Photo: Michael Reynolds/picture alliance / dpa
Photo: Michael Reynolds/picture alliance / dpa

Ideas

The Entry-Level Hiring Process Is Breaking Down

Grade inflation and the rise of AI are making it impossible for employers to evaluate recent graduates.

First published in The Atlantic on December 16, 2025.

by Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic
December 18, 2025 | reading time: 6 Min.

Even in the best of times, searching for a first job after college is an exercise in patience, resilience, and coping with rejection. And these are not the best of times. Companies have no idea which candidates to hire, applicants have no idea how to stand out, and everyone is miserable.

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