How to remain employable in the 21st century

Today’s graduates are entering a buoyant jobs market, but they face ever-greater competition from their peers.

Several important trends are shaping the experiences of graduate job seekers: automation; the growing importance of online interviews and presentations; a shift in focus to personal attributes and work experience; and the interplay of contacts and personal “capital”.

I think many people have underestimated just how quickly recruitment is changing. Employment across numerous sectors is being automated, and this applies to the recruitment process too, where there has been a significant increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Many of the leading graduate recruiters now record video of applicants responding to gamified interview questions. These can then be assessed by a computer running a complex algorithm.

So it’s important for students that they spruce up their presentation skills – which differ according to whether an interview takes place in person or online. Looking at the camera during a video call – instead of at the interviewer’s face – creates a much better impression, for example.