Getting a job in Korea as a foreigner is often much easier than you might think, although you will still need to speak Korean to be understood in your work environment. No, we are not talking about the classic job teaching English or Spanish in an academy.
If you are a foreigner living in Korea looking for a job, read on to find out which are the 8 most popular jobs for you today and, more importantly, how to find them.
Customer Service
If you have good people skills and are looking for a job that doesn’t require a lot of experience, this is the ideal job for you.
Unlike other fields (such as teaching), you don’t need to have any experience or qualifications to get started.
In this type of job, your role will be to support other foreigners like you, either in English or even in your native language.
Sales
As with Customer Service, in this type of job you will generally interact with foreigners like yourself. If you have good people skills and are good with languages, this is definitely a job that might interest you.
The salary for this type of job is a big plus since, in addition to the salary, a commission is usually paid for each sale made.
Web Design and Development
Thanks to the Internet and the fact that many companies have begun to value remote work positively, this can be a very interesting option for foreigners who live in Korea but are unable to find a local job.
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If you’re good at it, you can make a pretty penny and live comfortably in the city. You can even do it alongside another main job and earn some extra money if you want to live in the very expensive city of Seoul.
Restaurants
The food industry is one of the main sectors for foreigners living in South Korea.
Numerous restaurants, cafes, and bars hire foreigners, especially in tourist areas where speaking several languages is practically mandatory.
The downside of the food industry anywhere in the world is that you have to be prepared to work long shifts of up to 10 hours, all with a smile on your face.
Please note that you will need to learn Korean (perhaps with one of our Korean courses ?) as you will have to interact with natives sooner or later.
Clothing stores
If you like clothes and shoes, consider working in the textile industry. You can find work in large department stores such as Hyundae, Shinsegae and Lotte, as well as independent stores such as Zara and H&M.
Depending on the position, these jobs are typically paid hourly or have a commission-based pay structure.
Freelance writer
Freelance writing is another popular job for expats in Korea. If you have a knack for the written word, freelance writing can be a good job to help pay the bills.
You don’t need to be an experienced journalist either: websites like Upwork frequently post job openings for freelance writers.
The great thing about this type of work is that you can work from home or from an office, whichever you prefer. As long as you can write in Spanish and English and have ideas to write about, it should be relatively easy to find some freelance writing work while living in Korea.
Engineering and construction
If you have an engineering degree, you’re in luck. There are plenty of opportunities for engineers to live and work in Korea. Job requirements vary depending on the field of engineering you studied, but most jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree and several years of experience. It’s also not uncommon to be required to be fluent in English and Korean (and other languages).
Financial Analyst
These professionals are responsible for analyzing a company’s financial statements and health to ensure that it is operating efficiently and effectively. A typical day in this position involves reviewing balance sheets, budgets, and other financial information to determine the costs and benefits associated with certain business decisions. Foreign analysts often work for large companies with a presence in other countries.
The qualifications required to work as a financial analyst vary greatly depending on the company, but most companies prefer candidates who have at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, or business administration. While prior experience is not always necessary for junior positions, it can be helpful when looking for more advanced positions.
There are many different jobs for foreigners in Korea.
As you can see, there are quite a few options when it comes to finding a job in South Korea. Although I have only listed 8 possibilities, there is actually a wide range of options depending on your skills and your ability to cope in a foreign country.
Either way, it’s important to have a good level of Korean as this will make things significantly easier for you. To make things easier for you, take a look at our beginner Korean course.
