Virtual company Neet People helps young adults find community, grow

Neet People runs programs to offer work-life experience to those not in education, employment or training, referred to as NEETs. Courtesy of Neet People

By Lee Gyu-lee

Working without a salary in positions without a specific job description, with employers being interviewed by potential employees ― all this might sound very confusing and seem like nonsense.

But it makes sense with Neet People, a virtual, mock company for young people in their 20s and 30s, who classify as "NEET" ― an acronym for not in education, employment or training. The company acts as a haven for those who are NEET by providing a platform to find their footing and sense of belonging as members of society and to assist in their journey to identify their roles.

"It's not about trying hard to get a good job. But we feel that our current society has lost a sense of community for young people to find belonging and their role in it. And we believe we've created such a platform, a kind of community, where those young adults feel comfortable being themselves. And that's the role we want to keep pursuing," Jeon Seong-shin, co-CEO and co-founder of Neet People, told The Korea Times during an interview at the company's office in Jung District, central Seoul, Monday.

From left are co-CEOs of Neet People Park Eun-mi, Jeon Seong-shin and manager Jay Lim. Courtesy of Neet People

Jeon founded the company in 2019, along with the co-CEO Park Eun-mi, out of a personal need for a community after leaving her job in the social venture funding sector.

"I had 10 years of work experience. But I faced concerns and anxieties about my next opportunity, like I was stepping into the real world for the first time. Yet, I wasn't in the place to write and go around to submit my resume," she said. "Then I came to think how I can have fun and make use of this time other than writing up a resume."

She sought opportunities to meet people in similar situations to share concerns. When she could not find anyone, the co-founders decided to create it themselves.

Along with its signature program, Neet Company, an online virtual company, the group added three new programs last year: Neet Office for an in-person office experience, Neet Investment for financial aid and Neet Connect for social gatherings.

A picture of Neet Company's outdoor gathering / Courtesy of Neet People

Neet Company welcomes about 100 participants each term, whereas Neet Office hosts about five people due to its limited office space. The participants come up with their own job titles and decide their daily duty on their own, like reading books or holding a workshop on topics they find interesting. The weekly meeting runs with an agenda to share their plans for the future or their interests.

"(For Neet Office,) there are people who fear going to an office and find it difficult to see others' eyes to communicate. So we looked for ways to give social practice scenarios to help those people. So the office is for those people," Jay Lim, the company's founding member and manager, said.

The two programs go through a unique process of recruiting their participants, a reverse interview, where potential participants interview the company.

"When you interview for a normal job, you need to be picked through a selection process. We are a community formed based on the participants' needs. So we tell them what we do and ask them to decide if they want to join or not; whether we passed or not," the CEO said, adding that the spots are filled on a first-come basis.

People look at displays, sharing the outcome of Neet Investment's second-term participants. Courtesy of Neet People

The concept of a make-believe company and role-playing as an employed worker might seem odd to some people. But the CEO emphasized that the company is about creating a community that bridges people.

"Our purpose and the (ideal) society we think is that people are not isolated and can connect with anyone regardless of their status, so they can remind themselves of their own presence as a member of the society, despite their economic activity and identity," she said.

"Rather than just wanting to make good money, we hope for a society where people are connected to one another so they can ask for help when they need it and return it to those who need it."

Over the years, the company came across hundreds of people in NEET. Jeon and Lim said that seeing changes in the participants motivated them to pursue their vision, despite the difficulties in securing stable funding to run its programs.

"Later on, the participants would look for ways to take a role (in the platform). They would start a project with each other. And seeing how they navigate it to find their role within that makes it all worth it," she said.

The participants from Neet Company plant trees as volunteers. Courtesy of Neet People

"Even if they go off to start a business or get employed, that is not the end. They can always encounter failure and difficulties. But regardless, they have changed. They now have friends and colleagues to spend time with, instead of breaking down … What's really important is that they have their own strength and direction to lead their lives."

Although its current programs are directed more toward the younger generation, Lim said the company had a bigger vision to expand and incorporate all people in NEET.

"We found this company based on our own need when we were, and still are, in early adulthood. But NEET can happen to anyone whether you're in your 50s or 60s," she said.

"We started this from an issue that there were no platforms for community or social activities. But, while the younger generations are important, there are a lot of people who are going through an unemployment period for their own reasons, like retirement or a career break to take care of children. So we feel there's something we can do for them and bring them together to form a community."