"When Are You Going to Get a Job?" "You've Gained Weight"... The Most Disliked Chuseok Nagging Ranked

Survey by recruitment platform Catch
45% say "I won't attend family gatherings"

During the extended Chuseok holiday, which lasted up to nine days, the comment that job seekers disliked hearing the most was, "When are you going to get a job?"

On October 5, Catch, the recruitment platform operated by Jinhaksa, surveyed 1,925 Generation Z job seekers about their Chuseok plans (multiple responses allowed). The most common response was "family and relatives gatherings" at 55%. This was followed by preparing for employment (30%), relaxing at home (20%), part-time jobs or internships (10%), domestic or overseas travel (7%), meeting friends (7%), and cultural or hobby activities (5%).

The number one most disliked holiday nagging, as chosen by job seekers, was "When are you going to get a job?" (38%). This was followed by "You’ve gained some weight" (16%) and "Someone else already got a job" (14%), ranking second and third, respectively. Other frequently mentioned comments included "When are you going to graduate?" (9%), "Is your major good for getting a job?" (8%), "Why don’t you lower your standards?" (8%), and "Why don’t you try preparing for a government job?" (5%).

Survey results conducted by the recruitment platform Catch targeting job seekers. Catch

Conversely, the most desired comment to hear during the holiday was "You’re working hard preparing for employment" (22%). This was followed by "I respect your choices" (16%), "Get plenty of rest during the holiday" (15%), "Take your time and prepare at your own pace" (12%), "Everything will work out" (11%), "You’re doing well even now" (10%), "Take care of your health" (6%), and "Tell me anytime if you’re having a hard time" (5%).

Kim Junghyun, head of Catch, stated, "With the longer holiday this year, family gatherings have increased, and so has the burden of nagging felt by job seekers. In particular, since the values that parents and their children consider important in employment can differ significantly, it is important to have conversations that respect and understand each other's perspectives."