Korea’s rise in 'used-new hires' shows experience is the new entry-level

In a telling sign of how much South Korea’s job market has changed, more and more “new hires” are not new at all.

Facing a tough economy and limited hiring budgets, Korean companies are increasingly filling entry-level positions with people who already have full-time work experience. Locally, the trend is referred to as "jung-go shin-ip" — which translates to “used-new hire” — an ironic term that captures the awkward truth: to get hired as a “new” employee, it helps to have already been one.

By definition, new-hire recruitment is supposed to target first-time job seekers — typically recent graduates without full-time experience. But that definition is now being rewritten. According to a recent survey conducted by the Korea Enterprises Federation, a record 81.6 percent of Korean employers in 2025 said “prior job-related experience” is the most important factor when hiring for entry-level positions. That is up from 58.4 percent just two years ago.

As of 2023, data from KEF showed about one in four newly hired university graduates (25.7 percent) had already held full-time jobs elsewhere. These were not interns or part-timers — they were career restarters entering through a door meant for first-timers.

What’s driving the shift is part business logic, part survival instinct. With a global economic slowdown, domestic uncertainty and heightened trade tensions under the second Trump administration in the US, Korean firms are playing it safe. Only 60.8 percent of large companies plan to hire new graduates this year — the lowest figure since 2022 and a steep 11-point drop over two years. Employers want entry-level employees who can contribute right away without the learning curve, and those who do not yet command higher salaries.

Tech and manufacturing firms are leading the charge. SK hynix ran seven recruitment rounds last year, four of which specifically targeted applicants with two to four years of experience. Samsung Electronics lowered its minimum experience for “experienced hires" from four years to two. Samsung Display last year launched a new “Future Elite” track to attract workers with two to ten years of experience under their belt.

For young workers, especially those with short stints in less promising jobs, starting over can be a strategic move — especially if it means getting into high-growth sectors like AI or semiconductors. Many no longer expect lifetime employment and are willing to take a temporary step backward to move ahead.

But such changes are making life harder for those who truly are new — fresh graduates with no full-time experience. The path designed for them is now crowded with people who’ve already walked it once. Even engineering majors, long seen as more employable in Korea’s competitive job market, are feeling the squeeze.

The economic outlook is adding more pressure. Nearly 97 percent of firms surveyed by KEF expect worsening economic conditions this year, and nearly one in four fear a crisis worse than the 1997 Asian financial crash.

In response, many student job seekers are racing to build experience before they graduate. Programs like Samsung’s SSAFY (Samsung Software Academy for Youth), which offers 1,600 hours of intensive training, boast an 84 percent job placement rate. LG’s Aimers program trains AI specialists using real company data. SK Hynix’s HY-Po initiative gives hands-on experience in semiconductor roles.