I'm a Korean citizen with a Bachelor's as well as an March degree from the US.
But I had to serve in the Korean military for 2 years as all Korean males do and I had to come straight to Korea after graduation.
I recently finished my conscription and I found a job at a large and well respected architecture firm in Korea.
But I would definitely like to get a job in the US in the near future, and was wondering what skills and qualifications I could work on during my career in Korea that would help me land a job in the US.
English is not a problem for me. I was thinking taking the LEED qualifications as the tests are also available in Korea. I think I should also learn Revit as it's the preferred program in the US? I also know a little bit of Grasshopper and was wondering if I should just focus on that instead of Revit.
What else should I look into? Any opinion are appreciated.
donutsfordough
Nov 1, 18 1:12 pm
You should've served then continued your graduate studies. Because now I don't think you have a way to work without first being offered sponsorship. Students get that one year of work time after graduating which makes it easier to at least try to persuade employers. For you, it's a hassle. This is not legal advice.
The pedestrian software skills you can learn are not worth outsourcing. So you gotta stand out somehow in a big way that no one else here can do.
insomniac_maniac
Nov 1, 18 10:10 pm
Yes, that was certainly a big mistake on my part. I thought the scholarships that was offered to me at grad school was a bigger deal. I have seen a handful of people that managed to land a job overseas though.
insomniac_maniac
Nov 1, 18 10:11 pm
Do you have any examples of "standing out in a big way" that I could achieve while working at my current job?
donutsfordough
Nov 1, 18 10:19 pm
A company here isn't likely to hire a newcomer or typical drafter or Revit tool--tons of grads here willing to do the same work without work permit issues. What they might look for are experienced people with actual construction and building knowledge, can handle a project from start to finish, and limited training. Basically someone worth the hassle and stands out above and beyond the otherwise local applicants in terms of skill.
Some global firms also operate in Korea and perhaps your way in is by starting at home and seeing if you can transfer overseas in time. Arup has an office in S.K.
The good thing is that regardless of Trump or the next idiot, the queue for Korea isn't that long. So your odds should you get that far are far better than most from China or India.
sameolddoctor
Nov 2, 18 4:41 pm
Yup, best to try get hired for an international firm doing projects in S Korea, then try to transition to the US or UK. Its certainly not easy -- Architecture is not exactly a "growth industry"
insomniac_maniac
Nov 7, 18 3:29 am
Thanks for the detailed replies!
I don't think I can learn to handle a project from start to finish in the near future working at a large firm. I might look into transitioning to a smaller firm for larger involvement in projects. I'm also looking to apply to US or UK firms that have offices in Korea or Hong Kong(although I understand that the latter is hard to achieve without speaking Cantonese).
randomised
Nov 2, 18 3:59 am
Green card or working visa would really make you a better candidate.
On the fence
Nov 7, 18 9:37 am
Just land the job. You can figure out what that firm will then need or require.
3tk
Nov 7, 18 4:54 pm
Revit, professional english language skill (not to make assumptions, but it's hard to communicate well even for 'native' english speakers), CD/CA knowledge or great rendering skills.
Many MArch programs qualify as STEM, so I believe the work extension is 24 months. Work visas are less of an issue for larger outfits that are willing to deal with the hassle via they're HR and legal departments (with assumption that the salary offered is lower to account for the expense). Talent is scarce so if you have it, someone will take a chance.
Working for an international firm in their overseas office is good advice. I know quite a few folks who took that route back states-side.
Hi,
I'm a Korean citizen with a Bachelor's as well as an March degree from the US.
But I had to serve in the Korean military for 2 years as all Korean males do and I had to come straight to Korea after graduation.
I recently finished my conscription and I found a job at a large and well respected architecture firm in Korea.
But I would definitely like to get a job in the US in the near future, and was wondering what skills and qualifications I could work on during my career in Korea that would help me land a job in the US.
English is not a problem for me. I was thinking taking the LEED qualifications as the tests are also available in Korea. I think I should also learn Revit as it's the preferred program in the US? I also know a little bit of Grasshopper and was wondering if I should just focus on that instead of Revit.
What else should I look into? Any opinion are appreciated.
You should've served then continued your graduate studies. Because now I don't think you have a way to work without first being offered sponsorship. Students get that one year of work time after graduating which makes it easier to at least try to persuade employers. For you, it's a hassle. This is not legal advice.
The pedestrian software skills you can learn are not worth outsourcing. So you gotta stand out somehow in a big way that no one else here can do.
Yes, that was certainly a big mistake on my part. I thought the scholarships that was offered to me at grad school was a bigger deal. I have seen a handful of people that managed to land a job overseas though.
Do you have any examples of "standing out in a big way" that I could achieve while working at my current job?
A company here isn't likely to hire a newcomer or typical drafter or Revit tool--tons of grads here willing to do the same work without work permit issues. What they might look for are experienced people with actual construction and building knowledge, can handle a project from start to finish, and limited training. Basically someone worth the hassle and stands out above and beyond the otherwise local applicants in terms of skill.
Some global firms also operate in Korea and perhaps your way in is by starting at home and seeing if you can transfer overseas in time. Arup has an office in S.K.
The good thing is that regardless of Trump or the next idiot, the queue for Korea isn't that long. So your odds should you get that far are far better than most from China or India.
Yup, best to try get hired for an international firm doing projects in S Korea, then try to transition to the US or UK. Its certainly not easy -- Architecture is not exactly a "growth industry"
Thanks for the detailed replies!
I don't think I can learn to handle a project from start to finish in the near future working at a large firm. I might look into transitioning to a smaller firm for larger involvement in projects.
I'm also looking to apply to US or UK firms that have offices in Korea or Hong Kong(although I understand that the latter is hard to achieve without speaking Cantonese).
Green card or working visa would really make you a better candidate.
Just land the job. You can figure out what that firm will then need or require.
Revit, professional english language skill (not to make assumptions, but it's hard to communicate well even for 'native' english speakers), CD/CA knowledge or great rendering skills.
Many MArch programs qualify as STEM, so I believe the work extension is 24 months. Work visas are less of an issue for larger outfits that are willing to deal with the hassle via they're HR and legal departments (with assumption that the salary offered is lower to account for the expense). Talent is scarce so if you have it, someone will take a chance.
Working for an international firm in their overseas office is good advice. I know quite a few folks who took that route back states-side.