Genius Developer Becomes a Tycoon

Chapter 4: The First step

TL: Hanguk

buzz buzz.

Everyone who entered the auditorium couldn’t help but be flustered. They thought there would be chairs to sit on, but it was just the bare floor.

On the floor, A4 papers with exam numbers written on them were attached, and people had to stand in front of them, only able to look at the back of the person in front of them.

It reminded them of standing in lines when they joined the military. It was the perfect arrangement to create unnecessary tension.

‘Hmph!’

I couldn’t help but laugh, remembering how I was flustered by such an event in my previous life.

Beep.

“Everyone, please pay attention.”

As expected, an HR employee began speaking into the microphone like a military instructor.

“First, we would like to apologize to all the second-round successful candidates gathered here today. As you know, our company is currently facing an unprecedented situation due to the IMF…”

The same boring words about the unprecedented situation that we heard on the news continued. It was tiresome.

“So, instead of canceling the acceptance, we would like to offer you all a choice. Everyone, close your eyes.”

buzz buzz.

Everyone started murmuring at the mention of the word “acceptance cancellation.”

‘Acceptance cancellation? What are they talking about? Aren’t 90% of us getting the final acceptance?’ The murmuring added up, and the whole auditorium buzzed. The company had the skill to prevent such emotions from exploding in advance.

“Quiet! Everyone, close your eyes. Close your eyes!”

The command to close their eyes was repeated, and most of the lights in the auditorium went out. As the music played softly and the lighting changed to resemble a dim light, the murmuring stopped.

“Those who choose to step out of the auditorium now will receive one month’s salary as consolation money. We promise to hire you first when the company’s situation improves.”

“!!!!”

The atmosphere in the auditorium changed in an instant.

From the company’s perspective, spending 1.2 million won per person on consolation money meant providing tens of billions of won in total for consolation, but it wasn’t the same for those affected. They had worked so hard to get to this point.

“Those who stay will have to go through the final interview, but the acceptance rate will be significantly lower. It might be better to take the civil service exam… Ahem… Anyway… This is the best option our company can offer. Please be aware that even if you are accepted, you will be hired as a temporary employee, no different from a part-time worker.”

‘Part-time worker!!!!’

Being treated as a part-time worker even after passing the final round was a shock for college graduates in this era. Especially for those who were experiencing it for the first time, the feeling was closer to anger than shock.

How dare they treat me like that? If I have to be treated like that, I might as well study more in graduate school. That’s the natural feeling.

At that time, young people had hope that if they could avoid the impact of the IMF by going to the military, going to graduate school, or stacking up their specs in any way, they could eventually get a job at a good company.

‘Huhuh!’

In the increasingly cold air of the auditorium, I couldn’t help but laugh again.

Soon, not only foreign PhDs but also individuals who have worked at NASA will be joining companies, not as executives but as inexperienced managers.

Tap. Tap.…

It was only a matter of time before the few footsteps that started turned into a tide. Most of them would use the consolation money for their graduate school tuition. That’s what I did in my previous life.

I stood still for nearly an hour.

‘Oh, there’s more left than I thought?’

There were so many remaining applicants that I couldn’t believe it. It looked like there were at least a few hundred. In a month, there would be many who would voluntarily resign, but that’s none of my concern.

My eyes were already looking elsewhere.

‘Where is Department Head Jeong Kyung-tae from the Package Development Team?’

His attendance seemed highly likely, though my memory was vague. If possible, I needed to go to the room where he was and have my final interview. His situation within the company was beyond miserable, and he desperately needed to hire someone under him.

‘Ah, I’m going to the third room!’

This time around, luck was on my side.

As I looked back toward the auditorium exit and the conference room area, I saw Department Head Jeong Kyung-tae.

Seeing him not as an executive of a client company but as a Department Head felt quite welcoming.

Ordinary employees might not know, but he is a part of the Daehan Group’s royal family. Members of the Daehan Group’s royal family have an unwritten rule that they must gain experience in difficult departments.

Even someone like Department Head Jeong Kyung-tae, who is far from the group’s meritocracy, had to follow that unwritten rule. After all, he was a member of the royal family with even a slight possibility of receiving some benefits.

Even the bank executives in charge of legal management would probably be keeping an eye on him. Of course, if the situation at Daehan Semiconductor worsened, they would use him as a scapegoat.

Anyway, in the original history, Department Head Jeong not only managed to avoid disaster but even rose to the rank of vice president, so making an impression on him wouldn’t be a bad idea.

‘Choose those who work hard and face challenges head-on as your allies.’

That’s what he said when he became a vice president.

He couldn’t reveal his true intentions now, so he must be thinking about it.

In other words, the more I show my determination to work hard, the more likely I am to catch his eye.

“Is everyone who remains ready for the final interview? If you leave now, we’ll give you consolation money and a letter of apology.”

“……”

In front of the remaining applicants, the HR staff let out a quiet sigh. To him, intern employees would ultimately be seen as candidates for layoffs.

“Those who remain, please line up at the right exit. We will proceed with the final interview.”

The remaining applicants began to line up, and I looked around and stood in line for the third interview room.

As expected of the passionate Daehan Semiconductor, the line quickly shortened. The interview time seemed to be less than 5 minutes.

‘A colleague who works hard!’

Since I knew the keyword Department Head Jeong Kyung-tae wanted, I should be able to ace the interview. This was especially true for such a short interview.

“Applicant number 4122, Yu Su-han!”

“Yes.”

“Enter.”

“Yes.”

HR staff checked the applicants’ numbers in the order they lined up.

Seeing them manually checking each application made me wonder if the interview scores would be properly tallied. No, it meant that the tallying of interview scores was not important at all.

The HR staff were just confirming the identities of the remaining applicants.

‘Hmm, so everyone here is basically accepted?’

They needed evidence that they had cooperated as much as possible with the government’s policy to reduce youth unemployment. The reason why there were only a few hundred new recruits this year was because the applicants had chosen consolation money and voluntarily refused employment.

‘Even so, it’s too impromptu a response.’

Despite this, I couldn’t help but be amazed by Daehan Semiconductor’s culture, turning the final interview room into something like a marketplace.

Most of Daehan Group’s business practices were makeshift.

It was as if they were trying to prove that the group’s origin was construction, which started from scratch.

Could it be described as a scene where they draw a single blueprint and then recklessly rush in?

To exaggerate, the sourcing of materials, the allocation of manpower, and the detailed plans for the order in which the building will be constructed are insufficient. They work hard like bulldozers, but the results are mediocre compared to the effort put in.

It’s a story that would make the employees of Daehan Construction jump, but even they would nod in agreement when it comes to the details of their work.

Despite being the top conglomerate in South Korea, Daehan Group shows weaknesses in the details of each business and suffers from minor quality issues.

The same goes for Daehan Semiconductor. The initial design can compete with competitors or even be faster at times, but mass production is more than six months late.

Each department is more focused on creating the product first rather than cooperating on the reliability and process stabilization of new products, so there’s no way the mass-produced quality will be good.

In the end, when a quality accident occurs, they become busy figuring out who the culprit is.

Recalling the memories of my past life as a customer service developer, the problem with Daehan Semiconductor was not only their technical problem-solving ability but also their inability to understand the customer’s quality requirements at the planning stage.

“Should I change it? No, no… I can’t let my path be blocked because of company work. I’m content with just receiving the rewards of my labor.”

My habit as a customer service developer in my previous life was about to emerge, so I gently pinched my earlobe.

Why should I step forward? It’s enough as long as I don’t hear that I can’t work. In this life, I will ambitiously take care of myself, my family, and my friends and live comfortably and at ease.

I must take advantage of the meager salary and the paltry status of a large corporation intern to achieve the best wealth-building. There are plenty of opportunities, so I just need to calmly lay the foundation for my life.

“Please, take a seat.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Three people were sitting side by side in front of me.

The final interview is always conducted in a 1-to-3 format.

‘Oh, is my luck good in this life? I know all these faces.’

It was really surprising to see such a coincidence.

In the middle was Director Gam Ju-ik from the planning office, to his right was Department Head Oh Se-jin from the sales team, and to his left was Department Head Jung Kyung-tae from the package development team. The corporate hierarchy inflation hadn’t happened yet, so it was even more endearing.

Seeing their faces right in front of me reminded me vividly of their personalities, characters, and situations they were in, like rewatching a drama on YouTube.

“Please introduce yourself first.”

“Yes, my name is Park Sang-sik, and I am graduating from K University’s Department of Physics this year. My graduation thesis was on insulating thin films. If I am given the opportunity to work at Daehan Semiconductor, I will work hard in the field by putting myself into it.”

I answered loudly as an enthusiastic new employee would.

In contrast, the content was a vague answer that would be perfect for the level of a new employee.

“Well, we’re not interested in undergraduate theses…”

The cynical Oh Se-jin from the sales team cut in, trying to break my spirit. It doesn’t matter. All I need to do is catch the eye of Jung Kyung-tae from the package development team.

“Do you want a field job since you said you’ll put your body into it?”

Jung Kyung-tae, the package development department head, interrupted Oh Se-jin, the sales team department head. As I said I would work hard in the field, he might have thought I was implying that I wanted to be in the development team.

“Yes, I would like to apply my knowledge and experience from my studies directly to the field. I believe that would be the most effective way for me to contribute to the company.”

Senior Manager Jung Kyung-tae nodded with satisfaction, looking at me with an approving gaze.

‘Huh, it’s working. It’s going well.’

I smiled internally, but I maintained a serious expression on the outside.

Director Gam Ju-ik, who had been quietly observing, suddenly opened his mouth.

“Mr. Park, do you have any questions for us?”

I had to ask a question that would give me an advantage in the interview.

‘Ah, that’s right. Let’s ask about the future business direction. That’s a safe bet.’

“Yes, I have a question. I am curious about the future business direction of Daehan Semiconductor.”

At my question, the three interviewers exchanged glances.

Finally, Director Gam Ju-ik replied with a smile.

“In the future, we plan to continue focusing on memory semiconductors, such as DRAM and NAND Flash. We will also actively invest in next-generation semiconductor businesses, such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and autonomous driving.”

I nodded with a serious expression, as if I had just learned something new.

“Thank you for your answer. I will do my best to contribute to the company’s future business development.”

With that, the interview ended.