[K-Women Talk] Great Prospects and Conditions... Foreign Companies Saddened by Their Long Names

Here is a potential marriage partner. They have a good character, a bright future, and outstanding looks. The only flaw is that their name, ‘Park Haneulbyeol Gureum,’ is long. Would you reject them just because their name is long?

It may sound absurd, but this is common in the job preparation scene. Among French, German, and Japanese companies, many have long and difficult names, and for this reason, even though they rank within the global top 500, they often struggle to attract many applicants, causing HR managers headaches. Where can you find such companies that could be an oasis in the harsh job market? We sifted through employment experts’ consulting guides and selected five. Although these companies mainly hire in engineering fields, they also recruit for sales, sales management, business support, supply chain management (SCM), marketing, and more, so both humanities and sciences majors, regardless of gender, should pay attention.

The first is Vitesco Technologies. Readers interested in the automotive industry will be familiar with the Continental Group. Continental, along with Siemens, is considered one of the ‘most desirable foreign manufacturing companies to work for.’ Headquartered in Hanover, Germany, it manufactures tires, powertrains, and more. Vitesco Technologies is a subsidiary of the Continental Group and changed its name from Continental Automotive Systems in 2019. Due to the name change, even industry insiders are often unaware of this hidden company. Continental’s Korean branch has over 1,000 employees, an average annual salary exceeding 60 million KRW, and a horizontal corporate culture, embodying the advantages of foreign companies.

The second is the Japanese semiconductor company Advantest. It is the global market leader in semiconductor testing equipment. Ranked number one in the ‘Global Top 10 Semiconductor Equipment Companies’ by Canada’s TechInsights, surpassing ASML, it is a powerhouse. However, it has low recognition domestically, a difficult name, and is located in Cheonan, resulting in relatively low application rates. It employs over 200 people in Korea, conducts biannual open recruitment, offers high average salaries, and is praised for good working conditions.

The third is the German skincare company Beiersdorf. It boasts a top global market share in lip care and sunscreen products. Its well-known brands include Nivea, Eucerin, and La Prairie, but while people recognize the products, they often do not know the company name, so job postings can easily be overlooked. Job seekers tired of the fierce competition at consumer goods companies like L’Or?al and P&G should pay attention to this company’s marketing and business support recruitment announcements.

The fourth is Denmark’s Novo Nordisk. It is a leading company that has held the world’s number one position in the insulin market for the past 100 years. It respects nationality diversity, values gender equality, and has over 40% female managers. Its Korean branch employs about 240 people and has established flexible working hours and remote work to ensure working mothers can work safely.

The fifth is the American company Medtronic. It is the world’s number one medical device company by sales and the leader in laparoscopic surgical instruments. It has been operating in Korea for over 20 years, with steadily increasing staff, employing over 500 people in the Korean branch alone. It has been recognized as a ‘Great Place to Work in Korea,’ ranking first in employee welfare satisfaction surveys, and has established remote work, flexible hours, and performance-based HR systems.

If ordinary job seekers or their parents already know these companies, passing the recruitment process is almost guaranteed. This is because they did not apply blindly to companies they only knew by name but studied the industries and companies they wanted to join and created a sharp job preparation list.

Lee Sook-eun, CEO of Lee’s Bookstore, editor of ‘The Backbone of Employment’