63 questions for one application, and the papers are out...a job seeker who is exhausted before getting a job

Finding a job is already difficult, and artificial intelligence (AI) is making the hiring process more complicated. Some companies are asking young job seekers to spend a lot of time, effort, and sometimes money proving their skills. Companies say these extra steps help them choose the right workers. But many young people say the growing number of tests and requirements is leaving them exhausted.

During its 2026 hiring process, an insurance company called Company A introduced a new test with 63 questions at the first application stage. There were more questions requiring written answers than multiple-choice questions. Some answers could be between 500 and 1,000 characters long. Applicants had only five hours to complete the test.

One applicant, identified as A (24), said, "I spent two days writing my personal introduction letter." He added, "I wanted to give up halfway through, but every job opening was important to me, so I finished the application. Even after all that work, I was rejected at the document screening stage. It makes me feel exhausted."

More companies are adding extra tests to check applicants' skills during the first stage of hiring. In the past, companies usually gave written tests only to people who passed the initial application review. Recently, however, some companies have started requiring everyone to submit an application and take an "AI Competency Test," also called an AI reverse test. These tests usually include interviews conducted using AI, strategy games, and personality tests.

Na (24), a job seeker, took eight AI tests in the first half of this year alone. She explained how stressful and expensive they can be. "Each test usually takes about 80 minutes. But when it's for a company you really want to work for, you try to prepare carefully. You may even rent a private interview room, which costs 12,000 won per hour." Another applicant, Kim (24), said, "It's frustrating because when I get rejected during the application stage, I don't know whether my personal introduction letter was not good enough or whether I did badly on the AI test."

Companies have also started testing how well applicants can use AI. In the second half of this year, Kia introduced an "AI problem-solving ability" test, while HD Hyundai introduced an "AI utilization capability test" for new employees. These tests ask applicants to use generative AI so companies can see how well they can study problems and find solutions.

Samcheon-ri also included AI-related questions in its application process for 2027 recruitment. Applicants were asked to describe examples of things they had achieved by using AI in school classes or everyday life. They also had to take screenshots showing the entire screen, including the instructions they had given the AI, and attach them as proof.

Some companies go even further. Before applicants can attend an interview, they must complete assignments similar to real work. These may include creating business strategies, writing plans, or preparing PowerPoint presentations. Companies say these assignments help them check whether applicants can actually do the job.

Ahn (29), who is looking for work in the design industry, passed the first application review at an entertainment company earlier this year. The company then asked Ahn to spend three to four days creating design work and preparing a presentation. Despite completing these tasks, Ahn was rejected in the final selection.

Ahn said, "Applicants submit their work even though there is a risk that it could be shared with people outside the company. But companies seem to treat the results of our hard work too lightly." Ahn added, "I'm already tired before I've even found a job."

Some companies also make applicants go through another period of testing even after they have completed an internship. This means that finishing an internship successfully does not always lead to a permanent, full-time job.

B Securities Company recently began recruiting interns for the second half of 2026 through a program that could lead to permanent employment. However, even applicants who pass the internship evaluation and interviews with senior executives will not immediately become full-time employees.

Instead, they must first work as interns for two months and then as contract employees for another six months. After that, the company reviews them again to decide whether to offer permanent jobs. Kim (25), another job seeker, said, "It takes eight months before you can finally find out whether you will get a permanent job. I think that's too much."

Companies explain that AI has made it harder to judge applicants' real abilities by looking only at traditional application documents. They also say hiring practices are changing, with more importance placed on practical work experience and skills.

An official from insurance company A explained, "These days, many people use AI to write and improve their personal introduction letters. Because of this, traditional application documents do not always tell us enough about a person's experience, strengths, or potential to grow. So we created these questions to make the document screening process feel more like a one-on-one interview with each applicant."

An official from B Securities Company said, "This kind of work requires special knowledge and skills, so we designed the hiring process to give applicants more time to adjust to the job, even after their internships." The official added, "In the past, the securities industry did not often hold large open recruitment programs or internships that could lead to permanent jobs. This program is an example of how we are trying to create more job opportunities for new workers and young people."

Experts agree that companies need to check whether applicants have the skills required for a job. However, they warn that companies should not place too much of the time, effort, and financial cost of these checks on job seekers.

Kim Sung-hee, a professor at Korea University's Labor Institute, said, "The government cannot force every company to use the same hiring process. But it can collect and share examples of good hiring practices. It can explain which hiring methods work well, along with their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the industry, the type of job, and the company's characteristics. Companies also need to ask themselves whether the time and effort they demand from applicants are really necessary to check whether those applicants can do the job."