The class of 2026 might have to pivot in their job hunt

For Cross Sierra, the path from college to career has included an accelerated MBA, a nationwide job search, and crashing on friends' couches.

The 23-year-old hopes to become a high school athletic director. So far, though, he's only become frustrated by what feels like an impossible job market to break into.

"What more do I have to do?" he asks.

Economists and workplace observers say it's a question many recent graduates are asking. Despite the usual advice about the importance of networking and conducting a targeted job search, the market for entry-level workers is tougher than it was a few years ago.

Hiring has slowed across much of the economy, leaving fewer openings and longer searches for many newcomers. In fields that tend to draw fresh grads — including finance, professional and business services, and healthcare — hiring rates are about as low as they've been since the pandemic, said Dante DeAntonio, senior director of economic research at Moody's Analytics.

Job seekers might need to consider pivoting their approach. If you're applying only to big-name companies, you could widen your search to include smaller employers. If you're an accounting major focused on landing a job at a Big Four firm, you might also look at accounting roles in other industries. And if you're set on a full-time job, you may need to consider an internship as a way in.

"Focus on getting your foot in the door, even if it's not the ideal thing you want," economist Guy Berger said. "Once you have a job, it becomes much less stressful to look for another one."

Berger said both high school and college graduates should expect a longer job search and be flexible with offers.

The underemployment rate for recent college graduates has edged down from its 2025 high of 42.4%, but at 41.5% in March, it is still above its late 2024 low. That data, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, suggests some graduates are taking positions that don't require their years of schooling.

In the hot post-pandemic labor market of 2022, job hunters could be picky, Berger said. If they didn't like something, it was easy to move on. "Now, it's the kind of thing where you might have to bide your time more," he said.

College graduates are going to have to be flexible

The difficulty of finding work can depend on where you are hoping to end up. Cory Stahle, senior economist at the job platform Indeed, said healthcare and education jobs have clear pathways that could make the job search less onerous.

"They're going to have an easier time finding a job versus something that's more kind of market-based," he said of grads looking for work in those fields. Healthcare, in general, has been propping up the job market — and helped keep overall job growth positive in 2025 as hiring has lagged in other industries.

Another possible hiccup for new grads: AI. Some large companies have been laying off workers while investing in technology. That search for efficiency will push some employers to cut back on hiring less-experienced workers in hopes that AI could take on some of the load, DeAntonio said.

"The first domino to fall is likely to be a pullback in hiring amongst younger workers," he said.

Anxiety about AI and its effect on work is spilling into graduation ceremonies, where some students have booed speakers who mention the technology.

Priya Rathod, workplace trends editor at Indeed, said grads might have to take a less direct route into their careers than they did a few years ago, though that doesn't make those paths any less promising.

"Your career is going to be more like a lattice than a ladder, so remember that even if you don't have the perfect role right now, it doesn't inhibit you from getting that perfect role down the road," Rathod said.

Graduates might need to rethink what a first step looks like. Contract work, temporary jobs, and internships can help build experience while the search for a permanent role continues. Postings on Indeed through April suggest demand for interns has been pretty strong, roughly in line with 2024 levels and above 2025. While some internships are limited to enrolled students, the positions can lead to full-time offers.

"It's going to help you understand how the company functions," Rathod said. "It's going to help you make connections within the company."

Rathod also pointed to the National Federation of Independent Business's jobs report, which showed that about a third of small business owners had openings they couldn't fill — the highest level since June 2025.

She said that smaller employers can offer graduates a wider range of experiences and greater opportunities to build relationships with senior colleagues who could become mentors.

"It can help give you access to things that you wouldn't be able to engage in or projects you wouldn't be able to engage in at larger companies," Rathod said of smaller firms.

People can also pivot how they job search

Instead of only looking at job boards, take the hunt to social media. Anya Roodnitsky, who attended Dartmouth College, landed a job after a video on Instagram went viral, leading to coffee chats and new connections.

"I was sitting in the kitchen, and had just hit 'submit' on my 300th application. I was like, 'This isn't working,'" Roodnitsky said in an as-told-to essay with Business Insider. "It hit me that I should create a funny presentation video."

Someone who saw her video flagged a job posting at an energy company. "I applied, and the company's recruiter reached out the next day," Roodnitsky said.

For Sierra, who completed his MBA in May at a college in New Hampshire, the plan is to stay with a friend and spend the summer coaching for a travel baseball club in Massachusetts. If that doesn't turn into a full-time gig, he'll continue searching — as he has for more than a year.

"I've just got to keep my head down and keep going," Sierra said. "This too will end."