The survey data keeps coming: 43% of CEOs plan to reduce junior roles over the next year or two. That is not a prediction anymore. That is the hiring environment we are in.
So if I was 22 right now, here is what I would actually focus on:
Stop competing for entry-level tasks AI already does well
Data entry, basic copywriting, first-draft coding, simple research, customer support scripts. These were the foot-in-the-door roles for a generation. They are contracting fast. Competing for them head-on is a bad bet.
Get productive with AI tools faster than the next person
The businesses that are still hiring want someone who uses AI as a multiplier. Know how to prompt well. Know which tools exist for which workflows. Know how to build simple automations without writing code from scratch.
This is not complicated, but it requires consistent practice. Most people are still passive consumers of AI. Being an active user who produces real output with it already separates you from a large portion of the applicant pool.
Build proof of work outside traditional employment
A GitHub repo. A newsletter with 300 subscribers. A freelance client you found cold. One project you shipped from idea to live. The credential that actually opens doors right now is demonstrated output, not a degree or an unpaid internship.
Freelance before applying full-time
Freelancing is where the junior role problem is least severe. A business that will not hire a junior full-time will pay for someone who delivers a specific result. AI makes it realistic for one person to produce that result without a team behind them.
This will not apply to everyone equally. The labor market shift is real and the burden lands hardest on people just starting out. But sitting back and waiting for the hiring environment to normalize is a worse strategy than adapting now.
What does adapting actually look like for you? Curious what others in this community are doing.
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