Finding job tops young people's wish list

Applicants are interviewed at a job fair for high school graduates at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in this file photo taken in April. Young jobseekers hope the government and companies will create more job opportunities this year. / Yonhap

By Yoon Ja-young

New Year is the time when people make a new plan, promising themselves that they will endeavor for a life better than last year.

For some people, however, the change of the year only means losing confidence. They are frustrated that they haven’t achieved anything despite the efforts of last year.

Park Jun-ho, 29, could be one of those people, though he tries not to lose faith in himself _ he is one of the desperate young jobseekers, whose number is estimated to have reached 1 million.

“To be frank, I didn’t expect I would fail in the job market,” Park said. He majored in economics at a so-called “SKY university,” which refer to the country’s top three colleges _ Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei universities.

He once studied to become a certified public accountant, but after two exam failures, he decided to get a job. He got a few financial consulting related certificates, and jumped into the job market.

Though he was on average two years older than other jobseekers, he didn’t think he would fail during resume screening. He sent resumes a dozen times, was only approached for interviews four times. After failing at all companies that he had applied to, he held a small drinking party with his close friends. He said he held the party as he was afraid that he might be trying to avoid seeing them.

“I don’t want to be discouraged. I think I am now stopping briefly to tie my shoestrings, to run further in the future. I will try harder,” he said.

He decided that he wouldn’t stick to financial companies. He said he will open himself up to diverse opportunities and choose the job that suits him.

Job creation is the New Year’s best wish for not only those in their 20s, but also their parents. It is a problem for all ― it’s their problem, or their child, their brother or sister, or nephew or niece.

Han Hyun-joo, a housewife in Seoul, thought she fulfilled the biggest task in her life when her son entered a university in Seoul. Having spent over a million won each month for “hagwon” until the college entrance exam, like many other Korean parents, she thought she now has only to save money and prepare for life after retirement with her husband.

However, it was only beginning of another big task. “The parents’ job doesn’t end until their children can stand on their own. I don’t think my duty will be over in a couple of years,” she said.

To help support him equip himself with good “specs,” (a Korean malapropism for qualifications required in the job market such as diverse certificates and language skills) she paid for six-month-English language training in Canada to get diverse certificates, and even job interview consulting, let alone college tuition.

“It is heartbreaking to see my son getting discouraged. He was hardworking and got scholarship several times. I don’t understand why they don’t hire him,” she said, adding that it is stressful for her and her husband to watch their every word and deed, not to upset their son.

“Even so, my son must be much more stressed than us. I try to give him optimistic words,” Han said. She added that she is thinking about getting a part-time job to support her son.

What realistic advice would a job consultant give young people? Park Won–yong, director of a talent development institute at ChungAng University, advises students not to delay graduation. “Many students delay graduation thinking they will be able to better prepare themselves for the job market, but it doesn’t help in reality. It is better to follow the timetable,” he said.

He also advises them to admit reality. “Even if you stick to conglomerates, the obsession doesn’t lead you anywhere. You may be able to get better scores by preparing one more year for the college entrance exam, but it isn’t so with the job seeking. Instead of sticking to the company where you want to work and the job you want, choose the company where you can work, the work that you can do better,” Park said.

While young adults find it difficult to get a job, small- and medium-sized companies complain that they can’t find people to work. This mismatch in the job market has become a chronic problem.

The fundamental problem is that the fruit of economic growth has been monopolized by large companies during the past decade. As a consequence, large companies were paying 1.9 times more than SMEs as of 2009, while the ratio stood at 1.5 in 1997. It is thus natural for jobseekers to try a few more years to get a job at a conglomerate, and delay working until they find the job that meets their expectations.

However, the current mismatch in the job market also shows where the answer is ― the government should nurture small but competitive companies that can offer workers good compensation.

President Park Geun-hye recently announced a plan to choose 500 small- and medium-sized companies with competitive technology, supporting them with a fund of 250 billion won to enhance competitiveness. Experts say that the jobless youth problem will continue unless the government nurtures SMEs, which hire 86 percent of workers.