Coming into this internship, I thought I already had a pretty good idea of what “success” at work looked like. In my eyes, a successful intern gets their tasks done, does them well, and hits their deadlines. After spending my summer working at WeInteract in Korea, I’ve realized that definition is a lot more American than I thought, and success looks pretty different depending on where you are.
In the U.S., I feel like success is very outcome-focused. Did you get the deliverable done? Did it hit the mark? Here in Korea, I noticed that success is just as much about how you got there as it is about the actual result. Respecting the process matters. Respecting hierarchy matters. Being thoughtful about how you communicate with people above you matters just as much as the actual output you’re producing.
For example, at WeInteract, a successful employee isn’t just someone who finishes their research or builds a solid proposal. It’s someone who checks in at the right points, who doesn’t skip steps just to move faster, and who shows respect for the structure of the team, even if that structure feels a little more formal than what I’m used to. Back home, I might just message a coworker directly if I had a quick question. Here, there’s more of an unspoken understanding of who you go to first, how you frame things, and when it’s appropriate to speak up.
One of the biggest differences I’ve noticed is how much indirect communication plays into being seen as effective here. In the U.S., I’m used to communication being pretty direct. If something is wrong, you say it’s wrong. If you disagree, you say so, usually pretty plainly. In my host culture, a lot of that communication happens more subtly. People might not flat out say something isn’t working. Instead, they might ask a question, or phrase feedback in a softer way that took me a while to actually pick up on.
At first, I honestly didn’t realize some of these subtle cues were feedback at all. I’d walk away from a conversation thinking everything was fine, when really there was a gentle nudge in there that I completely missed. Learning to actually read those cues, and not just wait for someone to spell things out for me, has been a huge part of becoming a more effective employee here. In my industry specifically, deep tech and startup partnerships, being effective means picking up on those subtler signals just as much as being technically capable.
Another difference I noticed was how the work style is more collaboration-based. While in the U.S., teamwork is emphasized, there is a stronger sense of togetherness throughout the whole process. Decisions usually move through the whole group. Even small updates were shared in a way that made sure everyone stayed on the same page, not just the people directly involved in that piece of work.
This was actually one of my favorite differences, once I got used to it. A “successful” employee here isn’t someone who stands out individually as much as someone who fits well into that collective rhythm, who keeps others informed, and who makes sure their work supports the bigger picture instead of just their own piece of it.
Going into my next experiences, whether that’s back in the U.S. for a future internship or in any team setting, honestly, I don’t think I’ll define a “successful employee” the same way again. It’s not just about getting things done well and quickly. It’s about how you get there, how you communicate along the way, and how well you fit into the team around you, not just your own individual results.
This internship abroad definitely challenged the pretty narrow, outcome-only definition of success I walked in with. I’m leaving with a version of success that’s a lot more well-rounded, one that pays attention to process, communication style, and the people around me just as much as the final result. Overall, I am grateful for this experience because it taught me firsthand the difference that I would’ve never been able to experience. I am excited to take my knowledge and growth back to the U.S. as I continue my studies, and I can’t wait to tell my friends and family about the opportunity.
