Advice to Grads: AI Isn’t Creating the Entry-Level Job Problem. Expectations Are.
The job market for new grads is tough. But what's actually happening is more complicated than the narrative that AI is eliminating entry-level jobs.
Here's the truth. Expectations for entry-level roles have changed, quickly and in some cases quietly. Not everyone has caught up to that shift. AI is part of the story, but not in the way it's framed. AI is raising the baseline for what employers expect from someone on day one.
Employers want candidates who can contribute faster and navigate tools, including AI, with confidence. Who can take direction, but also show initiative. Who are ready to learn, but also ready to do.
Increasingly, they are looking for something harder to teach: intellectual curiosity. The best entry-level candidates are not just capable. They're curious. They ask better questions. They want to understand how things work, not just complete the task. That mindset consistently stands out.
At the same time, a different set of expectations has been taking hold among early-career talent. Spend a few minutes on social media. You will see a steady stream of advice about setting boundaries and saying no at work. Some of that advice is important. Boundaries matter. Burnout is real. Not everything deserves a yes. But taking that advice too literally, too early, is risky.
Early in your career, saying yes is often the gateway to learning and opportunity. It is how you build trust. It is how you get exposure to the work that actually moves a business forward. Staying a bit later might help you understand how a team operates under pressure. Raising your hand might be what makes someone remember you when an opportunity opens up.
This is not about working endlessly or accepting unreasonable expectations. It is about understanding the stage you are in and investing in yourself.
The candidates who stand out are the ones who recognize this shift. They are building fluency with AI and new tools, not avoiding them. They are investing in fundamentals: writing, thinking, and judgment, because those still matter. They are curious. And they are willing to lean in.
I will also be honest. I probably said yes too often early in my career. Boundaries were not something I was taught, and I had to learn that over time. And if I am being honest, I am still learning. And still saying yes. But I do not regret starting that way. Or being that way. Because yes is how you learn, especially early on. It is how you build trust. It is how you get the opportunities that shape your career.
I’m often asked what advice I would give to aspiring young leaders early in their careers. My answer: spending too much time focused on what their bosses think.
This may sound counterintuitive, especially when you’re starting out. But if you’re constantly looking for approval after every decision, it slows you down and makes it harder to build real confidence or grow in your leadership role.
I’ve always thought about this a bit like Little League sports, where after every play, a kid looks to the stands for a parent or coach’s reaction.
In higher-level sports, kids eventually get to the coach who says, “Don’t ever look at me unless I call your name. Play the game.”
In business, that shift is really about leadership. At some point, growth depends on understanding priorities, building trust, and then executing with confidence.
The goal is to develop sound judgment, a mindset for continuous learning, and the ability to keep moving the work forward.
When someone operates only through approval, dependency tends to grow. When they operate with clarity, trust, and judgment, leadership starts to take shape.
What’s something you think people early in their careers worry about more than they need to?
This may sound counterintuitive, especially when you’re starting out. But if you’re constantly looking for approval after every decision, it slows you down and makes it harder to build real confidence or grow in your leadership role.
I’ve always thought about this a bit like Little League sports, where after every play, a kid looks to the stands for a parent or coach’s reaction.
In higher-level sports, kids eventually get to the coach who says, “Don’t ever look at me unless I call your name. Play the game.”
In business, that shift is really about leadership. At some point, growth depends on understanding priorities, building trust, and then executing with confidence.
The goal is to develop sound judgment, a mindset for continuous learning, and the ability to keep moving the work forward.
When someone operates only through approval, dependency tends to grow. When they operate with clarity, trust, and judgment, leadership starts to take shape.
What’s something you think people early in their careers worry about more than they need to?