Korean Job Discussion Forums

[carolleim]

So, I've been searching for a summer position in Korea. It's been an experience. I was trying to get things done ahead of time so I can book my flight, plan my trip, let my back-up position know I can't come this summer ... but it's really hard to get these recruiter to respond quickly. When they finally do respond, they want an answer immediately.

In addition, I have been watching the job board for a long time and I am amazed at positions that start ASAP. For a pretty drastic career change and international move, this seems rather hurried, but that seems to be the norm.

Is this a cultural thing? It seems that everyone wants things from you, it has to be done not in a week, or a month, but yesterday. My friends thought it would be impossible for me to find a summer job because I started looking in April - they thought it was too late to find a job. It seems like its the opposite! I may not find a job until June at this rate.

Am I right in this? Has anyone else observed this behavior?

[Steve_Rogers2008]

ya know there are people in-country who can take the jobs quickly... and with the mess of the economy, I'd guess there are more than a few people more than willing to fly off to a different part of the world.

Just sayin'

[jonpurdy]

It's good that you are learning this before you come here. Yes, Koreans tend to do everything last-minute. As a result, everyone seems busy. It's just a cultural thing, I guess.

[jizza]

its cultural. everything here moves fast. i've had favorite restaurants go down and get replaced in 10 days with a completely new restaurant.

girls here move fast. meet you, call you, date you, forget about you, all in the course of 2 weeks.

every korean employer that has hired me has always done it on the spot after the first interview.

people here eat fast too. they're ushered out of the restaurant to make room for other customers. my bosses eat lunch in 20minutes and are out the door and back to work

the advantage to this is speed and tremendous flexibility.
the downside is that people do things without taking the time to really think things through sometime, always jumping on the latest trend

[carolleim]

Thanks for your replies. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly sensitive.

Jizza, sounds like you've been burned by the ladies, although it sounds surprising. I always thought Korean women were pretty conservative regarding relationships.

[GreenlightmeansGO]

Poor planning often leads to advertising a position that requires about a month of prep about 2 weeks before the start date.

[GreenlightmeansGO]

[air76]

Koreans are notoriously bad planners and simply some of the most inefficient workers in the world, economic growth here is built on working LONG hours and not on working hard and/or efficiently....I agree with the poster who said that they do things at the last minute hear to "appear" busy.

You also have to remember that most recruiters are either idiots, semi-scam artists, or just plain bad at their job.

[Privateer]

Well done OP. It takes some people years to figure out what you've already sussed before even getting here.

[jizza]

[Troglodyte]

On the same topic, your Korean work mates will do their lesson planning, auxiliary materials and class prep last minute. If YOU do them the week before or at home before coming to school and you just walk into the teachers room and make a few photocopies you're co-workers will eventually point out to you how they have to spend hours prepping for their classes and you have it easy because you can just walk in, teach class and walk out, rest of your time is idling about.

[carolleim]

I always thought I was just a procrastinator for the sake of being one ... maybe it's genetic!

[ThingsComeAround]

[pikachun1]

i didn't really see the case with koreans. i think it just depends on the person. not all koreans are last-minuteish.

[NYC_Gal]