I personally don't think that English is the most important thing when working at an American company. In fact, it's often about how you communicate with your manager or superiors, like not acting like a drama character. Lastly, what I want to say is that the attitude we Koreans have is very necessary. This attitude helps us succeed in the workplace in Korea, but it can have a very negative impact in American companies. 

Hello, I'm Yu. After starting my YouTube channel, many people have asked me how I came to the United States, what path I took to get a job here, and whether it's possible to work in an American company without speaking English. Personally, I don't think that English is the most important thing when working at an American company. First, let me briefly introduce myself: I entered an American university in my mid-twenties and graduated.

I got a job at an American company through the OPT program. I was also lucky enough to win the lottery for a work visa, and after working for about a year, I am currently in the process of obtaining a green card. Looking back on the past, it seems like I have gone through all the status processes that an international student can experience. In the past, I couldn't even order a hamburger properly in English, and now I find it amazing that I am surviving in an American company, receiving a green card, and gaining various opportunities. 

In fact, our company laid off about half of its employees last year. They let go of Americans who spoke English well and graduated from good schools, and I couldn't understand why I wasn't laid off while they were. If I say this, you might think that I'm exaggerating when I say I couldn't even order a hamburger in English, or that it's a lie, but it was really true when I first came to the U.S.

I was ordering a Five Guys burger, and I had trouble understanding the questions they were asking me. I kept repeating myself, and they looked at me strangely but said they understood. I felt a bit uneasy, but I thought a burger was a burger, so it would be fine. Later, when I received my burger, I was shocked and embarrassed to see that it was just bread and a patty without any toppings. I later found out that at Five Guys, you have to choose your toppings when you order. They probably asked me what toppings I wanted, and I think I responded that I didn't need any. Anyway, when I checked my burger and my face turned red from embarrassment, I didn't have the courage to go back and ask for some toppings, so I just left the place with my burger. If you're planning to come to the U.S...

Many people worry about whether they can adapt to life in the United States or find a job there because of their English skills. But at least you can order a hamburger, right? If I, who started at that level, graduated from college and am currently doing well in my job, then you can definitely do it too. For those of you who came to the U.S. later in life like me, you might always have an unquenchable thirst for improving your English while living here. However, based on my experience, I realized that English is not the most important factor for surviving in an American company. Our company’s CEO has also mentioned this. Of course, the importance of English may vary depending on the job, but in this video, I want to share three things that are more important than English for thriving in an American company, based on my experiences and feedback from company leaders.

If you watch until the end, even if your English is lacking, you will be recognized for your abilities in American companies and gain more opportunities. The first thing I want to mention is a strength we have as a company, which is communication skills. Many people might think, How can someone who doesn't speak English well have good communication skills? I thought the same way at first. However, over time, I realized that communication skills are more related to attitude than the language itself. In typical Korean company culture, it is hard to imagine actions like not following a superior's instructions or ignoring their opinions. However, in American companies, the concept of a boss is not as prominent, and people express their thoughts directly. Therefore, they often speak without considering the other person's feelings, which can come off as disrespectful.

There are many cases where people do not hesitate to speak their minds. For instance, some have told their managers not to act like the main character in a drama, or they have laughed at others' opinions right in front of them. So, how can we improve our communication skills? It is really important to understand the feelings of others and to have an attitude of exchanging ideas. For example, when there is a difference of opinion, instead of saying, You are wrong, and I am right, it is better to say, Your opinion is good, but how about this approach? This attitude not only makes me appear more open-minded, but it also helps the other person feel that their opinion is respected. Even if the project goes in a different direction, they are more likely to acknowledge it and actively participate. Additionally, it is important to recognize and share the achievements of others so that everyone in the company is aware of their contributions.

It is really important to recognize that mistakes are not just the fault of an individual, but of the entire team, and to work together to improve. Actively giving and receiving feedback on work or personal performance is also crucial. When I work, I actively communicate my current progress and seek feedback. If I don't do this, my superiors won't know what I'm working on, and if a problem arises, the company won't be able to respond appropriately. I always ask my manager how I can improve and what my strengths and weaknesses are. Since managers and higher-ups have experience working with many people, the feedback I receive from them can help me become the kind of talent the company desires. All of these attitudes are part of communication skills, and even if my English is lacking, I can demonstrate my commitment through my attitude. Let me move on to the second point.

What I want to emphasize is the mindset of being willing to learn anything. You might think this is obvious, but there are surprisingly many people who are passive about learning new things. It could be a tendency to prefer stability, but I believe this mindset makes a significant difference. We live in a rapidly changing society, so I think it's quite difficult to succeed by just being good at one thing. We need to constantly learn and make an effort not to fall behind in new technologies. A colleague who has been recognized for their abilities and has rapidly advanced in their career said that the company utilizes what they have acquired so far, rather than going to learn something new. To learn something new, one must utilize their leisure time. They also mentioned that they find tomorrow very exciting and feel like it's a hobby. After hearing that, I began to understand why my friend has rapidly advanced and has a successful career; they perceive work as a hobby.

I think that the attitude of trying to learn, even if one doesn't know everything, is something that most of us Koreans, who are a nation of self-development, possess. Anyway, I personally have a tendency to enjoy learning new things, so when I have meetings with my manager, I often express my desire to learn and bring great value to the company. I believe I have said this quite often. Of course, there was a bit of self-promotion involved, but I truly believed it. By approaching it with the mindset of wanting to learn, I was included in top-tier meetings and given many opportunities to work with high-level individuals. I feel that whenever a new project starts or a new team is formed, I was often the first one they suggested to try it out. Through this experience, I have come to know much more within the company and am growing as a multi-player, becoming someone who cannot be replaced in the organization.

I feel that having a mindset to learn anything creates many opportunities. My limited English can naturally improve through various meetings, so I believe that attitude is more important than just basic English. Lastly, what I want to emphasize is what is most needed for us Koreans. Most Koreans handle tasks assigned to them well and tend to wait for good news without expressing what they need or deserve. This attitude helps in succeeding in the workplace in Korea, but it has a very negative impact in American companies. Americans openly express their opinions and appeal for promotions, asking why they haven't been promoted yet or what they need to do to get promoted. In contrast, Koreans tend to wait quietly, thinking, Oh, they are still okay, while those who actively appeal are prioritized.

I should promote the person who bothers me first. This situation arises where Koreans tend to think that things like employment visas or permanent residency sponsorship will be taken care of for them, so they adopt an attitude of just waiting and being cautious. In contrast, people from India or China often demand, I want my permanent residency or I want my employment visa. For those like me who came to the U.S. as students and are working on OPT, if we can't get an employment visa through the recommendation process, we have to return to Korea. So, we have to nudge them to help us. Initially, I thought, What if I fail to get it? Should I go to graduate school and try to work again after graduation, or should I just return to Korea? I often pondered these things. However, rather than betting my future on uncertainty, I decided to approach them and say, As far as I know, the company has sponsored permanent residency in the past. When will you sponsor my permanent residency?

To receive it, what should I do? I needed a green card, and I kept appealing for it. In the beginning, the company said that people were being laid off and that the tech sector was very unstable, so the green card sponsorship was on hold. They said this repeatedly, but after I appealed about three or four more times, I found out that less than a year later, they decided to sponsor my green card. I received a message congratulating me. After the green card sponsorship was put on hold due to the economic downturn, I became the first person in the company to receive green card sponsorship. As for promotions, I asked how I could get promoted, took the feedback well, and improved my skills, which allowed me to get promoted a bit faster than others. In this way, asserting my rights through appeals is also a very important aspect of adapting to American companies.

In fact, I once consulted with the company representative about how I felt my work performance was somewhat declining due to my English skills. The representative told me that English is not important at all. You came from another country, and it is natural to feel uncomfortable. However, your team, including me, and other employees do not feel any discomfort communicating with you. You possess values and attitudes that are far more important than English. Just continue doing what you are doing; don't worry. It was then that I realized there were things more important than English in working for an American company. I felt that I had worried too much. After learning and experiencing so much, I believe these three things have helped me survive in an American company, and I think they can help you as well when you work.

가장 중요하게 생각하는 가치는 무엇인가요? 댓글로 남겨 주세요. 영상은 여기서 마치겠습니다. 다음 영상에서 만나요. 안녕.

미국에서 일할때 영어보다 훨씬 중요한 3가지(해외취업, 미국취업, 유학, 미국, 영어, 한국, 연봉, 1억, 2억)

"시간 있으신가요? u got time?" '당신의 이야기를 전달합니다!'

과거에 저는 노력보다는 순간 순간 흘러가는 대로 살아가던 사람이었습니다. 
게임 중독에 빠져 수능에서 6등급을 받으며 집에서도 걱정의 대상이었죠.

그러던 어느 날 TV 강연에서 유학 성공 스토리를 접하게 되었고, "나도 저 사람처럼 한번 해볼까?"라는 다짐을 하게 되었습니다.

그 결심을 바탕으로 성공한 사람들의 장점을 따라하기 시작했고, 노력 끝에 UC Berkeley 컴퓨터 공학과에 편입하는 성과를 이뤄내며 현재는 미국의 소프트웨어 기업에서 개발자로 근무하고 있습니다.

제가 걱정이 가득했던 과거에서 벗어나 이룬 변화처럼, 여러분도 할 수 있다는 점을 전달하고 싶어 유튜브 채널을 만들었습니다.

여러분 모두가 나에게 맞는 이야기를 선택하고 인생에 적용할 수 있도록,  다양한 이야기들을 전달해 드리겠습니다!
