"Discovering bidding projects and setting up strategies to win orders"

by Manager Jeong Ha-ra (Overseas Civil Engineering Sales Team)

Q Please tell us about your job.

I am in charge of sales, especially for overseas civil engineering works, which is the first step in receiving orders. One of the most important aspects of the construction industry is winning construction orders. We discover projects are winnable, evaluate their feasibility, and support the entire process from bidding preparation to completion of the project. Our core business is to research the market and set up a promotion strategy in order to secure an opportunity for our company to win orders. Also, another key part of the tasks is having business discussions with the client and business partners. 

Q When was the most rewarding moment during your work?

Although I feel very fulfilled right now, I felt most rewarded on the day when I submitted an estimate for the project that I first took charge of in the Overseas Civil Engineering Quotation Team as a new recruit. Due to the nature of the Quotation Team’s work, which creates a lot of documents within a limited amount of time, I worked overtime with team members for several weeks and had quite a hard time. It was so physically demanding that I even thought about giving up, but the moment I submitted the estimate, it felt as though all the hardships disappeared. Unfortunately, it did not lead to an order, but I still think it was the most rewarding moment because I learned and felt so much in the process of working with colleagues for the first time and completed my first task, regardless of the outcome. 

Q What kind of competencies do you think you need to do your job?

The most important quality in the overseas sales team is the open attitude for communication and collaboration. This will be the case with any task in the company, but communication skills are more important in the sales team than any other jobs because we must communicate with many different stakeholders and discover new businesses. More than 90% of the work done by the sales team, including the coordination of opinions with the client and business partners, and making decisions with other teams for proceeding projects, is determined through the process of coordinating opinions between various stakeholders. Confidence in your perspective is one of the defining qualities you must have as an engineer, but it is also vital to listen to the opinions of others and find the optimal decision among the diversity of opinions. The next thing I want to emphasize is understanding your subject matter. To take the Overseas Civil Engineering Sales Team as an example, the quotation team and the design team examine one type of construction in-depth, but the sales team is in charge of a whole assortment of projects, such as land, sea, underground space, and development projects(PPP). It requires a broad understanding of subject matters. Because of this, I am always working with a learning attitude. You cannot conduct actual business with the knowledge in your subject matter alone, but it cannot be performed without such basic knowledge. It will help your work immensely if you have a broad understanding and knowledge of the subject matter. 

Q Is there a corporate culture of Hyundai E&C that you are very proud of?

Hyundai E&C boasts a fast-changing corporate culture. It has only been five years since I have worked here, yet when I compare the time I joined the company and Hyundai E&C now, it almost seems like two different companies. In society, there are increasing discussions about changing perceptions of working hours and annual leave use, but we know that it is not easy for companies to change in reality. However, we have steadily carried out campaigns at the company-wide level and have established a new, advanced corporate culture. This is the pride of our company that I want everyone to know. 

Q Could you say a word to juniors who dream of working at Hyundai E&C?

I know how difficult it is to be a job seeker as I was also looking for a job at one time. To me, the most important thing is confidence in yourself and the belief that you can do it. When I was in my fourth year of college, I remember being very anxious and struggling for about four months from document screening to the final interview. When the job-seeking period was prolonged, I would constantly doubt myself and wondered, “Can I do it?” This kind of thinking undermines the will to move forward, get back on your feet after failure, and challenge again. I hope you don’t lose affirmation and self-confidence that you can do it, that you are fully capable. Of course, we know it is not as easy as it sounds. But even if it’s a little late, I hope you don’t lose faith as you imagine yourself reaching your desired goal someday. If you go on, one day you will surely have your dream goal in front of you. See you all at Hyundai E&C!