6 in 10 college seniors, grads not actively job hunting: survey

Over 60 percent of young Korean job candidates are not actively pursuing careers amid intensified negative sentiments surrounding the job market, data showed Tuesday.

Some 60.5 percent of 1,235 Korean university seniors and recent graduates — 748 individuals — identified their job-seeking status as passive or dormant, according to a survey conducted this year by The Federation of Korean Industries.

This figure combines three groups: 30.9 percent who described their job hunting as perfunctory, 23.8 percent who reported hardly looking for work and 5.8 percent who had taken a complete break from job seeking. In contrast, 23.4 percent reported actively seeking employment.

Among the reasons for their passive approach to the job market, the highest percentage -- 46.7 percent -- cited a need for more time to improve their credentials due to a perceived lack of skills and capabilities, followed by 18.1 percent who believed that there are insufficient openings in their field of study or area of interest. Around 14 percent stated that their job search is unlikely to yield fruitful results.

The job market has become tougher even for active job seekers, with the average rate of passing the application screening falling to 22.2 percent, down from 28.3 percent last year.