WorkNet has provided job seekers with discriminatory interview tips. (image: Kobizmedia/Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – WorkNet, a website providing employment information to job seekers on the Internet, jointly run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Employment Information Service, causes controversies with its online content seemingly condoning and encouraging sexual abuse.
The Korean Women’s Association United announced that the website has provided job seekers with discriminatory interview tips. It said that when a female interviewee were asked when she would get married, it was recommended for her to say that she had no plan to get married for now. The website explained that the answer is an ideal one since companies in Korea are reluctant to hire women who plan to get married soon or are in a long-term relationship as they are highly likely to quit right after their marriage.
The agencies which should take the lead to eliminate sexual discrimination and force those companies to hire women regardless of their marriage status rather advised female job seekers to lie in an interview to be hired.
The interview tip about marriage is not the only offensive content. Other interview tips for women are as follows:
Question: What do you think about sexual harassment?
Recommended answer: I will not care about light jokes tinged with sexual suggestion. It is important for female workers to treat it as a joke.
Question: What would you do if you were asked to do small errands like making coffee or copying documents?
Recommended answer: I will make even a cup of coffee with my heart and soul.
Question: What would you do if you had a baby?
Recommended answer: Even though it is my responsibility to raise my child, I’ll do my best at work if the company gives me an opportunity to do so.
The website even stated a reason for a recommended answer about sexual harassment saying that there were a lot of lawsuits over the problem and many companies were in trouble because of “oversensitive” women.
When a backlash was caused by the interview tips, the agencies quietly deleted the content on the website. They stated that they would do sex education for their employees more strictly.
By Veronica Huh (veronicah@koreabizwire.com)
