Hiring Managers Cut Entry Level Roles

Entry level workers face a tighter job market as hiring managers increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to filter candidates. A new survey from Northeastern University indicates that this shift is not just about speed but is actively changing the composition of new hires. Managers are reporting lower numbers of junior positions while demanding more from the employees they do retain.

The data comes from Northeastern University’s AI & Society Survey, the latest in a series examining public views on the technology. The research team analyzed responses from 8,174 individuals who indicated they have a say in hiring decisions. The findings challenge the narrative that AI simply replaces humans, instead showing a complex restructuring of entry level roles.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, media coverage has focused heavily on potential mass layoffs. Headlines from outlets like Axios and CNN have warned of a bloodbath for white collar jobs. John Wihbey, a professor of media and communications technology at Northeastern University and co-author of the survey, acknowledged that these fears are grounded in real changes to hiring practices.

The survey reveals a clear trend in junior hiring. Of the 8,174 respondents, roughly half said AI influenced their decisions. Within that group, 26 percent reported hiring fewer entry level candidates. Only 7 percent said they were hiring more. The remaining participants noted steady hiring rates but expressed higher expectations for the output of their new junior staff.

AI tools are now central to the initial screening process. Fifty four percent of hiring decision makers use AI to review resumes. This is particularly prevalent in the technology sector, where 83 percent of decision makers use AI for this task. The volume of applications has more than doubled since 2022, prompting companies to use bots to process hundreds of documents in the time it takes a human to read one.

Gary Friedman, an employment trial lawyer at Seyfarth Shaw, described the current situation as a double edged sword. He noted that AI can hollow out the bottom rung of the career ladder, but it can also serve as an escalator for those who adapt. He warned that errors made by screening algorithms can multiply quickly, potentially overlooking unique talents that a human reviewer might catch.

The value of a college degree is shifting in this new environment. Approximately 38 percent of hiring decision makers stated that a degree makes a candidate more valuable. Wihbey suggested that this is because a formal education instills critical thinking skills. These skills help graduates write effective prompts and maintain a strong knowledge base to resist over reliance on automated tools.

AI experience is not yet a universal requirement for all jobs. Almost half of the hiring decision makers surveyed said AI skills were not explicitly on their hiring radar. However, industries like IT and finance look for these skills more frequently than sectors such as the arts or agriculture. Wihbey pointed out that universities are responding to this demand with new curricula that focus on AI fluency.

Using AI for schoolwork is generally viewed positively by employers. Around 40 percent of hiring decision makers see the use of AI for every writing or coding assignment as a plus. Only 21 percent said it would discourage them from making an offer. This suggests that candidates who can demonstrate effective use of the tools are becoming more competitive.

Hiring managers themselves hold mixed feelings about the technology. They are almost twice as likely as other roles to expect AI to boost their productivity. At the same time, they are twice as likely to say that most of their work could be outsourced to AI. Friedman noted that these contradictions reflect the current reality of the job market, where staying relevant requires using AI beyond routine tasks.