“Tell us the secrets to getting a job at Lotte Group” ... More than 3,000 students from Vietnam’s top universities flock to recruitment event [On the Ground]

【Hanoi, Vietnam and Seoul — Special Correspondent Kim Joon-seok and Reporter Jang Yu-ha】— “What is the biggest difference between Lotte Mall West Lake and the other department stores in Hanoi?”— “While other department stores tend to focus on popular products that are easily accessible to the general public, Lotte Mall West Lake targets a more upscale, premium clientele.”At a mock interview during the ‘2026 Lotte Global Campus Recruiting in Vietnam’ event, held on the 21st in the main auditorium of FPT University in Hoa Lac Park, about 30 kilometers from downtown Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital. When Nguyen Minh Chiet, a third-year advertising major at FPT University, was asked this question, the student gave this answer.
More than 3,000 job seekers turned out for the three-day event, which began at FPT University that day and was held at five universities in Hanoi. It featured two programs: recruitment booths offering career consultations and one-on-one mock interviews, and recruitment information sessions combining presentations on Lotte Group and its affiliates. Recruiters and current employees from six Lotte Group affiliates operating in Vietnam—including Lotte Department Store, LOTTE HOTELS & RESORTS, Lotte World Adventure Busan, Lotte Innovate, Lotte Property & Development, and Daehong Communications—took part in person, generously sharing firsthand insights into the hiring process and tips for getting hired.
After kicking off its efforts to recruit Vietnamese talent by holding a global job fair in Hanoi last August, Lotte Group is stepping up its drive to secure top talent early through a recruitment tour that takes it directly to major universities this year. Lotte Group plans to hire about 500 people in Vietnam this year.


Around 180 students at FPT University signed up in advance for mock interviews that day, showing their enthusiasm for finding jobs. They carefully compared the characteristics of each affiliate, hurried from booth to booth with résumés in hand, and earnestly sought advice from the mock interviewers, approaching the event with notably serious expressions.
Tran Thi Thu Anh, an HR manager at Lotte Mall West Lake who interviewed Chiet, said, “Most of the students taking part in today’s mock interviews had clearly defined career goals in retail and knew what roles they wanted, and their thorough market research stood out. My main advice to them was to steadily build up practical, hands-on experience related to the retail sector.” Anh, who joined Lotte Group from another retailer last year, cited “a solid benefits package, a good work-life balance, and transparent, clearly defined work processes” as Lotte Group’s greatest strengths.
Mai Phan Binh An, who applied for a position at Lotte World Aquarium, said, “Since it was difficult to gain direct work experience in an aquarium-related role, I gained internship experience in PR and brand marketing content roles.” Drawing on that experience, the student actively and meticulously went on to ask Pham Tuyet Mai, an HR team member at Lotte World Adventure Busan, detailed questions about the aquarium business.
Mai emphasized, “This event is more than just mock interviews; it is also a place for mentoring consultations that offer applicants practical guidance on how to plan their future careers.”
The company information session that afternoon began with an introduction to Lotte, including the meaning behind its name and anecdotes about founder Shin Kyuk-ho, followed by employees sharing firsthand accounts of their careers. Current employees from each affiliate generously shared everything from tips on getting hired to what working life is really like after joining, drawing an enthusiastic response from students. Tu, a third-year business student at FPT University who attended the event, said, “I usually found it difficult to get practical information about companies because I didn’t know any senior students. This opportunity helped me gain a deeper understanding of Lotte Group as a company.”

Lotte Group’s decision to visit major universities in Vietnam directly and launch a large-scale recruitment drive reflects the strategic importance of the local market. The aim is to secure top talent early to keep pace with rapidly accelerating business expansion and to build a solid foundation for long-term growth.
Lotte Group is making Vietnam a key hub for its global business, maximizing the competitiveness of established core businesses such as retail and hotels while aggressively expanding into new areas, including urban development and logistics. Since first entering Vietnam in 1996, when Lotte GRS established a local subsidiary, the company has expanded across construction, chemicals, information technology (IT) and other sectors. It has grown into a major organization with 16 affiliates and around 10,000 local employees.
In particular, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin is devoting considerable attention to the company’s business in Vietnam. He has visited the country in person every year since 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic became endemic, and has cited Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi as a leading success model for Lotte Group’s local business at gatherings to discuss major management issues, including meetings of top executives (VCM). He is also reportedly urging the company to continually identify and develop second and third projects modeled on Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, drawing on the same formula for success.
[email protected] Kim Joon-seok, Jang Yu-ha Reporter