The ability to blend one’s expertise with that of others and work together cooperatively is a vital skill for workers in the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution according to KaKaoTalk Vice President Se Hun Choi, who gave the keynote speech in April at the 23^rd YSB Creative Leadership Forum, a program aimed at giving YSB students insight into the world of industry and business and aiding their career decisions and job searches.

Choi (entering class of 1986, Business) told his audience he “would like to talk about how people in their twenties should prepare for the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution.” He highlighted that “today’s innovation requires experts in various fields to come together unlike in the past when experts in technology, arts, or liberal arts only needed to focus on their own field.”

Using the KakaoTaxi team as an example, he said that authenticity in understanding people’s needs and finding solutions for those needs is a skill that young people living in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution must cultivate. Moreover, he said the ability to work with others, understand and respond to others with respect, and also have a personal identity that does not break down in fast-changing times are all important capabilities that students must have.

The second session was a career discussion by panelists  Hyeon Chae Lee (Facebook, entering class of 2000, Electrical & Electronic Engineering), Su Gyun Nam (Tencent, entering class of 2004, Computer Science and Engineering), Yu Bin Hong (Amazon, entering class of 2007, Business), Se Hwa Hong (LINE, entering class of 2007, Business), and Nam Ho Hong (Kakao, entering class of 2009, Business). The panelists covered a range of issues from what students need to do to prepare for a job in a multinational firm to questions about college life and how to build a career.

“English proficiency, participation in academic societies, internships, and start-up experiences were key differentiating factors in the past, but students must find their own unique differentiating points from now,” Hyeon Chae Lee said in advising students nervous about finding a job. Su Gyun Nam said, “What you are learning and experiencing now may not feel important, but they all add up to your career in the end. It’s not a good idea to neglect small opportunities and personal relationships.”