Entry-level job postings for auditors fell roughly 43% since last January, according to a new report.
Randstad, a recruitment and staffing agency, surveyed 11,250 respondents and analyzed over 126 million job postings and found that job postings for financial services fell 24% since last January, due in significant part to artificial intelligence automating tasks traditionally performed by junior talent. Meanwhile, demand for senior professionals with 10 or more years of experience has risen by 6%.
"Entry-level roles have long been the foundation of career progression in financial services, but that foundation is shifting," Randstad CEO Sander van 't Noordende said in a statement. "As automation reduces the need for routine work, employers must respond by accelerating learning and development and creating clear, future-focused pathways into the industry. The data shows that talent is ready to change: they want to grow, adapt and contribute in more meaningful ways. Businesses that invest in skilling, inclusion and culture will be the ones that thrive in this new era."
Young talent has the future in mind, with 85% saying they consider long-term career goals when evaluating a new role. More than half say they are actively job hunting and a third are planning to stay in their role for 12 months.
As such, tenure is shrinking for young talent. While average tenure during the first five years of a career was 2.9 years for baby boomers, 2.8 years for Gen X and 1.8 years for millennials, Gen Z is only staying for a little over a year (1.1) on average. While employers may view this as a lack of loyalty, the report suggests it's a response to "unmet expectations and a keen desire for progression."
"This creates a distinctive mindset: Gen Z is confident and enthusiastic about learning the ropes, but quick to move on when growth stalls," according to the report. Young talent is drawn to high-growth sectors like IT, health care and financial services, as the fast pace aligns with their own ambitious expectations.
Over half (58%) of Gen Z survey respondents said they are excited about AI in the workplace, with 55% already using it for problem solving at work. They are also more likely to be trained in AI than the global average (42% versus 37%), and they report high confidence in their ability to learn new skills (79%). However, their concern over AI's long-term impact on jobs has risen to 46%, up six points from the previous year, "revealing a growing sense of unease beneath the surface," according to the report.
