Sungjun Kim and Ingeus Korea

Finding a new direction after an unexpected retirement

Sungjun Kim had enjoyed a successful career and, in his late 50s, had reached the executive level. But an unexpected redundancy put him into an unplanned and unwanted early retirement.

Sungjun didn’t know what to do next. “When I retired, I felt completely lost. I had no idea how to navigate this challenging situation. I was completely unprepared.”

Fortunately, his previous company provided access to a career transition program with Igneus, and ultimately, a new career path opened in front of him.

When he initially met his consultant, Meeae Kim, he wasn’t sure how she could help. In the Ingeus program, he received one-on-one career counselling. Meeae Kim provided a specific program and explained step by step what he needed to prepare.

Rather than focusing solely on short-term goals, such as re-employment, they set medium and long-term goals and began to work towards these.

Sungjun Kim’s strength was the vast amount of experience he had gained over his career. As Meeae Kim explains, “We decided not to let his accumulated expertise go to waste. Instead, we aimed to utilise it, starting with resume writing.”

Sungjun Kim seated at a desk in a high-rise office environment, working on a laptop with notebooks and office supplies, symbolizing career planning and professional development.

Sungjun Kim standing and speaking with career consultant Meeae Kim in a modern office setting with wooden panel walls and indoor plants, representing career transition support.

In the short term, they took a step-by-step job search for Sungjun Kim to re-enter employment. But Meeae Kim recognised that, in the long run, retirement is inevitable for most. So together, they also set about long-term planning to prepare for retirement and make the transition easier.

Thanks to the stepped out process and planning, Sungjun Kim says, “I understood what I needed to do next, and I also became clear on how to prepare for my future.”

With the professional consultants at Ingeus by your side, you don’t need to try to overcome these challenges alone. With our support, you can plan and pursue your next career path with confidence.