Recent headlines have pointed to a tough career market for recent college graduates. A Wall Street Journal report earlier this year noted that many employers are pulling back on entry-level hiring, particularly in roles now touched by artificial intelligence. For students preparing to graduate, the outlook can feel unsettling: fewer openings, more competition, and a job search that increasingly happens through algorithms rather than people.
But recruiters and Fordham career advisers say the story is more complicated—and that students who understand both the human and technological sides of today’s job market still have a strong path forward.
“The skills employers are asking for—communication, problem-solving, adaptability, cultural competency—are the same skills students develop through a Fordham liberal arts education,” said Annette McLaughlin, who leads Fordham’s Career Center. At the same time, she said, Fordham students are getting the technical skills, like hands-on AI training, they need to succeed.
Entry-level hiring in the age of AI
According to Ryan Reisner, a longtime recruiter whose company has worked with Fordham students and major employers like Aldi and GE HealthCare, AI is already reshaping the early career job market. More entry-level tasks are being automated, he said, while AI tools that make applying easy mean companies are receiving an unprecedented volume of applications.
This reality has made two things more important than ever: relationships and genuine AI literacy.
How Fordham resources prepare students
On the technical side, employers increasingly assume early-career candidates understand how to leverage AI. “What we’re hearing is that AI competence is now a minimum expectation,” said McLaughlin. “Every student needs to understand what it is, how it works, and how to use it effectively.” At Fordham, she said, students receive the relevant training they need.
Fordham students have access to AI training through RamConnect, the University’s alumni and experiential learning platform. All first-year students are encouraged to earn credentials from IBM SkillsBuild’s Getting Started with AI course, which offers AI skills training and the opportunity to apply for paid micro-internships. All Fordham students and alumni have access to AI training through IBM SkillsBuild, Salesforce, LinkedIn Learning, and other partners. Students who take advantage of such resources will have an edge in the job search, McLaughlin said.
Why relationships matter more than ever
But just as important are skills AI can’t replicate, both McLaughlin and Reisner stressed. Communication, adaptability, teamwork, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking consistently top employer wish lists for career readiness, they noted.
“If you can read a room, handle feedback, connect with people, and adapt, that’s how you’ll advance your career,” Reisner said. He added that he’s helped more than 50 Fordham students land jobs, and that, on the whole, they excel at these soft skills.
“[Fordham students] come across as very polished and well prepared individuals who are eager to learn,” said Reisner.
Fordham’s Internship Promise
One of the most effective ways to build professional relationships early on is through internships, McLaughlin noted. That’s where students begin to learn workplace norms and grow their professional networks.
Fordham’s Internship Promise, which ensures every student has access to an experiential learning opportunity, internship, or research project, helps undergraduates make those connections. Fordham students have interned at companies such as Goldman Sachs, Montefiore Health, and Sotheby’s. And with Fordham’s location in New York City, students can intern at top global companies year-round.
A vibrant alumni network
At Fordham, the RamConnect platform allows students to connect directly with Fordham alumni across industries—a resource McLaughlin said can make all the difference in landing an interview.
“Those internal referrals shrink the applicant pool and bring the human element back into hiring,” she said.
McLaughlin’s team at the Career Center also takes a hands-on approach with seniors who are searching for a job. Rather than waiting for students to ask for help, counselors begin outreach in the spring and continue working with graduates as long as they need support. This more proactive approach may become a necessity for Universities in the age of AI, McLaughlin said.
Standing out in 2025’s job market
Most of all, standing out in today’s job market requires a shift in mindset, both Reisner and McLaughlin stressed. Instead of applying everywhere, job seekers need to research fewer roles more deeply, consider what they bring beyond technical ability, and tap into their network for support.
“You’re more than keywords on a resume,” Reisner said. “The students who succeed are the ones who can show who they are and who aren’t afraid to reach out for help.”