Class of 2025 Turns to AI for Job Interviews After Witnessing Mass Layoffs

Graduates refuse to interview without AI assistance, citing a brutal job market and lack of faith in traditional hiring practices.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:41am

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The class of 2025 has watched their older siblings get hired at major tech companies only to be laid off months later, with 245,000 tech workers losing their jobs in 2025 and another 59,000 in the first three months of 2026. Facing the worst entry-level job market in five years, this generation is turning to AI-powered interview assistance tools like LockedIn DUO to help them perform at their best and stand out among the hundreds of applicants per job posting.

Why it matters

The class of 2025 has learned to be cautious and strategic in their job search after witnessing mass layoffs of experienced professionals, even those who did everything 'right.' They see the hiring process as increasingly automated and mediated by AI, yet interviews remain the one step where candidates are expected to go it alone. By embracing AI assistance, this generation is adapting to a job market they didn't create but are determined to navigate.

The details

The adoption of AI interview tools started quietly, with Gen Z workers using them for resume building and practice. But for the class of 2025, it's become a necessity. With the average job posting attracting 340 applicants and only 2% getting interviews, the stakes feel enormous. Tools like LockedIn DUO combine real-time AI assistance with live human expertise to help candidates perform at their best. This generation sees it not as 'cheating' but as achieving parity in a hiring process that already heavily relies on AI.

  • The class of 2025 graduated into the worst entry-level job market in five years.
  • In 2025, 245,000 tech workers lost their jobs.
  • In the first three months of 2026, another 59,000 tech workers lost their jobs.

The players

LockedIn AI

A company providing AI-powered interview assistance tools to job candidates.

LockedIn DUO

A tool from LockedIn AI that combines real-time AI assistance with live human expertise during job interviews.

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What’s next

As more members of the class of 2025 turn to AI-powered interview tools, it remains to be seen how employers will respond and whether they will adapt their own hiring practices to keep pace with the changing expectations of job candidates.

The takeaway

The class of 2025 has learned to be strategic and adaptable in their job search, embracing AI-powered tools to help them navigate a brutal job market where even experienced professionals have faced mass layoffs. Their approach reflects a generation that is determined to succeed on their own terms, even if it means challenging traditional hiring norms.