[Consumerwide - Jinil Kang Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter] Some predict that it won't be easy for young adults to get employed even this year. According to the Korea Enterprises Federation on the 3rd, only 66.8% of businesses responded that they plan for new employment (occasional recruitment 60.6%, recruitment for experienced staff 56.8%). The statistics are based on the 2024 current new recruitment status, which was done for 500 businesses with over 100 staff. It can be interpreted as meaning that the new recruitment is reflecting the fear of uncertainty about the management environment among businesses in Korea.

Since March, businesses in Korea have begun recruiting young adults willing to stand alongside them through employment. For this reason, we are reporting on them based on the data from March 4.

Global business recruits staff through new employment or an internship (afterwards turning to regular employment). Additionally, they facilitate expert training programs.

First of all, PNG Korea is recruiting interns between March 4 and April 12 for the first half of the year. The areas of recruitment are sales and marketing, manufacturing logistics, financial strategy, information technology, consumer market strategy, and personnel. Interns have a chance to get recruited officially based on their performance during the period. (task performance with potential capacity) If applicants with a BA or equivalent (prior to August 2025) pass the paper, online exam (~April 12), and interview, they will have another interview (three times) between April and June. The final candidates will have a chance for this internship program, which is held for a two-month period. (July and August) The online test evaluates logic, reasoning, mathematical capacity, and compatibility with P&G.

BAT Rothmans is facilitating new staff employment in the areas of marketing, finances, and personnel until April 7 for the first half of the year. The final candidates begin work in July if they pass the document evaluation, personality assessment, and two interviews (capacity in depth, final interview with executives). Once they get recruited, they get to participate in the Global Graduate Program (1 year and six months), which is particularly designed to train new leaders of BAT along with task training. After completing the program, they get a chance to be promoted to managing tasks.

Lotte Group, including Lotte Chemical, Lotte Biologics, and Lotte Hotel, is recruiting new staff based on scheduled occasions (March, June, September, and December) this year. On March 5, the first recruitment begins. Lotte Biologics is recruiting new staff between March 5 and 17 through the Lotte Group Recruitment homepage in machine design, electricity and control design, safety and environment, QA, GMP IT system, global BD, and personnel support sectors. (BA equivalant academic achievement, including one who graduates by August.) New staff recruitment is held four times during the year (March, June, September, and December), and they hire an approximate three-digit number of new staff. Experienced staff recruitment is held in January, April, July, and October annually.

Hyundai Motors is recruiting new and intern staff in design, manufacturing and production, business and planning, management support, and the IT sector with 24 tasks between March 1 and 14. Candidates have a chance for employment in May when they pass all the evaluation processes. (paper evaluation, online capacity assessment, interview tasks, executive interview)

Gabia is recruiting a two-digit number of new and experienced staff until the 24th in the areas of (new staff) frontend development, system engineer, finances, security controls, cloud/Devops engineering, (experienced staff) technology for sales, marketing, business planning, service planning, project manager, security controls, facilitation of data protection management systems and security systems in the company, cloud safety management, maintenance of security equipment, and cloud/Devops engineer. 

Commercial banks (5 major) began recruiting for the first half of the year, but recruiting less than a year prior due to an untact sales trend. Hanabank is recruiting 150 new staff, which is 100 people less than a year prior (250), until March 11 in the areas of common, digital·ICT, local expert, design creator, and special employment (veterans affairs). Wooribank is recruiting 180 new staff in business finances, personal finances, and local experts (5 categories) job sectors until March 13. This is a 70-person decrease from last year. It's been estimated that other banks too are employing less new staff due to digital transformation and the untact sales trend in the market. According to the Ministry of Financial Supervisory Service, offline sales at five major banks have decreased by 4,661 units in 2019, 3,989 units at the end of 2022, and 3,931 units at the end of 2023, which resulted in a decrease in staff as well. (5 major banks: Hana, Woori, KB, Shinhan, NH) The entire staff counted 73,008 in September 2023, which is a 4,637 decrease from 2019. (77,645)

Korea Credit Guarantee Fund is employing 70 new staff between April 1 and 15 in the area of financial affairs in the common, local expert, and ICT sector.

ABL Life is employing new staff in sales marketing, product/actuaries/risk, supporting management, IT, and insurance support sectors until March 10 through the ABL recruitment homepage. Candidates with BA/MA or equivalent academic achievement (who are graduating by August) can apply for it. They evaluate based on an online capacity assessment and interview. Once you get employed, you begin work in April.