- Employers are prioritizing entry-level workers with generative AI skills.
- Over the past year, Handshake has seen a threefold increase in job descriptions mentioning generative AI on its portal.
- However, students are hesitant to use technology for anything other than personal tasks.
Where once you needed a polished resume, great interview skills, and a lengthy list of contacts to land a job straight out of college, now you might just need to know how to give commands to a chatbot.
As the technology rapidly advances, employers are prioritizing new hires with generative AI skills: On student job and internship portal Handshake, the number of job postings mentioning generative AI tools has more than tripled in the past year.
A recent Microsoft survey found that 71% of business leaders are more willing to hire a junior candidate with AI skills over an experienced candidate without AI skills. Around 77% of leaders said that AI will help early-career employees take on more responsibilities.
But students don't see AI as a ticket to full-time employment. According to Handshake's data, most students are still using the technology for personal tasks and fun. One recent graduate told Handshake that she is hesitant to use generative AI because “it doesn't seem 'officially' accepted or common yet, and I would feel lazy and guilty about using it to do work for me.”
But the corporate world is rushing to embrace AI because it can do the jobs no one wants to do. That means it's up to schools to help students embrace technology, Handshake chief talent officer Valerie Capers-Workman told Business Insider. “I think that three years from now, every job role, regardless of field, will require tech skills,” she said. “So it's more important than ever for educational institutions and employers to help upskill and provide training opportunities.”
