Recent college and university graduates are changing their job-seeking behavior as they contend with a contracting entry-level labor market, according to new research by Indeed Flex, the online marketplace for flexible and temporary work. In a survey of nearly 1,200 recent grads, 59% report it has been very challenging to find a full-time, entry-level job this year and only 9% found one easily.
Grads point to a lack of experience (25%) and too much competition (24%) as their top challenges in finding a job right now. And they see AI exacerbating these barriers to employment: 79% believe AI could be reducing the number of entry-level jobs in their field.
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To secure a source of income in this saturated entry-level market, recent grads are becoming more flexible in their job-seeking approach. Findings include:
- Financial security over dream job:Â Nearly half (49%) of respondents are open to any job that pays well.
- Flexible work as an alternative to full-time:Â 46% say concern over AI has led them to consider temporary or flexible jobs instead of traditional ones. 20% are currently seeking remote/freelancing roles, 17% are seeking temporary or seasonal work, and 13% are seeking gig or contract-based work.
- AI upskilling demand:Â While most grads recognize AI’s growing influence over the job market, 54% have not received training or upskilling in AI-related tools or knowledge. Some are taking upskilling into their own hands, with 22% saying they’ve self-taught their current AI expertise.
“We empathize with the challenges recent grads are facing in this tight job market,” said Novo Constare, CEO and Co-founder of Indeed Flex. “At the moment, temporary work is helping people make ends meet and also gives them flexibility to navigate their difficult job search.”
Source: PRNewswire
