How To Stand Out as an Entry-Level Candidate in the Age of AI

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The entry-level job market is more competitive than it has been in decades. As AI reshapes job functions and employer expectations, recent graduates and career changers face significant challenges with getting their feet in the door and securing their first professional roles. Many entry-level positions have either been eliminated or now require skills workers previously expected to develop on the job.

While this shift may seem daunting, early-career professionals also have the opportunity to think more strategically about how they gain experience, demonstrate potential, and get hired. Standing out today means more than having a degree; it requires candidates to demonstrate how they can blend uniquely human skills and AI proficiency to drive positive business outcomes. 

The state of the entry-level job market

Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that as of June 2025, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 4.8% — higher than the national average for all workers of 4%. Research from Oxford Economics also shows that 85% of the uptick in unemployment since mid‑2023 stems from new entrants to the workforce. 

As another signal of a competitive entry-level job market, data from Gen Z career platform Handshake shows that job postings on the platform declined by 15% in 2025 compared to 2024, while the number of applications per job increased by 30%. And Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei made the bold prediction that 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs could go away in the next five years. 

The Oxford Economics data also revealed that even with an uncertain job market, recent college graduates are maintaining high labor force participation rates. This sustained influx of new entrants increases competition for available roles, which is likely to keep unemployment elevated until market demand catches up with the abundant supply of entry-level candidates.

However, given the challenging job market, many recent graduates are feeling less confident in their job prospects. 

According to Glassdoor’s monthly Employee Confidence Index, entry-level employee confidence hit a record low of 43.4% in May 2025. While the number rebounded slightly to 45% as of July 2025, entry-level employee confidence remained 1.9 percentage points lower than a year prior. 

The gap between employers’ expectations and graduate readiness

As workers lack confidence in their entry-level job prospects, they also feel unprepared to meet employer demands — and employers are hesitant to hire recent college graduates. 

A survey distributed by Hult International Business School featuring insights from 800 HR leaders and 800 recent graduates in business roles revealed a striking skills gap. Nearly all employers surveyed (97%) said that a baseline knowledge of business technology — such as AI and data analytics — is essential for new hires. However, only 20% of workers surveyed felt they possessed this level of expertise and only 23% felt confident in their ability to apply AI in their day-to-day work.

This gap is causing employers to rethink hiring decisions. Despite persistent skill shortages — with 98% of HR leaders in the Hult International Business School survey reporting difficulties finding talent, 89% of employers indicated that they would prefer not to hire recent graduates. Instead, employers are looking to alternative sources, such as freelancers, retirees, or AI. Some would even rather leave a role open than hire a recent graduate. 

As recent graduates continue to navigate a tough job market, many are questioning the value of their degrees. An Indeed survey of 772 professionals found that more than half (51%) of Gen Z respondents in an Indeed survey said their degree didn’t feel like a worthwhile investment. 

Degrees are still important and help workers develop essential skills, validate discipline, and show a commitment to learning. However, degrees alone aren’t enough in today’s job market. Employers also expect recent graduates — and workers across all levels — to have strong digital and AI-specific skills, as well as soft, human-centric skills such as adaptability, communication, and problem-solving. 

5 ways for entry-level job seekers to stand out

In today’s job market, simply applying to open roles and hoping to move forward with the hiring process is often not enough — especially for early-career professionals. With more employers expecting candidates to arrive with job-ready skills, including technical skills like AI literacy, job seekers need to reshape how they present themselves. 

That means going beyond the resume to demonstrate real initiative and show how skills can translate into measurable business impact. If you’re an entry-level job seeker, the following steps can help you stand out in a competitive market. 

1. Learn and use AI tools

Developing AI fluency doesn’t require a degree in computer science. Free or low-cost tools and resources are widely available and the sooner you start experimenting with AI, the more confident and credible you’ll become.

Options include: 

• Enrolling in online courses on free or low-cost learning websites like LinkedIn Learning or SkillShare, focused on topics such as prompt engineering, data literacy, or generative AI tools
• Applying tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Claude to real-life scenarios, such as refining resumes, analyzing job descriptions, or brainstorming creative ideas
• Practicing how you talk about AI tools to effectively prepare for interviews

2. Demonstrate impact with real examples

Rather than simply listing skills on your resume, employers want to know how essential skills show up in action. Even if you’re new to the workforce, you likely have projects from school, internships, or personal applications to highlight your skills.

Consider including information about how you used AI or technology to improve a process, solve a problem, or complete a project more efficiently in your cover letter or application. Also highlight measurable results, such as time saved or improved quality as a result of using AI tools or other technology. 

3. Emphasize soft skills

AI can assist with many tasks, but it can't replace qualities like empathy, adaptability, or collaboration. These soft skills remain essential — and can have an impact on hiring decisions.

You can highlight your soft skills by: 

• Describing situations in your cover letter in which you navigated team dynamics, led a group effort, or adapted to unexpected changes
• Explaining during the interview process how you approach feedback, communicate under pressure, or manage conflict
• Recording a short video introduction that highlights your communication style and helps humanize your application

4. Build a purposeful portfolio

A strong portfolio turns abstract skills into tangible proof. It helps hiring teams better understand how you think, solve problems, and approach creative or analytical challenges — even without formal job experience. Portfolios are especially powerful for candidates with limited professional experience because they focus on potential rather than pedigree.

Ways to build your portfolio if you don’t have direct job experience include: 

• Gathering portfolio examples from coursework or internships 
• Creating mock assignments, slide decks, case studies, or mock-ups that show how you’ve used AI tools or handled complex projects
• Structuring your portfolio in a way that tells a story, such as explaining the challenge you were looking to solve, your approach, and the outcome

5. Consider freelancing to gain real-world experience

As an early-career professional, instead of focusing exclusively on full-time employment, you can build skills and career momentum by freelancing. This approach can help you add real-world projects to your portfolio. At the same time, it offers you flexibility, increased income, and the opportunity to work on diverse projects that align with your skills. 

Amid a challenging job market and workers’ heightened desire for flexibility and autonomy, more Gen Z workers are turning to freelancing as a viable career option. In 2024, The Upwork Research Institute surveyed 1,070 U.S.-based Gen Z workers and 53% of respondents indicated that they’re building portfolio careers by working full-time hours on freelance projects, seeing freelancing as a fulfilling career alternative to traditional nine-to-five jobs.

A freelance success story from a recent college graduate 

Graphic designer Suzanne Ctvrtlik is one example of a recent college graduate who found success with freelancing. After graduating from college, she submitted more than 70 job applications. Despite Suzanne’s qualifications, only one application resulted in an interview. Given the challenges she faced with securing a full-time position, Suzanne decided to pursue freelancing.

Before she had client projects to showcase, Suzanne built a graphic design portfolio by completing personal projects. One of the projects that helped her attract initial clients was a redesign of the Harry Potter book covers. She used a modern, minimalist approach, which helped her attract clients looking for a similar style. 

Suzanne’s story is a powerful reminder — freelance work isn’t just a fallback and can instead be a launchpad. For those entering a tough job market, platforms like Upwork help skilled professionals build real-world experience, earn income, and prove capabilities without waiting for a traditional job offer.

Rethinking entry-level hiring 

As the Hult International Business School survey shows, many employers are hesitant to hire recent graduates. With early career job openings declining and AI handling many entry-level tasks, Aneesh Raman, chief economic opportunity officer at LinkedIn, refers to this as the broken bottom rung of the career ladder. 

For companies, avoiding early-career talent may seem like an effective short-term strategy, but this approach can carry long-term risks. As senior professionals retire, organizations that don’t build the next working generation jeopardize future leadership, innovation, and business continuity.

Instead of eliminating roles, organizations can rethink entry-level hiring to reach and attract qualified candidates with in-demand skills. One effective approach is adopting skills-based or skills-first hiring, which emphasizes hiring and advancing workers based on their skills and abilities, rather than traditional qualifications such as degrees or previous job titles. 

Upwork’s 2025 In-Demand Skills report found that 81% of C-suite executives reported that their organizations are deliberately embracing skills-based hiring practices, with many companies engaging freelancers to support skills-based hiring. 

Other steps organizations can take to reimagine entry-level hiring include: 

• Use structured interviews. During the interview process, focus on understanding soft skill capabilities like collaboration and adaptability instead of asking candidates to simply explain the content of their resumes.
• Update assessment methods. Replace outdated tests with AI-based simulations or collaborative problem-solving exercises to evaluate real-world skills.
• Review portfolios. Examine candidate portfolios for projects that demonstrate both AI proficiency and essential soft skills.
• Offer training to new hires. While employers today have high expectations for new team members, building a culture of continual learning and talent development can help ensure workers have the necessary skills to adapt to shifting business needs

While hires who are recent college graduates may require a greater learning curve, early career workers can bring diverse and fresh perspectives. Building a pipeline of workers who can take on senior-level positions in the future is also essential to long-term business success. 

Discover early career opportunities on Upwork

Given today’s tight entry-level job market, job seekers need to reframe how they can deliver value to organizations. No matter the job level, workers who proactively adopt AI tools, are eager to learn, and showcase skills like adaptability and collaboration, are the most likely to stand out to potential employers.

If you’re looking for early career opportunities, wide-ranging freelance jobs for beginners are available on Upwork. Create an engaging freelancer profile and search for and submit proposals for jobs that align with your skills and experience. 

If you're a manager or business leader, you can access qualified freelancers with more than 10,000 skills on Talent Marketplace™. When you post a job on Upwork, you have the option to select the experience level you’re looking for — entry-level, intermediate, or expert — directly in your job posting.

Get started today — create an Upwork account or log in to your existing account. 

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