10 Tips on How to Find Jobs in Korea

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Finding jobs in Korea might be difficult at first, especially if you don't know where to look for them. On top of that, it might be slightly different from how you are used to doing it in your own country. But, once you are able to familiarize yourself with the culture and the work ethic in Korea, then looking for a job will be a piece of cake. If you are new to Korean culture and don't know where to start, then here are a few tips on how to find jobs in Korea.

1. Look for jobs on job boards (Saramin, Job Korea, Albamon)

There are a few popular job sites or job boards in Korea. Some of them are Saramin, Job Korea, and Albamon. Check out this article on 5 Sites to Find Jobs in Korea to learn more about them. Generally, these websites are written in Korean, so it would be best if you have some rudimentary understanding of the Korean language and the writing system, hangeul. Otherwise, you can just use the Google translate extension to give you a basic idea of what the site says. Most large and medium enterprises post job openings on these sites, so if you would like to work for the typical Korean company, then this is the place to start.

2. Check Facebook groups

Facebook groups are where a lot of foreigners in Korea congregate for a variety of purposes like finding jobs, looking for housing or accommodation, getting into a hobby or interest, or even finding a partner. Several foreign communities have also created their own Facebook groups, so you might want to check out your own community.

3. Ask a friend for a referral

This ties in with the previous tip. If you have found your community in Korea, then it will be a lot easier to look for jobs. You can simply ask someone who has been in Korea for a longer time, who may have some connections, so that they can refer you to employers. Generally, it's harder to get around in Korea as a foreigner if you don't know anyone, even your own people. So, it's best to stick with people who can help you do things and get things done.

4. Teaching English

One of the more common jobs in Korea for foreigners may be teaching English. It's not as easy to get one however, as you would find that most hagwons (or academies) and schools prefer people who come from the seven native English-speaking countries namely: the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa. And it's much easier for Western-looking people to get those jobs. It might be hard getting one of these jobs unless you know someone or can get someone to refer you to an employer which is what a lot of foreigners do. Also, it would be a lot easier if you had an F-visa, particularly an F-4 (overseas Korean national) or F-6 (Korean spouse) visa.

5. Send resumes to foreign embassies

Another place which regularly looks for workers are foreign embassies. I know several people from my community who work for different embassies. They do odd jobs but it's generally a lighter load and good pay for work of that nature. There are multiple embassies around Seoul, so if you find yourself living in Seoul and looking for a job in Seoul, then you might want to check out these embassies if they have any job openings.

6. Find a church to belong to in Korea

This might sound strange but I have friends who have been able to find jobs in Korea by having their Korean churchmates offer them jobs. They don't necessarily join churches simply to look for a job, but being part of a church helped them to get one. The main thing to remember is that your primary intention for attending the church is not to look for a job. That becomes merely a byproduct or a spillover effect of attending. If you are thinking of attending one, then you should do so genuinely. Once you're able to develop relationships with the people there, then they might be able to help you with whatever you need.

7. Make Korean friends

Easier said than done, but seriously, it helps when you know some Koreans. Korean people are very generous and helpful. They might even offer helping you even if you don't ask them. Or, they would say that if you need anything, just ask them for help. And you should take their word for it. Again, similar to tip #6, the main purpose of making friends is not to get a job, but simply for the friendship or companionship it brings. The other perks should come as a byproduct.

8. Learn the Korean language

I know this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but living in Korea necessitates that you would be able to speak Korean. There's no getting around it. People there are more comfortable using their own language. Even if some people are fluent in English, it's quite rare still, so you would find it easier not just to look for jobs but also to live if you know Korean.

9. Offer tutoring services

When you have a good command of the Korean language, then looking for jobs actually gets easier. One thing you can do is to offer home tutoring services which might be quicker and be more lucrative. If you know how to communicate with children and impart the knowledge you have in their language, then you can offer good rates to Korean parents. Hagwons are very expensive in Korea, so having an alternative form of supplementary aid would be a great help to Korean parents who want their children to excel academically.

10. KOTRA Job Fairs, etc.

Government institutions like NIIED and KOTRA offer help to international students who might be looking for jobs in Korea through job fairs. Granted most of the companies that they invite are from highly technical fields, there might be some jobs that don't require a high level of skill. This is great for engineers or people in the natural sciences, as many Korean companies are looking for these professionals all the time.

Conclusion

Looking for jobs in Korea might seem daunting in the beginning. And it might get disheartening if you keep getting turned down however, there will always be a way to get a job, one way or another. These are only a few tips that can help you find your way to getting a job. You have to use whatever resources at your disposal to get a job in Korea.