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CEOs are putting a hold on hiring first-time employees as artificial intelligence automates entry-level tasks, a Fortune 500 career coach has warned.
Bill Hoogterp, who has spent decades advising thousands of senior executives, said: “There’s definitely pausing on a lot of jobs,” adding that AI is making leaders reassess the value of bringing in new hires.
“They’re saying, ‘hey, we’re not going to hire a lot of first-time lawyers or first-time this or first-time that’, so that’s a huge change, but teams within the company are still hiring,” he explained.
Pressure on Gen Z graduates
The shift is particularly stark for Gen Z graduates, with many already struggling to find stable opportunities. Over 4 million are currently classified as NEETs — not in employment, education, or training.
Employers now question whether a first-timer is worth the investment, Hoogterp said, since AI can produce code, copy, or analysis faster than a new worker can be trained.
“They’re looking for people who can solve a problem. They’re not creating jobs for the sake of creating jobs,” he stressed. “They need somebody to get something done, and you want to be the one who can get it done.”
He urged graduates to take a wider view: “What are you good at? What does the world need? Look at where they intersect and where they overlap — that’s really going to be your magic zone to pursue.”
New jobs will demand AI skills
Hoogterp believes AI will create roles, but only if they deliver genuine business value. “You work, they pay you. That’s the deal. So look at what they need done, because if they’re not having these jobs, then they might have other jobs,” he said.
He compared the shift to earlier technological changes: copywriters trading typewriters for laptops, designers adopting Photoshop, and the rise of IT roles.
Billionaire Mark Cuban has also argued that Gen Z who master AI and teach older leaders how to deploy tools such as OpenAI will find opportunities. “That is every single job that’s going to be available for kids coming out of school,” he insisted.
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang also believes that workers who embrace AI daily will fare best. “Every job will be affected, and immediately. It is unquestionable,” he said at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference. “You’re not going to lose your job to an AI, but you’re going to lose your job to someone who uses AI.”
