SEOUL, June 9 (AJP) - South Korea's two major chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were voted the best companies to work for by job seekers, recruitment portal Job Korea said on Tuesday.
In a recent survey of about 3,287 job seekers conducted by Job Korea, SK hynix ranked first among companies for which respondents said they would "start work immediately," followed by Samsung Electronics.
Internet, IT and platform companies that once dominated such rankings have slipped behind semiconductor and manufacturing firms, as companies like Naver, Toss, Hyundai Motor, AmorePacific, Google, Kakao, Nexon, and Hybe rounded out the top 10.
In a similar survey about five years ago, Kakao ranked as the most preferred employer but fell to eighth place this year. SK hynix, which stood at fifth place in 2022, rose to the top spot, while Samsung Electronics has steadily remained within the top two.
The changes in the rankings appear to be driven by skyrocketing salaries and benefits amid the recent artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chip boom.
Respondents, in fact, cited high salaries and bonuses as their biggest reason when choosing a company to work for, accounting for 32 percent. Perks and other benefits accounted for 15 percent, followed by opportunities for career growth at 13 percent.
Meanwhile, a separate survey by the portal revealed the growing financial burden facing university graduates preparing for jobs. A survey of some 485 young job seekers found that they spent an average of 4.55 million won (US$3,000) last year on prep courses to land a job.
The amount rose sharply from an annual average of 2.27 million won in 2022, up 2.28 million won over the past three years, meaning spending increased by roughly 200,000 won per month.
The largest portion of their spending went to obtaining certifications related to their field of study, followed by English proficiency tests, IT and computer-related skills, and other consulting services.
Many respondents also said they were forced to take part-time jobs while preparing for employment in order to make ends meet.
In a recent survey of about 3,287 job seekers conducted by Job Korea, SK hynix ranked first among companies for which respondents said they would "start work immediately," followed by Samsung Electronics.
Internet, IT and platform companies that once dominated such rankings have slipped behind semiconductor and manufacturing firms, as companies like Naver, Toss, Hyundai Motor, AmorePacific, Google, Kakao, Nexon, and Hybe rounded out the top 10.
In a similar survey about five years ago, Kakao ranked as the most preferred employer but fell to eighth place this year. SK hynix, which stood at fifth place in 2022, rose to the top spot, while Samsung Electronics has steadily remained within the top two.
The changes in the rankings appear to be driven by skyrocketing salaries and benefits amid the recent artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chip boom.
Respondents, in fact, cited high salaries and bonuses as their biggest reason when choosing a company to work for, accounting for 32 percent. Perks and other benefits accounted for 15 percent, followed by opportunities for career growth at 13 percent.
Meanwhile, a separate survey by the portal revealed the growing financial burden facing university graduates preparing for jobs. A survey of some 485 young job seekers found that they spent an average of 4.55 million won (US$3,000) last year on prep courses to land a job.
The amount rose sharply from an annual average of 2.27 million won in 2022, up 2.28 million won over the past three years, meaning spending increased by roughly 200,000 won per month.
The largest portion of their spending went to obtaining certifications related to their field of study, followed by English proficiency tests, IT and computer-related skills, and other consulting services.
Many respondents also said they were forced to take part-time jobs while preparing for employment in order to make ends meet.
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