The Overly Competent Junior Employee

Teheran-ro, stretching from Gangnam Station to Samsung Station, was famous for its sleepless nights, a city that never dims.

Along this major avenue, countless office buildings remained lit due to employees working late into the night, with invisible battles raging across various fields.

For the financial sector, including securities firms and banks, Teheran-ro was nothing short of the ultimate battleground.

“Did you see Teheran-ro on your way here?”

A week later, Dokyung reported to his new post at Yuseong Investment Securities’ Gangnam Leaders Center. A senior employee was leading Dokyung and other newly assigned PBs somewhere.

“On this 4.1 km, ten-lane road, there are a total of 51 VIP centers, including banks, insurance companies, and securities firms.”

Everyone looked surprised at the senior employee’s words.

Of course, they knew this was the battleground for PBs, but they hadn’t imagined that 51 VIP centers were fighting to attract funds.

“Whatever branch you worked at before, however you’ve worked until now, you need to throw all that away from this moment. The very nature of this place is different. The Branch Manager will explain the details, shall we go in?”

The senior employee said this as he stopped in front of a room with a nameplate reading “Branch Manager’s Office” and knocked.

After a moment, when a voice from inside told them to enter, the door opened, and the new employees, including Dokyung, couldn’t help but be surprised.

While it seemed natural that the Leaders Center itself would be larger than a regular branch, even the Branch Manager’s office was large and luxurious, like the president’s office of a regular company.

“Branch Manager, the chicks have arrived.”

There were six PBs newly assigned to the Leaders Center today, including Dokyung, all with less than three years of experience. The senior employee who had guided them through the branch interior referred to them as chicks.

“How do you do?”

All the new employees, including Dokyung, bowed their heads in greeting.

“Welcome, everyone.”

The Branch Manager stood up and positioned himself in front of everyone.

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Ha Minjae.”

Anyone involved in the securities industry would know Ha Minjae’s name.

‘The PB who earns more than the CEO.’

‘The man who made Yuseong Investment Securities’ Leaders Center the best in the industry in just two years.’

Ha Minjae, who offered a handshake to the new employees, including Dokyung, with an overflowing air of composure in his tone and gestures, gestured for them to sit down after the greetings were over.

“Once again, I’d like to express how glad I am to meet you all.”

The new employees who had taken their seats bowed their heads at Ha Minjae’s words.

“I’m not sure how much explanation you’ve received from Team Leader Lee Jinho, who guided you here, but from today, you should think of yourselves as starting from scratch, discarding all the sales methods you’ve used in your previous branches.”

At Ha Minjae’s words, Dokyung thought he understood why the senior employee who had guided them called them chicks.

They had to start everything anew, like chicks just hatched from their eggs.

“Our Leaders Center was the first in the industry to introduce a team system for PB work.”

Ha Minjae continued speaking to everyone with an expression and tone overflowing with confidence and composure.

“Now, almost all securities firms, banks, and insurance companies’ VIP centers operate under a team system. They’re following us, so you can take pride in that.”

Dokyung had researched VIP centers before coming here.

The reason Yuseong Investment Securities’ Leaders Center had achieved the top performance among over 50 financial VIP centers was that they had steadily broken existing conventions.

The people who led that were Ha Minjae, standing before them, and Ryu Tae-hwa.

“We’ll have three teams, with five people per team. The annual performance bonus paid in March will be calculated based on 50% individual performance and 50% team performance.”

It seemed they had chosen internal competition as a way to survive in this fierce battlefield. From competition between individual PBs to competition between teams…

This place was operating like a separate company within Yuseong Investment Securities.

“From now on, I’ll tell you what you should and shouldn’t do as PBs of the Leaders Center.”

At those words, everyone, including Dokyung, took out notebooks and pens from their bags.

“Of course, you shouldn’t do anything illegal.”

As Ha Minjae said, it was obvious, but not so obvious for sales employees.

There were clients who made illegal and unreasonable requests to PBs whose performance was tied to client acquisition. Everyone knew they shouldn’t do these things, but… it wasn’t easy to shake off such requests.

“If a client makes an illegal or unreasonable request, report it immediately. We don’t accept such clients.”

Ha Minjae seemed to have pride in the method that had maintained their position as the top VIP center in the industry.

“We don’t do business entertainment involving alcohol.”

The next words flowed from Ha Minjae’s mouth.

Dokyung was well aware of this approach. It was a change implemented by Ryu Tae-hwa.

“Of course, drinking during meals is allowed. Entertainment at adult establishments is not permitted. The first time is a warning, the second time you’re out.”

Ha Minjae spoke as if there would be no mercy.

“There are no individual PBs here. Only teams exist. Everything should be reported to and acted upon with the team leader’s approval.”

Everyone was diligently taking notes on the instructions.

“Lastly, what you should do is… everything except what’s been mentioned above.”

At Ha Minjae’s words, everyone looked up at him with surprised expressions.

“We’re in a profession that makes money based on creativity. I have no intention of restricting all of your ideas. However, remember that as employees of the Leaders Center, reporting takes priority in everything you do.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Welcome again, everyone, to the Leaders Center. At the very least, you’ve gained an opportunity to stand at the forefront of the industry. I hope you can reap the fruits of this opportunity.”

Ha Minjae finished speaking and looked at the senior employee who had guided the new employees.

“Well, now that the greetings are over, let’s go.”

At his words, everyone stood up, bowed to Ha Minjae, and left the room.

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Lee Jinho, Team Leader of Personal Asset Management Team 1.”

The senior employee, who now formally introduced himself, looked at everyone.

“As the Center Manager said, this place operates primarily by teams. The same goes for the office. We use the conference rooms you see on the left for meetings, and the client reception rooms you see on the right for client interactions.”

Several rooms with floor-to-ceiling glass windows lined both sides of the corridor.

There were three conference rooms, seemingly one for each team, and at a glance, there were more than five client reception rooms.

This place felt like a different company within Yuseong Investment Securities.

“Choi Yumin, Lim Woncheol.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“You two will come with me to Team 1.”

The senior employee turned around and began telling everyone which team they would belong to.

“Hwang Jaehyuk, Nam Jongsu. You two go to Team 2’s office. You can see it over there.”

“Yes, understood.”

Finally, the senior employee’s eyes rested on Dokyung.

“Yoon Dokyung, Han Dahyun. You two are in Team 3. The office is opposite Team 2.”

After finishing, the senior employee looked at everyone.

“Alright, everyone go to your teams, greet each other, and receive your tasks from your respective team leaders. Welcome, everyone, to the Leaders Center. Choi Yumin, Lim Woncheol, let’s go together.”

Saying this, the senior employee led his team members away, and the new employees who had bowed their heads in greeting to him began to find their respective teams.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Han Dahyun.”

As everything settled, a person approached Dokyung’s side and extended her hand. It was the person assigned to the same team.

“Hello. I’m Yoon Dokyung.”

“You were at the Seongnam branch, right?”

Dokyung looked at Han Dahyun with surprise at her question.

“A counter employee winning the company’s mock investment competition. After switching to PB, appearing on YouTube and flattening the nose of a market pessimist. Dokyung-ssi, you’re quite famous. Among PBs with short tenure like us, that is.”

Dokyung hadn’t thought he would be known in other branches since he had only been at the Seongnam branch until now.

“It’s an honor. To work with you.”

Han Dahyun said this as she extended her hand, and Dokyung grasped it.

“The honor is mine. But where was Dahyun-ssi…”

“Ah! I talked too much, didn’t I? Without properly introducing myself… I was at the Gwanghwamun branch. Before that, I was at headquarters. It’s been two years since I became a PB.”

The Gwanghwamun branch was a major branch competing for top performance with 2-3 branches, including the Seongnam branch.

“You worked at headquarters?”

“Yes. I was in the IB Division. Lee Changjae, the person you beat, was my colleague.”

Dokyung chuckled as he heard Lee Changjae’s name after a long time.

“The IB Division wasn’t fun. It didn’t feel like the securities firm work I wanted… So I requested a transfer and have been working as a PB for two years. I was assigned here as soon as I shed my junior status.”

Dokyung nodded and headed towards the office with Han Dahyun.

Since everyone here was presumably skilled, there was no need to explicitly state that her abilities were outstanding.

“I’ll call you sunbae. Please take care…”

“Sunbae?”

Han Dahyun looked at Dokyung with a smile at his words.

“Dokyung-ssi, you’re in your second year as a PB, right? I’m in my second year too. That makes us peers, doesn’t it?”

“But still…”

“Come on, we’re both chicks anyway. Let’s just be peers. Okay?”

At Han Dahyun’s words, Dokyung smiled and nodded.

“Alright, understood.”

Having sorted out their relationship, the two entered the Personal Asset Management Team 3 office they had been assigned to.

As they entered, all eyes turned to them.

“Hello, I’m Yoon Dokyung, newly assigned to Team 3.”

“I’m Han Dahyun.”

The two bowed their heads in greeting simultaneously, and the person sitting in the center stood up.

“Oh, welcome. Come in.”

The man gestured for them to approach.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Seo Jeonghwan, Team Leader of Team 3. Please take care of me.”

The man was the team leader of the team Dokyung had been assigned to. Unlike the Center Manager or senior employee he had seen before, he had a warm impression.

“Over there are Lee Daesung and Assistant Manager Kim Hyungjun.”

As Seo Jeonghwan introduced the other senior employees, Dokyung and Han Dahyun bowed their heads in greeting, and the seniors also slightly bowed their heads in return.

“Let’s see… Yoon Dokyung-ssi, you only managed domestic stocks, right?”

Seo Jeonghwan asked Dokyung while looking at the personnel documents.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Three clients are moving here with you…”

PBs could move clients with their consent when transferring branches. Dokyung came here with the elderly man who was his first client and clients who met the asset requirements of the Leaders Center.

“Han Dahyun-ssi mainly dealt with U.S. stocks. The same number of clients, three, are coming here with you.”

“That’s right.”

“Good. The moment you came here, you need to manage stock markets worldwide.”

Dokyung and Han Dahyun looked at him with tense expressions at Seo Jeonghwan’s words.

“Han Dahyun-ssi needs to manage the domestic market, and conversely, Yoon Dokyung-ssi needs to be prepared to invest anywhere the client wants, including the U.S., China, and Japan.”

Seo Jeonghwan handed file folders to the two.

“These are the lists of clients Dokyung-ssi and Dahyun-ssi will be in charge of from now on.”

The two received the documents Seo Jeonghwan handed over.

“Well, let’s see… It’s eight o’clock now…”

Seo Jeonghwan checked the watch on his wrist and looked at the two with a smile.

“What are you doing? Both of you need to move.”

“Pardon?”

“Open the first document on top.”

The two, who had been wearing puzzled expressions, opened the first page of the documents.

“Your first client meeting is at 9 AM. Are you still going to stand there?”

As Seo Jeonghwan finished speaking, Dokyung and Han Dahyun looked at each other and, without anyone taking the lead, simultaneously started to leave the office with quick steps.

“We’ll be going!”

As the two greeted and left the room, the team members looked at Seo Jeonghwan with worried expressions.

“Will they be okay? Those two clients…”

“We’ll see. If they’ve come this far, they should be able to handle it.”

Seo Jeonghwan answered his team member with a smile.