At CJ CheilJedang Corp(097950), one of Korea’s leading food companies, the role of a Product Marketing (PM) professional goes beyond simply promoting new products and driving sales. PMs must analyze consumers and the market to plan and develop products, and they must consider every stage of the product lifecycle—from production and distribution to sales—both before and after launch. Since they are responsible for leading the commercial viability of a single product, this role requires an “entrepreneurial marketer.” This is why CJ CheilJedang Corp. has been operating the “Future Marketer League” (FumaRi)—a specialized recruitment program that combines hiring with a competition to discover top talent—since the second half of 2024.
Lee Kang-woo (26), Park Jae-min (25), and Choi Young-seo (25)—all Product Managers (PMs)—whom we recently met at CJ CheilJedang Corp.’s headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, are new marketers who joined the company through “Pumari.” The three said, “Unlike typical interviews where we have to passively answer questions within a limited time, we liked that ‘Pumari’ allowed applicants to take the lead and fully demonstrate their thoughts and capabilities,” and, together with Lee Seo-hyun (27), the recruitment manager who led this selection process, they shared details about the intense hiring process and tips for success.
Introduced by CJ CheilJedang Corp in the second half of 2024, “Pumari” is a food-specific recruitment process linked to a contest. Rather than simply evaluating marketing ideas, it is a hands-on recruitment process that assesses job suitability from multiple angles by assigning tasks similar to actual PM duties, allowing applicants to demonstrate how comprehensively they consider a product. Applicants design a new product launch strategy for CJ CheilJedang Corp and then personally propose and present their ideas. To date, a total of 25 outstanding talents have joined the company through this program.
Lee Seo-hyun, a recruitment manager, explained, “A Product Manager (PM) is a key role that goes beyond simple marketing communication to consider the entire value chain and commercialization stages.” She added, “We designed this program so that applicants can consider the depth of actual work before joining the company and make an informed choice, while the company can identify top talent who are immediately ready for hands-on work.”
In fact, the three new hires caught attention by presenting ideas that reflected their deep, thoughtful deliberation. In particular, they proposed and persuasively argued “why CJ CheilJedang Corp. should produce and sell this product.”
PM Lee Kang-woo, who recently was assigned to New Business Team 3 after completing approximately three months of training, proposed “soy milk pudding” that reflected wellness trends during the mission. He emphasized CJ CheilJedang Corp.’s deep understanding of and heritage in the soybean-related business. “I prepared as if this new product were actually going to be launched, thinking about how to develop and optimize it,” said PM Lee.
PM Park Jae-min of the Seasoning Team introduced “Simple Dressing,” a protein-enriched product utilizing the Baekseol brand, targeting the sauce and dressing market that has grown rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. PM Choi Young-seo of the Protein Team received favorable reviews for proposing “K-Noodles,” which combine the spicy flavors of K-food with tofu noodles, targeting the global market. PM Choi explained, “I applied because I was drawn to the fact that a PM is responsible for a product from A to Z—from market analysis to planning, production, distribution, and sales—to the extent that they’re often called ‘mini-CEOs’ within the company.” He added, “Even if an idea is good, it can’t become an actual product if there are practical limitations in the production or distribution process, so I also considered its business viability.”
They cited “hands-on experience” as the biggest distinguishing feature of the Pumari program. PM Park said with a smile, “Just participating was beneficial because I could experience actual PM work,” adding, “In particular, receiving feedback from senior professionals in the field allowed me to learn things I hadn’t even considered.”
The competencies the company focused on during the recruitment process were logical thinking and persuasiveness. Lee Seo-hyun, the program manager, explained, “All three candidates demonstrated exceptional thoughtfulness in their problem-solving approaches,” adding, “Given the nature of a PM’s role—which requires communication across diverse value chains and organizations—they received high scores for their comprehensive evaluation of adaptability, communication skills, and the ability to logically convey their ideas.”
This aligns with the “Hago-jabi” talent model championed by CJ Corp. Chairman Lee Jay-Hyun. “Hago-jabi” is CJ Corp.’s unique talent model, referring to individuals who proactively seek out new opportunities and prove their worth through results. The representative noted, “We pay close attention to applicants who are passionate about their work and dig deeper when faced with a problem,” adding, “In PM roles, even new hires may be assigned tasks beyond their seniority level, so it’s important to approach these challenges with a mindset of embracing them as opportunities to grow and enjoy the process of solving them, rather than viewing them solely as burdens.”
The three new marketers agreed, “Rather than simply building up your resume, demonstrating genuine passion and dedication to product launches is the key to getting hired.” Offering advice to job seekers and aspiring marketers, they said, “You must show that you’ve seriously considered how you can contribute to the company and how you plan to advance your career,” and added with a smile, “We’re delighted to be working for a company that willingly invests in its employees and shares the know-how of senior colleagues.”
CJ CheilJedang Corp is accepting applications for “Pumari” through its open recruitment for new employees until the 30th. The company plans to provide applicants with hands-on experience in actual product management roles and opportunities for feedback from the field, while continuing to develop differentiated recruitment programs that enable talent to choose the company.
