It is an old saying that freshmen do not have to worry about their future. Nowadays, university students are
worried about employment and about carrying the label of “young applicant.” Moreover, the unemployment
rate is high, so finding a desirable job sometimes feels like asking for the moon. Almost all young job applicants send employment applications to large corporations and public enterprises. However, it is a good idea to widen your sights to include foreign companies. Foreign companies are well known for good employee benefits and advance employment on demand. The Observer met with alumni who joined foreign-affiliated firms and listened to them talk about their university life and how they prepared for employment.
Name : Yu-ri Oh Major : English Language & Literature ’07 Company : LOREAL Korea<br>
Loreal is a French cosmetic brand. Loreal consists of cosmetic lines like Shu uemera, Lancome, and Maybelline.
Loreal employs about 72,600 people worldwide.
Q) What kind of work do you do?
A) I am responsible for Shu uemera, a makeup artist brand, and Clarisonic a cleansing device brand. My responsibilities involve public relations. My main task is to meet fashion magazine editors to introduce new items for weekly or monthly magazines.
Q) What should students do to get hired by a company like yours?
A) I had a double major in English Language & Literature and Media &Communication to prepare for work in public relations. In addition, I worked as an intern at a public relations agency for six months. I saw the Shu uemura PR internship opening in CECI magazine by chance when I failed an employment exam. I applied for the internship, and I got it. I got a valuable recommendation after the internship.
Q) How about the working atmosphere?
A) The atmosphere is generally free. The dress code is fairly relaxed. Moreover, the office hours in our company
are not fixed. However, results are very important because our budget is based on performance.
Q) Is there a special corporate culture at Loreal?
A) There is “MERCI DAY” in Loreal. Merci is French for “thank you.” It is held on the fourth Wednesday of each
month. It is one of the communication programs implemented by the company to show the employees how much
they are appreciated.
Q) What should we do if we want to get hired by a foreign company?
A) The most important thing is that you realize what you like and what you want to do in the future. Then you need
to gain experience from doing things and not just studying. You can’t follow what others do. You have to make your own way in the world.<br>
Name : Tae-gyun Kim Major : Urban Planning & Engineering ’99 Company : Boehringer Ingelheim Korea
Boehringer Ingelheim Korea is one of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim,
Germany, it operates globally with 140 affiliates. The company supplies many drugs like the constipation medicine
Dulcolax. Currently about 250 employees work for Boehringer Ingelheim Korea.
Q) What kind of work do you do?
A) I work in wholesale management of the Finance & Administration department. Producing drugs requires a circulation process; wholesale stores (a form of authorized retail store) are involved during the interim circulation sales process before consumers buy medicine at a hospital or pharmacy. I manage wholesale supply drugs distribution at hospitals and pharmacies.
Q) What did you do in order to be hired by a foreign company?
A) In my case, I was hired because I had experience. I worked 4 years as a salesperson for Korea MSD, an American pharmaceutical company. After that I passed an employment exam and I was hired.
Q) What is the work atmosphere?
A) Boehringer Ingelheim is a family company that is not listed on any stock exchange. Therefore, the company has a more familial atmosphere than other foreign-affiliated firms.
Q) I've heard that foreign-affiliated firms have good benefits.
A) I think the best benefits are undisturbed personal time and the level of pay. If I finish my work, I don’t have to walk on eggshells and stay in my seat beyond fixed business hours. Moreover, the company encourages employees to take a rest when they apply for a leave. In addition, this company has a competitive wage structure. This is because labor unions find out the opinions of employees and management makes rational decisions.
Q) What should we do in university if we want to be hired bya foreign company?
A) I had diverse experiences during my university life. I think students should experience what they want other
than just doing volunteer work, language study abroad, and internships. I hope you have many indirect experiences
and get hands-on experience which I think is most important.
During the interviews, I recognized that YU alumni who work for foreign companies have had diverse experiences.
Moreover, they had a specific plan in mind for getting hired. In addition, foreign-affiliated firms require employees to have an intense workload and to study English persistently. However, the best feature of foreign-affiliated firms is a free work atmosphere. I hope that every student at YU widens their vision for employment and considers more
diverse opportunities.
