Koreans often imply that our society is more competition-focused than comparable societies. That statement, at least in terms of finding employment and the lengths the young people go to find “respectable” jobs, may be true.

For some time now, internships have been a “standard” part of a job seeker’s resume, along with a good alma mater, high GPA, unnecessarily high English language scores, and a whole list of other qualifications. 

And interns are everywhere. From newspapers and television stations to state-run companies and financial institutions, organizations in almost every field hire students and graduates as interns for varying lengths of time.

For the employers, interns present a well-educated and eager workforce at low cost -- although they lack professional training. Large companies have also taken to hiring foreign interns, those who study here as well as from abroad, in an attempt to attract a wider range of potential new employees.

For many Koreans college students, an internship is the only way to experience the “real world” before they become job seekers upon graduation. Internships also help students who are less clear about the career path they want to take.

However, what began as an opportunity to learn, is taking strange turns on the part of all those involved; the interns, employers, and even the student interns’ universities.

In a society that values education above almost everything else, many qualifications and certifications have lost much of their capacity as standards for discerning the able from the less able.

As such, internships have become a new tool used by students and job seekers to distinguish themselves from the competition. Many undertake several internships before graduation, while most have one or two internship experiences under their belts on graduation.

Even universities, which are meant to be bastions of knowledge, appear to have jumped on the bandwagon, rather than encouraging students to strive for knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

Some universities not only encourage students to take time off for internships, but have made it a requirement for graduation. Despite criticism that universities are becoming vocational schools whose sole purpose is to aid the student in finding employment, such policies are welcomed by others.

While many universities operate internship programs on reasonable terms, some require students to pay tuition if they want academic credit for the time they spend as interns. Even if a student takes a full semester off to undertake an internship.

“It felt like they are selling credits. I interned last year, and although I worked the regular hours at the office and didn’t go to a single lecture during the semester I still had to get a student loan,” a student studying in Seoul said declining to be named.

For graduates hoping to turn an internship into full time employment, the realities of being an intern are often laced with desperation and worry. Those interning at companies that use internship programs as recruiting tools are put through grueling schedules and intense competition. At the end of it all, only a lucky few gain the coveted prize -- employment.

A significant chunk of companies that took on interns this year did not even specify whether the program offered a chance of being hired at the end.

According to data released by the presidential committee on youths, about a third of intern recruiting ads did not provide any related details.

“I thought I was going to be hired, but after eight months I was told that I had to take the entrance tests just like everyone else,” a 28-year old surnamed Choi said.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)