If you’re a recent graduate, or you have one living in your house, you already know: the job hunt this year feels different.
It is different. In a summer 2026 report from ResumeTemplates.com, 48% of hiring managers said they’d rather invest in AI tools than hire and train a recent college graduate, and more than half said they’d moved at least part of their entry-level hiring budget over to AI. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that more than a third of entry-level job postings now ask for AI skills, nearly triple the share from fall 2025.
The work that used to train beginners (data entry, first drafts, basic research, routine customer questions) is exactly the work AI is absorbing first.
But it’s not hopeless
The same report found that 65% of hiring managers still plan to hire the same number of new grads or more. Employers haven’t stopped hiring people. They’ve raised the bar for what “entry level” means.
How to climb when the first rung is missing
Become the person who uses AI well. Don’t hide from it. Learn to use the tools in your field, then show proof. A portfolio that says “here’s what I built with AI and here’s the human judgment I added” beats a résumé line every time.
Lead with the human skills. Employers keep naming the same things: teamwork, problem-solving, communication. AI can draft an email. It can’t calm an upset client or read a room.
Build relationships, not just applications. The open-application route is more crowded than ever. Informational coffees, alumni networks, and warm introductions matter more now.
Consider the side door. Contract work, apprenticeships, and small companies often still train beginners.
Protect your confidence. A hard market is not a verdict on your worth. Rejection in this climate is about math, not about you.
Where a career coach helps
A good career coach helps you translate who you are into what employers are buying right now, and keeps you from spiraling while you wait.
You don’t have to figure this out alone
Book a free discovery call with a Life Coaching Today career coach: Find a Coach.
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Just Ask Maxx is a Master Relationship Coach, Master Hypnotherapist, Certified NLP Practitioner and Certified Divorce Mediator with Life Coaching Today. Email justaskmaxx@gmail.com or call 215-888-5362.
