Hello! This is KOWORK, the foreign talent hiring platform.
On February 9, KOWORK and Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) co-hosted a seminar focused on industry-academia collaboration and hiring activation for international graduate students in STEM fields. The event was designed to provide international students with realistic information about the Korean job market and to share job seeking strategies for successful employment at Korean companies.
Originally planned for about 50 participants, the seminar drew strong interest from international students seeking jobs in Korea, with over 100 people registering - showing just how eager students are for this kind of practical guidance.
Real Insights from Industry Practitioners
The seminar featured speakers from both established corporations and fast-growing startups.
- A senior recruiter from LG Innotek shared valuable insights into what companies evaluate when hiring international talent, including major relevance, research experience, practical skills, and job fit. He highlighted how large corporations integrate their talent strategy into the hiring process.
- The CEO of Greybox, a startup focused on marketing automation solutions, presented real hiring examples and key considerations from his company’s experience. His session began with a video message from a current international employee, offering realistic and actionable job-search advice. One memorable takeaway was the importance of active networking and building human connections, a message many attendees found impactful.
Peer Perspectives and Career Stories
Following the main sessions, there was a Q&A session with the audience. A highlight was a talk by an international STEM professional currently working in Korea. They shared insights on how they prepared for employment, how they adapted after joining a Korean company, and how they manage their career post-hire. Many of the international student attendees resonated strongly with these firsthand stories, gaining confidence and practical ideas for their own job searches.
Institutional Support and Future Opportunities
A representative from SeoulTech expressed that the seminar was meaningful in providing international graduate students with useful job information and networking opportunities. The university plans to continue enhancing support systems so that outstanding foreign talent can successfully settle into Korea’s industrial ecosystem and contribute to national competitiveness.
KOWORK also reaffirmed its commitment to closing the information gap between international students and companies, and to acting as a bridge so that Korean companies can more easily access excellent global technical talent.
