cultural differences
I've decided to take a different tack in my approach to this PE photo job and in the process I'm discovering some interesting things about Korean culture. I asked the expat. engineer JinHo Park tonight if he would give Byung Il Kwan, Photo PE manager, a recommendation for me on the the job. As soon as I asked he just started laughing. I was really taken aback! I then felt really silly and embarrassed for having asked. When I asked him why he was laughing he responded that he thought I was joking. When I told him I was serious he became rather grave and told me that in Korea engineers don't ever change areas. He said as an engineer you work in one area and you never change and this was why he was so surprised that I would be interested in a job in another area. This confirms what I had heard from John last week that Byung Il just didn't think he could take someone from etch. It appears that I really have an uphill battle ahead of me. Jim was gracious enough to write me a very nice recommendation letter, but I really wanted to have some Korean backing to bolster my position. I think all I'm ending up doing is confusing them! Well, my resume is in the mix and I think now I'd best just sit back and wait for the interview.