Young Koreans lose confidence in job market, prefer passive job search

Korea’s young job seekers are increasingly losing confidence in the hiring market, with many recent graduates preferring to passively apply for jobs after facing multiple rejections.

Job seekers look at a hiring information board at a job fair at Daesil Station in Daegu on Nov. 19. [YONHAP]

Korea’s young job seekers are increasingly losing confidence in the hiring market, with many recent graduates preferring to passively apply for jobs after facing multiple rejections.

Kim, a 27-year-old who delayed graduation, says he’s close to giving up on finding a job. He wants what he calls a “proper job” — one at a large corporation — but finding an opportunity feels impossible. Last year, he applied whenever an opening appeared, but he didn’t even get a chance to interview. After more than 20 rejections, he’s lost motivation.

“I graduated from a university in the greater Seoul area, so I can’t just take any job,” Kim said. "But I tutor part-time now, but I worry I might end up doing only this."

A new survey done by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) found that Kim’s experience is increasingly common, with six out of 10 saying they don't expect much from their job search. Of a surveyed 2,492 senior university students and recent graduates, 60.5% fit the definition of "passive job seekers."

Among them, 32.2 percent simply looked at postings or applied as a formality, without clear plans or preparation. Another 21.5 percent said they “barely search,” and 6.8 percent said they are “taking a break.”

When asked why they approach job hunting passively, 37.5 percent cited the need for additional preparation due to a lack of skills, knowledge or technical ability.

Job seekers speak with corporate recruiters at a job fair at Pukyong National University in Busan on Sept. 10. [YONHAP]

Another 22 percent said they doubt they can find work even if they applied earnestly. Respondents also mentioned a shortage of positions in their major or field at 16.2 percent, and a lack of jobs offering suitable pay or working conditions at 13.6 percent.

Four in 10 university students, or 37.1 percent, said this year’s job market for new graduates feels tougher than last year. That share rose 0.6 percentage points from a year earlier.

A total of 32.5 percent expect their job search to take at least one year. People who actively searched for work applied an average of 13.4 times this year and passed the document screening stage an average of 2.6 times.

The number of young people who are not in school, have no health issues and still choose not to look for work continues to grow.

Government data showed that the number of people in their 20s and 30s classified as “taking a break” reached 736,000 in October, the largest figure since data collection began in 2003.

The FKI pointed to several factors: fewer high-quality jobs that meet young people’s expectations, more companies hiring experienced workers year-round and the sense of helplessness that builds after repeated rejections.

“Policymakers need to support corporate activity through regulatory easing and take a cautious approach toward policies such as extending the retirement age, which could shrink job opportunities for young people,” said Lee Sang-ho, head of FKI's Economic and Industrial Research Department.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM KI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]