A recent survey conducted by the 'Spring of Education' foundation found that a significant majority of HR managers in South Korea (74.3%) consider an applicant's educational background in their hiring process. The findings indicate that among 537 respondents, 60.9% acknowledge they reference school background to some extent when evaluating candidates, while 13.4% actively factor it into their decisions. This trend raises concerns about the growing obsession with educational qualifications among job seekers and the competitive pressure to enhance one's 'specs', or credentials, which can lead to educational elitism and exacerbate the exam fever in society.

The survey also explored at what stage HR managers verify the educational backgrounds of applicants. Out of 724 responses, 42.7% reported checking during the document review stage, 30% during interviews, and others across all hiring stages. When asked how they utilize school background information, 37.6% cited its role in hiring decisions, while others indicated its importance for educational purposes, job placement, promotions, performance management, and reporting on personnel distribution by school. These results highlight how rooted educational background checks are in South Korean corporate culture and the preference for certain institutions, which can perpetuate inequality in the job market.

Furthermore, when HR managers were asked about the qualities they associate with educational background, 21.6% identified responsibility and sincerity as key traits, while others emphasized learning capabilities, responsiveness to change, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, networking based on school affiliation, and collaboration skills. The findings have sparked discussions on the relevance of school background to actual job performance and the need for legal measures to mitigate discrimination based on educational credentials, suggesting a potential shift towards a more equitable hiring landscape in South Korea.