[K-Women Talk] The Hidden "God’s Workplace" My Daughter Seeks: Association Knows the Answer

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He did not go where the competition was fierce. This is the secret to success of a certain wealthy individual. It means that it is difficult for a person with ordinary intelligence and capital to win in places where outstanding people gather and competition is intense. The job market is no different. Talented individuals naturally flock to companies that everyone says are good, and the result an average job seeker faces in the face of high competition is likely to be rejection. It is most important to find places where the competition rate is not high because others do not know much about them, and where growth potential is high, leading to increased hiring.

Where can such hidden "God’s workplace" be found? Since these are unknown companies, you cannot search by name, so the first step is to secure data that can serve as a basis for searching. The correct approach is to grasp the overall status of which companies exist in the industry you want to enter, and then narrow down by entering company names one by one.

Where else can you find such data? The best method the author has learned is industry association websites. For example, if you want to enter the advertising agency business, try typing "Advertising Agency Association" in the search bar. For financial companies, type "Financial Company Association," and for the semiconductor industry, type "Semiconductor Company Association," and you will find the homepage of an institution functioning as an association. Usually, there is a menu called "Member Company Status," which introduces the latest overview of the entire industry we want.

For example, when typing "Digital Advertising Agency Association" in the search bar, the Korea Digital Advertising Association appears. Clicking on the member company status shows a total of 147 member companies classified into five divisions, such as the Online Agency Division, Performance Division, Rep/Platform Division, etc. Not only is there a list of companies by division, but company brochures are also attached. With just the association website, you can secure detailed subdivisions and company lists of the industry you want.

The amount of information provided may vary depending on the size and capacity of each association. For example, in the case of the Korea Financial Investment Association, which gathers securities firms and asset management companies, not only basic information about member companies but also job postings are updated. Since about 10 job postings are uploaded daily on average, it can be quite useful for job seekers who want to enter the financial sector. Having obtained the company list through the association, you now need to start a full-fledged search. Looking at the Online Agency Division of the digital advertising agencies mentioned above, most companies are ones even the author, who has published job hunting books, has never heard of.

The first thing to do to thoroughly examine such companies is to look at corporate analysis data on job portals. Since each job portal posts well-organized company information, you can simultaneously check the company’s status, average salary, hiring frequency, and more. If basic data is not available on the job portal, you can search for the company name on the "NICE Company Information" site. Information such as sales status, number of employees, and competitor distribution is provided free of charge. After acquiring this basic information, you can broaden your search to company review sites, workplace communities, YouTube, blogs, and so on. Rankings such as "Best Companies to Work For" announced by global consulting firms or "Companies Satisfied by Current Employees" provided by job portals can also be useful reference materials.

Going through this exploration process will develop your eye for companies, and you may discover a company that makes your heart race. You will find your own "God’s workplace" known only to you. Finally, to share one more of the author’s company exploration know-how: check whether the number of employees is trending upward. Growing companies naturally hire talent actively.

Lee Sook-eun, CEO of Lee’s Bookstore

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