Korean -기 위해(서), 에 대해(서), 으로부터: Job Hunting

Korean -기 위해(서) means “in order to” (취직하기 위해서 이력서를 써요 — I write a résumé to get a job), 에 대해(서) means “about / regarding” (그 회사에 대해서 알아봐요), and 으로부터 is a formal “from” that marks a source: 회사로부터 연락을 받았어요 (I got a call from the company). Welcome to Chapter 4 — into the workplace. We start where every job begins: the hunt.

You closed Chapter 3 handling exchanges and refunds like a local. Now the register steps up. Job hunting is the first place your Korean has to sound a little more formal and deliberate — purpose statements, talking about a company, and receiving word from an employer. These three patterns are the backbone of that polish.

Ten words for the job hunt

These are the words on every Korean job board and résumé.

In order to… — -기 위해(서)

To state a purpose — the goal you’re acting for — attach -기 위해(서) to a verb stem. With a noun, use 을/를 위해(서) instead. It’s a touch more formal than -(으)려고, which makes it the natural choice for résumés and interviews.

Note 위해 and 위해서 are the same; the 서 is optional. For modifying a noun, you’ll also meet 위한: 취업을 위한 준비 = preparation for getting a job.

Talking about something — 에 대해(서) / 에 대하여

To say you’re discussing, asking, or thinking about a topic, use 에 대해(서). The fuller 에 대하여 is the formal, written-style version; 에 대한 is the form that sits right before a noun.

Spoken Korean leans on 에 대해서; the moment you write a report or read the news, you’ll see 에 대하여 and 에 대한 everywhere.

A formal “from” — 으로부터 / 로부터

When something comes to you from a source — a person, a company, an origin — mark that source with 으로부터 (after a consonant) or 로부터 (after a vowel). It’s formal; in casual talk Koreans say 한테서 / 에게서 instead.

Casual equivalent: 친구한테서 들었어요 (I heard from a friend). Save 으로부터 for the formal, written-feeling sentences — exactly the register a job search lives in.

Job hunting in one chat

Watch all three work together as a friend asks how the search is going:

One reunion, three tools: -기 위해서 frames the goal (취직하기 위해서), 에 대해서 names the topic (그 회사에 대해서), and 으로부터 marks where the good news came from (그 회사로부터). That’s the formal-but-natural texture of a Korean job hunt — and the doorway to Chapter 4.

FAQ

What is the difference between -기 위해서 and -(으)려고? Both express purpose (“in order to”), and in many sentences they’re interchangeable: 취직하기 위해서 / 취직하려고 이력서를 썼어요. The differences: ① -기 위해(서) sounds a little more formal and deliberate, and it works with nouns too (건강을 위해서 = for one’s health), while -(으)려고 only attaches to verbs. ② -(으)려고 is more colloquial and common with 하다 (취직하려고 해요 = I’m planning to get a job). For goals you’d write on a résumé or say in an interview, -기 위해서 feels more polished.

When do I use 에 대해, 에 대해서, 에 대하여, and 에 대한? They all mean “about / regarding,” and differ only in register and grammar. 에 대해 and 에 대해서 are the everyday spoken forms (그 회사에 대해서 알아봤어요 = I looked into the company). 에 대하여 is the formal, written-style form you’ll see in documents and news. 에 대한 is the adjective form that modifies a noun: 회사에 대한 정보 = information about the company, 환경에 대한 관심 = interest in the environment. So use 에 대해서 to talk about something, and 에 대한 right before a noun.

Is 으로부터 the same as 에서? When should I use it? Both can translate as “from,” but they’re not interchangeable. 에서 marks a place you start from or act in (집에서 나왔어요 = I left from home). 으로부터/로부터 marks the SOURCE of something you receive — a person, organization, or origin: 회사로부터 연락을 받았어요 = I got a call from the company; 친구로부터 선물을 받았어요 = I received a gift from a friend. It’s formal; in casual speech Koreans usually say 한테서/에게서 (친구한테서 받았어요). Reach for 으로부터 in résumés, official notices, and polite writing.

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Next: the job interview — -도록, -고 나다, -은 결과. Previous: exchanges & refunds — -어 가지고. Full path: curriculum hub.