Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hadeshorn]

I am trying to think of how work in Seoul apart from teaching. I was thinking of adding a law degree to my current degree (IT).

Im not thinking of working for a Korean company, but either an Aussie or US company situated in Seoul.

Does anyone have any ideas they could give me to help form a game plan.

Thanks

[TommyPickles]

G'day hadeshaw. I'm also in the same boat as you. I'm looking for non-teaching jobs in business/marketing.

One suggestion is to signup to the chaebols recruitment pages such as LG and Samsung. Don't expect to find anything though, since at the moment both of them have a glorious "0 jobs" posted in Korea (although there are some excellent overseas opportunities in the USA).

Finding headhunter groups in Korea is nigh on impossible. I have found one or two recruitment agencies but they have not responded (possibly because I wrote the covering letter in English).

Nonetheless I have had some success. I am in final interview stage with a highly regarded global marketing company to work as a market analyst there. So it is possible.

PM me and I'll send you some links or if there is a greater interest, I'll post some links here.

Cheers
TommyPickles

[hadeshorn]

Yeah thanks that would be great. However I do think I am useless in my current educated status.

I cant remember crap from my degree and everyone in Korea is already computer'ed up to the max knowledge wise. So I was thinking of doing a law degree and specialising in Aussie Law while living in Korea. But anything you have now would be great and I spose I can put some feelers out.

It feels just so wierd to be home in Australia. I really liked living in Asia.

Anyway thanks for your help.

[TommyPickles]

Hehe, yeah I can relate to missing Asia. I'm from Melbourne myself, spent 6 months in Korea on university exchange and have been hooked ever since.

I've been pretty lucky in developing my career path for marketing, since graduating I worked at two uni's for one year, then spent last year working in California on a marketing internship at Siemens Medical. Nonetheless, when I got back this year to study my masters of marketing Until now I've had no success finding quality positions in Oz or Korea but figured keeping up the study is a positive.

It has always been my dream to find a corporate position in Korea. I was considering taking six months to do a teaching position there in order to get to know the local market, perhaps being able to network and find a job that way. I have a side interest in starting my own business too, but that's another story.

If you are interested in IT still, perhaps doing a Microsoft tech certification is the way to go. The very few corporate jobs in Korea have mainly been for IT industry that I have seen.

Anyhow, from Australia there's very little we can do to find jobs imho. Sadder still, I've found that ex-pats and people who have come across corporate jobs offer no support because they want to keep it to themselves. Which I can understand, it's highly competitive market and not many people applying.

I'll PM you the links I have that may be of benefit.

Cheers
TommyPickles

[Homer]

Good idea.

You could create your own job.
That is offer a service.

That is what I did and I am now doing consulting for Canadian companies doing business with Korea and sometimes with Korean companies wishing to do business in Canada.

Requisites: Some intiative.
Profesionalism
Speaking Korean (in my case anyway)
Being able to work effectively under pressure


Best of luck with your endeavor.

[ryleeys]

I think Booz-Allen Hamilton has openings in Seoul... They're an American company in defense contracting I believe.

[TommyPickles]

Sounds like an opportunity - any Australian would jump for the chance to work with Booze (sic).

[lawyertood]

If denz were still active on the board you could have talked to him about the difficulties of finding law-related work here. He tried to get some legal consulting work but had a problem getting a visa if I remember correctly.

I've done a little searching as well as I have a law degree from the US (licensed in the State of New York) but opportunities are few and far between. I think Korean language ability is a must in any event. Good luck.