More than Half of Grads Struggle For Entry-Level Jobs

Research by Indeed Flex suggests that recent college and university graduates are changing their job-seeking behaviour as they contend with a contracting entry-level labour market. In a survey of nearly 1,200 recent grads, 59 per cent report it has been very challenging to find a full-time, entry-level job this year and only 9 per cent found one easily.

Grads point to a lack of experience (25 per cent) and too much competition (24 per cent) as their top challenges in finding a job right now. And they see AI exacerbating these barriers to employment: 79 per cent believe AI could be reducing the number of entry-level jobs in their field.

To secure a source of income in this saturated entry-level market, recent grads are becoming more flexible in their job-seeking approach. Findings include:

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• Financial security over dream job: Nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents are open to any job that pays well.
• Flexible work as an alternative to full-time:46 per cent say concern over AI has led them to consider temporary or flexible jobs instead of traditional ones. 20 per cent are currently seeking remote/freelancing roles, 17 per cent are seeking temporary or seasonal work, and 13 per cent are seeking gig or contract-based work.
• AI upskilling demand:While most grads recognise AI’s growing influence over the job market, 54 per cent have not received training or upskilling in AI-related tools or knowledge. Some are taking upskilling into their own hands, with 22 per cent saying they’ve self-taught their current AI expertise.

“We empathise with the challenges recent grads are facing in this tight job market,” said Novo Constare, CEO and Co-founder of Indeed Flex. “At the moment, temporary work is helping people make ends meet and also gives them flexibility to navigate their difficult job search.”

Indeed Flex conducted a survey of 1,195 recent college graduates on Aug. 8, 2025. Half of respondents were based in the US and half in the UK. 87 per cent of all respondents graduated within the last two years, and 40 per cent graduated within the last six months.