As the spring semester kicks off, many students, both soon-to-be grads looking to start careers and students looking for internships, are sending in job applications. Many submit dozens, if not hundreds, of job applications, all to get denied immediately, ghosted or go through the interview process to get nowhere.
It can feel dejecting to get rejected from a dream job, especially if there was never even an interview. But much of the struggle to get hired is not to do with the applicants themselves, but the companies and businesses they are applying to.
Hiring has slowed in recent years, making available jobs more competitive. According to the most recent data the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has published, hiring rates dropped to some of the lowest since the pandemic in November 2025. Unemployment rates of those newly entering the job market also rose 2.5% since 2023.
Many factors influence why the hiring market is in decline, including the rise of artificial intelligence, higher tariffs, rising inflation and general uncertainty in the economy from companies. Costs have gone up for almost all businesses, leading to hesitancy in posting new job openings. Older people deep in careers are also staying in their current positions, fueling the feedback loop of fewer openings.
Entry-level jobs in particular have been hit hard by the rise in AI, with the industries affected most being sales, programming, accounting and administrative work. This can be seen firsthand at many fast-food restaurants, which are turning to AI to take customer orders, reducing the need for human labor. Positions for students in industries such as business and computer science are now becoming some of the hardest to get into due to this.
On the administrative side, AI has even penetrated the hiring process. Many businesses are now using resumé and cover letter scanning software to screen applicants before a human ever takes a look at potential candidates by searching for keywords. This puts applicants at risk of getting rejected almost immediately, before ever getting to present themselves.
For students looking for internships, challenges prevail. Many companies require previous internship experience, creating a barrier for first-time applicants. Along with more people applying for the same jobs, many students are not taught how to write a résumé or cover letter, putting them at an even further disadvantage. All the while, a significant chunk of majors require internships even to graduate.
Because of this, some students have turned to AI themselves to craft their resumés, making it harder for both hiring managers and companies using AI to sift through increased applications.
Although some may claim that “young people do not want to work,” that could not be further from the truth. In an era of rising costs of living, more and more young people want to work to be able to survive, in addition to beginning a career. However, in a landscape of fewer jobs, more applicants, economic uncertainty and a rise in AI, even the most entry-level jobs are now difficult to get into.
Ethan Herx is a junior studying photojournalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts? Let Ethan know by emailing or finding them on Instagram at eh481422@ohio.edu or @ethanherxphoto.
