“They Give You Trauma and Attitude”: Woman Goes To Job Interviews In Korea And Shares Her Gift Haul

Hunting for a job and jumping through seemingly endless corporate hoops is beyond stressful. And on top of that, there’s the added strain of all the time, energy, and money you spend just to attend job interviews. However, some companies sweeten the deal, making things just a tad easier.

Internet user Just Being Chee (@cheesecakeday) went viral after sharing a video about all the awesome things she got just for attending job interviews in South Korea. The cash and gifts were enough to shock the internet. People felt jealous, in the best possible way.

Looking for a job can be stressful and can eat up a lot of your resources. One content creator shared the gifts she received just for attending job interviews in South Korea

Image credits: Resume Genius (not the actual photo)

“Showing what I got from going to interviews in Korea”

“Cash from two companies”

“Snacks and drinks”

“Supplements”

“A box with a Thank you note and some face masks”

Image source: @cheesecakeday

“My Clay Pack cleanser from Foley, lots of Torriden skincare. Skincare from ClearDea and more skincare”

Image source: @cheesecakeday

“I work in the K Skincare company, so most of the places that I go for interviews are to brands in Korea. This is why most of the stuff that I get from interviews are skin care. And some of them are so nice to give you transportation, money as well. And even hand packed snacks. I kinda like this a lot.  Just wanna show you my favourite snack of this. This is so good. It’s called Bichobi. If you come to Korea, you need to try this.”

Image source: @cheesecakeday

You can watch the creator’s full viral video right over here

@cheesecakedayThank you for trying to make our job searching phase better 🥲♬ original sound – Just Being Chee

First impressions matter a ton. You have to put in the effort to look and sound professional

Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)

Just Being Chee’s video instantly went viral. At the time of writing, her clip on TikTok garnered 272.5k views, 28.2k likes, and got more than 800 comments.

What’s more, the video was also bookmarked nearly 2k times and shared a whopping 12k shares. Clearly, people on the video-sharing network were enthralled by the idea that there could be perks for going to interviews.

Not only does it feel nice to be appreciated by your potential employer, but there’s a practical side to all of this that is invigorating. When the company covers your travel costs, it shows that it cares about your welfare. That, in turn, bolsters its positive reputation.

Leaving a good first impression when you meet your interviewers really does matter. Your body language, tone of voice, hygiene, and clothing all play a role in this.

Your repertoire of ‘soft’ skills, like communication and teamwork, is also vital, alongside the arsenal of technical skills you have.

FanWork suggests that you should embrace a business formal dress code when you head to job interviews in South Korea. You should aim to create a look that shows how professional you are.

On top of that, you should strive to find a balance between confidence and humility. If the position you’re applying to requires bilingual communication, you can expect to answer questions in English, as well as Korean.

No matter the company, put in the time and energy to research the organization and position beforehand

Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)

According to Jaem, job interviews in South Korea typically embrace the following formats:

1. In-person, with one or more interviews
2. Video via online platforms, which is very convenient
3. Group, where you’re interviewed alongside other candidates, testing your teamworking skills and group dynamics
4. Panel, where multiple interviewers ask you questions from a variety of perspectives

Aside from dressing professionally, you should use formal language and titles and bow slightly when greeting and addressing your interviewers, Jaem suggests.

What’s more, punctuality is also key. Don’t be late. Aim to arrive at your interview 10 to 15 minutes earlier. (This is also advisable in most other Western countries. Punctuality is a virtue in many cultures, not just South Korea.)

You should also have done background research about the company and the position you’re applying to. Make eye contact without staring, always be honest, avoid casual language, and don’t interrupt your interviewers.

Obviously, don’t use your phone during the interview, and avoid speaking ill of your previous workplaces. The latter is incredibly important because if you’re willing to gossip about your former bosses and coworkers, then the interviewers know you’re more likely to speak ill of them in the future, too.

Local culture often has a significant impact on the office culture as well

Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)

As 90 Day Korean points out, South Korean office culture is often very hierarchical. “While there may be some confusion sometimes over what your actual job position is, it’s always clear where you stand in the food chain. And the higher, the better.”

The downside is that, as a new employee, you’ll be at the bottom of the hierarchy. Your opinions don’t matter as much, you can find it difficult to refuse anyone who has seniority over you, and some of your seniors might not respect you as much as you deserve (yet).

“But at the same time, Korean companies also value close-knit teams and cohesive company environments. There will be the yearly Membership Training event, either for just the team or sometimes the whole company. At this event, the group will go on an overnight excursion to the countryside together. There might be other types of Korean company parties as well.”

What do you think about the idea of receiving compensation and gifts for job hunting, Pandas? What are the best and worst job interviews you’ve ever attended? What’s the strangest experience you’ve had? What pearls of wisdom would you share with someone who’s just now entering the job market? Let us know in the comments!

Many internet users were shocked by what they learned. Here’s how they reacted to the news

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