"We Don’t Look at Education or Age"... SK hynix Launches Large-Scale AI-Tailored Hiring

[Financial News] SK hynix is overhauling its new-hire recruitment process for the AI era and will begin hiring technical and administrative staff in the second half of the year. The company said it aims to move away from standardized credentials and short interviews, and instead focus on job-related skills and problem-solving ability needed in the field.
On the 30th, SK hynix said it will accept applications for its second-half rolling recruitment of new employees from Aug. 20 to 26.
The positions include key semiconductor roles such as design, device, R&D process, and mass production technology. Work locations include Icheon, Cheongju, Bundang, and Seoul. Following its June announcement that it would fully abolish academic restrictions, anyone can apply regardless of age or education.
The key change in this hiring overhaul is the introduction of a "half-day in-depth interview" and a new approach to document screening. Instead of the previous 20- to 30-minute interviews, candidates will now complete hands-on tasks and undergo in-depth interviews over the course of half a day. Through this process, the company will comprehensively assess applicants’ job expertise, AI application skills, logical thinking, and humanities knowledge.
In the document screening stage, SK hynix has completely eliminated the traditional self-introduction essay. In its place, the company has introduced a new format that asks applicants to describe their AI utilization capabilities and semiconductor expertise, in order to evaluate their potential to use AI in actual work and solve on-site problems.
These changes align with the talent philosophy long emphasized by Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group. He has repeatedly said that in the AI era, it is important to have people who can move across different fields and design systems in which humans and AI coexist. He has also stressed the importance of a "thinking muscle" that questions the essence of a problem and thinks independently.
Recruitment briefings and hiring methods will also change. Instead of visiting individual universities, the company will hold regional briefing sessions in four major areas nationwide, including Seoul, Cheongju, Daegu, and Gwangju, to expand opportunities for job seekers to participate. In the fourth quarter, it also plans to hold an "AI hackathon" in which participants use AI to solve semiconductor field tasks. Outstanding participants will receive fast-track benefits, including exemption from document screening and interview opportunities.
Meanwhile, buoyed by the recovery in the semiconductor industry, SK hynix’s new hiring volume is also rebounding. New hires fell to 739 in 2023, but the number rose steadily to 942 in 2024 and 3,201 in 2025, reflecting increased investment in securing top AI and semiconductor talent.
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter