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The Last Era of New Employees

I still remember the scene I encountered on the subway one day on my way home from work. A young man in a suit sat across from me, his tie was poorly tied and his shoes still looked shiny as if they had not been broken in yet. It must have been his first day at work. As I watched him, I suddenly thought to myself that the world he belonged to would soon disappear.

The day when the word “new employee” will enter the museum is not far off. At first, it was just a vague premonition. But the contours of it have gradually become clearer, like a landscape that gradually reveals itself in the darkness. The gateway to “employment” as we knew it will disappear, and everyone’s first social life will begin as an “independent professional.”

“In the future, all office workers should become one-person entrepreneurs.” A startup CEO said this a while ago. At first, I thought it was an overstatement. But now I’m starting to understand the meaning of the words. In the new order created by AI, we may all have to become independent economic entities with our own expertise.

A few days later, I came across the resume of a man in his fifties. He said he had recently had his photo taken. He had clearly tried to look younger. He had a new suit and dyed his hair. However, no amount of lighting could hide the deep wrinkles around his eyes. They were a testament to the weight of time.

We are living in a strange era. In an era where working for a company for 30 years is not a source of pride but a burden. In an era where the phrase “lifetime job” has become a fossil that can only be seen in museums. Young people now have to start their careers as independent professionals from scratch, and middle-aged people are being forced into that path.

One day, I witnessed this scene at a shared office in Gangnam. Three young men were sitting in front of their laptops. One was talking to an AI, another was reviewing product designs, and the last one was formulating marketing strategies. They were not part of one company, but independent professionals with their own expertise.

That same evening, I visited a labor market in Seoul. At five in the morning, hundreds of people were waiting for work. Many of them were once office workers who wore ties. But here, their past was meaningless. Only a healthy body is an asset.

In 2024, the number of employed people decreased by 159,000 compared to the previous year. This number is cold and dry, but the stories behind it are hot and desperate. In particular, jobs that are often sought by people in their 50s have disappeared rapidly. What is even more ironic is that the expertise they have accumulated is holding them back. The tacit knowledge that is only valid in one company becomes useless in other places. Like the hard disk of an old computer, it has a large capacity but is not compatible with new systems.

Young people are also facing difficulties. Most of them have student loans. As soon as they graduate, they are faced with a debt of around 20 million won and step into society. The soaring monthly rent prices make their shoulders even heavier. The advice to “become an independent professional” may sound like telling them to fly in the sky without wings.

However, there is no reason to despair. AI is a double-edged sword. It can take away jobs, but at the same time, it can also provide new opportunities. Regardless of age and career, there is a possibility of becoming an independent professional with AI as a partner.

A 58-year-old former executive of a large company I met recently started a consulting business using AI. “At first, I was afraid. But it was possible because of AI. When my 30 years of experience and the latest knowledge of AI met, new value was created.” Another young man started a guide service for foreign tourists with the help of AI. ”As long as I have an AI interpreter, it doesn’t matter which country the tourists are from. I was afraid at first, but now it’s fun.”

We are now at a huge turning point. An era is coming when everyone, whether young or middle-aged, will have to become an independent professional. It may be a frightening and unfamiliar change. But it is also a new opportunity. The important thing is to no longer treat this change as an individual issue. We need a social system that helps young people get started and supports middle-aged people in their transition.

The subway runs towards the next station. Just like the cityscape passing by outside the window, the way we work is constantly changing. And in the midst of that change, we are writing a new story. With a new partner.

기자 / 제 눈에 스타트업 관계자들은 연예인입니다. 그들의 오늘을 기록합니다. 가끔 해외 취재도 가고 서비스 리뷰도 합니다.

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