EY, a major global professional services firm, now requires all early-career applicants to complete a skills-based assessment. EY's move, reported by Business Insider, signals a fundamental shift: AI is eroding traditional career ladders, making upward mobility harder for many. Automated systems increasingly dictate access to opportunity, creating a divide where established professionals advance, but entry-level and low-wage individuals face stagnant prospects.

Yet, AI offers powerful tools for job seekers. Candidates personalize resumes and cover letters with precision, preparing for interviews through sophisticated simulations. But this same AI capability erects new, automated barriers. Even optimized applications struggle to get noticed. This tension—individual empowerment meeting systemic gatekeeping—defines the modern job search.

The job market will bifurcate. Staying competitive demands continuous skills development and strategic AI utilization. Career services must guide individuals through this, emphasizing adaptability, technological literacy, and AI's dual role in career progression.

The New Gatekeepers: How AI Reshapes Hiring

EY, a major global professional services firm, now requires all early-career applicants to complete a skills-based assessment. This prioritizes demonstrable abilities over traditional credentials, seeking candidates who can 'grow with technology,' Business Insider reports. AI-powered assessments analyze aptitude for critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability to new digital tools. This creates higher barriers for those unable to immediately demonstrate tech-adjacent skills, moving beyond academic transcripts or work history.

EY's restructuring extends to internal advancement. The firm tests individualized career paths, agile promotions, and expanded skills assessments, Business Insider reports. This allows quicker progression for those demonstrating new proficiencies. It fundamentally alters traditional, tenure-based career progression. Employees are now evaluated on continuous development and readiness for technologically complex roles, shifting focus from time-in-role to demonstrated capability.

The Data Points: AI's Broad Impact on Opportunity

  • Automated systems enable job seekers to apply to more jobs, but these same systems also make it harder for individual candidates to get noticed, according to AP News.