The great graduate job drought

·14 min·1 clip

Graduates now tailor CVs to AI algorithms, while HR comb through thousands more applications than just a year ago.

Host Mark Filippino opens with a brief update on the U.S.-Iran standoff, noting Trump has given himself a 10-day window to decide whether to strike Iran, against the backdrop of indirect nuclear negotiations and a significant U.S. military buildup in the region driving oil prices to a six-month high. The main segment focuses on the graduate job market, hearing first from listeners who share their frustrating experiences applying to dozens of jobs without hearing back. FT management editor Anjali Raval explains that AI screening tools now filter applications at most large companies, creating a bizarre dynamic where graduates must optimize their CVs for algorithms that detect keywords, while recruiters on the other side are buried under three times the applications they were receiving in 2022. Experienced workers with a few years on their resume are now applying for entry-level roles that once went to new graduates, leaving fresh graduates at a compounding disadvantage. Raval warns that entering a poor job market causes lasting wage scarring that can persist for decades, as seen with cohorts who graduated during the 2008 financial crisis. Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait provides the hiring platform perspective, sharing data showing global hiring is down 20% from pre-pandemic levels while the volume of applications per recruiter has tripled. He advises job seekers that applying within the first few hours of a posting going live significantly increases the chance of being seen, and stresses that resumes should focus on measurable impact rather than just job titles. Chait warns that tricks like hiding keywords in white text do not work, but genuine networking remains one of the most reliable paths to getting hired. The episode notes that a longer version of the Chait interview is available in the feed, covering tips for hiring managers, ethical concerns around AI in hiring, and comparisons to the 2008 market.

As heard by us

A brisk morning briefing that makes the graduate job market feel immediate.

FT News Briefing keeps its morning briefing rhythm, pairing a Middle East update with a look at how rough the job market is for new graduates. The labor market segment lands best.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Why the graduate job hunt feels stuck even as applying gets easier.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from FT News Briefing