It is increasingly difficult for American students to find jobs.

As usual, every May, graduating American college students flock to Washington Square Park in New York City to mark the end of their student life and prepare for a new phase of their lives. However, in the context of a scarce and challenging job market, their joy is greatly diminished.

American students on graduation day. Photo: Athleticademix.com

Too many obstacles

Like millions of her peers across America, Julie Patel—who just completed her master's degree in public health—is entering a precarious job market as economic uncertainty mounts due to a variety of factors, including war, tariffs, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), and especially government budget cuts, which are slowing hiring and increasing competition among recent graduates seeking stable employment.

According to Al Jazeera, the US government's budget cuts have affected potential employers in public health , the field where Patel is seeking employment. Last year, the US Department of Government Efficiency, headed by the world's richest man, Elon Musk, terminated a number of government programs and budgets aimed at reducing waste, including approximately $4 billion in research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health. This move caused university systems across the US to freeze hiring, including schools like Duke University, Harvard University, and the University of Maryland, while Princeton University cut jobs, impacting research activities and the work Patel is pursuing.

The federal government 's budget cuts continue. A recent survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the federal workforce decreased by another 9,000 people in April, making it harder for those pursuing careers in public service and increasing competition for jobs at research institutions.

The rapid development of AI is also putting pressure on recent graduates. According to an analysis from the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, AI is causing job losses for entry-level workers, including software engineers, to drop by approximately 16%. This situation is likely to worsen over time, as a survey released by Goldman Sachs earlier this month showed that advances in AI could lead to an average of 16,000 job cuts per month.

“For the first time in decades, recent graduates are entering the labor market where they have to compete with their peers, Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996), Generation X (1965-1980), and even Baby Boomers (1946-1964) – who have recently been laid off due to the AI ​​boom,” worries Stephanie Alston, CEO of recruitment firm BGG Enterprises.

Furthermore, recent graduates are grappling with an increasingly AI-driven job application process, making the job search even more challenging. Consulting firm KPMG reports that AI-powered resumes are flooding online platforms, while the number of fraudulent applicants is growing. KPMG predicts that by 2028, one in four job applicants will be a fraudulent applicant.

Low hiring and turnover rates.

According to a survey released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March, the number of hires increased slightly by 655,000 to 5.6 million, while the number of job quits was 5.4 million. This means that those already employed are less likely to leave their current jobs to seek new employment, leaving fewer opportunities for recent graduates. “The decrease in quitting rates signals a reduction in overall volatility in the labor market as both workers and employers patiently wait to weather this period of economic uncertainty,” according to Elise Gould and Joe Fast, experts at the Economic Policy Research Institute.

The latest jobs report shows the U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs, with much of the growth concentrated in healthcare, transportation, and retail. However, other skill-based sectors weakened. Financial services lost 11,000 jobs, while information services lost 13,000. For comparison, last year, the graduating class of 2025 entered the labor market when the U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs.

“We are in an environment with no hiring, no firings, and not seeing as much labor turnover as usual. Right now, we have more experienced workers looking for jobs. They may be in fierce competition with recent graduates,” said Aleksandar Tomic, vice president for strategy, innovation, and technology at Boston University.

TRI VAN

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/sinh-vien-my-ngay-cang-kho-tim-viec-a204856.html