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In an age of artificial intelligence tools taking over more mundane tasks, HR experts say critical thinking, problem solving, emotional intelligence and strong relationship skills will be vital for young employees.Getty Images
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work – both displacing and creating jobs – by automating tasks, offering split-second data analysis and taking over repetitive tasks, which makes it likely it will have a significant impact on entry-level jobs.
A survey of American executives published in February by lending firm Clarify Capital found that 86 per cent plan to replace entry-level jobs with AI and 29 per cent plan to do it in the next year.
Experts say that while there are definitely jobs that will shrink or disappear as a result of AI, there are skills that job seekers can lean into to make themselves more appealing and vital to employers.
“Yes, this is a huge concern,” says Miriam Groom, a career psychologist and chief executive officer of Mindful Career. “But what’s becoming even more apparent is that things like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information are important [skills].”
“What does that mean?” she continues. “It means it’s not about knowing everything. It’s about connecting unexpected dots together. AI can access the information, but only humans can really understand the meaning behind it.”
Ms. Groom says that on top of critical thinking and problem solving, emotional intelligence will be a top skill for employers for both recruitment and promotion, “because anything that requires relationships isn’t going anywhere.”
Look at AI as a positive, advises Ms. Groom, because by doing a lot of the heavy lifting in repetitive tasks and data entry, the technology opens up the opportunity for employees to expand their scope.
“It’s taking away the monotony and the stuff that humans don’t really love to do anyway,” she explains. “It’s letting us focus on things that are more creative.”
Not only is AI shaping the way we work, it’s shifting the recruitment focus and retention strategies of organizations, making it even more crucial to embrace the skills that only humans can offer.
The 2025 Trends Report from human resource consulting firm McLean and Co. found that for the first time since 2019, recruitment is not HR’s top priority. In fact, this year it’s in fifth, with “developing leaders” snagging the top spot.
“I think there are a lot of reasons for that [shift], but organizations are really doubling down on their internal talent,” says Lisa Highfield, McLean and Co.’s principal director of research and advisory services. “When I see that I start to think about what would an entry-level person want to demonstrate as they’re starting to look at the job market? Things that I think about are relational skills as we see that organizations that are highly effective at relational skills do better.”
Demonstrating past leadership and relational skills, sometimes called interpersonal or ‘people’ skills, is something new recruits should lean into, she advises. “So people need to think about, how does your past work experience and resume demonstrate that?”
This could mean highlighting your extracurriculars, volunteer work and specific work experiences. “You want to highlight those responsibilities that might lend themselves well to evolving in the leadership space,” says Ms. Highfield.
Despite the shift in what employers might be looking for at the entry level, those in a starting position might actually learn more and at a faster rate thanks to AI, explains Vida Thomson, a career coach in Vancouver.
“If you’re moving into an entry-level role and there’s less focus on the routine tasks – because AI is doing more of the routine tasks – you’re starting to think at more of that strategic level earlier, so in that way you can get more knowledge, more experience quickly,” she says.
Ms. Thomson advises those looking to get into the job market or move up the ladder to reframe how they think about their roles and their career trajectory. “Instead of thinking about AI replacing the person, think about the efficiency it creates and that these [technologies] can support company growth, so you want to think about how you can support that growth.”
For instance, maybe it’s taking on different tasks or projects to show off different skills or proficiencies. “If the focus is growth then this might actually create new roles,” says Ms. Thomson. “It’s just that the roles are going to change.”
However, like Ms. Groom and Ms. Highfield, Ms. Thomson says it’s essential to highlight qualities an individual possesses that cannot be duplicated by AI, such as empathy, emotional response and communication.
“A lot of communication isn’t just verbal, it’s also body language, for example, and those are the kinds of [cues] that AI can’t pick up on,” says Ms. Thomson. “So when it comes to dealing with clients, there’s always going to be a need for people to actually respond and deal with those situations that aren’t just run of the mill. AI isn’t as adaptable to dealing with things like that.”