Korean Job Discussion Forums

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

You"re probably not going to want to hear this, but here goes..

Stay where you are.

I miss Korea a lot too, but I also realize that the market there has changed.

Too many noobs willing to work for peanuts, too many employers expecting

far too much for less money.

I realized that I was not going anywhere in Korea and that as I grew older, my chances of getting work were getting slimmer each year.
If I went back to Korea now, I would be even worse off than when I left.
At least in Canada I have a steady job. I may hate it, but it pays the bills
and I don't have to be treated like a criminal every year just to find another job.

It's pretty tough to find anything outside of teaching unless you have some valued skill set that many Koreans are willing to pay you for.

elavndrc · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Location: Korea

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Best of luck to you then.

If you're still under 40 then the world's your oyster.

Who's Your Daddy? · Joined: 30 May 2010 Location: Victoria, Canada.

coryallan · Joined: 20 Dec 2009

There are many non-teaching jobs in Ulsan and on Geoje island at Hyundai, Samsung Heavy Industries and DSME. Many of the jobs are for different types of engineers but there are also many that work in the offices.

I believe the majority of the jobs are through expat companies but you would work a two+ year contract with great benefits and pay. I currently teach an Algerian lady that works for "Total" as a cost controller.

Can't really provide any more info but check into the oil and gas as well as the shipbuilding industries

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

elavndrc · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Location: Korea

I speak fluent Chinese but that's useless unless I can read/write too - which I cannot.

My problem with finding a job in Korea is really my lack of a F visa. Can I buy a Korean groom somewhere? haha

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:45 pm Post subject:

nate1983 · Joined: 30 Mar 2008

As someone who has both taught English and worked in a company (investment banking), your best chance is to get a decent command of Korean, develop relationships and have the requisite skills, or get hired abroad and transfer to the Korean office (my route).

For jobs that may fit your background, check out www.seoulprofessionals.com.

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

Mr. Peabody · Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Location: here

http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

Threequalseven · Joined: 08 May 2012

I'd watch this before committing your life to the Korean office culture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA15zED58bc

One of my dream jobs has been to own an American style restaurant somewhere that would appreciate it overseas. Good sandwiches, burgers, tacos, pancakes and waffles, etc. If you're just looking for the Asian experience and not specifically Korean, your grasp of the Chinese language could bode well for you there. I doubt cities like Beijing are any hotter than Korea.

heartcooxbrain · Joined: 10 Aug 2013

I'm actually in a similar boat as you. I have been teaching for almost a year now, and it's just not my piece of cake. It's good money, especially compared to what I'd be doing/making in the States, but there's just so much B.S. that goes on in the hagwons...

Anyway, since I'm fluent in Korean, I've been able to branch out to Korean job search sites like Saramin (a great starting place if you have enough Korean skills to navigate around that site) and there are TONS of jobs out there that require "native-like" English skills. However, like many of the others have said, they are mostly in specialized
fields--I've been seeing a lot of positions in the IT field, like network support or game database management. Also, even if you do qualify for a particular job, this doesn't mean that an employer is going to choose a foreigner over a Korean.

It's not just the English teaching sector that's flooded. The non-teaching sectors are just as flooded with highly educated and self-sacrificing Koreans who will work for less pay(remember, a lot of Koreans still live with their parents until they are married. This means that they don't have to pay for housing, which can get exorbitant depending on the area, as well as being exempt from having to pay utilities and food, which makes a lower salary more affordable) than a foreigner with half the risk. If a company hires a foreigner, it would seem more likely to the employer that the foreigner will go back to his home country after a short period of time, compared to a Korean, who will probably bury his bones at the company, as long as he was satisfied with the work conditions.

In addition, if a position looks good to you, it probably looks good to other people, too. So everyone is going after the same positions. I saw on position entry-level position open for Hyundai and there were over 1000 applicants in a matter of days.

If you are of Asian descent, I would suggest getting a TOEIC score, and if possible, a similar standardized proof of your fluency in Korean. The way most Korean job applications go, is an initial qualifications review in which they review your cover letter, resume and all standardized test scores in relevant subjects. Many companies explicitly ask that you submit standardized test scores. Even if you speak perfect English, you might not get past the initial qualifications review since you don't have the minimum requirements (i.e. TOEIC, TOEFL, or OPIK test results) to get to the next round.

I hope my findings/suggestions have been helpful--and good luck to you!