PITTSBURGH — U.S. employers have cut nearly 90,000 jobs so far this year because of artificial intelligence.
That’s according to a Chicago-based outplacement firm.
But some companies are now looking to hire those workers back.
On paper, the job market looks promising and the unemployment rate is low. So why are so many people struggling to get hired right now?
In May, job gains came in leisure and hospitality, healthcare and local government. If you’re not looking for opportunities in those industries, it can be tough to land a new position. But there is good news.
“We’ve started to see that hiring has picked up across the board,” Robert Half Operational President Dawn Fay said.
Dawn Fay with recruiting firm Robert Half says they recently conducted a survey among U.S. hiring managers and found 32% of those who eliminated positions after implementing AI, are now rehiring for those roles, or similar ones.
“They’re actually bringing employees back into the organization to basically be able to handle that workload that they thought AI was going to be able to replace,” Fay said.
Fay says instead, companies are now relying on AI to take on more routine tasks.
“The communication, the judgment, the oversight, the institutional knowledge that employees have the technology, up until this point, is just not being able to replace all of that,” Fay said.
If you’re looking for a new job, Fay recommends writing a cover letter that highlights your accomplishments and explains why you want to work there. Don’t just apply online. Track down a hiring manager and reach out to them directly.
“I know it can take some time and be a little frustrating, but stay with it and don’t feel like you’ve got to wait 2 or 3 months until the summer ends,” Fay said.
If you do land an interview, Fay suggests asking what their timeline is to hire for the position and what the next steps are in the interview process.
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