Many of us want to secure a job right after graduation. Some do start working right after the graduation, however, some don't and have to wait for a few months to eventually have a job. So how do we prepare ourselves to get a post-grad job? Simple answer: get out of the classroom and do some internships.
Do we have to do internships during holiday? Well, the choice is yours, but if you are still not sure which career path you want to pursue, what industry, what kind of job, and other Wh-questions, internship is one of the ways to answer the questions by yourself. Besides, these days the labor market gets more competitive. More and more companies require fresh grads to have some experiences although they are just few-month work experience such as internship.
As an international student, working in Korea is challenging yet worth a try. Many companies do not hire foreigners because of the visa issue that only allows the companies to hire foreigners from certain countries that the companies are working with. Some companies are allowed to hire foreigners with the required language skills that can help them expand their global business. However, some multinational corporations can also hire foreigners if their background match with the job requirement.
I personally have done three internships in three different industries (insurance, securities, and media) in Seoul, South Korea and I will share some tips based on my own experiences.
How to Find Job Vacancies?
A. JOB WEBSITES
1. School Career Website
I used to study in Yonsei and I got two of my internships from https://career.yonsei.ac.kr/
However, only Yonsei students can access this site since we have to log in using student ID to see the jobs.
2. LinkedIn https://kr.linkedin.com/
Even though LinkedIn is not that famous in Korea but recently Korean and foreign companies are actively hiring through LinkedIn!
3. JobKorea (잡코리아) http://jobkorea.co.kr/
4. Saramin (사람인) https://www.saramin.co.kr/zf_user/
5. JobPlanet (잡플래닛) https://www.jobplanet.co.kr/job_postings
The above three websites are the local "jobstreet" websites and only Korean language is available but Korean companies are actively hiring students from those sites, and of course foreigners are also able to apply.
6. Company Career Website
Most big companies hire directly from their career page so you can type the company's name on Google and Naver and search if they are some openings.
7. StudyinKorea https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/ko/expo/jobFair_expo.do
B. JOB FAIR
The major universities will hold job fairs usually in September – October. Do your research on the times and dates. This is a great opportunity to talk to recruiters directly and to find out if they have any international internship opportunities. There is also a major fair held every year at Co-ex aimed at foreign students - https://www.coexcenter.com/events/2019-job-fair-for-international-students/
Visa Issues
Full time students, D-2 visa holder, are eligible to do part time or internship after receiving work permission from school and immigration office. So after you are accepted by the company, you have to get work permission recommendation letter from the school and then submit some documents (passport, alien card, application form, recommendation letter, employment contract, academic transcript) to immigration office. You can start working only after you receive the permission.
*Check the details on https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/ko/expo/jobFair_expo.do
*Download the application form on https://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/main_en.pt
Recruiting Process?
Since it's not a full-time position, the process is rather simple: Documents Submission > Interview
You can submit all of the required documents online. Just a side note, the submission deadline is notoriously short in Korea (usually within 1 week) so always be on the lookout for regular job notices.
Depending on the companies, some will do individual interview while others will do group interview. All of the interviews I've been through were conducted in Korean.
Required Documents?
Every company might has different requirements but generally they will ask for resume and self introduction (or short answer essay). Please note that all documents must be written in Korean following some Korean format. (This site is very useful! http://www.asiaoptions.org/how-to-write-a-korean-resume/ )
What About the Salary?
For internship, the salary ranges from KRW 1,400,000/Month to KRW 2,000,000/Month (before tax).
Language?
The language I used for the past three internships was Korean. I was required to communicate with colleagues and write report in Korean. But again, every company is different. If they hire you because they need an English speaker, then Korean is not compulsory. But I do know some companies will appreciate foreigners who are able to speak Korean. Korean language ability is viewed by recruiters as a statement that the foreign applicant can adapt to the Korean workforce and customs. If you have TOPIK score level 4 above (level 5,6 is recommended), it will be even better.
Good luck guys!
