In our second edition of Alumni 12/12, or 12 over 12, we’re going back two years to the Class of 2021 to celebrate Jieun Kang. Two years after graduating from her Master’s in Business Analytics, Jieun, who is originally from Korea, is thriving in her new US career and celebrating the successful release of her fourth book. Jieun gives us the lowdown on her new life and what she’s learned about global mobility.

I was born and raised in Korea, but I set my sights on a career move to the US.

I moved to Hult Boston for my Master’s in Business Analytics degree, graduating in 2021, and never looked back. Now, I try to empower others who find themselves in a similar situation to help them carve a path to a brighter future. I recently published a book on how to relocate your career from Korea to America, (나는 오늘부터 미국 대기업으로 출근한다 | 강지은 – 교보문고 (kyobobook.co.kr)) which made the top 10 booklist for seven weeks running on Korea’s biggest online bookstore, YES24.

Let me take you back to a time when I was working in Korea. 

I found job roles there to be vague and the working environment very hierarchical and based on loyalty rather than merit. I was expected to obey whatever my boss said, without question. This one day, my boss told me to demo a new software, which I’d never used before and didn’t even have access to. At over $100K for a license, my boss was expecting the impossible. My stress levels were so high. My happiness at rock bottom. After 15 years of working like this, I was exhausted. I dreamed of a place where I could use my expertise and be rewarded for my achievements. I decided it was time to follow my dream of relocating to America.

The Covid pandemic hit just as I was looking for a master’s program to study.

Most schools were planning for virtual classes, but Hult offered in-person classes on their Boston campus, which was very appealing to me as an international student. Hult’s Master’s in Business Analytics program seemed like a good fit for building a career and life in the US.

My student was approved and I moved to Boston to study at Hult.

I didn’t suffer from culture shock because I have friends already in the US and had grown up watching American dramas on TV.

I was happy to find how practical my Master’s in Business Analytics program was, rather than purely academic.

For example, we used actual company or public data to do our analysis and assignments. The curriculum included courses where we’d learn visual analytics tools and programming languages. Everything was geared toward equipping us for working life after graduation. As a result of this practical approach, I was well prepared for job interviews and analysis at work. The master’s program is an 11-month course, which is very compact. At the same time, I had to apply for jobs while studying, so it’s a very intense yet valuable experience for my career. Since Hult is an international school, I was exposed to and learned about various cultures from all over the world.

As soon as my school life at Hult began, so did my work with my Hult careers advisor.

I learned how to prepare for the job-hunting process and was able to have many one-to-one career sessions with my advisor whenever I needed them. I could go to her with any questions, and she taught me so much. From how to network on LinkedIn, which seniority levels were most suited to my experience, when to apply for jobs … She helped me with my ‘About’ section on my LinkedIn page and helped me throughout the whole process when I was interviewing for jobs.

There were many job events and networking sessions with alumni, so I could equip myself with knowledge and expertise from other people in my field. Based on the tips I learned, I expanded my network on LinkedIn and did several informational interviews. I met a fellow Korean who works for Amazon on LinkedIn and he gave me lots of tips for how to prepare for the job interview. Later, he referred me to a position on his team. In this way, I could practice job interviews with my network, and I was able to get more comfortable with job hunting.

My life is so much happier and calmer now.

I’m fully utilizing my expertise and evaluated by what I do. I don’t feel crowded, I don’t need to rush, I have more breathing space here.

I go to the office three times a week and work from home around that. After work, I walk and do yoga at home every day. I sometimes have dinner with a friend. I relax by reading, writing, or watching Korean shows on YouTube.

My biggest challenges are adapting to the language and the culture here.

I’m not a native English speaker, so it’s naturally hard to understand and speak English. This is my lifelong assignment. US culture is different from where I was born and raised, so it takes more time to understand everything here. But I’ll get used to it the longer I’m here.

Guns are what I’m most nervous about. In Korea, people cannot carry or buy a gun, but here, shooting accidents are not that rare, sadly.

Loneliness is the toughest emotion you face when you’re away from your hometown. But I met my fiancé after I started my job, so I have quite a stable life here. I’ve always been very independent.

If you want to move your life overseas, knowing and evaluating yourself objectively is the first step.

There’s a lot of information on the internet about going abroad to study or work in the US. But it’s not easy to find advice written by experienced people.

First, set a clear goal for your journey. I saw many students who came to the US expecting a good life, but ultimately went back to their country because they had no clear goal and plan. It’s not easy and there are no shortcuts. You need to be ready for the tough times because competition is fierce. You need preparation and plans—including back-up plans.

Work experience is the most important thing for job hunting in the US.

Global company experience and well-known brands on your resume are advantageous. In my case, interviewers were particularly interested in my experience at Samsung and Hyundai.

Coming to the US for study or work is basically transforming your life, so it’s a very uncertain adventure. But if you have the courage to want to work in a bigger world and are eager to make your life better, you should give it a try. Face your uncertainty and in the end, it’ll be worth it.

I discovered that many people were dreaming the same thing of moving to the US.

People secretly asked for my advice. So, it made sense to share my experience and try to help anyone striving for a similar goal.

My book covers both my own personal journey as well as lots of practical advice.

From the NIW application process to how to find a person who can help you with your US job hunt and what the interview process at an American company is like, to what to consider when applying for a job in order to obtain a work visa, you can use this practical guide to help make your dream of working in the United States a reality.

So, whether you want a reference for planning your own career journey to the US, or you just want to experience the fun of my story, I’ve written my latest book in the hopes it will prove a valuable guide for Korean-speaking people in need of some escapism or practical advice.

Link to order:

나는 오늘부터 미국 대기업으로 출근한다 | 강지은 – 교보문고 (kyobobook.co.kr)