Arizona State Graduate, 22, Struggles to Find Work as New Grads Face Bleakest Market in Decades
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 20
Arizona State Graduate, 22, Struggles to Find Work as New Grads Face Bleakest Market in Decades
9 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 20
Julia Bognar, 22, is finishing a graphic design degree at Arizona State University after repeated setbacks in her job search, including a rejection from U-Haul for a typesetting role and silence from many employers.
Her experience echoes her mother Jennifer Bognar’s 1991 graduation into what The New York Times then called the bleakest job market in a decade or more, when a mild recession erased about 1.5 million U.S. jobs.
Jennifer Bognar, then a 22-year-old Rutgers political science and history major, spent spring break in Washington knocking on doors for openings, underscoring how entry-level competition has resurfaced across generations.
The broader backdrop is another difficult market for new graduates, with earlier reports pointing to elevated unemployment among 22- to 27-year-olds, weaker hiring for entry-level roles and added pressure from AI-driven shifts.
With entry-level tech jobs declining, what new career paths are emerging for AI-native graduates?
As AI automates coding, are university computer science degrees becoming obsolete?
If top companies are dropping degree requirements, how can graduates prove their value?
AI Reshapes 2026 Computer Science Careers: Fewer Entry Jobs, Higher Salaries for the Adaptable
Overview
The job market for 2026 computer science graduates is facing a 'big freeze,' with fewer opportunities and higher expectations than in previous years. This shift is driven by rapid changes in the tech industry, especially the rise of artificial intelligence, which now automates many coding tasks. As a result, simply knowing how to code is no longer enough—graduates must show broader skills in areas like machine learning and robotics. The tough environment means students need to be adaptable, gain practical experience, and keep learning new skills to succeed in a market where traditional entry-level roles are shrinking.