
AI Just Made Entry-Level Jobs an Endangered Species (But Don’t Panic… Yet)
Remember when “just graduated” meant your inbox would be filled with “We’re thrilled to offer you…” emails? Yeah, 2024 had other plans.
According to the World Economic Forum, 40% of employers are eyeing AI to handle work that used to belong to, well… us. And now, a new SignalFire report is adding receipts. They’ve been tracking job moves across 600 million professionals and 80 million companies. Their findings? Big Tech has pulled the brakes on fresh grad hiring. And the AI engine might be behind the wheel.
Here’s the lowdown:
- Big Tech hired 25% fewer new grads in 2024 than in 2023.
- Startups also cut back by 11% on fresh faces.
- But mid-career hiring (2–5 years of experience)? Skyrocketed: +27% at Big Tech, +14% at startups.
Translation: “No experience, no job” just got a new villain—and its name is generative AI.
Entry-level tasks—coding, debugging, market research, writing investor memos—have long been the rookie playground. But guess what? AI now plays there too. Gabe Stengel, founder of AI-powered analyst tool Rogo, literally said on stage: “Our tool does the work I used to do at Lazard.” Ouch.
And while the likes of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley haven’t officially slashed junior analyst roles (yet), internal chatter suggests the axe could fall—fewer hires, lower pay, lighter workloads thanks to AI copilots.
So, where does that leave new grads?
In a bind, sure. But not without a way out. Heather Doshay from SignalFire puts it bluntly: “AI won’t take your job if you’re the one who’s best at using it.”
Pro tip: Learn the tools. From ChatGPT and Claude to Notion AI, Excel Copilot, and GitHub Copilot—be the one who commands them, not competes with them.
Welcome to the AI age. It’s not about surviving. It’s about adapting faster than your résumé template.