Engineer A, in the fifth year at a semiconductor equipment company, heads to the desk at home after work these days instead of the gym. It is to apply for experienced hiring at SK hynix. The process technology role A is targeting is also included in this round of experienced hiring.
A said the personal statement is important and is analyzing the talent profile SK hynix wants using an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. A is also looking up success stories posted on YouTube and social media (SNS).
Recently, A even formed a study group with friends. A said, "I have been waiting for openings I can apply for at SK hynix," and "Since a rare opportunity has come up, I am preparing with everything I have."
As SK hynix posted a large-scale experienced hiring notice, office workers are diving into job-change prep after work. With recruitment expanding from production and design roles, including high bandwidth memory (HBM), to staff roles that support business units, interest is growing inside and outside the semiconductor industry.
◇ Recruitment roles, five times the prior notice average
According to the industry on the 1st, SK hynix is accepting experienced applications for "(hy-way)." The application period runs through the 6th. Monthly Hy-Way is SK hynix's rolling hiring process.
SK hynix plans to hire for a total of 54 roles this time. Considering that the average number of roles in Monthly Hy-Way experienced postings over the past year was 11.1, it is nearly five times larger. It is also 20 more than the 34 roles in the February notice this year, when the hiring scope was broad.
In this hiring, tech R&D (research and development) roles alone are broken down into 31. Included are HBM, NAND flash, process technology, system semiconductor design (SoC/IP), and AI/data engineering. As the recruitment categories have expanded significantly, expectations are rising that the hiring scale will be large.
As SK hynix raises its profile in the HBM market, coupled with a recovery in the memory cycle and expectations for bonuses, interest among competitors' employees has increased. Even employees in the non-memory business unit within the DS (semiconductor) division at Samsung Electronics are showing interest in moving to SK hynix.
B, who works in the system semiconductor business unit at Samsung Electronics, said, "Even within the DS division, the gap in bonuses between business units has widened significantly, so there is considerable dissatisfaction," and "If you belong to a 'money-losing business unit' outside memory, the mood is to at least give it a try."
◇ "Education" requirement removed… "This is the chance"
The hiring fever is not confined to the semiconductor sector. As SK hynix recruits experienced candidates across various roles such as construction, safety and health, and procurement, office workers at companies outside the semiconductor industry are also trying for a move.
C, who works at a public corporation under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "I plan to apply for a construction role because I have about 10 years of experience as a machinery management employee maintaining and repairing building facilities," and "I think a certified engineer license, which is a preferred qualification, and management experience could be a competitive edge."
A point cited as broadening the applicant pool is that SK hynix, as in entry-level hiring, has also abolished the requirement of a "four-year bachelor's degree or higher" for experienced hiring. With less pressure around education, the mood is that it is worth applying by emphasizing job experience.
D, who applied for a mass-production technology role, said, "Previously, SK hynix gave the impression of weighing academic pedigree heavily," and "Since it decided to prioritize job fit above all else, I think this is a chance to change jobs."
◇ Personal statement classes also 5:1… Consulting market abuzz
Tailored consulting and lectures for SK hynix experienced hiring are also flourishing. In this experienced hiring, after a document screening based on a personal statement and a career description, the comprehensive competency test (SKCT) and interviews determine whether a candidate is selected.
For experienced candidates, the consulting industry says the importance of the document screening has grown because the cognitive ability test is excluded from the SKCT.
Personal statement consulting typically costs at least 200,000 won. The format is to revise and edit the applicant's personal statement. Many also pay extra to receive interview coaching.
One firm, advertising consultants who previously worked at SK hynix, held a hiring briefing session late last month by doubling capacity from the previous size. It decided to add seats as applications poured in from the start. One personal statement class, capped at 10, drew 50 people, pushing the application competition ratio to 5-to-1.
A person in the consulting industry said, "Right after entry-level hiring, the experienced hiring was announced, and inquiries for classes are flooding in," and "It looks like it will be the biggest event in the second-half job-change market."