmed with tasks at work, how would you decide which one needs to be finished first?
- What extracurriculars/job experience do you have?
- Last remarks, if any.
I was expecting stuff like "explain how elevators work." Just kidding, but the questions were so simple that I almost couldn't remember where I had traveled to before. Anyway, I gave it my best and tried to come up with good answers on the spot while seeming as confident as possible despite being on the verge of fainting due to the nerves.
📌One of my brothers gave me a tip prior to the interview (he has a lot of experience interviewing potential employees): pretend it is a conversation with a friend. Of course, talk with all due respect, but reply as the authentic Fio would, do not try to overly complicate your answers. Also, do not overshare.
About a week later, I got an email. :)
Paperwork Prior to the Internship
As a D2 visa holder, I had to get a permit to work before the internship started. The company sent us a notice with the paperwork we needed to prepare and they provided us with the rest. Once all was collected, we had to visit the Immigration Office and apply for a "체류자격 외 활동 허가서," or a permit they stick to your passport so you can work legally as a student. You can submit the paperwork online on the HiKorea website or make a reservation online and submit them in person like I did. I received the permit on the same day of my application!
Mom, it's my first day of work!: OT Day
The entire first day was an introduction to the company and the Global Internship Program. We briefly learned the history of the Hyundai Corporation, took an MBTI test(the official one), did several ice breakers, set up our work computers, got our name tags, and had lunch at the company's cafeteria + went to a nearby café. They also prepared some 입사 선물 (gifts for joining the company) for us! My favorite was the pack of business cards.
Moving On to Our Departments
On the second day, we all moved on to our respective departments. Within the Overseas Sales Department, I was assigned to the Americas/Europe Team. I met the Team Leader, other team members, the Department Director, and my mentor (turns out that the people who were going to be our mentors were the ones who interviewed us, so it wasn't our first ever meeting). That day we had lunch with all the Team Leaders and the Director (We: Me and another intern from the Asia Team).
The first week I didn't get assigned specific tasks and instead was told to just look around the company website and learn as much as possible about elevators, the business they do, which countries they sell to, etc. The second week we rested due to 설날(Lunar New Year). After that, I was afraid I wasn't going to get asked to do anything, so I kept on begging my mentor to give me just something to do that would be useful to them. Soon enough, other team members noticed I was eager to help, so they began giving me work: make a PPT, translate documents, research rival companies in markets of interest and make presentations of that, etc. I gave my best and more for every little mission I was given, and soon enough the Team Leader himself started asking me to research certain things and make PPTs or organize information on Excel for him.
Visiting the Factory
