Graduates Reset Ambitions in Pursuit of First Jobs

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.

Supported by

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

Graduates Reset Ambitions in Pursuit of First Jobs

Young people aiming to build careers are entering fields they had not considered to find their footing.

Listen

· 7:44 min

Share full article

A dismal job market has turned the spring commencement season into a bruising ordeal for many, including Sadie Parker, who will graduate in June from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Credit...

Adam Amengual for The New York Times

By

Sydney Ember

April 28, 2026,

5:03 a.m. ET

See more of our coverage in your search results.

Encuentra más de nuestra cobertura en los resultados de búsqueda.

Add The New York Times on Google

Agrega The New York Times en Google

Sadie Parker was fretting about finding a job.

Many people she knew were having trouble landing work. She had wanted to join the Foreign Service, but she was worried that federal spending cuts could limit her options. She was petrified that artificial intelligence would wipe out other entry-level jobs.

“I was extremely anxious,” said Ms. Parker, 22, who will graduate in June from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a double major in political science and economics.

To improve her chances, she broadened her search, applying for positions in consulting and other fields. She spent hours on a cover letter for a job at KPMG, the accounting firm, advising the California state government.

“I was like, wow, this looks so interesting,” she said. “The next day, I got a rejection.”

Recent college graduates are facing

the most dismal and unpredictable job market

in years. Employers overall are

hiring fewer workers

, dimming the prospects in particular for first-time entrants to the labor market. The rise of A.I. and its abilities are intensifying fears that entry-level jobs will disappear forever.

Junior-level postings on the job site Indeed fell 7 percent in 2025 from the previous year,

according to a report

the company released last week.

“As a job seeker, you’re having to work a lot harder to land that same job now because the competition has just really stiffened in the last couple years,” said Cory Stahle, an economist at Indeed.

Young and Looking for Work? We Want to Hear From You.

New York Times economics reporters want to understand how young people are navigating employment. We may want to use your experience in a story, but we would only do so with your permission.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and

log into

your Times account, or

subscribe

for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?

Log in

.

Want all of The Times?

Subscribe

.

Related Content

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT