I wrote, "I recommend my wife as a tech recruiter."
I wrote an original post in December 2021. My wife was looking for a job and trying a new career then. After I posted, her friends and acquaintances recommended her. It went viral. My wife met with over 20 companies and is now a tech recruiter. It's a fantastic accomplishment.
The link below is to a post written in Korean at the time. I also translate in English now.
Jongjin Choi
It is an original post in Korean.
In English below
I recommend my wife as a tech recruiter
First, I'm writing to share a little about my wife, who doesn't promote herself often. I have a small hope that this post will be of interest to companies hiring tech recruiters, educational institutions and companies running boot camps, startup-related organizations (accelerators, government agencies) whose job it is to connect talent, etc. (It's a small hope, but I really hope so).
The bookmarked link below is a post I wrote first in Notion. - it's about the same thing, so feel free to read it at your available time.
1. She has a warm heart.
Not long after we started working in a small office, there was a fire at the office of a company (then called Aurora Planet) run by Kim Jung and Kim Jin-won, who are now acquaintances. Upon hearing the news, my wife, without a second of hesitation, immediately grabbed dry towels.
To be honest, here's what I thought at the time: Help someone we barely know? They're not even close acquaintances, wouldn't it be uncomfortable for them if a stranger came to help at a fire scene? Is it really okay to go? How can she act like that? Various thoughts crossed my mind.
Without hesitation, she arrived at the office and worked hard to help with the cleanup, and that connection has continued to this day.
Even now, if I ask her why she went to help someone she didn't know well, she asks back, "Isn't it natural to help?" I just asked her on Facebook message 10 minutes ago, but the answer is always the same. Honestly, I think it's the most admirable part of my wife. In a world where many people try not to lose out, I wonder if there's anyone who can bestow kindness so effortlessly.
2. She has the power to attract people.
We ran a coworking space called 'Hive Arena' near Seolleung station. During the three years of operation, it became known to people as a coworking space frequently visited by developers. It was known as a place that not only Korean developers but also foreign developers visiting Korea would stop by at least once.
While running the space, I had a rather surprising experience. When we first opened our space, we didn't have a big budget to market it. Moreover, we couldn't even think of promoting it overseas. At first, it was just one or two foreigners visiting by chance. But as time passed, foreigners who regularly used the space started to appear.
Many of these friends had one thing in common. They didn't know the name Hive Arena well (because it was unfamiliar), but they knew my wife's name. One friend even asked me this when visiting for the first time: "Is Hyekyung here?" So I answered in surprise, "Yes, she is." This wasn't just a one-time occurrence. At the time, I thought:
How does this friend from America, visiting Korea for the first time, know my wife's name?
As this happened repeatedly, I really asked the friends. How do you know her name? They said they heard it from a friend who had visited our space. So when I asked that friend, they said they heard it from another friend. Literally, there was word-of-mouth recommendation among foreign developers.
If you go to Seoul, find Hyekyung..
Another foreign friend who heard this story told me,
"Even if you don't know Hive Arena well, most foreign developers visiting Seoul will know Hyekyung's name. I also came here recommended by others to find Hyekyung."
She brought together people from all over the world who had no connection to each other. And they all said they were recommended my wife's name and came looking for her. Honestly, I found it so amazing, and based on that, we managed to get our names to appear in Forbes and FastCompany without much effort.
Thanks to her superpower.
3. She likes people. Among them, she likes developers.
I once asked her why she likes them, and she said it's just because they're cool people. When we were running the coworking space, one day my wife made a serious suggestion to me. There was a Python developers' meeting called Pyjog, and she heard they were looking for a space. So she suggested inviting that meeting to our space.
We met with Kim Seul, who runs Pyjog, had a talk, and that's how Pyjog held meetings in our space for about two years. After that, similar things happened. We spent a long time with various developer groups like Seoul Tech Society, 9XD, Seoul Bitcoin Meetup, Learn to Code, and so on.
And there was a time when she even suggested a meeting to a foreign developer. Kevin, who was working as an Elixir developer at the time, was hesitating about running an Elixir Meetup. When my wife heard this, she suggested to Kevin, "Why don't you just try it? We'll sponsor our space. Let's just do it." And so that meetup was held regularly. That became the starting point for Kevin to speak at Elixir Europe Conference 2017. I wonder if such things could have happened if my wife hadn't suggested it then?
Seoul Tech Society was similar. We met Victoria and Alex, who were having difficulties holding meetings because they couldn't find a space, and suggested they just hold the meeting. Looking back now, I wonder what they might have thought. Suddenly they got a call from my wife, whom they'd never met, making a suggestion. When I asked them later, they said they had already experienced similar things several times, so they were suspicious. They wondered if she was really someone they could trust.
And there's a part that remains strongly in my memory. Before they returned to their countries, many people came to their last meeting. About 100 people participated. At the point of saying goodbye, Victoria mentioned my wife, saying that the reason Seoul Tech Society could operate like this was because they had another co-organizer for their meeting. Strictly speaking, my wife wasn't someone who started that meeting together. But she was mentioned as a co-organizer, and they expressed their gratitude.
Seeing that scene, I thought that the way my wife wins people's hearts is really cool. She doesn't even reveal herself well, let alone boast to others. In the end, she wins people's hearts. I think it's an incredibly cool ability.
Concluding Thoughts...
Thank you for taking the time to read this far. I realize this post has been largely about showcasing my wife's unique qualities. Each time I see her eyes light up as she discusses the people around her, I'm reminded of her incredible potential and find myself wishing for a role that truly harnesses her abilities.
I've taken the liberty of sharing these thoughts, even though my wife is unaware of this post (yes, I'm writing this in secret). She's never been one for self-promotion, finding it uncomfortable to spotlight her own achievements. When I encourage her to speak about her experiences and skills, she often replies, "I prefer to be the quiet force that helps others shine. My joy comes from seeing those I've supported succeed and sharing in their laughter."
Her humility and genuine desire to uplift others are truly remarkable. As her life partner, I have a heartfelt wish: to see her influence extend to a broader, global stage. I believe she has the power to inspire countless individuals, particularly women who share her background - Asian women, working mothers, and those who lead by quiet example.
In sharing this, my hope is not just for my wife, but for all the unsung heroes out there. May they find opportunities that recognize their unique gifts and allow them to make the impact they're capable of. Sometimes, it takes someone else to shine a light on the extraordinary in the ordinary, and today, I'm honored to do that for my wife.
Recommendations from friends.
I attached some recommendations from her friends at that time.
Now
As mentioned, she is a technical recruiter at a Korean blockchain startup. She is working in a new field where she can utilize her skills.
She strives to make a difference in the tech industry as a working mom. She recently spoke at Woman TechMakers Korea 2023, sharing how she overcame a career break.
She shared her experience at the Women Who Code event.
If you're interested in a quick coffee chat or want more information, you can reach out directly at her email address and Linkedin, Twitter.
Member discussion