The Top Chosen Startup Industry and Occupation is 'Food Service and Beverage'
Gaining Practical Experience in Desired Industry and Occupation Through Part-Time Jobs
Three out of five college students are considering 'starting a business' instead of employment, according to a survey.
On the 9th, Alba Cheonguk, a job and part-time job portal, asked 359 college students about their perceptions of starting a business, and most responded positively. Among them, 62.4% said they had considered starting a business instead of seeking employment after graduation. This figure is 9.5% higher than the 52.9% result from the same survey conducted in 2021.
Among students who had considered starting a business, third-year students, who are actively preparing for employment, accounted for the highest proportion at 71.6%, while seniors about to graduate showed a slightly lower rate of 58.1%.
By major, students related to 'Arts and Physical Education (77.1%)' had the highest response rate, followed by ▲Teacher Training and Education (76.9%) ▲Business and Economics (72.9%) ▲Humanities (66.7%) ▲Engineering (62.2%) ▲Social Sciences (57.6%).
85% of College Students Are 'Positive' About Starting a Business... The Reason for Considering It Is 'Self-Realization'
First, 85.5% of college students responded positively about starting a business. The most common reason, at 67.2% (multiple responses allowed), was 'because I can do what I want to do.' This was followed by ▲being free from the constraints of working life (40.9%) ▲expecting to earn more than a salary (37.3%) ▲thinking it is stable because they become their own employer (17.9%).
The main reasons for considering starting a business were 'wanting to do work that matches my major or hobbies and interests (46.4%)' and 'wanting to realize my own ideas (43.3%).'
Other reasons included ▲wanting to earn more money than a salary (34.8%) ▲not wanting to be tied to organizational life (31.7%) ▲feeling that self-realization is difficult through employment (30.4%) ▲finding employment too difficult (17.0%) ▲not being confident in job security even if employed (15.2%) ▲thinking the entry barrier to starting a business is lower than employment (8.5%).
Attempting to Prepare for Starting a Business Through Part-Time Jobs in Related Industries
The industries and occupations considered for starting a business were led by 'Food Service and Beverage,' including cafes, bakeries, and restaurants, with a response rate of 42.0%, followed by 'Distribution and Sales,' such as convenience stores, shopping malls, and clothing stores, at 12.9%.
Among college students who considered starting a business, 58.0% said they had tried activities to prepare for it.
Specifically, the most common activity was 'part-time work to gain practical experience in the desired industry or occupation for starting a business (33.8%).' Additionally, respondents reported participating in ▲startup seminars and lectures to gather related information (16.2%) ▲part-time work to raise startup funds (14.6%) ▲startup club activities (14.6%) ▲market research in the desired industry (7.7%) ▲participation in startup support programs (6.9%).
'Starting a Business Has Low Success Probability'?Negative Reactions Also Present... Office Workers Consider Starting a Business to Escape Organizational Life
On the other hand, 14.2% of college students who responded negatively about starting a business expressed concerns about 'uncertain success probability (84.3%, multiple responses allowed).' Other negative reasons included ▲financial losses such as existing assets and investment funds (39.2%) ▲complex and difficult startup processes (23.5%) ▲responsibility for management and major decision-making (23.5%) ▲irregular income (21.6%).
Meanwhile, a similar survey conducted on 404 job seekers and 221 office workers showed that the proportion considering starting a business instead of employment or job change was higher at 78.0% and 86.4%, respectively, compared to college students.
Job seekers, like college students, considered starting a business because they 'want to do work that matches their major or hobbies and interests (45.1%),' but office workers viewed starting a business as a way to escape working life. Responses such as 'not wanting to be tied to organizational life (44.5%)' and 'wanting to earn more money than a salary (40.8%)' ranked high.
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