Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| SK Group headquarters in Seoul / Korea Times file |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
SK Group has decided to abolish its group-wide recruitment of new workers, currently done through two job fairs annually, and instead adopt more diverse hiring practices, the company said Wednesday.
The move reflects a sense of crisis among many Korean firms that if they stick to traditional hiring practices, they will fail to secure employees with the knowledge and skills they need in the increasingly competitive business environment.
SK and other big employers in the country hold two regular hiring events ― one in March and the other in September ― to meet with recent university graduates.
However, SK Group said it will recruit new employees year-round starting next year, citing that massive hiring and training processes no longer suit the company's needs.
It is weighing plans to allow affiliates to recruit new or experienced employees on their own, depending on their own needs.
"We've been discussing this issue for a while and agreed upon the need to hire talented workers with the skills the company needs year-round," an SK Group official said.
"In the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are increasingly concerned that by maintaining long-established hiring system, we will lose out in the competition with our rivals."
However, the company said it has not decided upon some key details, like when to abolish existing hiring practices and implement the new recruitment system or how many positions will be open for year-round recruitment.
"We haven't decided on next year's recruitment target yet," the official said.
Industry watchers said SK's decision to phase out its group-wide recruitment would not only have a far-reaching impact on other conglomerates but also on the country's overall job market.
"The changed hiring system would work more favorably to companies as they can look for new employees with the skills and knowledge that match their needs. On the other hand, jobseekers would be granted more flexible opportunities," said an official from job portal Saramin.
In February, Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors announced they would recruit employees year-round starting this year to better screen applicants.
