Interview with Da-eun Kim
Q. What brought you to start a Working Holiday?
To be honest, it was a very spontaneous decision.
I was working in tourism marketing in Korea and could have continued on a stable career path. But right before the Chuseok holiday, while I was thinking about changing jobs, I suddenly wondered, “Is this really the path I want to keep following?”
I jokingly said to my mom, “What if I go on a working holiday?”—and somehow that joke became reality. Within two weeks, I decided to go and came to Australia.
I felt that if I kept thinking about it forever, nothing would change, so I decided to just take the leap.
Q. Why did you choose Brisbane?
At first, friends who had been to Australia told me Brisbane probably wouldn’t suit me. They recommended Sydney or Melbourne, saying those cities are more vibrant and busy.
But I also heard that Brisbane is easier to adapt to when starting a working holiday, so I chose it—again, somewhat spontaneously.
It’s been about three months now. During the first month, I sometimes felt bored and wondered, “What am I even doing here?”
Q. How did you find a job so quickly after arriving in Australia?
I had already prepared my resume in Korea.
I started applying for jobs online before arriving in Australia, and I began receiving responses soon after I arrived. Within three days, I had several trial shifts and interview opportunities.
The Australian restaurant where I currently work hired me just two weeks after I arrived. Many people start with Korean-owned businesses, and I did consider it, but I decided to challenge myself and apply to local places instead. Fortunately, I was able to find a job more easily than I expected.
I had also heard many people say that you shouldn’t arrive in Australia during December and January because of the long holiday season and fewer job openings. I was worried about that too.
But when I actually experienced it, I realized that many places were struggling to find staff during that time. In the end, it worked out well for me.
Q. Did your experience in Korea help?
Yes, more than I expected. Many people say that Korean work experience doesn’t help much here, but in my case it was different.
I included my one-year experience working at a Marriott hotel in Korea on my resume. Because Marriott is a global brand familiar in Australia as well, it naturally became a conversation topic during interviews and helped build trust. I also mentioned that I was selected as “Server of the Month” within one month while working at Outback Steakhouse.
More than the brand names themselves, I think it helped demonstrate my real service experience and customer communication skills.
In Korea, I also worked in tourism marketing. I managed social media channels for organizations such as the Korea Tourism Organization and Incheon Tourism Organization, operated a pop-up store at Starfield, and planned and guided familiarization tours for international visitors.
On the surface, marketing and hospitality may seem like completely different fields, but both are about understanding and communicating with people. When I interviewed for service positions in Australia, those communication experiences turned out to be a big advantage.
Q. What does your work life look like now?
Right now, I’m working three jobs.
I work about 20–25 hours a week at a city restaurant, around 10–12 hours at a Thai restaurant in Newstead, and on weekends—whenever shifts are available—I work as a Corporate F&B Attendant at Suncorp Stadium.
In all of these jobs, I work with international colleagues. Toward the end of the year, the restaurant work was very busy, but as shifts gradually decreased, I started feeling a bit stressed. In January, there were very few job postings, so I kept checking job apps and sometimes felt uncertain about things.
But as I kept trying, I gradually gained confidence in finding work, and now I feel much more settled than when I first arrived.
Q. What was the hardest moment while working?
As a waiter, the hardest part was being on my feet and constantly moving for long hours. On days when I worked seven to eight hours, my step count often exceeded 30,000 steps, so adjusting physically was not easy at first.
One memorable incident happened on my very first day. While serving sparkling wine, I accidentally spilled it on a customer. It was a table celebrating a special occasion, and I felt terrible, thinking I had ruined their important moment.
I kept apologizing and immediately reported the situation to my manager. Thankfully, both the customer and my manager were very understanding and said it was okay.
Looking back, I realize that at the time I didn’t yet know the proper techniques for carrying multiple drinks on a tray or balancing them. Serving may seem simple, but it actually requires more skill and experience than I expected.
After that incident, I asked my coworkers many questions—why trays shake, how to hold them properly—and gradually learned the techniques. Since then, I haven’t made the same mistake again.
At first, even carrying three large plates at once felt overwhelming, and serving drinks for an eight-person table in one go made me nervous. But now I’m getting used to it and feel much more confident.
Q. Were you worried about English before coming to Australia?
In Korea, I had a TOEIC score of 900, so I was comfortable with exam-style English. But real-life speaking felt like a completely different world.
When I first arrived in Australia, the unfamiliar Australian accent and fast pace of conversation made it difficult just to understand people.
However, I’m naturally quite outgoing, and whenever I traveled abroad in the past, I often made friends easily. I realized that while language skills are important, your attitude and willingness to communicate matter even more.
Even now, there are still moments when it feels difficult, but instead of avoiding those situations, I try to face them. I see it as a gradual process of getting used to it.
Q. What would you like to try while you’re in Australia?
There are a few things I definitely want to try while I’m here.
First, I’d like to work as a barista. Since coffee culture is such an everyday part of life here, I want to learn about it and experience the local lifestyle more deeply.
I also used to create travel content, and now I want to document my working holiday experiences as well. I’d like to capture the process of adapting to a new environment and share unexpected stories along the way.
Actually, I’ve been writing a diary every day since the day I left Korea. I’ve been collecting my feelings, photos, and memories. One of my small goals is to eventually organize these experiences into an essay and publish it.
Q. Do you have any personal tips for finding a job?
I recommend preparing your resume in Korea before coming. Then start applying online about one or two days before you arrive in Australia. You may receive responses sooner than you expect.
If you’re already in Australia, another effective method is to apply online first and then visit the place in person to say, “I wanted to hand in my resume personally.” Showing your face once can make you more memorable.
Many of the places where I applied both online and in person eventually led to interviews.
And if you get a trial shift, I think the most important thing is having a positive attitude and showing enthusiasm. Rather than trying to be perfect, showing that you’re willing to learn and that you have good energy makes a big difference.
Q. Lastly, what does your working holiday mean to you now?
For me, a working holiday feels like a turning point in my life. I don’t want to simply let these 12 months pass by.
My future plans are not completely fixed yet, and my direction may change, but I feel like I’m in the process of moving forward and finding my own path.
I think many people share similar concerns. For me, taking action rather than overthinking worked better, and it allowed me to experience new things.
I also heard many times that it’s difficult to find jobs in Australia at the end of the year, but ironically, it turned out to be the time when I had the most opportunities. There are many things you simply won’t know until you try them yourself.
If you’re thinking about doing a working holiday, I hope you don’t wait for the perfect preparation. Sometimes it’s worth taking the leap and experiencing it firsthand. I’m cheering for all of you.
