While looking through recent job postings, I came across something quite absurd.

There's a company with 200 employees, not a major tech firm, just a business selling commercial kitchen supplies.

They sell everything from restaurant kitchen equipment to tableware and kitchen tools for chain stores.

Yet, their internship postings for the IT and finance teams boldly state, "AI skills required."...

Interns, mind you, interns. This is directed at fresh graduates.

At first, it was a bit funny, but upon further reflection, it's not a laughing matter. This isn't just a casual remark about needing to know how to use AI.

It signals that the rules of the job market game have fundamentally changed.

I hope this article is read by recent graduates entering the workforce and by parents sending their children to college.

The Era of the "Diligent Employee" is Over

What were the criteria companies used to consider when hiring in the past?

Can they handle Excel? Are they punctual and diligent? Do they follow instructions? That was the basic expectation for new hires.

On top of that, if they were good at problem-solving and could create PowerPoint presentations, they got bonus points.

Now, those are all basic requirements, and on top of that, it's about "how quickly can you reduce work using AI?"

They want to hire people who can reduce work, not just do it. Let's break down what this means.

From a company's perspective, once they properly utilize tools like ChatGPT or Claude, there's no reason not to use them.

Drafting reports takes 5 minutes, organizing data takes 10 minutes, and refining email tones takes 1 minute. In the past, they would ask interns or new hires to "organize this."

Now, one person can handle the workload of ten.

So, when companies calculate ROI, the answer is obvious.

Is there really a need to hire many people for that? They're looking for one person who can do the work of three using AI.

This is becoming the norm in the hiring market.

The "Entry Point" is Disappearing

This is where the real problem lies. It's not that jobs are disappearing; it's that the "entry point" is vanishing. This distinction is crucial.

The old model was this: you enter a company and start with basic tasks. You learn how the business operates by copying documents, writing meeting notes, and organizing data.

After 2-3 years, you start taking on more significant responsibilities. By the time you reach five years, you have your own area of expertise. This was the structure of "learning on the job."

But now, AI is doing those basic tasks. This means that new hires no longer have a track to learn the business.

Companies now want "people who already know how to do the job from the start," but where are they supposed to learn that?

Schools are still theory-focused. Companies used to teach practical skills, but now there's a prevailing attitude that they won't do that anymore.

This is problematic because they want "already trained talent," but the places to train them have disappeared.

Even Finance Teams are Demanding AI Skills?

It's understandable that the IT team requires AI skills; that's part of their job.

However, it's symbolic that even the finance team is making the same demands. Tasks like organizing numbers, creating reports, and compiling quarterly closing materials have already seen significant automation.

So now, companies want "people who can make judgments based on numbers," not just "people who look at numbers."

Even within the finance team, the roles are completely changing. The responsibilities of the CFO line are trickling down to new hires, but is that even possible? They're saying they will only hire those who can do it.

It's a company with 200 employees, selling kitchen supplies. It's neither Silicon Valley nor Wall Street. The fact that such a company is demanding AI skills from interns indicates that this is not just an issue for specific industries.

If a tech company does this, people might think, "Well, that makes sense." But if a B2B company in the Midwest starts doing it, that signals a trend is forming. Within 1-2 years, other industries will likely follow suit.

Is the Era of the "Knowledge Worker" Over?

There's a phrase that's been circulating lately: "The era of the knowledge worker is over." It sounds grand, but to break it down, it means this:

Just knowing something is no longer enough. AI knows that better. You need to have the ability to make judgments, decisions, and take responsibility based on that knowledge.

It sounds easy, but it's a harsh standard to demand from those just entering the workforce.

To ask them to make judgments when they lack experience is tough. Ultimately, only a prepared few will survive, while the rest will struggle to find an entry point. This polarization begins at the hiring stage.

So, my belief is that companies are no longer places that develop people.

They are transforming into places that only utilize "people who can already do the job." Once AI becomes part of that standard, this trend won't easily change.

From a cost structure perspective, there's no reason for companies to go back.

So what should recent graduates and those about to graduate do? The answer is simple. They need to be somewhat complete by the time they finish school.

Using AI tools regularly is a given, and they should have experience solving real business problems, whether through internships or side projects.

Simply saying, "I attended classes" is no longer worth putting on a resume.

From a parent's perspective, the days of thinking, "Well, they have a diploma, so they can get a job anywhere" are over.

Now, a diploma is not an entry ticket; it's just a receipt for participation.

Entry is achieved through other means. Whether we like it or not, this is the reality.