Competition Toughens for Jobs at Major Conglomerates

Getting a job in Korea has gotten tougher with the economic slowdown, with major conglomerates seeing an applicant-to-job ratio of 33.5:1 in the first half of the year.

The job portal site Incruit said yesterday that 259,300 people applied for 7,730 openings at 11 of the top 15 conglomerates that completed resume screening over the period. The survey excluded state-run or privatized public companies.

The applicant-to-job ratio was up from the first half of last year, when 211,550 people applied for 6,680 slots for a ratio of 31.7:1.

The CJ Group recorded the highest ratio of 125:1, as 25,000 applicants vied for just 200 jobs.

The Samsung Group, which plans to hire 3,000 to 3,500 people this year, saw its applicant-to-job ratio rise to 6-7:1 from 5:1 last year. In the first half of last year, 17,750 people applied for 3,550 slots at the country’s largest conglomerate.

The GS Group also saw tougher competition, as its ratio rose to 105:1 from 90:1 last year. Shinsegae had 100:1 and Hanwha 46.2:1.

“The real hiring rate at major companies is a little lower than what applicants feel,” Incruit CEO Lee Gwang-seok said, “It is important to apply for a company you really want to work for after understanding what you are good at.”

woogija@donga.com