Today, Explained — "AI Took Your Job" (August 25, 2025)

Overview

In this episode, hosts Noelle King and Lindsay Ellis examine why landing an entry-level white collar job—especially for recent college graduates—has become so difficult. While record numbers of applications are being submitted, actual interviews and job offers are scarce. The episode explores the intersection of a cooling job market, technological shifts, and the profound impact of AI on the hiring pipeline. Through the stories of real job seekers and expert analysis from Wall Street Journal reporter Lindsay Ellis and recruiting leader James Hornick, the podcast unpacks how automation is transforming both the job search process and the nature of entry-level employment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Grim Reality for Entry-Level Job Seekers

• Many recent grads are applying to dozens—sometimes hundreds or thousands—of jobs with minimal responses. Most never get to a human; rejections come from automated systems.
  • Nicole Hefty: "After graduation, I applied to at least 80 to 100 different jobs. A majority of those jobs haven't bothered in following up or contacting me to schedule an interview." (00:14)
• Frustration is common as applicants battle faceless online systems and rarely speak to an actual person.
  • Nicole Hefty: "No one wants to talk to each other and I'm literally having to like stalk people online and I hate doing it...the only way that I can get in contact with your whole company is by talking to a chatbot." (00:26)

2. Personal Stories: The Impact on Individuals

• Colton Massey, a recent software engineering graduate, describes following all the "right steps"—choosing a STEM major for stability—only to find himself submitting 20 applications per week for months with zero interviews.
  • Colton Massey: "I feel like 20 applications a week isn't that bad...some weeks I do a little worse than that. But yeah, I'm trying to." (06:14)
• Despite degrees in fields considered "safe," applicants are often living at home, working non-career jobs, or questioning the value of their education.
  • Colton Massey: "The reason I moved back home is it wouldn't make sense to be spending 1300 a month in Philly for an apartment…when I could just move home and get a part-time job and keep applying until I get a career position." (07:38)

3. Structural Changes in the Job Market

Economic Slowdown and Cautious Hiring

• Lindsay Ellis (WSJ) describes researching by speaking to job seekers in every state and learning that rejections are universal—even in promising fields.
  • "I set a goal for myself this summer to talk to a job seeker in all 50 states…And I hear about a lot of rejection from job seekers." (13:18)
• Starting in late 2022-2023, companies cut back on hiring, especially for entry-level white collar work, due to tech layoffs, inflation, political uncertainty, and “hiring freezes.”
  • "Companies and hiring managers were really pumping the brakes in a lot of sectors…they might see how long they can last without making that hire." (14:55)

The Role of AI: Job Elimination and Restructuring

• AI tools like ChatGPT have made junior-level coding and content tasks so efficient companies don't need as many entry-level hires.
  • James Hornick (Hirewell): "When the first iteration of ChatGPT came out, every developer I knew like immediately said this is like the best tool I've ever used...What you don't need as much of is junior people doing the more basic blocking and tackling of the code work because the AI is very good at that." (16:54)
• Marketing has been hit even harder; SEO blog writing and content creation are now often automated, slashing demand for junior staff.

4. The Numbers Tell a Harder Story

• Despite a national unemployment rate of 4.2%, the time it takes to find a new job is increasing:
  • The average duration for unemployed Americans is now 24 weeks—almost a month longer than last year.
  • "The number of long-term unemployed Americans…is now 1.8 million people. A year prior it was like 1.5." (19:27)
• Most job growth is in sectors like state/local government, healthcare, social assistance, and construction—not traditional white collar fields.
  • Lindsay Ellis: "A white collar project manager...probably wouldn't be qualified for a role in healthcare or might not be looking for a local government job..." (19:44)
• Many are accepting jobs below their skill level or pay expectations.
  • Nicole Hefty: "I had a job making 130 grand...and I just am starting my second week at a job where I am making 60 grand doing order entry." (20:35)

5. The AI Arms Race in Job Applications

• The job search has become “robot vs. robot”: Employers use AI to filter applicants, while job seekers use AI tools to tailor resumes and cover letters.
  • Lindsay Ellis: "The job application process now in many ways can in my mind be described as a robot versus robot arms race, basically." (21:04)
• Some applicants deploy custom GPTs to automatically produce cover letters for every application.
  • Nicole Hefty: "I ended up using a custom GPT to be able to write custom cover letters. And so in the end, it was by using AI that I was able to finally get a job." (22:16)
• Massive volume of applications—including those pushed out automatically by AI—clog company portals and makes it harder for any candidate to stand out. Both sides are frustrated by the impersonal, rapid, and cold rejections.
  • Lindsay Ellis: "Employers are totally like, all of their portals are getting clogged up…it just feels super impersonal and both sides of the table are really frustrated." (22:34)

6. Reassessing What Grads Should Do

• Some executives now urge young people to pursue jobs requiring in-person, face-to-face work or roles less susceptible to automation.

  • Lindsay Ellis: "I'm telling my kids to really focus on jobs that really require, in person or, you know, client facing, communication...nothing replaces those relationships that are, you know, forged face to face in a community." (23:54)

• Some young people consider further education or dramatic pivots, unsure what degree or training is “safe” anymore.

  • Nicole Hefty: "Maybe I have to go back to school, get a law degree of some sort…I feel like, what was the six years of me trying to get this Bachelor's degree worth for? Like there's like absolutely no value to this anymore." (24:42)

• Companies are openly forecasting major white-collar workforce reductions in coming years due to AI.

  • Lindsay Ellis: "The CEO of Ford said he expects AI will replace half of the white collar workforce in the US." (25:05)

7. Coping in the New Job Market

• Many job seekers are mentally exhausted, spending money on career coaches, resume makeovers, or even marketing firms that “promote” them to hiring managers—sometimes at great expense.
  • Lindsay Ellis: "I talked to one guy who...spent $10,000...to basically get his resume out there, make him a website, try and introduce him to hiring managers..." (26:48)
• Others focus on mental health and resilience, reminding themselves the search is a marathon, not a sprint.
  • Lindsay Ellis: "Other people have been telling me, look like this is a marathon, not a sprint. I need to make sure I’m taking time outside of this hunt to really keep my mental health steady." (26:48)
• Despite finally landing positions, many remain in jobs far below their qualifications or in fields unrelated to their studies.
  • Nicole Hefty: "Thankfully I still have a job, but it's not a job that I like. But hey, whatever pays the bills, right?" (27:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Am I just writing something for one AI to talk to another AI?" — Nicole Hefty (00:47)
• "I put my eggs in the right basket...and then you graduate and then what happens? A whole lot of nothing." — Colton Massey & Noelle King (05:07)
• "It’s rough. It’s a lot of staring at the screen...usually not hearing back. Or if you do, it’s an automated response..." — Colton Massey (06:32-06:57)
• "Applicants are really frustrated...they might get a, you know, a rejection hours later or, you know, at 2 in the morning on a Sunday. It just feels super impersonal." — Lindsay Ellis (22:34)
• "The CEO of Ford said he expects AI will replace half of the white collar workforce in the US." — Lindsay Ellis (25:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02–00:52 — Setting the stage: Why aren’t entry-level jobs responding to grads?
• 02:35–09:09 — Colton Massey: Growing up believing in a STEM future, now finding nothing
• 12:59–13:43 — Lindsay Ellis: On-the-ground reporting and what she’s hearing from all 50 states
• 14:55–16:54 — Market shifts: How and why hiring slowed; the role of AI and layoffs
• 16:54–18:14 — Recruiter view: James Hornick on AI decimating entry-level work in tech/marketing
• 18:43–20:41 — The disconnect between low unemployment rates and actual candidate experience
• 21:04–23:42 — The robot vs. robot arms race in applications; applicant and employer frustration
• 23:54–25:44 — What options are left for grads? Execs’ new advice and dramatic forecasts
• 25:44–27:36 — Mental health, coping strategies, and growing disillusionment

Conclusion

"AI Took Your Job" presents a sobering look at the modern job hunt, especially at the entry level. Recent grads and experts alike report a perfect storm of cautious employers, economic headwinds, and AI-driven automation eliminating or transforming traditional starter jobs. The application process has itself become highly automated and impersonal, leaving both companies and candidates frustrated. The episode closes with reflections on the growing need for resilience, adaptability, and—for many—the uncomfortable acceptance that the landscape for launching a career has fundamentally changed.