A surprisingly dynamic public service society
The mindset and skills needed to survive there

In this era of job instability, a new 9th grade civil servant is the envy of many.
However, the number of new civil servants who resign within three years of joining the company and the number of civil servants who make extreme choices are increasing every year.
The main reasons are analyzed to be strict hierarchical relationships, rigid and backward organizational culture, strong and emotional complaints, low base pay, and surprisingly high work intensity.
Simply put, new 9th grade civil service exam candidates of this era are having a hard time adapting to the organizational culture or work.
Because they have jobs that many people envy, they have nowhere to vent their frustrations.

Their suffering should not be taken for granted simply because they have good jobs.
This book first empathizes with the difficulties that new recruits are currently experiencing, and calmly explains why they are experiencing these difficulties at this point in time.
And it introduces specific skills that will be helpful to new civil servants in their public service careers, from how to quietly disappear during a company dinner and go home, to how to effectively respond to a harsh complaint, to the superficial art of interpersonal skills to the heart of understanding others.
This book aims primarily to help new recruits leave work on time and lead a peaceful work life, but it also aims to provide an opportunity to reflect on a meaningful life as a public servant and a valuable individual.

Additionally, it can provide good information to those considering a career as a 9th-grade civil servant.
Research results show that when deciding on their preparation for the civil service exam, those preparing for it prioritize whether they can endure the long exam period, whether they can truly pass, and the likelihood of passing, over the nature of the civil service work or their interest in the job.
This book will help young people make valuable career decisions by providing insights into what civil servants do, the culture of government organizations, and reflecting on their own personalities and aptitudes.

"I studied hard to become a civil servant, so now I should just get off work on time, enjoy my free time after work, and walk a path of flowers." It's quite natural and human for a student who has been studying for a long time to have such thoughts after passing the exam.
But human psychology is strange.
It's frustrating when you think you're almost done with work, only to find out there's still a lot of work left.
I thought 'there's still a long way to go', but I'm glad to know that there isn't much work left.
So, to help you walk the real flower path, I want to tell you this.
There is no flower path.
There are minefields everywhere.

--- p.31

Those who have been working for 20 or 30 years and say that public service is not easy have vague memories of arguing with a complainant at the counter and jumping over the complaint desk to engage in a physical fight.
The tales of bravery of veterans from the days of tiger smoking are of no practical help to the new 9th-grade civil service exam takers of 2020.
They must have done their best under difficult conditions, but the working conditions in their time and today are very different.
It's true that you have to overcome the difficult situations you face on your own, but no one empathizes with the difficulties of public service, and no one offers specific solutions on how to overcome them.

--- p.37

The civil servants that citizens expect are a mixture of the ideal civil servant of the Eastern concept and the stereotypical office worker of the Western concept.
This mixed ideal type can be summarized as follows:
'A person who is honest, strict with himself, warm like a spring breeze to the people, but cold and firm like frost when it comes to injustice.
A specialist with the highest level of expertise and knowledge in his or her field.
A dedicated person who does not hesitate to work overtime and stay up all night to complete the assigned task.
And someone who listens to the opinions of each and every citizen, empathizes with them, and uses their discretion to resolve civil complaints amicably even when there are minor obstacles in administrative procedures.' With this level of character, it would not be strange to be called a saint or a gentleman.
--- p.64

An adult, a gentleman, would have thought, 'Oh, you must be having trouble with the bank loan. Things are really going badly for you,' but as an ordinary 9th grade civil service exam taker, I thought this to myself.
'I'm almost done now,' he said cautiously after a brief moment of silence.
“I know it’s a bit of a hassle, but I think you’ll need additional documents, like a court order.” Something like this would be a good closing line.
It would be better if you showed an expression of sympathy for the complainant along with your closing remarks.
This is roughly what an empathetic expression looks like.
A somewhat regretful expression, a slightly worried expression, a cautious expression, a hazy expression… … .

--- p.85

I disagree with the perception that level 9 work is simple, repetitive work like running on a hamster wheel.
Korean society is dynamic.
Various policies are being discussed to address complex social issues.
Once a policy is decided and implemented, 9th-grade civil servants will be on the front lines of administration, directly facing numerous policy targets, each with their own unique and special circumstances, and executing the policy.
The working life of a 9th-grade civil servant is also bound to be dynamic due to rapid social changes and the diverse circumstances of policy targets.
Therefore, as a public official in this complex and dynamic Korean society, it is necessary to maintain a sense of alertness.

--- p.109

If you have a senior or friend who works at a private company, ask them how much their salary is.
Although not everyone will be like this, most will be talking about the annual salary before taxes are taken out, not the actual amount that is directly received by the person.
In reality, the annual salary is determined as a pre-tax amount including taxes after negotiations between the worker and the employer.
And it is a natural psychology of a salaryman to try to say a larger amount of salary if possible.
But the civil servant's answer is quite different.
When asked how much their salary is, no low-level civil servant tells you their total annual salary.
The actual amount I receive in my hand is called my salary.
In addition, only the actual amount of basic salary is disclosed, excluding various allowances.
If there's one profession in Korea where people talk about lower salaries, it's probably civil servants.

--- p.118

There are three main instances when your superiors will ask for your opinion.
First, if you have a solution.
At this point, your superiors are not very interested in your opinions.
After hearing your opinions, which are not of interest, I will tell you what solution I have.
Second, if you encounter an inconvenient problem and cannot come up with a solution.
At that time, they pressured him by saying, "As the person in charge, are you saying you have no thoughts on this matter?"
Third, there are cases where you humbly seek wisdom from the person in charge to solve the problem (I wrote it down, but I wonder if such a case really exists).
--- p.185

Some people might think it's an exaggeration to say that company dinners are the pinnacle of human relationships.
However, it is certain that company dinners are a place of life where the complexities of human emotions overflow and overflow.
New encounters, excitement, nervousness, wariness, nervousness, pride in one's position, the desire to exert influence, the expectation of recognition, the desire to do one's best, disappointment, alienation, frustration, resentment, hassle, boredom, appetite, and love and ambition.
So, people open their hearts in this place, close their hearts, and hurt each other.
What kind of mindset should 9th grade civil service exam takers who find it difficult to attend company dinners have when participating in this event?

--- p.216

Who are the special customers? The special customers this book refers to are, to put it simply, "malicious complainers" and "chronic complainers."
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea does not use negative expressions such as “malicious complaints” or “chronic complaints,” but instead calls them “special complaints” to indicate that they require special attention and consideration.
The reality is that we can't even attach negative expressions to negative content.
The sorrow of Hong Gil-dong, an illegitimate son who could not call his father ‘father’ or his older brother ‘older brother.’
This is the current administrative environment surrounding 9th grade civil service exam candidates.
In fact, it is a situation where emotional workers suffering from malicious complaints need special attention and care.

--- p.278

Although you are currently a junior civil servant, you will soon be transferred to another department and gain experience through various assignments.
You will suddenly become a junior at a time sooner than you expected, one day you will suddenly become a candidate for a promotion to the 8th grade, and after experiencing both the bitter and sweet of the organization, you will become a senior member, which is all too vain.
Before you become so disillusioned as a senior, I hope you take some time to think about how you will manage your life within the organization and your own life.

--- p.336