University Job Plus Centers help students turn experiences into professional skills

The Ministry of Employment and Labor released a video featuring singer DinDin using the Occupational Preference Test Type S to identify a potential career as a Travel Product Developer. Through University Job Plus Centers, students can utilize professional counseling and competency reconstruction to translate personal experiences, such as attending weekend parties, into professional resume skills.

For young people facing employment or career changes, the greatest concerns are identifying what they are good at and which job roles suit them. In the "Career Finding Project" video released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, singer DinDin visits a University Job Plus Center to undergo professional career counseling and psychological testing before drafting a resume.

"Turning Experience into Competency"... Multidimensional Support Services of University Job Plus Centers

Located on university campuses, University Job Plus Centers provide various infrastructures to resolve students' career concerns. In the video, university students are seen preparing for employment by utilizing study rooms and learning spaces within the "Sejong Lounge." Beyond simple counseling, the center lowers psychological barriers by providing physical spaces where students can stay comfortably and exchange information. Within the lounge, students, including work-study students, are also seen participating in the center's operations.

Professional counselors advise students on how to select and write career experiences related to specific job roles. In particular, if applying for the IT field, it is essential to prioritize relevant experience and connect one's own experiences to the target job. During the counseling process, it was emphasized that a self-introduction letter must leave an impression on corporate recruiters that makes them "want to meet this person." The counselor explained, "The most important thing in a self-introduction letter is to write it according to the specific needs of each company," noting that one should weave their strengths into competencies related to the applied position.

A New Path as a 'Travel Product Developer' Found Through Occupational Preference Test Type S

To establish a career direction, DinDin conducted the "Occupational Preference Test Type S" via the Employment 24 website. This test, which takes approximately 25 minutes, is a tool that suggests suitable job groups by identifying an individual's interest types. During the process, DinDin proceeded by selecting activities he felt an affinity for. The test results indicated that DinDin possesses an "SE" code, a combination of Social (S) and Enterprising (E) types.

The Social type shows an affinity for counseling, education, and volunteer activities, while the Enterprising type is extroverted and skilled at leading or managing others to achieve organizational goals. In the case of the Enterprising type, individuals evaluate themselves as having persuasive and sales abilities rather than scientific abilities, exhibiting characteristics that are passionate and adventurous yet ambitious. Based on these traits, the counselor suggested the role of "Travel Product Developer" to DinDin. DinDin expressed interest in the role, mentioning that he feels a sense of accomplishment when others enjoy the routes he plans. A Travel Product Developer must be well-versed in all information regarding a travel destination, including transportation, geography, accommodation, and culture, making relevant work experience or extensive travel experience advantageous.

'Competency Reconstruction': Turning Daily Experiences into a Line on a Resume

Following the identification of a job role through the test, the process continued with drafting a resume and self-introduction letter using the Employment 24 platform. Resume writing proceeds step-by-step, starting with educational background and followed by the registration of overseas experience, preferred work location, desired wage, and possessed competencies.

The core of this process lies in "competency reconstruction"—not merely listing experiences, but converting personal unique points into job competencies. For example, DinDin's experience living in Vancouver, Canada, can be reconstructed from a simple residency experience into a professional phrase such as "possession of local cultural understanding and proactive communication skills." Furthermore, the experience of enjoying parties every weekend can be translated into a job competency such as "understanding of local culture through local networking and regular exchange meetings." This is the skill of naturally weaving one's strengths into competencies related to the applied job to appeal to companies.

Through this project, the Ministry of Employment and Labor encourages young people to find specific job competencies through the professional services of University Job Plus Centers rather than trying to solve daunting career concerns alone. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Employment and Labor is conducting a comment event through its YouTube channel, encouraging participation by asking people to rewrite their own experiences into a single line for a resume, much like DinDin.

Source: original video (YouTube)