Most College Grads Ditch 1st Job within Two Years

It is notoriously difficult to find a job these days. Most people look for something stable, but once they are employed, a surprising number of people want to change their jobs.

Many office workers soon feel exhausted and end up asking whether the job is really right for them. Tired from being overworked, an inability to handle sour relationships with colleagues and superiors, and dissatisfaction with the level of pay are the three main reasons Koreans give for changing jobs.

According to a 2010 survey of 18,000 employed college graduates by the Korea Employment Information Service, about half had changed their jobs during the first four years of employment after graduation. Of these, some 75.4 percent said that they left their first post within two years.

Most people said that they quit their jobs on impulse and found a new one, rather than being part of a well-calculated plan.

Experts say that young people should make sure they enter the job market with the right priorities, and look for a career for life that can provide satisfaction and other rewards, rather than employment that just offers stability and a monthly paycheck.

However, given the state of the economy and job market, finding the perfect job is as hard as finding the perfect partner in life. Changing careers and jobs becomes harder later in life because of the element of risk involved in adjusting to a new environment and the new skill-set demanded.

Companies also tend to prefer employees who have amassed experience at one company over a long period rather than those who chop and change their jobs easily.