Kari Karlsbjerg's "Canadian Employment Culture" column reports every Wednesday (local time) in the Korea IT Times. First, the four-part coverage of the serial column for 'Month Two' is as follows.
1. Finding Your Tribe: Professional IT Associations Source for Jobs
2. Linked-In is the Sure Way to Connect and Find Work
3. Self-Service to Full-Service Job Hunting
4. KOTRA and K-MOVE Connect Jobseekers with Canadian Employers
Where to Find IT Jobs Canada
Overseas employment experience is invaluable both for individuals and for countries that benefit from the expanded worldview of their citizens upon their return. KOTRA, a South Korean government agency responsible for the promotion of trade and investment activities, recognizes the importance of overseas employment for its youth. As a result, the South Korean government has set up 51 foreign trade centers in 28 countries, many of which are implementing K-move, a Korean youth overseas employment support project.
At the Vancouver trade center, small Korean businesses are entering overseas markets, conducting market research at home and abroad, and implementing K-move.
K-Move seeks to match talented youth who have passion and potential with companies around the world, like Canada, that have an ever-expanding need for skilled workers. One of the key ways they do this is through their 1:1 match-making services that connect Canadian recruiting companies with potential Korean hires all year round.
They highlight Canadian employers seeking workers using their 'World Job Plus' job site in Korea and keeping their newsletter subscribers up to date with the newest positions.
KOTRA Vancouver Job Fairs
KOTRA Vancouver Job Fairs are popular events held twice per year to help Korean newcomers find a great position. Koreans who hold work permits, study permits, (Korean) permanent residence, or are Korean Canadians, can all participate.
More than 50 companies have participated since 2016, and 150~200 job seekers have gathered at each event. The Vancouver Job Fair is a system where job applicants take job interviews at the fair through the process of [Pre-registration -> Deliver resumes to employers -> Documentation].
In addition, on-site interviews are available during breaks in the schedule in order to provide more job opportunities for job seekers.
These events are well known for their excellent organization, pre-screening of candidates and interview scheduling right on site.
This efficient set-up makes this one of the top job fairs in the city. As one Bank of Montreal (BMO) Assistant Manager shared: “A person who was hired from a KOTRA Job Fair is now one of our greatest BMO employees with both experience and educational background. [At the job fair] we had the chance to learn more about Korean candidates. If you think you have more qualified candidates, please invite us to discuss hiring more.”
Another way that KOTRA/K-move assists Korean jobseekers with finding work overseas is through their twice per year Global Job Fairs. More than 100 companies from all around the world visit Korea to meet over 6,000 interested candidates. Furthermore, KOTRA’s Pin-point Project regularly invites companies to Korea to assist them in meeting their recruiting needs. This initiative provides a one-stop service for hiring companies providing services such as recruiting, scheduling, and contacting candidates at the KOTRA Seoul HQ location.
Even after KOTRA/K-Move helps Koreans find employment in Canada, they continue to provide support to ensure their success on the job in Canada. They connect newly arrived young Koreans with successful mentors from their field to provide invaluable guidance.
In addition, they host workshops and seminars on important employment related topics such as writing great resumes, strengthening interview skills, setting up LinkedIn profiles, applying for work visas and understanding the Canadian labor market and employment legislation.
Kari Karlsbjerg and Elaine Chu are authors of the best-selling bilingual guidebook, Everyday Vancouver, which contains all the practical cultural information and resources Korean newcomers need for life in Vancouver, Canada.
