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DaeSung
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: ����
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 Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:48 am Post subject: |
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LGE has a lot of divisions and a lot of employees. What makes you so confident that you'd know a guy who works for, say MC or DA or DAC (Changwon)? Have you searched the LGEP directory? There are American engineers, English facilitators, and people working in Finance, Planning product administration, just to name a few....You say it's the least foreign friendly company to work for, have you worked for other companies in Korea? Just curious. Are you aware of how many American executive officers (gyopo) have been hired recently?
Yes, I know a white American guy (과장) that works for LGE, actually I know a few guys that work in both Seoul and Changwon. They're all quite happy and in their 2nd and 3rd years. One guy based in Seoul started out a 과장, and he's on the higher end of the pay scale you mentioned. Yes, there is a lot of stress and the hours are long. On the other hand, they don't have the same kind of stress that native Koreans or Gyopos have. They're still treated differently. Especially the ones that don't speak much Korean. They're all on yearly contracts.
What I find interesting and a bit of a stretch, is your confident tone that A) You're pretty sure you'd know them, and B) You're pretty sure that they don't enjoy working for LGE. I'd venture to say you're way off base on both counts. |
Don't want to sound like an ass... but if they are white, and work in Seoul... or Changwon... I'd guess i know them. I work in the finance department and I can be pretty positive i'm the only whitey there. I'll give you that I don't know many of the R&D guys. So maybe they are happy with their jobs. Hmmm... I'm just not seeing these other foreigners, maybe your talking about english teachers. I know there are some people that do that LG, maybe they like their jobs. I'm just saying when we had a meeting with all the foreigners that work for HQ it was 6 people, and 2 are still at LG and one is me. Sooo... As for Changwon they have had 3 or for white foreigners 2 of them are no longer with the company, a bunch of Indians, and some short term chinese employees. I worked in Changwon and I there really aren't that many other foreigners there... maybe now...
At one point in time what your saying might have been true. When i got hired there where a number of foreigners, some even got hired after me. Almost all of them no longer work for LGE. I still meet with many of them often, and the ones I know don't have fond memories of LGE.
I'm aware that LG has hired both Kyopo and non Korean foreigners as VPs, I imagine they like their jobs... (I work in finance so I know how much gets set aside for their salary... I'd like my job if I made that much... they don't work much and get treated pretty good.) But if we are talking about numbers of foreign VPs then yours still looking at less than 3, a few more if you count kyopos. Its a great improvement. I hope they help the company.
As for White foreigner VS. Kyopo foreigner, I totally agree with you. If I was a kyopo there is no way i'd work for a Korean company. I'd work in korea for another MNC. Most of the kyopo's i know get treated the same as all the other Korean employees, and sometimes worse. Many of them quit too, because its just not enjoyable to work under those conditions.
Seems like you know alot about LGE, if you work there and enjoy it, why not just say it. I'm just saying the people I know that work there don't think its all that great. And my advise to the OP is that if you can get a really good deal working as a VP or a 차장/부장 level, take it. Seems like some of the other posters have good paying jobs at that level. But if they are offering you an entry level position, you'd be better off doing something else.
Thats pretty much it for my rant.
Hmm... yeah alot of the time I wonder about pretending not being able to speak Korean. I tend to think it would make life much easier... except that then you'd have to do way more of the english teaching stuff at work. Had to fight for years... years, well at least 2 of them with people I work with telling them I wasn't their private English tutor... (you can probably tell from the post. Both my gramar and spelling are bad ~~;
I have two main replys to the english teaching requests
1) If i wanted to teach english, i'd teach at a school make more money and work less hours. If you want me to teach you private english lessons I'm not that great of a teacher and it'll cost you more than you want to pay.
2) Imagine if you where the only Korean working in a US company in the US. You speak English pretty good and work in finance. How would you feel if everytime some one saw you they only spoke in Korean to you and asked for free Korean lessons all the time.
Its taken more than 2 years but now I don't get asked (very often) and I get to do work thats value added to both the company and to me.
(I think teaching english to coworker is value added to the company and adds no value to me or my work life what so ever) |
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Imbroglio
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Behind the wheel of a large automobile
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: |
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| Don't want to sound like an ass... but if they are white, and work in Seoul... or Changwon... I'd guess i know them. I work in the finance department and I can be pretty positive i'm the only whitey there. |
Are you sure you're not ethnic Korean? I asked my buddy to look you up in the directory, and he can't find any American non-Korean names under the CFO. Not calling you a liar, just wondering. PM me if you want.
For example, which one of these groups do you work for?
Corporate Finance & Control Team Corporate Planning Gr.
MIS Gr.
Advisory
Informantion&Comm Accounting Gr
Financing Gr
Global Finance Group
Financing Planning Group
F/A & Trade Finance Group
Global Treasury Integration Group
Global Credit Insurance Group
I realize that because you work in finance, you think you know every white guy that works in Seoul, but you should look a little harder, I'm 100% positive you don't know this guy...he sure as heck doesn't know you, although he has heard about you from Mark down in Changwon... Please don't speak on his behalf regarding his happiness either. Not everyone works for HQ.
And I agree with you that the Koreans will ask for private lessons. I work for a company that does a lot of business with LGE, so if I were in your shoes - I would just tell them that I'm too busy, and that I have to worry about my output. The company hires English teachers for that, classes are free and all the Koreans have to do is make an effort to get up a little earlier and go to class.
And to the OP:
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Anybody here completed an interview process with a large Korean company? And if so any advice for the interview? Any Korean interview business etiquette I should be aware of? |
I read an article about an ex-mormon that married a K-gal and spoke Korean fluently - he went through the entire interview process just like Koreans do and was selected. He works for ethics in LG HQ twin towers.
As for my friend that works for LGE, he was hired directly by a VP and never interviewed in Korean, doesn't speak a word - but is on his 2nd contract with them and he loves his job in new product planning and administration.
I think it all depends on the person and their attitude toward living here and working in a Korean environment. Some people can deal with it, some people can't.
*He looks a little darker in this picture, but I assure you - he's white and as American as apple pie.* 
Last edited by Imbroglio on Thu May 08, 2008 5:58 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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OneWayTraffic
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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I teach one of the executive VPs at LGE in the mornings. I wonder sometimes how working there fulltime would compare to my current freelancing work. Degree in maths, some finance papers.
He's the chief HRO.
I wouldn't mind English teaching on the side either. |
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DaeSung
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: ����
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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ㅋㅋ Yeah i'm pretty sure i'm not Korean. I'll PM you. my name shows up as in 한글(한글 for an american name ie Colin would be something like 콜린, but its as American as you get.
Funny thing is tried to find your buddy this morning and couldn't find him either. I checked everything in LGEP under product/상품/기획/신사업...
Maybe he doesn't exist ~~;;
I'll try not to speak for your friend, but when i joined there where more foreigners than there are now. Many of them left because of work conditions. 2 main things.
1) Low pay compared to market value (plus long hours)
2) Good skill set being wasted on trivial tasks (lots of translating and other things with no actual responsibility and having people incharge for the most part ignore any suggestions)
I think another poster pointed out
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| Once you're in, you immediately realize how broken and backwards Korean corporate culture really is. There is simply no adherence to a Global Standard which results in lack of process, gross inefficiency, and extremely low productivity. |
Thats pretty much the most accurate description of a Korean company i've heard.
If your friend has a good job and likes it and thinks the company is treating him good, no worries.
The people I know that have worked here all feel like they have got something out of the experince, however most of them would not recomend it to someone else. And that was my recomendation. Thats still my recomendation. Unless like I said earlier your gonna be getting bank working as a 차장/부장/상무.
But like you said
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| I think it all depends on the person and their attitude toward living here and working in a Korean environment. Some people can deal with it, some people can't |
I'm not unhappy with Korea. I'm just saying the OP should be aware that there is a possibility there work environment will suck. And it will be vastly different from what they expected. If that doesn't matter to the OP or your friend then it doesn't matter eh. |
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Imbroglio
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Behind the wheel of a large automobile
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, Colin - my buddy read the article about you in LG News awhile back. You've been working for LGE for about 6-7 years right? Graduated from BYU?
I'll PM you his LGE email address as well. |
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DaeSung
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: ����
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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Nah, colin is one of the guys i'm talking about that quit because the way we are under valued. I still work here, for now.
But yeah I did graduate from BYU. (I know BYU isn't an IVY league school by any means... but our accounting program is pretty good and like I said i'm in the finance department.) |
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CeleryMan
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Whoever created the Dilbert comic strip must have been a Samsung lifer in a previous life. |
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Imbroglio
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Behind the wheel of a large automobile
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| DaeSung wrote: |
Nah, colin is one of the guys i'm talking about that quit because the way we are under valued. I still work here, for now.
But yeah I did graduate from BYU. (I know BYU isn't an IVY league school by any means... but our accounting program is pretty good and like I said i'm in the finance department.) |
You're the spitting image of the guy featured in LG News (Not Colin) maybe five or six months ago... |
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KingKongBundy
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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All Chaebols will offer you half of what you should be making per annum. Don't be at all surprised if an offer of 50,000,000won/year is dropped in front of you. DO NOT settle for less than 100,000,000won. It's already been secured and its secretly what they expect to pay you.
All the advice about housing and a company car is sound as well. |
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byunhosa
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Center Ice
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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| DaeSung wrote: |
ㅋㅋ Yeah i'm pretty sure i'm not Korean. I'll PM you. my name shows up as in 한글(한글 for an american name ie Colin would be something like 콜린, but its as American as you get.
Funny thing is tried to find your buddy this morning and couldn't find him either. I checked everything in LGEP under product/상품/기획/신사업...
Maybe he doesn't exist ~~;;
I'll try not to speak for your friend, but when i joined there where more foreigners than there are now. Many of them left because of work conditions. 2 main things.
1) Low pay compared to market value (plus long hours)
2) Good skill set being wasted on trivial tasks (lots of translating and other things with no actual responsibility and having people incharge for the most part ignore any suggestions)
I think another poster pointed out
| Quote: |
| Once you're in, you immediately realize how broken and backwards Korean corporate culture really is. There is simply no adherence to a Global Standard which results in lack of process, gross inefficiency, and extremely low productivity. |
Thats pretty much the most accurate description of a Korean company i've heard.
If your friend has a good job and likes it and thinks the company is treating him good, no worries.
The people I know that have worked here all feel like they have got something out of the experince, however most of them would not recomend it to someone else. And that was my recomendation. Thats still my recomendation. Unless like I said earlier your gonna be getting bank working as a 차장/부장/상무.
But like you said
| Quote: |
| I think it all depends on the person and their attitude toward living here and working in a Korean environment. Some people can deal with it, some people can't |
I'm not unhappy with Korea. I'm just saying the OP should be aware that there is a possibility there work environment will suck. And it will be vastly different from what they expected. If that doesn't matter to the OP or your friend then it doesn't matter eh. |
Out of curiosity, what are the pay levels like at LG or Samsung Electronics for a chachang/bujang/sangmu? Including bonuses?
Also, tell your friends that, even with the year-to-year contracts, they will still be permanent employees (subject to termination only for cause) after 2 years or more with their company. The Korean company may also try to shaft them out of statutory severance (one month base salary per year of service) when they leave, but tell them not to put up with it. |
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CeleryMan
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 12:15 am Post subject: |
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Being a Chajang or Pujang is perhaps the worst case scenario for a Korean salary man. Overworked, severely underpaid, and thoroughly institutionalized. Most are under the illusion that they will become a VP, only to get managed out with a mediocre severance package; which subsequently includes an 18k gold Montblanc pen.
P's make around 65k base, while C's make 45-55k. Mind you these dudes work M-Sat, 15 hours a day.
My Sangmu (gyopo) was scouted from the same firm I used to work at prior to joining the so-called best company in KOR. Lucky bastard was taking home 70,000,000 KRW a month - no joke. |
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turtles
Joined: 11 Nov 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:49 am Post subject: |
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Celeryman & DaeSung,
Would you be willing to meet and talk about your experience? I'm interviewing for SK soon (HR function) and thought it might help my proposal to get POVs from other chaebol employees too. I can't PM yet, so let me know how to contact you.
Beer or coffee for any expat/foreigner/kyopo working at a chaebol!
Thanks in advance  |
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RokofKangnam
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Between a ROK and a Hard Place
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| Imbroglio wrote: |
| DaeSung wrote: |
Do you know a foreigner that works for LG Electronics in Korea (actually I doubt it matters if it just in Korea)? Just wondering. There aren't very many of us and i'm pretty sure i'd know them. I'm pretty sure none of them enjoy working for LGE. Now if your talking about a kypo or some other form of Korean that is from another coutry... then maybe... just maybe... it might be okay.
Its pretty much the least foreign friendly company in Korea to work at. Honestly none of the foreign employees I know stay very long. Most of the quit, because of the way we are treated.
As for the advice the other people gave - sounds spot on. Get as much money as you can because your gonna have a interesting first year or so getting adjusted to Korean corporate culture.
I'd like to hear how the interview goes. As for the 100K I want to know what Korean company you work for. Honestly... I know LG is really bad on its pay but we pay our 상무(Executive) people just over that. A 과장 level employee at LGE makes between 40k and 55k. Granted a foreign 과장 usually makes considerably more but i'd but it at about 60~75K including benifits.
I'm sure other people have other experinces and all i'm just saying how it is here. |
LGE has a lot of divisions and a lot of employees. What makes you so confident that you'd know a guy who works for, say MC or DA or DAC (Changwon)? Have you searched the LGEP directory? There are American engineers, English facilitators, and people working in Finance, Planning product administration, just to name a few....You say it's the least foreign friendly company to work for, have you worked for other companies in Korea? Just curious. Are you aware of how many American executive officers (gyopo) have been hired recently?
Yes, I know a white American guy (과장) that works for LGE, actually I know a few guys that work in both Seoul and Changwon. They're all quite happy and in their 2nd and 3rd years. One guy based in Seoul started out a 과장, and he's on the higher end of the pay scale you mentioned. Yes, there is a lot of stress and the hours are long. On the other hand, they don't have the same kind of stress that native Koreans or Gyopos have. They're still treated differently. Especially the ones that don't speak much Korean. They're all on yearly contracts.
What I find interesting and a bit of a stretch, is your confident tone that A) You're pretty sure you'd know them, and B) You're pretty sure that they don't enjoy working for LGE. I'd venture to say you're way off base on both counts. |
Dude, hook a brother up with the LGE employment information 
Nice pic's the other day, thanks for sending them |
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sojukettle
Joined: 23 Aug 2005
Location: Not there, HERE!
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Bujang at a smaller chaebol;
150,000,000krw
Expense Account
Housing ( 45 pyoung)
Fully Maintained car
Business Class Home Leave Airfares every Year( x5 )
International School Fees ( 3 Children)
All Health, Pension and Tax Paid
Settlement Allowance (US$10k)
Container of Household Effects shipped to and from Korea
6 weeks leave per year
20 days sick leave per year
**No Bonuses.
Work week M-F 8am - 5pm ( work 'outings' average 2per week until 12am - 3am)
Travel out of Seoul : average; 2-3 days a week, in country and o/s. |
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DaeSung
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: ����
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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I know someone that works for SK, and as far as I can tell they enjoy it. The pay is much better than LG (well better than what LG was paying him, includeing benifits and all its about 2 times as much as he was getting from LG).
Sojukettles list for a bujang at a smaller chaebol, is almost what a 상무(VP or exuctive) gets at LG. Its actually a little better. (This is for a korean 상무) - our foreign 상무s get bank.
I'm not 100% sure but I understand its something like this
120,000,000 KRW
Expense account (something like 5,000,000 a month to be used on what ever crap they want golf and that kinda stuff)
Access to company owned country club memberships
No housing
Car - Hyundia Grandure - all expenses paid
Travel pretty much when ever they feel like it. (Just not more than other 상무s)
School Fees (includes sending your kids to school in the states)
All health, Pension
Plus a bonus
I'm sure the interview will go good with SK. I know they are hirring alot of foreigners right now. They just hired a foreigner to be over all of the HR at SK telecom i believe. |
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