{"id":108488,"date":"2025-08-31T10:23:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T10:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/108488\/"},"modified":"2025-08-31T10:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T10:23:08","slug":"advent-of-new-technology-has-turned-job-recruitment-into-a-minefield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/108488\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent of new technology has turned job recruitment into a minefield"},"content":{"rendered":"

A first-of-its-kind study from Stanford University released this week identified a trend in corporate America that might feel eerily familiar to some young Australian jobseekers. Analysing payroll software, it found those aged 22 to 25 years in AI-exposed occupations had experienced a 13 per cent relative decline in employment, while less exposed industries and age groups had remained stable.<\/a> It said there was large-scale evidence consistent with the hypothesis that the AI revolution is beginning to have a significant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers.<\/p>\n

Bachelor of commerce student Lara Veidners, who is also the event director of the Sydney University Business Society, said there was a feeling among her peers that finding graduate employment was difficult. But she is not afraid of AI.<\/p>\n

\"Lara<\/p>\n

Lara Viedners and Xavier Sawaqed
\nfrom the Sydney University Business Society.Credit: Steven Siewert<\/p>\n

\u201cI think utilising artificial intelligence to the best of our abilities has become a real sort of power of the undergraduate, demonstrating how we can effectively use it. That\u2019s how you can differentiate yourself between those who might fear it or be anxious,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

While she\u2019s positive about AI, Veidners said it was nevertheless tough to get a graduate job, which she attributes to higher quality graduates.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sentiment amongst jobseekers and also fresh graduates, it is far more challenging than we expected it to be,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very rigorous process to go through each and every company and track all those things, but rigorous for the better \u2026 because, at least in that way, you\u2019re hopefully more likely to find a company which is a good fit for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rapid change in recruitment practices has been keenly observed by fellow University of Sydney student Xavier Sawaqed who, after finishing high school, contemplated going straight into the workforce and applied for a few jobs. Ultimately, he decided to study commerce and finance at university and five years later, he\u2019s now looking for a graduate job.<\/p>\n

\u201cStraight out of school, my experience was very different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The text boxes he used to have to fill out in a job application form now gone, rendered useless because anyone can spit out a cogent answer using artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis video screening step is kind of new,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Dean<\/p>\n

Dean of UNSW Business School Frederik Anseel says banks want graduates who can hold themselves in a room.Credit: Louie Douvis<\/p>\n

Dean of UNSW Business School Professor Frederik Anseel said that while graduates might feel the market was competitive, \u201cit is very difficult to know if this is because of AI … or because of an economic slowing down and the uncertainty around US tariffs that\u2019s happening\u201d.<\/p>\n

He noted while the Stanford study showed a decline in jobs deemed to be exposed to AI, there was also growth in areas where workers could utilise it.<\/p>\n

Instagram account Aussie Corporate<\/a>, which surveys graduates, claims a Google information technology software graduate was paid $200,000 this year, while Macquarie paid $186,000 to graduates in its investment banking stream. Neither company would verify this information.<\/p>\n

Anseel said there was an increased interest in banking graduates with strong communication skills: for example, students who could hold themselves in a room when being challenged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not something you can learn from home behind a laptop. You need to do it, we try to give people as much exposure to these sorts of things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Australian Catholic University deputy chancellor academic Julie Cogin, whose university will next year offer a bachelor of computer science and master of data science course co-designed with Amazon Web Services, said artificial intelligence was an opportunity for current university students.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cThere<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is job displacement… but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles,\u201d says Australian Catholic University\u2019s Julie Cogin.Credit: Louis Treirse<\/p>\n

\u201cAI is already reshaping our whole marketplace, but there\u2019s both positive and negative impacts. Without a doubt, there is job displacement … but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Canva\u2019s head of talent acquisition, Lorraine Dooley, said AI had not impacted the number of people being hired, but it had changed the hiring process.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we expect candidates in backend, machine learning, and frontend engineering interviews to use [AI] tools like Copilot, Cursor or Claude, because those tools are part of everyday problem-solving at Canva,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Loading<\/p>\n

\u201cIn interviews, we\u2019re looking for thoughtful, intentional communicators, people who explain their thinking with clarity, who listen well.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, UNSW head of employability Esmond Esguerra, said employers were seeking graduates who could solve problems, communicate and work with others. To cater for that, the university runs programs to expressly teach students communication skills in which nothing is too baseline.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike even pausing when you\u2019re trying to make a point, looking people in the eye when you are sending a message, and even the professional way of greeting people or speaking to people is something that we consider,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It certainly doesn\u2019t involve reading from a script.<\/p>\n

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n