Dartmouth Students Tackle the AI Powered Job Market

The job market is undergoing a seismic shift, and artificial intelligence is at the epicenter. With corporations announcing significant layoffs and citing AI as a driving factor, the hiring landscape has become fiercely competitive. According to reports, job postings on major campus recruiting platforms have fallen by 15%, while the number of applicants has skyrocketed by 30%. For today's graduates, the path to a first job is no longer just about a great resume—it's about navigating a world of AI readers and automated systems.

The New Gatekeepers: AI Screening and a Flood of Applicants

Before a human recruiter ever sees an application, it must first pass through an AI-powered gauntlet. Companies are increasingly using these automated methods as a "defense mechanism" to manage the sheer volume of candidates, says Stephen Pidgeon, executive director of Tuck Career Services.

"When candidates have access to AI to help them write a resume or a cover letter, what you’re actually seeing is a lot more people applying for a particular job," Pidgeon explains. "You’re now up against probably a thousand applicants instead of maybe a hundred a few years ago."

The numbers back this up. Goldman Sachs, a top employer for Dartmouth students, received over 300,000 internship applications in 2024, a significant jump from 236,000 in 2022, the year ChatGPT was released. To stand a chance, applicants must first learn to appeal to the algorithm.

Dartmouth's Response: Equipping Students for the AI Era

Recognizing this new reality, Dartmouth's career centers are investing in cutting-edge programs to prepare students. Tuck Career Services, for instance, has adapted its offerings for the AI-powered job hunt.

"One of the things that we do have now is our own AI interview platform," Pidgeon notes. "We advise students to be practicing with online video interviews, and the AI can give them feedback."

Tuck also provides an AI tool called Hiration that "screens resumes and gets them in shape" for automated systems. Meanwhile, the Dartmouth Center for Career Design offers extensive online resources, including guidelines on "Utilizing Generative AI for Career Development" and an AI prompt library to help with tasks like cold outreach and industry research.

Student Strategies: Beating the Bots and Building Connections

Dartmouth students are actively embracing these changes. Grace Beilstein ’26, who interned with Goldman Sachs, was "very conscious" of applicant tracking systems (ATS) during her application process.

"Programs will screen your resume out if it’s not compatible with certain guidelines," Beilstein says. "It’s crucial to be AI-friendly in the way you’re pitching yourself."

According to Microsoft, an AI-friendly resume should:

• Use traditional fonts like Arial or Times New Roman.
• Maintain a clean, single-column format.
• Avoid colors, graphics, and complex layouts.
• Incorporate keywords and active verbs from the job description.
• Feature quantitative metrics to demonstrate success.

Deven Carkner ’28 uses AI to help with this process. "I tell [AI] in a paragraph what I did and it spits out two bullet points that have power words like ‘facilitated’ or ‘implemented’," he says.

The Human Element in an AI-Dominated World

Despite the rise of AI tools, both students and career advisors agree that human connection remains paramount. The strength of Dartmouth's alumni network—ranked third in the country by LinkedIn—is more valuable than ever.

"If more people are applying, [an alumni connection] puts more weight on the ability for you to have your resume brought to the top of the pile," Pidgeon states.

Carkner echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that AI "can’t replace relationships." A shared experience, he notes, like playing for the same club sports team as a recruiter, can create a powerful connection that no algorithm can replicate. "That’s almost a guaranteed reply," he adds.

The Future of Work: A Double-Edged Sword

Looking ahead, students see both promise and peril in AI's growing influence. Beilstein is excited about AI's potential to automate the "grunt work" of junior bankers, freeing them up to focus on more strategic tasks like understanding the industry and deal-making.

Carkner, however, offers a note of caution. "People should be careful about losing their critical thinking skills," he warns. "The more you stop using your brain and rely on a machine to do it for you, the less passion and the less connection you’ll feel with whatever you’re doing."

As AI continues to reshape the professional world, the key for the next generation of leaders will be to harness its power as a tool while preserving the uniquely human skills that drive true innovation and connection.