Why landing your 1st job is getting harder
Landing your first job is getting harder—entry-level postings dropped 11.2% since 2021, and there are now 30% more applicants for every opening.
Recent grads are feeling the pinch as competition heats up and opportunities shrink.
Unemployment rates for recent grads
Unemployment among recent college grads has risen from 3.8% to 4.9% in just a few years, with those holding advanced degrees also seeing a bump.
Overall, new grads face an unemployment rate over 6.6%, much higher than the national average, as employers lean toward experienced hires and digital skills.
Tech skills in demand
Entry-level jobs that don't require experience have dropped by up to 10%, while roles needing AI and tech know-how are booming—think prompt engineers or cybersecurity pros.
Automation is making some jobs vanish, so today's grads need to adapt quickly to stay in the game.