tech
January 28, 2026
Why High Agency is a Non-Negotiable in 2026 (especially if you're entry level) + 10 Prompts to Build Your Own Ladder
Entry-level hiring at major technology companies has collapsed by more than fifty percent since 2019, according to SignalFire’s analysis of new grad hiring at large tech firms. Globally, entry-level job postings—roles requiring zero to two years of experience—declined sharply through 2024 and into 2025, per Randstad data reported by the World Economic Forum. The unemployment rate for recent college graduates sits at 5.3 percent as of Q3 2025—above the 4.4 percent overall unemployment rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in December 2025, according to New York Fed and BLS data.
TL;DR
- Entry-level hiring in tech has decreased by more than fifty percent since 2019.
- Generative AI is now performing tasks that previously trained new employees.
- The traditional career ladder is being dismantled due to AI's impact on low-risk work.
- The article emphasizes the importance of "high agency" for career success in the current landscape.
- It introduces concepts like the locus of control test, the solo founder proof, and the say-do ratio as components of high agency.