New graduates are encountering a more challenging job market as automation, rising employer expectations, and cautious hiring trends lead companies to favour experienced candidates over fresh degree holders.
The UAE job market is sending a clear signal to fresh graduates: a degree alone is no longer sufficient to secure an entry-level role. Entry-level opportunities are becoming more limited as employers increasingly expect candidates to be job-ready, with practical skills and real-world experience rather than just academic qualifications.
A new report from employment platform Indeed highlights that this pressure is being felt across key talent markets. In India, for instance, 70% of jobseekers say it is now harder to secure their first job than it was a few years ago, with many attributing this to rising demands for prior experience even in entry-level roles.
This change is being driven by wider forces affecting hiring in the UAE, including automation and AI taking over routine tasks, as well as employers focusing more on immediate productivity. As a result, traditional entry-level “stepping-stone” roles that once helped graduates gain experience are gradually becoming less common.
For many early-career jobseekers in the UAE — especially local graduates and those arriving from abroad — the situation is becoming increasingly difficult, with fewer genuine entry-level openings and higher expectations attached to the roles that remain.
Employers say the very definition of “entry-level” is evolving, with internships, portfolios, and digital skills now seen as the baseline requirement.
How AI is reshaping the workforce
Industry experts say automation is gradually eliminating many of the routine tasks that once justified large-scale graduate recruitment, particularly in administrative and coordination roles.
According to Nageeba Suleman, Senior Manager, People & Culture at Hotpack, the shift is being driven by two converging factors: rapid automation and artificial intelligence. She explained that tasks such as data processing, basic reporting, and routine coordination — once assigned to junior employees — are now handled faster and more cost-effectively by technology.
She noted that the UAE’s fast adoption of technology is accelerating this trend, adding that employers now prioritise candidates who can demonstrate readiness from day one. According to her, “a degree signals potential, but what they want is proof of performance,” with internships, freelance work, live projects, and certifications becoming the new entry standard.
In effect, she said, “graduate recruitment has been replaced by early-career professional recruitment,” where opportunities still exist but favour candidates who are already prepared rather than purely qualified.
Recruitment experts echo this view, saying AI is also reshaping the traditional career pipeline by removing many of the learning-oriented tasks that once helped graduates build experience.
Aws Ismail, Director at Marc Ellis Consulting & Training, said automation has taken over much of the foundational work once given to graduates. He noted that global fresh graduate hiring — particularly in large tech firms — has fallen significantly, with the UAE experiencing an even sharper impact due to high competition for entry roles.
He pointed to a growing paradox in the job market: fewer opportunities to start at the bottom, making it harder to reach senior roles later. His advice for graduates is to focus on skills that complement AI rather than compete with it, particularly communication, AI tool usage, and demonstrable project experience.
Employers shift focus from degrees to skills
Hiring managers say companies are now prioritising impact over credentials, with many traditional entry-level roles being automated or merged into broader responsibilities.
Nisha Nair, Recruitment Manager at Innovations Group, said organisations are creating fewer learning-focused roles and more responsibility-heavy positions. She added that global economic uncertainty is also making employers more selective, even in resilient markets like the UAE.
She explained that companies are increasingly focused on immediate productivity and measurable returns from new hires. As a result, candidates with practical experience, adaptability, and strong communication skills are often preferred over those with stronger academic records alone.
She also highlighted growing demand for skills such as AI literacy, data analysis, digital marketing, cybersecurity awareness, and project coordination — competencies now valued across most sectors.
