You Da-yeon, Reporter

The youth unemployment rate in October 2018 is 8.4% and counts for about 35 million people. One in ten youths is unemployed. Why does society pay attention to statistics on youth unemployment? That’s because this might hinder the development of economics and impose more social costs like youth allowance. In this social atmosphere, young people struggle to seek new opportunities to get jobs. So, they turn their sights abroad and get recruited for an overseas position. Now, let’s learn about some details on overseas employment.

● Interview with Professor Choi Nak-won in the Dept. of Spanish and Latin Studies
1. Why did you suggest overseas employment to students?
When I see many students can’t utilize their major in the work place, I feel sorry for them, as a professor. Also, there were some companies recruiting for jobs in foreign countries. The other reason is that students can have better opportunities related to their career. So, with these reasons, I made a bulletin board for students who want to be employed overseas. On this board, I upload all the recruitment information from the international companies that they send to me.

2. In overseas employment, what do students need to be careful of?
It is important to get plenty of information; I would highly recommend the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). Also, it is a good way to get help from their professors in each department.

3. What is necessary for overseas employment?
You must have foreign language skills, just like Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE), Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). Also, for your business work, driver’s license and computer utilization ability are necessary. However, the most important thing is patience, because a different life in other country might be hard.

4. What are advantages and disadvantages of overseas employment?
An advantage is that you can develop your career, the promotion process is a little bit faster than in Korea and provides needed stability. The biggest disadvantages are loneliness and safety. Especially for safety, if you obtain safety tips and guidelines from your company, and abide by them, you can live safer for longer.

 
5. Is there any advice for students who want to receive overseas employment?
I don’t want to advise but I want to request students to do something. At first, of course, students might like languages. Second, get a lot of information. Third, take care of your health and mind.

● How to Find Information about Overseas Employment
If you are the one who wants to get overseas employment, you can find information at the CBNU Career Support Center Website(https://career.chonbuk.ac.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=employ2). It has an overseas employment bulletin board so someone who wants to have information about overseas employment can utilize that information.
If you want to find more information, go to WorldJob+ (https://www.worldjob.or.kr/intro.do). WorldJob+ is a reliable website that Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) and the Ministry of Employment and Labor joined efforts for a collaborative run. On this site, you can read about basic information for overseas employment just like related jobs, useful tips for interviews, visa, etc.
Also, the CBNU Career Support Center sometimes holds some lectures about overseas employment. Or you can get help from websites that each department conducts.

● Information of Preference Country for Overseas Employment
‘Job Korea’ surveyed about overseas employment preferences and found four countries that youths preferred. So, let’s look at the countries and what their promising fields are and what you should take care of when you get employed.

1. Canada
If a Canadian company wants to employ foreigners, it has to explain to the government why it wants to employ foreigners over citizens. In Canada, they usually find people in medical fields or healthcare jobs like nurses, doctors and optometrists and scientific jobs. If you are major is related to that field, it might be easier to have job in Canada!

2. United States of America (USA)
Since the Trump administration began, the number of Koreans who get a job and study abroad in the United States has decreased. This is because of the government’s policies on protectionism.

If you are related to IT, a taxation business, the medical field, or design, you might become well employed. In particular, Korean designers in the USA have made brilliant and outstanding achievements and advances, that their part created an increase in the demand for people working in the design field.

3. Germany
Germany is the country with one of the highest economic development rates in the EU. In Germany, consulting, law, and engineering are promising jobs.

4. Australia
In March 2018, Australia changed its VISA system. If you wanted to get a job in Australia, you should take a look at this system again. Also, if you are in the field of culinary, architecture, or accounting, it would be relatively easy for you to find a job.

Some may think that overseas employment is an escape. However, it can be ‘The Big Step’ in your life just like Neil Alden Armstrong said, “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. So, just do it, whatever you want to do. Only God knows whether this will be a failure or success in your life.