More than half of South Korean job seekers are willing to accept positions at any company as economic uncertainty tightens the job market, according to a survey released on February 3.
Career platform Saramin found that 55.2% of 464 entry-level job seekers surveyed expressed a willingness to work “anywhere that offers employment,” foregoing preferences for specific types of companies.
Among the remaining respondents, 15.1% preferred small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, followed by mid-sized companies (12.1%), public corporations (8.4%), large conglomerates (7.3%), and foreign companies (1.9%).
The primary reason behind this shift was the urgency to secure employment (55.1%), followed by exhaustion from prolonged job hunting (39.1%), lack of competitive advantages (31.3%), and reduced hiring due to economic conditions (28.5%).
For those maintaining specific company preferences, salary remained the top consideration (24%), followed by work-life balance (14.4%), employee benefits (13.9%), career development opportunities (12%), job security (10.6%), corporate culture (9.6%), and office location (6.3%).
The survey also revealed that job seekers’ desired base salary, excluding performance bonuses, averaged 33.94 million won. Most respondents aimed for salaries between 25-30 million won (36.2%) or 30-35 million won (30.8%), with smaller percentages targeting 35-40 million won (17.2%), 40-45 million won (6.9%), and 45-50 million won (4.1%).
Despite securing jobs, many job seekers did not intend to stay long. The study found that 37.3% planned to prepare for a job change even after landing a position at their target company, with an average expected tenure of just 1.8 years.
A striking 90.2% of respondents anticipated seeking new employment within three years, with the most common job-switching timelines being 1-1.5 years (19.7%) and 2.5-3 years (19.7%).
As the job market remains challenging, South Korean job seekers continue to adapt by prioritising job security over ideal employment conditions, while also keeping an eye on future opportunities. – koreabizwire.com
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