Awareness of COVID-19 Support Activities Soars... Sojin-gong Recruitment Competition Rate Hits All-Time High

Recruitment for 2020 New Graduates and Experienced Professionals... Competition Rate 110 to 1

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] Lee Youngsoo (pseudonym), a job seeker, came across a familiar institution name while looking for public recruitment announcements to find a job. It was an institution he had frequently heard about through newspapers and broadcasts since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). He was particularly impressed by the fact that the institution was engaged in activities to help small business owners facing difficulties. Although he only learned about the institution for the first time during the COVID-19 crisis, the favorable impression it left in his mind motivated him. Lee submitted his application with the intention of volunteering to help small business owners.

The Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMAS) recorded an all-time high competition rate of 110 to 1 for its recruitment of new and experienced employees. The number of applicants significantly increased compared to previous years as awareness grew through support activities aimed at overcoming COVID-19 damage. There was even a commotion when the recruitment server system, outsourced externally, became overloaded, leading to an extension of the application deadline.

SEMAS will announce the final successful candidates for the 2020 recruitment of new and experienced employees for indefinite-term contracts and regular positions on the 9th and 15th, respectively. The number of recruits is 51 (44 regular positions and 7 indefinite-term contracts).

More than 5,600 people applied for this open recruitment. The high competition rate surprised even those inside SEMAS. Despite being a quasi-governmental institution established to foster small business owners and support traditional markets and shopping districts as well as revitalize commercial areas, there had been voices both inside and outside the organization that it had not gained recognition commensurate with its important role.

In previous years, SEMAS selected about 34 to 36 new and experienced employees during recruitment. This year’s recruitment number increased by about 15 compared to the recent annual average. This reflects the surge in support activities for small business owners, traditional markets, and shopping districts due to the impact of COVID-19.

Small business owners refer to self-employed individuals operating particularly small-scale businesses and livelihood-oriented industries. Compared to large corporations and medium-sized and small enterprises, their business environment is very fragile, so they were hit hard by the economic downturn and sales decline caused by COVID-19.

SEMAS attracted public attention by carrying out policy support activities such as issuing small business owner certificates, providing emergency loans of 10 million won, and opening new centers early to minimize COVID-19 damage. In the early stages of support activities, there was public criticism due to delays in processing caused by a sudden influx of small business owners seeking help and a shortage of personnel.

However, despite difficult conditions, employees worked day and night, improving the insufficient support system, and their active will and efforts to minimize damage to small business owners became known, earning public support.

SEMAS started in 1999 with 13 Small Business Support Centers nationwide. Its name changed continuously from Market Management Support Center, Small Business Promotion Agency, Market Management Promotion Agency, and since 2014, it has operated under the name Small Enterprise and Market Service. SEMAS operates 66 Small Business Support Centers nationwide. Currently, about 600 employees at the headquarters and support centers support and foster 6.3 million small business owners and 1,450 traditional markets.

A SEMAS official said, "The number of recruits increased as the damage to small business owners grew due to COVID-19 and the importance of supporting them increased. The institution’s name and activities were widely exposed through the media due to COVID-19, which also greatly increased the number of applicants for the open recruitment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.