Hello, this is KOWORK, a foreign talent recruitment platform.
How are you writing your job descriptions (JDs), the very starting point of hiring? Are you perhaps creating a “foreigner recruitment posting” in the same way you would write a local job posting?
One of the most challenging parts of hiring foreign talent was writing the JD. Beyond describing the job responsibilities, we needed to clearly explain the work environment the foreign applicant would be joining and what background knowledge would be required. As a result, we had to approach it with far more detail and sensitivity than a standard job posting.
— Homes in Korea
A “foreigner recruitment posting” needs to deliver far more context than a local job posting. Phrases or values that are easily understood by Koreans often need more friendly and explicit explanation, and it is important to clearly describe the competencies you are expecting from foreign applicants. Today, we’ll share some useful tips for writing JDs for foreign talent recruitment.
① Company or Team Introduction
It’s helpful to introduce your company’s mission and vision, as well as the team’s working style. Since applicants typically encounter your company for the first time through the job posting, keep this section short but impactful so they can understand the organization. While this section is often omitted in local job postings, we recommend including it for foreign talent, as they may have limited awareness of Korean companies.
💡 Some foreign job seekers may be concerned about Korea’s hierarchical corporate culture. In addition to explaining how work is organized, it’s also effective to highlight your company’s comfortable atmosphere or employee benefits.
② Main Responsibilities
Describe the tasks the applicant will be responsible for if they join the team. It’s important to use clear, concrete, and measurable expressions.
- Marketing to attract new members ❌
- Planning and executing events and promotions to achieve 1M MAU ⭕️
Avoid vague descriptions like “overall service operations,” which do not clarify what the applicant will actually do. Likewise, avoid listing tasks that do not reflect the real job or that are unrelated to the position. Write the responsibilities based on the work the person will handle within the first six months.
Main responsibilities should do more than simply list tasks—they should reveal three things:
- Why you are hiring
- What skills you expect
- What outcomes you want
For example, the earlier sample:
- Planning and executing events and promotions to achieve 1M MAU
implies the following:
- The company is rapidly growing and needs additional hires to reach 1M MAU
- The candidate needs experience planning and executing events/promotions
- The expected result is achieving 1M MAU
💡 It is especially important to clearly describe the exact tasks a foreign applicant will handle. For instance, for a “Global Content Marketer,” specify which country the content targets, what languages are used, and what results (user acquisition, sales, etc.) are required.
③ Required Qualifications
Required qualifications are, literally, the skills and experience that are essential. Clearly distinguish what is truly “required” from what is simply “preferred.”
💡 For foreign recruitment, it’s especially important to state nationality, language proficiency, and visa requirements in this section. For example, if you’re hiring a “Global Content Marketer targeting North America,” but you list “native-level English proficiency” or “familiarity with North American culture” only as preferred qualifications, it may be difficult to attract suitable applicants. If a nationality or language ability is essential for the role, list it under required qualifications.
As with the main responsibilities, it’s best to describe relevant experience based on outcomes (results), not just tasks.
- Experience creating advertising content ❌
- Experience improving ad content performance through A/B tests on copy, design, etc. ⭕️
④ Preferred Qualifications
Preferred qualifications, as mentioned earlier, must be clearly distinguished from required ones. A list that is too long or overly detailed is not ideal. Include hard skills relevant to the role, as well as soft skills that would be helpful for the candidate as a team member.
⑤ Working Conditions
💡 For foreign employees, the type of visa they can obtain—or later convert to—may vary depending on their working conditions, so it is crucial to state these details accurately. For example, if you list the position as an “intern” in the job posting and hire a foreign applicant under that title, but the actual working conditions differ from what qualifies as an “intern” (e.g., working less than 8 hours per day), immigration authorities may reject the visa application.
⑥ Preferred Visa Types
When registering a job posting directly on KOWORK, you can select the visa types preferred for applicants. As visa eligibility depends on employment type—such as intern, contract, or full-time—it is recommended to select the appropriate options. If you are unsure, choosing mainly D-10 (Job-Seeking Visa), E-7 (Specialty Occupation Visa), and F-type visas (Residence/Permanent Resident Visas) is generally safe.
A well-crafted JD forms the applicant’s first impression of your company. The more thoughtfully you write it, the greater the chance of attracting talent who truly fit your organization, while also providing a positive recruitment experience for applicants.
If you have more questions about hiring foreign talent, feel free to reach out anytime.
Any company representative can receive a free consultation.
