April 23, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] To help South Korean startups find new talent and allow job seekers to learn more about the community, Google Campus Seoul hosted a recruiting event at its headquarters here on Dec. 8. 

Google Campus Seoul, a co-working space for startups operated by the US internet giant, invited 12 startups looking to hire interns, entry-level designers, software developers, project coordinators and marketers.

The recruiting program, in its 10th year, was organized by Google Campus Seoul and Korean startup recruiting service provider Wanted Lab. Google began the program in September 2015 with the mission of helping startups find new employees -- the determining factor of a startup’s success.

“Recruiting the right people is an integral part of running a successful startup,” said head of Google Campus Seoul Jeffrey Lim. “A product or idea can always fail. But teams that can maintain unity and try making new products are bound for eventual success,” he said.

The event, which drew 341 participants, invited three panelists working at Korean startups to share their thoughts on the ups and downs of working at a startup and what to expect as a new employee.

“While there are perhaps less employee benefits and stability at a startup, you can definitely feel a concrete sense of compensation for your achievements,” said Park Jong-hwan from local e-commerce startup Ticket Monster.

“You will also be given many roles and opportunities without clear boundaries and be expected to work without much of a system of guidance. This could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on one’s personality,” he said.

For new recruits, being hard-working, passionate employees who can synergize with team members is more critical than technical skillsets, the panelists noted.

Bae Young-jin, chief financial officer of NextFloor -- the company which developed the hit mobile game “Dragon Flight” in 2012 -- advised those interested in joining startups to get plugged into the community here. 

“Due to the tight and fast-paced nature of the industry, most startups tend to hire people they already know or based on recommendations. Given this, it’s important to interact frequently with those who work or have worked at a startup,” Bae said.

Following the panelist talk session, event participants were able to take part in information sessions held by each of the 12 featured startups. 

Many visited various booths to talk with the recruiters, employees and CEOs of startups and later engaged in a free networking session accompanied by drinks and snacks.

So far, Google Campus Seoul’s recruiting day program has featured 99 startups, including high-profile Korean startups such as Memebox, a mobile e-commerce platform for cosmetics and beauty products as well as Yanolja, which operates a local motel booking app as well as its own motel chain.

Google Campus Seoul is one of six campuses currently established worldwide by Google. The US internet giant operates similar startup co-working spaces, or “campuses,” in London, Tel Aviv, Madrid, Warsaw and San Paulo. 

By Sohn Ji-young/The Korea Herald (jys@heraldcorp.com)