Before coming to Korea, I decided that I would teach for a year or two in order to get my foot in the door (and myself in Korea) and then after that, try to pursue opportunities in different fields in order to transition into doing something else.
2021 was the year I decided to do that. Going in to my second year of teaching, I knew that this would be my last and planned on job searching towards the end of my contract and before the year was up. I anticipated not being able to find a job right away so I also did some research on getting a D10 visa (which I wrote about here) in order to continue my stay. In October, one month before my contract ended, I began to start my job search and looked around the Internet for places to apply to jobs.
As someone who was used to finding jobs in the States on websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and directly on companies' websites, I was a little intimidated by the prospect of job searching in a country that doesn't use most of those. The possibility of utilizing Korean job search sites was also especially daunting. Even though I had gotten my TOPIK certification earlier in the year, I still didn't feel 100% confident in applying to a completely Korean company.
In addition to that, I was prepared going in to the search to only have limited options to choose from.
They were, indeed, limited.
But I did discover that a lot of companies were offering internship positions, which led me to change my aim: I would apply to both internship positions and full time positions. Internships could potentially lead me to a full time position after fulfilling the position and would give me good work experience in the meantime. I also discovered I was also legally allowed to do a paid internship on the D10 visa which was another benefit.
And so my job search began. Each day, I would circulate between LinkedIn, Seoul Global Center's job posting board, Craigslist, and even some accounts on Instagram to try and find positions I was eligible for. Application after application I sent, yet most of my job applications were turned down and I received countless "After consideration..."emails.
After a couple weeks of job searching, I found a 6-month internship at a media company that I was eligible for, that was paid, and offered all Korean insurances. It seemed like a great opportunity, and I knew the company as well.
Along with my application, I needed to complete a written translation test, as the position would require translating Korean source material into English. The task was tricky but I was able to pull it off. After submitting it, I received an email from someone at the company asking if I was available to complete a second writing test. The test involved again translating Korean source material into English and turning it into an article for English readers.
I was given two hours to do the task on a weekday morning and this article was definitely tough. But after a stressful two hours, I submitted my draft, hoping that my work was decent for them.
To my luck, they emailed me a week later and asked for a video interview, which went well, and later in December I was offered the position. I was definitely shocked considering that I knew and had used this company's services before and was excited by the prospects of completing an internship at a media company. Finally starting to progress and further my career experience.
As luck would have it, a few weeks after starting the internship, I heard back from one of the full-time positions that I applied for and they asked for an interview. I ended up interviewing with them and receiving an offer for the job soon after that, which was unexpected for sure. So unfortunately, I had to end the internship early (I only stayed for about 2 months when I was supposed to complete 6) but I enjoyed my experience overall. The team I was a part of was small, but everyone was friendly and accommodating. I was the only foreigner, which definitely made me feel a little out of place, but I worked hard to keep up with the work and enjoyed the company's vibe. I have to admit I was sad saying goodbye to the team and ending my internship early, but I don't regret doing it and value the experience I earned from it.
Part of me feels that a lot of it was luck that I received the position despite having Korean skills that made me eligible for the position. While I don't have many tips for those looking for a job or internship in Korea, know it is possible but difficult. My tips are as follows:
Apply everyday to multiple jobs and internships, even some that you are unsure if you are fully qualified for. The worst they can say is no and it casts your net wide.
Use multiple job searching tools and platforms. Job sites like LinkedIn, Seoul Global Center, Craigslist, and more will show you a wide range of positions and help you to seek out things you might be eligible for.
If possible, use connections. A lot of former coworkers that I knew simply connected with other foreigners or Koreans socially and found jobs that way. Word of mouth can be a strong asset.
Apply to jobs and internships while IN Korea. I see a lot of people online who live abroad wanting to work in Korea in non-teaching jobs. While it is possible to find a job from outside Korea, it is much much more difficult as companies may not want to scout talent from outside/may not want to help pay for moving expenses or other expenses to bring you to Korea. If you're already in Korea, it helps.
While applying for jobs, keep learning skills to make yourself more marketable. Even if you're not using it at a job, having Korean language skills is definitely a plus even just for living here.
Don't completely discount internships! They can help you gain valuable experience and help get your foot in the door before applying for full time jobs.
I'm in a full-time position now and my internship days are over, but for those seeking them out, know its possible and keep your search going!
Yorumlar