5 Ways to Land Your Next Startup Job in South Korea
Finding a job in South Korea can be a big challenge.
When I first landed in the country 2 years ago — I hadn’t graduated from a Korean university, nor have an extensive network, or much professional experience under my belt .
Fast-forward 2 years — and I managed to land a job at an international accelerator program, work at a FastFive/WeWork startup, and was on an IT project for one of the bigger financial banks in Korea.
In my experiences — I’d like to share some advice I feel can help you land the next exciting job in Korea, no matter your experience or background!
1. Take Advantage of Korean Job Recruiting Platforms
This goes without saying, but setting up a profile on Korean platforms significantly boosts your online exposure to the digital landscape in Korea.
One of the first platforms that helped me land my first full-time job was Rocketpunch — the largest startup job recruiting platform in Korea.
A startup that has come a long way since its establishment— I strongly recommend setting up a profile on Rocketpunch and start reaching out to prominent startups.
A few months after setting up a profile, I was contacted and hired to be lead UI/UX Designer for a newly founded Korean startup.
Another platform is Wanted, which uses AI to match your profile with prominent startups in your field from unicorns including Coupang, Toss and many more.
Honourable mentions are: Saramin, Peoplenjob, Jobfindr & Job Planet
While navigating through a Korean platform may seem daunting — it’s definitely the way to go to increase your chances, which brings us onto the next point…
2. Polish your Korean, but Seize the Opportunity When it Comes
When recruiters reached out to me twice on Rocketpunch, both direct messages sent to me were in Korean.
Nervous as I was, I tried my best to reply using Papago and Google Translate.
Upon going for the interview, it was surprising to discover how good their English was — given both recruiters have lived and worked abroad for some time.
Though opportunities like these may not be as common, it is possible!
Ask a friend to help you with setting up your online profile, or writing an email in Korean. Or even hire a translator on Upwork to get you set up.
The bottom line is— knowing Korean is important, but you’ve got so much more to prove of yourself; and that shouldn’t stop you from taking action.
3. Use the Right Keywords to Strengthen Your Profile
Nowadays, hiring teams are utilizing AI and technology more than ever to find their next best hires.
This means that in order for you to stand out — be sure to match your profile keywords to the relevant job post’s content.
Doing so significantly boosts your chances of getting recognized by the algorithm, and potentially being invited for an interview.
“As long as you, as a candidate, can follow through with what the startup seeks — you have nothing to lose”
Once you reach the interview stage, that’s where more of you can shine — by showing qualities of yourself that outweigh that of other candidates.
4. Read Up About Startups You’re Applying To
Taking the time to learn more about the company before you reach out goes a long way.
Check out the company’s website and understand exactly what they do so you can visualise how you can be a great fit for the team.
Identify challenges the startup may be facing and demonstrate how you as a candidate can provide solutions to drive the team forward.
A targeted application really increases the chances of getting a response.
5. Engage with Online Startup Communities
Over the last few years — English-speaking online startup communities have started gaining more traction.
The largest being Seoul Startups — an online Slack community with over 1100+ members of entrepreneurs, designers, developers and much more; passionate about contributing to the Korean startup scene.
I’ve used Seoul Startups to find jobs and interview candidates in the past. And companies including Protopie, Buzzvil, and LINE have all posted in the #jobs channel.
Not to mention, it is also a great place to introduce yourself in the #intro channel and directly reach out to recruiters working in exciting fields.
To Sum Up
While it may seem daunting to be in times where global employment rates are seeing huge changes — it can also be the time to turn a new page and prepare for greatness.
Searching for work in Korea is certainly no easy task. But with persistence, a positive mindset and the will to succeed — finding the next best opportunity is well within your reach.
You’ve got this! 🙌
