Kanika Mohan thought he would work after graduation.
He studied computer science at the age of 21, and had a summer internship slate at a top tech company, and regularly attended campus career fairs. Feltstem, the first generation of university students, was a surefire path to corporate success.
“I love building things and computer science has been a much hotter topic than social media,” Mohan said. The job was flexible with all kinds of perks. “It was insane to think about it,” she added. “I've never seen my parents have those jobs. My parents had regular, non-engaged blue-collar jobs.”
Frustrated with the hunt for several months of work, Mohan began searching outside of Big Technology. She said she applied for business analyst and marketing roles at airlines, banks and consumer companies, as well as other opportunities she can find in her skill set. She was eventually hired by a major tech company, and I'm happy she expanded her search.
The Mohan experience is becoming more and more common. Computer Science and Technology jobs have long been advertised as a path to lucrative pay and luxury office perks. However, the industry is a bleeding entry-level opportunity as AI and widespread company cost reductions have contributed to slowing white-collar employment.
The high-tech job market is not just for new entrants. Glassdoor's chief economist Daniel Zhao wrote in a new blog post that the US tech industry appears to be in an employment recession as it reflects the Great Recession. US job postings for high-tech workers on the Job-Search platform are actually cooler than overall posts from the peak of a major resignation. But if a more experienced job seeker has the skills needed for a growing war on AI talent, the better may work.
As the doors approach the industry as a whole, tech alumni must rethink the role of their dreams. By spoke with experts from Gen Zers and Labor Market to understand the challenges and potential solutions faced by young technology applicants.
“You may not get a job at Microsoft.”
After landing her role, Mohan is currently teaching other 20-something people on Tiktok about how to infiltrate the tech industry.
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“One thing I noticed is that a lot of people have dream companies and dream roles,” she said. “But it's really hard to do that anymore. 'I want to work for Microsoft, so I'm only going to apply to Microsoft.' You might not be able to get a job at Microsoft. ”
The economists said this is a wise strategy. With the number of computer and information science graduates in recent years, holders of these degrees have faced a race for a reduction in number openings. AI is also shifting how entry-level work looks like in these areas, with companies looking for ways to reduce costs and streamline their employees.
Glassdoor Economist Zhao told Business Insider that many tech employers are slow to hire entry-level workers. A report from the Burning Glass Institute showed that unemployment rates among Gen Zers and young millennials in the computer and mathematics professions have recently increased even before the pandemic.
“It's no surprise that new graduates in computer science and engineering struggled to step into the door,” Zhao said.
That's part of why General Zeas, like Timothy Insalmoat, are considering pivots. he He wanted to work in technology, but he also applied for jobs as a grocery store and cleaner.
Since completing his Computer Science and Information Technology Certification Program last year, Innamorato, 27, has submitted hundreds of job applications and has conducted around eight interviews in his field, he said.
“I've changed my opinion on whether I want to keep watching at this point, especially with the AI that's happening right now,” he said.
He also received several interviews for his grocery store work. He successfully got a callback when he applied for custody of his local school district.
“Now everyone has moved on to the idea of doing business, so whether they're plumbers, HVACs, or electricians. Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad thing. “It's not the same, but I don't know.”
How to stand out in applications: “number games”
23-year-old Charlie Kim recently acquired a software engineering role at a major high-tech company. He said he was lucky – he graduated with a computer science degree in 2024 and knows some friends who are still looking for work.
“There are so many people who apply for jobs, and only a limited number of jobs,” Kim said, adding that “it's probably more difficult to get interviewed than the interview itself.”
Kim said Job Hunt can feel like a random “numbers game,” but he believes the effort he put into networking paid off. Not only did talking to people in the tech industry help him hone his applications, he said he allowed him to get the referrals he needed to make his resume stand out from the mountains.
Christine Cruzvergara, Chief Education Strategy Officer at Handshake, said it's important to build a community as job hunting can be time-consuming and emotionally taxed. As Mohan said, job hunting after graduation can feel “really scary, really tough, and really painful.”
Cruzvergara said your community can include friends, advisors, or someone who can help you feel better and give real feedback while you're looking for a job.
Cruzvergara also suggested that he didn't fill out hundreds of applications and instead spent enough time checking out the company.
Software company recruiter Bonnie Dilber previously told Business Insider, “Because the massive amounts of application are actually hurting people.
Natasha Pireybemas, IBM's Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition and Executive Search, said there will continue to be a demand for entry-level talent, particularly in “more important and complex spaces for technologies like AI and the cloud.” She said strong applicants need to demonstrate that they can master using AI and rely on soft skills such as creativity and effective communication.
Mohan said there are several different versions of her resume and cover letter, depending on the type of role she was applying for. Her experiences and interests on paper, and sometimes using AI to optimize for a particular position, helped build confidence.
“It helped me build my resume early on, and I also realized I know I can switch industries,” she said. “I realized the role I like because I like the industry and there are so many things you can do, and unless you've actually tried it, you don't know.”
