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Working as an Expat in Samsung Electronics HQ - Software R&D Center

Senior Engineer
Current Employee
Has worked at Samsung for 2 years
March 26, 2016
Seoul, South Korea
1.0
Doesn't RecommendNeutral Outlook
Pros

• Good benefits. • Work time is flexible and not too many hours. • Probably one of the best office environments in the world, including the office space, infrastructure, and restaurant gym.

Cons

As a foreigner, you will not be doing much important work. You will likely be assigned unimportant side tasks.

Endless analysis paralysis. You will probably end up in an endless project proposal cycle. Samsung wants your ideas, but they don't want you to execute them. Your team leader will take your ideas and sell them as his own; you won't get credit for your ideas (that's probably just Korean work culture).

Strong hierarchy culture. You are not supposed to give your ideas in meetings.

No English communication. You will probably be the only foreigner in a team that only communicates in Korean. Even in small meetings, they will not switch to English.

You will not be involved in decision processes, and most team members will avoid you due to issues with communication and working culture. It is kind of a hostile environment for foreigners (and probably even for Koreans).

You will make good money, but you will feel like you are sitting on the reserve bench with unimportant tasks assigned.

Advice to Management

As a foreigner, you feel like you're wasting your lifetime in the company. The potential of foreigners is just wasted. Either don't hire foreign contractors, or change the environment for them. For example, don't put a single foreigner in only Korean teams.

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