This article is by Yoon Seung-jin and read by an artificial voice.



As more internationals look to build careers in Korea, many find themselves facing practical hurdles - from limited guidance to a lack of firsthand experience. To bridge that gap, the Korea JoongAng Daily talks with professionals who have carved out their paths in diverse fields, offering readers real-world insights on how to start their careers in the country in this series "Hired in Korea."

Kazakh national Kobessov Rakhat, who worked as an overseas marketer for seven years at cross-national consulting company Eurastech and is now an overseas salesperson at high-tech device maker Dot, both based in Korea, says he was "lucky" when he landed his first job after being scouted while working part-time.

But he firmly believes that this seemingly random stroke of luck came about thanks to his persistence and his "doing-something-is-better-than-doing-nothing" mindset.

Before being hired as a full-time employee, he completed his master's degree in international trade at Kookmin University while participating in the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP) and took on part-time jobs that required language skills.

Even after securing a position as a marketer, he continued to seek opportunities to improve by taking academic courses and participating in various mentoring activities. Through such efforts, he has grown into a global talent who now mentors international students at training programs and events hosted by the Korea Immigration Service and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

"I've seen many people who lack expertise in this field," said Rakhat. "That's why I think international students must focus on gaining knowledge and skills, rather than just complaining about the environment."

"As you keep building yourself up, you will come across better opportunities."

The Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Rakhat to hear more about his journey, the challenges of being a foreign professional in Korea and his advice for international students hoping to follow a similar path.



Q. I heard you first studied in Germany. What brought you to Korea, and how did you end up settling here?

A. I studied in Germany for about two years before coming to Korea. But when I compared living in Germany and Korea, I found Korea more comfortable. Korea is safe, well-developed and full of things to do.

Also, its education system is gaining global recognition, and people think highly of Korea's education these days.

I started my master's program in 2013 and completed it after three years. And I was fortunate enough to find a job, which allowed me to settle down here.

Were there some challenges while adapting to Korean society?

Yes, there were. I still struggle with a language barrier, especially when I read news articles or communicate in a professional setting. Back then, it was even harder.

Also, while most international students receive scholarships when they come to Korea, I didn't. So there were times when I had financial difficulties.

Since I could speak Russian, I did some part-time jobs related to the Russian language. In the end, it was through one of those part-time jobs that I got a lucky break and was able to stay and work full-time in Korea.



So, you were hired in Korea through a part-time job? That's unusual.

Yes, it's quite rare. For foreigners, getting a job in Korea is tough. Even after finishing my master's, I struggled to find work.

So, I just decided to do a part-time job, mainly due to financial hardships. I uploaded my resume on job recruiting websites and luckily got a temporary role at a company dealing with Russian companies. The CEO offered me a longer position later on.

I signed a six-month contract job, and then I was converted to a full-time employee. That's how I started working in overseas marketing.

Looking back, I'd say I was lucky. But I also believe opportunities come in unexpected ways, so instead of sitting still, it's better to keep doing somethin...