This is a collection of character, responsibility, and leadership pillars and examples to help you write your cover letter. Use these examples to help you craft a confident cover letter that effectively expresses your strengths.
Flexible and responsible
Caring and flexible. When working on team projects in my major classes, I was able to successfully lead them because I was considerate and flexible enough to take into account the needs of others rather than insisting on my own opinion.
Because of my flexible communication skills, I was able to give each of my teammates a chance to express themselves well, and I was able to moderate my opinions to reach a consensus that everyone was satisfied with. I was considerate and supportive of my teammates, making sure that no one was left behind so that everyone could get a good grade.
Proactive and responsible. When I was in college, I had a part-time data entry job at a tax accountant’s office during my vacations. I was in charge of filling out slips and bookkeeping, and because I have a fast hand, I always finished what I was asked to do before quitting time. However, I decided that it would be better for me to learn and experience the work of the staff by helping them rather than sitting around and waiting for quitting time, so I went around asking the staff if there was anything I could help with or give them instructions. This proactive nature brought jokes and laughter to the quiet office, and I was trusted and loved by the staff.
Highly curious and responsible to get things done
I am highly curious and take responsibility for completing tasks that are entrusted to me. In the process of satisfying my curiosity, I think I was able to grow intellectually and strengthen my willpower. I remember staying up all night studying and searching for materials because I was determined to figure it out. I am a person who is determined to accomplish what I set out to do, and I am also thorough in preparing for the execution of my plans. After deciding that I wanted to work in the trading business, I studied Chinese and enrolled in the Chinese department to improve my Chinese language skills, and now I am learning Japanese to improve my language skills as a trader. In addition, to acquire economic knowledge and trade-related knowledge, I constantly subscribe to economic journals to analyze the market, and I have been studying economics books to solidify my basic knowledge of trade.
There are times when my determination to accomplish what I have planned turns into over-ambition, which makes me feel extremely stressed about my work. I don’t think this helps me perform my job efficiently, so I’m always mindful of not being overly ambitious.
I think I have an extraordinary sense of responsibility
I would dare to say that I am more responsible than most of my friends, because if I didn’t have that sense of responsibility, I wouldn’t have dropped out of high school. As the eldest son, I didn’t want to just go through high school on the dole and flounder while my family was failing. I wanted to work a little bit more and give back to my parents somehow. My parents told me not to do that, to study, and that I didn’t have to go that far, but I didn’t think I could do that. So I took the plunge and dropped out and started working. At that time, the amount of money I could earn for a full day’s work in a paper mill was 1.5 million won, including overtime and special allowances. I gave all of that money to my parents, except for bus fare, and I still remember the first time they cried when they received it. I worked like that until I took an honorable retirement, and now I’m here, and it was a family effort. I’m a very responsible person because of that.
One of my disadvantages is that when I’m working, I’m so engrossed in my work that I don’t listen to people very well, because I think once I start working, I have to do it, so if people around me tell me that they’re sick or that it’s hard, I tend to be a little bit cold and tell them that they shouldn’t do that and that they should work, so I’ve been called a little bit cold, but at other times, I tend to play and laugh with people, so they’re very understanding. I’m trying to think of ways to turn my disadvantages into advantages.
Responsible personality and leadership
I am a responsible person with leadership qualities who leads others. I think this is largely influenced by my father. He always thought of his family before himself, and he always believed in them. I realized that this belief is the foundation of leadership, and I strive to give belief to those around me. I believe that helping others build faith in me is a responsible attitude, so I have lived my life by taking responsibility for the work that I do. I also believe that I have the ability to reassure my team members and inspire them to believe that no matter what challenges they face, they can overcome them. I believe that a leader is someone who fosters cooperation among members so that they have the will to achieve their goals and are passionate about them. Based on this idea, I served as a class president every year in middle and high school, and as a student council president in college. By taking on the role of leading others, I realized that I must be able to listen to the opinions of members. I also realized that I must humbly accept criticism of myself, which I believe will be a great advantage in my social life.
I’m a very principled person because I think it’s the foundation of what I believe in, but I’ve come to realize that it can also make me seem a little inflexible. I think it’s important to be principled, and I’m not a high-minded or inflexible person, but I’m willing to be flexible within reason to create better results.
I value principles and have a strong sense of responsibility
Thanks to my father, who told me that a man’s friends are more than his pride, I was very loyal to my friends from a young age and thought a lot about the loyalty between friends. Fortunately, because I like to socialize and have a positive personality, I had a lot of friends around me, and I quickly learned about different types of people. When you get together with a lot of people, there are some people who disappoint you unexpectedly and some people who appreciate you too much. Of course, I want to be in the group of people who meet my expectations and always lead to a good relationship, but people’s hearts are not always the same, so I also disappoint some people, but I think the more important thing is not whether I am disappointed or not, but how I can deal with such a situation and continue the relationship afterwards. So when something happens between people, I try to listen to their stories and reasons until the end without judging them in isolation.
I’m a very principled person and I have a strong sense of responsibility. I have a tendency to be passionate and sincere about things that I set my mind to, to the point where I sometimes feel foolish. In my day-to-day life, this aspect of me can be uncomfortably overwhelming, but I think it’s necessary to have this kind of focus and attachment when it comes to work, especially for people like me who work in production facilities.
When I start something, I finish it
One of the best things about my personality is that when I start something, I finish it. It would have been better if I was a know-it-all, but basically, I don’t think I’m one of those smart-headed people who knows one thing and knows ten things, but I’m just a normal person who gets exactly what I do, which is not too much. But the reason why I was able to graduate from college in a better condition than most of my friends, and I was able to save money, is because I’m the kind of person who, once I start something, I finish it, and I don’t do anything else until I finish it, and that’s why I finished Chinese when my friends were switching between English and Japanese. I realized that if I switched to something else halfway through, I would end up with something unfinished, so I finished it and ended up with the highest level of certification, which was Mandarin 5. This is the kind of person I am, once I start something, I finish it, and if you believe me, I will show you that I can do the same thing when I join your company.
The downside is that once I start something, I don’t look around, I think it’s because I tend to get immersed in my work, so I’m trying to become a more giving and friendly person in private, even if I’m a bit hard in public.
I start one thing and see it through to the end
The good thing about my personality is that I start things and I finish them. From my own experience, I don’t think I’m a person with a big brain or a high IQ, and I don’t have the gift of memorizing everything I see at first, but I tend to start something and finish it, even if I’m a little clumsy at first. So, when I buy a diary, I tend to write in it until the end, and I don’t change it halfway through, and I don’t lose my notebook or notebook. When I study, even if it’s not my favorite subject, I start from the beginning, do my best, and eventually get a good grade. I once minored in philosophy because I wanted to learn more about the humanities while studying business, but the more I studied, the more I realized that it was an obscure subject, and I couldn’t read or think as well as other majors, so I fell further and further behind. On days when I had to take a philosophy class, I would get so stressed out that my head would hurt. However, I thought that the synergy of mastering the subject would be great, so I tried to do my best, even if it meant getting a bad grade or being ignored by the professor. As a result, my grades were not good, but my attendance was perfect, and I was recognized by the professor and given the opportunity to take a graduate seminar. In this way, I am a person who sees the end once I start, and I have a certain persistence to see things through until I know them, so I am confident that you will also learn diligently and eventually do better than anyone else.
The downside of my personality is that I’m very sociable, which is usually a plus. You’re good with people, you’re a good conversationalist, and you can have fun talking to people you’ve never met before. However, you like people so much that you sometimes can’t say no to favors. I don’t think this is good as a worker, so I’m trying to learn to say no in a more conciliatory way as I work.
A self-reliant person with leadership skills
Since elementary school, I have always enjoyed socializing with friends, and because of my outgoing personality, I have often taken on the role of leading my classmates in school assemblies and clubs. I have shown leadership in reconciling diverse opinions by gathering opinions from my classmates, gaining consensus, and articulating the overall position. In clubs, I always took the lead, never sought the limelight, and did the dirty work whether people recognized it or not. This behavior and attitude earned me the trust and support of my friends, and I took on leadership roles representing the organization wherever I went.
My parents taught me to be independent; they weren’t the kind of parents who would buy me anything I wanted just because I said so, but they would make sure that I knew why I needed it and how I would use it. Not only that, but even if they gave me permission to have it, they would make sure that I paid for it. When I wanted to buy soccer shoes instead of my usual sneakers because I love soccer, I paid 5% of the cost of the soccer shoes. As I grew up, I realized that I had to earn my own money, so I started earning my own money in high school by working various part-time jobs. When I wanted something, like a computer, I would plan it out and save up for months to get it. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of getting something I really wanted under my own power, even if it took a little time, was unparalleled. This process of growing up helped me develop into a leader and a self-reliant person.
Responsible for following through on tasks to completion
I am a person who is responsible for completing the tasks entrusted to me to the end. I also have the mindset that I will fulfill the tasks entrusted to me because I believe that the expectations are placed on me. As a professional’s work is judged not only on how faithfully they perform their assigned tasks, but also on how proactively they can find and accomplish tasks within the scope of what they are entrusted with, I try to find and do what I need to do in every corner of the space I am entrusted with with the same exuberance I felt when I was first given my own room by my parents. I also feel proud when I find something that the work system hasn’t thought of and solve it at my discretion.
I’m not just an administrative person, I have a job that encompasses the entire space that I’m in charge of, and that’s why I always have to look at every nook and cranny with love and determination. It’s like the whole store runs on my name, so to speak, and what happens inside my area is something that I have to take responsibility for. This same personality is what drives me to do my share of the work at home and in my social relationships without running away.
I am a person of integrity and take responsibility for my work
I am a person of integrity and take responsibility for my work. This is one of the reasons why I have been recognized as a person who can be trusted. I was also recognized by my colleagues and was given the role of team leader in a short period of time. I believe that being a team leader is not only about competence, but also about responsibility. My responsible personality has helped me to lead my team members to work together to achieve our goals. When we work together, we talk about the goals at hand and discuss specific plans to achieve them, making sure that each member of the team feels accountable. By making sure that each member of the team knows how important they are to the team, we are able to create an atmosphere of cooperation, which leads to good results.
Listening to others is another strength of mine. I don’t talk a lot, but rather listen to what the other person has to say, which helps us to gather a lot of ideas. Being able to objectively criticize my own ideas and humbly accept criticism from others has had a great impact on my work performance. I am a person who focuses on achieving cooperation among members based on the idea of working together rather than doing things alone.
A tendency to get things done quickly. You pride yourself on being quick and accurate, but sometimes you make mistakes by rushing things. I will strive to be more accurate in addition to being quick, so that I can be a high-performing employee.
A person who overcomes disadvantages
I don’t judge people by their economic status, and I treat people without prejudice. If my childhood had continued, it would have been difficult for me to fully understand people who were not as fortunate. However, having lived through both prosperous and difficult times, I have learned that I should not judge people based on their material possessions or outward appearance. This has allowed me to approach people without prejudice, which has made me more supportive and welcomed by my friends.
Because of my outgoing personality, I am good at mediating conflicts among my friends.
In college, when I was working on team projects in my major classes, as a team leader, I was able to recognize my teammates and assign them roles that suited their personalities so that they could work together to produce good results without conflict or antagonism.
My optimistic and easy-going personality has always had a disadvantage of not paying attention to details, which was pointed out to me in my childhood, but I was able to overcome this by studying programming languages in earnest since middle school. At first, I often made errors when programming because I kept skipping and typing incorrectly. I realized that rushing and hurrying was the problem, and I was able to overcome this disadvantage by making a habit of checking each step thoroughly and taking notes.
Persistence, patience, and insatiable curiosity
My persistence, patience, and insatiable curiosity led me to study in the United States because I wanted to experience the wider world. When I first went to the US, I was surprised to realize that my English was terrible. In Korea, I was somewhat confident in my English and thought I was good at it, but when I arrived in the U.S., I realized that my English was not good enough because of the unfamiliar environment. Therefore, as soon as I arrived in the U.S., I made a concerted effort to conquer the English language. I recorded my professors’ lectures and listened to them repeatedly when I got home, and I practiced articulating my thoughts clearly in English through endless discussions with my friends. Through these efforts, I was able to get an A+ grade for the whole semester, which I believe was possible because of my persistence and confidence in my ability to persevere.
When it comes to interpersonal relationships, I’m the type of person who stays with people who I can share a deep connection with rather than having a large group of friends. I’m a cheerful, positive person, and I’m easy to get along with, so I can talk to strangers without feeling awkward. I developed a deep friendship with my British roommate while studying abroad. We were able to rely on each other to get through the difficulties of studying abroad from the very beginning. I think my meticulous and attentive nature opened up my roommate’s heart. He was initially very awkward with my care and attention. Perhaps they thought I was invading their privacy, but I took the time to be honest with them about my lack of understanding of their culture, and as we cleared up misunderstandings, we were able to grow closer rapidly. I think it’s best to be honest, because hiding your feelings under the guise of being considerate can lead to conflict, and I’m sure my candor will help you build relationships with your coworkers as well.
Someone who overcomes challenges with a cheerful and positive personality
I have a bright and positive personality. I don’t panic when I encounter difficulties in my work, but rather look for solutions. I’m optimistic by nature, so I’ve never had a lot of worries. I think that worry and trouble are relative. What’s nothing to me can be a big worry to someone else, and what’s nothing to someone else can be a big worry to me, so I think that worry is solved by mindset. That’s why I don’t have any worries. Because I don’t think of it as a problem, I think of it as something that will be solved. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a cheerful, positive, greeting person. In fact, when I was active in a mountaineering club, I would greet new members out loud, and they would feel close to me and ask me for help, because greeting is the beginning of a relationship. I believe that greetings have the power to connect people, and I think that’s why I’ve been described by many people as “someone you want to be close to”.
I have a strong tendency to get along with people around me, and I’m not good at saying no when I’m asked to do something. This sometimes comes across as indecisiveness. I think it can come across as indecisive because I don’t know what to say when I have to say no because it’s something I can’t help with, and I don’t think it’s helpful to the other person or to me. I will try to work on these aspects to become a more complete person.
I’m an energetic person who tries my best at what I do
Having an energetic personality has the advantage of maintaining good interpersonal relationships with those around you. I have been evaluated as an exemplary student and a sociable colleague because I do my best and am considerate of others. I believe this is the basis for my leadership skills, which are to create harmony within a team and to increase synergy through cooperation. I believe that leadership is nothing but a unity builder. I believe that leadership is to increase efficiency by having a common goal together and providing a basis for cooperation to fulfill that goal. This type of leadership has not only improved my performance in school, such as team work, but has also contributed to my efficiency in the workplace. I believe these strengths would be a great asset to any organization.
However, there are times when I can be overly driven to perfection, which can be time-consuming and exhausting for those around me. While this is a great advantage in terms of reducing mistakes, I believe it can ultimately lead to inefficiencies. I believe that too much of anything is best, and I will always be mindful of maximizing the benefits of my perfectionism and meticulousness to benefit your organization.
I have a positive attitude and do my best at what I do
Having a positive attitude and giving my best to every task is a great strength of mine. When faced with a difficult task or starting something new, I don’t get intimidated or frustrated beforehand, but take on the challenge with the confidence that I “can do it.” I have a lot of friends around me because I take responsibility and actively participate in tasks, which I believe gives them confidence in me. I also have leadership skills, having been class president for three years in high school. This led me to think about the qualities that a leader should have, and after three years of thinking about it, I came up with my own definition of a leader: listening to the members and making the right decision. I also realized that it is difficult to get everyone to agree, but it is important to have the ability to make sure that no one complains about the decision. Therefore, I always make a habit of taking notes of important things when talking to my friends.
I have the advantage of being sociable and considerate. I’m often told, “I feel like I know you from somewhere,” because of my ability to approach strangers and make them feel like I’ve met them before. I think that’s because I approach people with a sense of familiarity.
Sometimes I can get so wrapped up in one thing that I forget to take care of other things. I think that’s a downside of doing my job, so I try to prioritize my work. This will help me to complete all my tasks on time and with perfection.
A positive personality that values the little things
My positive personality that values the little things is my biggest strength. When I was frustrated by the lack of movement in my limbs after my car accident, I believe my positive personality played an active role in my rehabilitation. I never thought that I would be as healthy as I am today, as I was anxious about whether I would be disabled forever. But I calmed my anxiety and instead decided that I would get better, and I worked hard to rehabilitate myself to the best of my ability. As a result, I am stronger than before. I think it’s important to know the value of what you have, not what you regret after you lose it, so I value what I have and strive to improve it. A positive life attitude is also something that everyone knows is important, but it’s not easy to maintain. I want to be the kind of person who always has a positive life attitude and transmits bright energy to those around me.
I am meticulous. I got my painting certification in college while I was involved in a Habitat for Humanity volunteer club because I wanted to be able to offer more professional help. I went to a school to get my certification, and my teacher complimented me on my meticulousness. The wallpaper in my house is of such a high standard that I could put it up myself. I’ve received many other compliments on my meticulous work. I’ll strive to bring my meticulousness and positive attitude to your work, so that you can be the best you can be. However, sometimes my meticulousness can be overwhelming and a burden to others. This is because I’m overly eager to get things done perfectly. I’ll be mindful of overpaying.
Happiness is a state of mind
People often ask me the secret to my always smiling face, and my answer is that I believe that happiness is a state of mind, and that it shows on your face. In fact, I believe that I have a positive and optimistic mindset because I live my life with integrity, and I am confident that even if I encounter difficulties, I will be able to overcome them quickly, which is why I am always cheerful and confident. In addition, I value trust between people the most, and I treat people with a pure heart because I am not deceitful. I think this attitude of mine is reflected in the image of a person who always has a bright side to the people around me. I like people, and I like dealing with people and working with people. I think it’s a great strength of mine to be able to get everyone to cooperate with me and help me achieve the best results in my work efficiently. Also, I’ve been interested in various social issues since college and have been able to develop the habit of thinking logically, so I’m often told that I’m an excellent speaker.
However, there are some people who say that being overly trusting of people can be a disadvantage. However, as my parents have always taught me that without faith in the world of people, there is no further development, I don’t think that my trust in people is a big disadvantage. On the contrary, I think that if you approach people with tinted glasses, you will have more problems. With my faith in people and bright image, I am confident that I will do a good job in your company.
Energetic personality, quick to reflect
I’m a lively person, but I still have a bit of my old personality, and I sometimes overthink things. I try to turn my lack of sensitivity into a coverable trait when dealing with a lot of people. I’ve been able to develop a personality that allows me to casually talk to others and take the initiative, but when I get a negative reaction from someone, I think it’s because it reminds me of the times when I was teased for being a mamabo.
I tend to keep such reactions to myself and not show them outwardly, but there are times when I feel like I can’t help it. I sometimes wonder if things will go back to the way they were, and even though I have a lot of friends and accomplishments, I sometimes feel insecure. However, I can’t stay stuck, so it’s a shortcoming that I want to change in my own way. If I’m sensitive enough to react quickly to the slightest negative reaction from others, I’d like to be able to recognize my insensitivity or slip of the tongue before it hurts someone else, and I’d like to be able to self-reflect faster than anyone else.
Jovial yet determined
You have a jovial personality and are always having fun. I’m good at making people laugh with my sense of humor and warming up even stiff atmospheres, which is why there are always a lot of people around me.
I also have a strong sense of judgment. I always have a good laugh and am comfortable and approachable with everyone, but when it comes to making important decisions, I use my judgment.
She is cautious and meticulous, and will do things perfectly until she is satisfied with them, which is why her seniors encouraged her to stay in school because she made no mistakes when assisting in experiments.
Because I try to do things too perfectly, sometimes things get delayed, so I prioritize my work and make a time plan whenever I am given a task to do, and I compensate by making sure things go smoothly.
Positive personality, people-pleaser
People say that I have a positive personality and a first impression that puts people at ease, thanks to my father’s influence. In fact, as I grew up, I was a little shy in unfamiliar places and meeting new people was not always fun and comfortable, but there was an image that was already created, so I worked in that direction without realizing it, and when I met people, I consciously tried to make them feel comfortable and enjoyable, so I think at some point I actually became comfortable with that part of myself. My parents always taught me from a young age that I am in charge of my own work, so I tend to be cautious when deciding something, but once I decide, I tend to run and focus to do my best within the set guidelines. I had a lot of trouble choosing my career path, but once I decided on it, I can say that the many activities and achievements within it speak to this trait.
When it comes to socializing and interpersonal relationships, I try to be a very relaxed person, quite literally. I think it’s the same for other people, because I feel like if I don’t necessarily have to meet with someone for work or business, I feel like I’m comfortable with them and I want to see them one more time, so I think that’s why I have a lot of friends around me and I have a lot of acquaintances who want to talk to me about their problems, especially when they’re having a hard time, and I contact them a lot.