Hiring of new employees by big businesses this year is expected to be on par with or exceed numbers reached in 2013, industry sources said Wednesday.

The forecast comes as conglomerates open their hiring season for the first half that usually sets the tone for job market conditions throughout the year.

Family-run conglomerates like Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG all plan to start their hiring process this month.

The government predicted earlier in the year that Asia’s fourth-largest economy would grow 3.9 percent in 2014, a jump from 2.8 percent reached in 2013. It said such growth could help create 450,000 new jobs, up from 380,000 new jobs tallied for the previous year.

“Compared with the past, more effort is being placed on hiring people who can meet future challenges, with emphasis placed on practical knowledge that can be used by the company,” said an official who closely tracks job markets.

He said companies will likely be more focused on trying to determine aptitudes of applicants as well as proficiency in expressing their views on a host of issues. (Yonhap)