Korea Business Tips: “What Sets You Radically Apart from the Countless Young Korean Professionals Currently Looking for a Job in Your Industry in Korea?”

It can be just plain tough to find a job in Korea. If you’re looking for a job here, your chances of finding one depend on your answer to the following question:

“What sets you radically apart from any of the countless young Korean professionals currently looking for a job in your industry in Korea? In other words, what value do you bring to the job that a Korean employer couldn’t hope to fill with a Korean employee who is fluent in Korean, reads/writes English at a decent level, is willing to work evening and weekend hours for a few million won per month and doesn’t need a visa sponsorship?”

Quick Tips for Answering This Question

  • If English is your first language and you’re from a country where people speak with an accent in English that Koreans wish to emulate, then it’ll be easy to get a job that leverages this asset, such as working as a teacher or editor.
  • If you’re from an Asian country that’s signed a treaty with Korea for manual laborers and you’re willing to work really hard for a little bit of money, then you can work in a factory.
  • Everyone else, if you’re having trouble finding the job you want, please think more deeply about how to answer the question above.

Additional Resources on KBC

  • The KBC Business Accelerator: Get a (Better) Job in Korea page includes the following and more:
    • “A Map to a Career in Korea: What You Need to Know!”, by Jared Muloongo
    • “Korean Job Realities: Patterns of Success in Korea” with Steven McKinney
    • “Working with Executive Recruiters and Planning Your Career in Korea” with Steven McKinney
    • Search for jobs in Korea using the KBC Customized Korea Job Search Online Tools
  • Equip yourself for success in the Korean job market by enrolling in the KBC Professional Certification Program

** BTW, if you’ve answered my question well enough to land a job in Korea (especially a non-English-related job!), please share your experience and insights in the discussion below. Just have a question? You can post that here, too.

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