Fear of Prolonged Job Search Spreads... 70% of Gen Z Ready for the Long Haul

Survey of 1,984 Gen Z Job Seekers
Majority Experience Anxiety and Fear During Job Search
7 Out of 10 Say "I'm Prepared for a Job Search Lasting Over a Year"

"I studied hard and built up my credentials, but... I'm scared I won't be able to get a job."

Among Gen Z job seekers, a fear of unemployment is spreading. The biggest reason is concern over a prolonged job search. As the job preparation period grows longer, 7 out of 10 Gen Z respondents are prepared for a job search that lasts more than one year.

According to a survey conducted by Catch on April 18 targeting 1,984 Gen Z job seekers, a striking 83% responded that "getting a job is harder than getting into college." Notably, 80% of respondents were graduates of top-tier universities in Seoul or higher. The era when academic background guaranteed a "free pass" in the job market is long over.

When asked, "Have you ever felt anxiety or fear during your job search process?" 97% answered "yes." The top cause of anxiety was "prolonged job preparation" (52%). This was followed by economic recession (14%), financial burden (12%), social pressure (7%), and uncertainty about career path (6%).

The rising barriers to employment have also affected the length of job preparation. In response to the question, "How many years are you willing to prepare for employment at most?" 69% of respondents said they were prepared for "more than one year." Among those who majored in the humanities, 31% said they were prepared for a job search lasting "more than two years."

Those who expect their job search to last more than one year were asked about the reasons. As a result, 74% of job seekers felt that "external factors, not my own fault," were to blame. This is because the number of job postings has decreased, and companies are either closing down or postponing hiring due to the economic downturn. In fact, when asked about the reason why getting a job is difficult, only 4% cited "lack of credentials."

Kim Junghyun, head of Catch at Jinhaksa, said, "Due to the recent economic downturn, the difficult business environment, and continuous news of hiring freezes, anxiety is spreading even among those who are well-prepared. As prolonged job searches become the norm, there are growing concerns that feelings of helplessness are increasing and more young people may end up taking breaks in the middle of their job search."