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Business Insider
14 minutes ago
- Business Insider
How Gen Zers are landing roles in tech — or pivoting away
Kanika Mohan thought she'd have a job after graduation — and hopefully it would come with three meals and laundry service. The 21-year-old studied computer science, had a slate of summer internships at top tech companies, and regularly attended campus career fairs. A first-generation college student, the 2025 grad felt STEM was the surefire path to corporate success. "I love building things and computer science was a pretty hot topic over social media," Mohan said. The jobs were cushy, with all kinds of perks. "It was just insane to think about," she added. "I never saw my parents have any of those jobs. My parents worked regular, non-corporate, blue-collar jobs." Frustrated by a monthslong job hunt, Mohan began looking outside Big Tech. She said she applied for business analyst and marketing roles at airlines, banks, and consumer companies, and any other opportunity she could find in her skillset. She was eventually hired by a major tech company, but she's glad that she broadened her search. Mohan's experience is increasingly common. Jobs in computer science and tech have long been advertised as a path to lucrative salaries and luxurious office perks. But, with AI and widespread corporate cost-cutting contributing to a white-collar hiring slowdown, the industry is hemorrhaging entry-level opportunities. The tech job market is not just rough for newcomers. Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, wrote in a new blog post that the US tech industry seems to be in an employment recession because it mirrors the Great Recession. US job postings for tech workers on job-search platform Indeed have cooled more than overall postings from Great Resignation peaks. However, some more experienced job seekers may fare better if they have the skills needed in the growing AI talent war. As doors close across the industry, tech grads are having to rethink their dream roles. BI spoke with Gen Zers and labor market experts to understand the challenges young tech aspirants are facing — and potential solutions. Business Insider is reporting on how each generation is experiencing the job market. If you're open to sharing your experience, reach out to one of these reporters at allisonkelly@ jkaplan@ and mhoff@ And read our coverage: Ambitious Gen Zers did everything right. Then they hit the job market. Frustrated job seekers are giving up on their dream roles: 'I'll take almost anything' Job searching in 2025? It's a mess no matter how old you are. Welcome to the age of office paranoia, when layoffs, AI, and job insecurity are terrorizing workers 'Chances are you won't get a job at Microsoft' After landing her role, Mohan now teaches other 20-somethings on TikTok about how to break into the tech industry. "One thing I realized is that a lot of people have a dream company or a dream role," she said. "But it's really tough to do that anymore. You can't just be like, 'I want to work at Microsoft, so I'm only going to apply to Microsoft.' Chances are you won't get a job at Microsoft." Economists said this is a smart strategy. The number of computer and information sciences grads has increased in recent years, so holders of those degrees face more competition for a shrinking number of openings. AI is also shifting what entry-level work looks like in those fields, and companies are looking for ways to cut costs and streamline their workforce. Zhao, the Glassdoor economist, told Business Insider that many tech employers have been slow to hire entry-level workers. A Burning Glass Institute report showed that the unemployment rate for Gen Zers and younger millennials in computer and math occupations has recently increased from before the pandemic, meaning recent graduates could be up against others competing for similar roles. "It's no surprise that new graduates in computer science and engineering have had a tough time getting their foot in the door," Zhao said. It's part of why Gen Zers like Timothy Innamorato are considering pivoting. He wanted to work in tech, but he's also been applying for grocery store and janitorial jobs. Since completing a certification program in computer science and information technology last year, 27-year-old Innamorato has sent out a few hundred job applications, he said, and has landed around eight interviews in his field. "I've been shifting my views on whether or not I even want to continue looking at the moment, especially with the AI thing that's happening now," he said. He's also gotten a few interviews for grocery store jobs, which he's been applying to because he needs something to keep him afloat. He's had some success getting callbacks when he applies to custodial positions in his local school district. "Everybody now is shifting over to the idea of going to do trades, so being a plumber or doing HVAC or being an electrician. Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad thing, it's just that you got to be on your feet a lot more and you got to go to people's houses and crawl in attics," he said. "It's not the same as IT. But I mean, I don't know." How to stand out in the application 'numbers game' Charley Kim, 23, recently landed a software engineering role at a Big Tech company. He said he's lucky — he graduated in 2024 with a computer science degree and knows several friends who are still looking for work. "There are just so many people applying to the jobs, and there's only a limited number of jobs out there," Kim said, adding, "Getting an interview is probably harder than the interviews themselves." Though Kim said that the job hunt can feel like a random "numbers game," he thinks the effort he put into networking paid off. Not only did talking to people already in the tech industry help him hone his application, he said it allowed him to get the referrals he needed to make his résumé stand out from the pile. Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake, said it's important to build a community because job searching can be time-consuming and emotionally taxing. As Mohan put it, the post-grad job search can feel "really scary, really harsh, and really painful." Cruzvergara said your community can include friends, advisors, or whoever can help you feel better and give you real feedback during job hunting. Cruzvergara also suggested not filling out hundreds of applications and instead making sure you're putting enough time into checking out the company, including whether it seems like a good fit. " Mass applying is actually hurting people because they're putting in lower-quality applications that aren't going to stand up in a competitive applicant pool," Bonnie Dilber, a recruiter at a software company, previously told Business Insider. Natasha Pillay-Bemath, vice president of global talent acquisition and executive search at IBM, said there will continue to be demand for entry-level talent, especially in "more critical, complex spaces of tech like AI and cloud." Strong applicants should show that they can both master using AI and also lean on soft skills like creativity and effective communication, she said, as AI takes away the "rote work" of an entry-level hire. Mohan said she had a few different versions of her résumé and cover letter depending on the types of roles she was applying for. Putting her experience and interests on paper — and occasionally using AI to optimize for specific positions — helped her build confidence. "Building my résumé early on helped me also realize that I know I can switch industries," she said. "I realized what industry I like and what roles I like because there's so, so many different things you can do. You won't know that unless you actually try."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
1 Unstoppable Growth Stock That's On Track to Double by 2030
Key Points A weak auto market is likely to benefit auto parts retailers like O'Reilly Automotive. Anemic job growth may cause consumers to delay new car purchases, which also helps O'Reilly. O'Reilly's valuation is currently high, which might concern some investors. 10 stocks we like better than O'Reilly Automotive › Five years ago, who would've guessed that O'Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ: ORLY) would be one of the market's big winners? But its share price is up roughly 240% since then on a split-adjusted basis, crushing the S&P 500's five-year return of 106%. How did O'Reilly do it? Well, besides having one of the catchiest jingles out there ("Oh, Oh, Oh, O'Reillyyyyyyyy...!"), the company has been rapidly opening new stores and buying back stock. Its shares just split 15-for-1 in June. Even though its split-adjusted share price has doubled in less than three years, O'Reilly stock could double again by 2030. Here's how. Weak auto sales are an auto parts retailer's dream U.S. auto sales have been going through a rough patch, and recent trade policy changes seem likely to make things worse in the short term. New tariffs on auto imports and various imported auto components have now kicked in on top of already high tariffs on automaking essentials like aluminum. This seems almost certain to boost the price of a new car by thousands of dollars. That will likely drive up used car prices as well, pushing down already weak demand even further. That may be bad for U.S. automakers, but it's a boon for an auto parts supplier like O'Reilly. A slump in vehicle purchasing means that people hang onto their existing cars for longer. And the longer you have a car, the more likely it is that something on it -- whether it's a headlight bulb or an automatic transmission -- will need to be replaced, and O'Reilly will be happy to sell it to you (or to your mechanic). Weak job numbers are an auto parts retailer's dream Meanwhile, recent Labor Department data indicates that the U.S. job market may be softening. In its latest report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that just 73,000 jobs were created in July, far fewer than many economists anticipated. The BLS also revised the previous two months' job numbers down significantly. That matches recent anecdotal evidence that hiring has substantially slowed. When people are unable to find a job -- or worried about hanging onto the one they have -- they're unlikely to make a major purchase like a new car, or even a used car. If hiring slows further or if the U.S. tips into a full-blown recession, many drivers may have no choice but to hang onto their existing vehicle, even if it's got problems. That may be bad for carmakers, but it's good for O'Reilly, which sells the parts needed to keep a clunker on the road. A high valuation is a stock buyer's nightmare One big concern for potential O'Reilly investors is how much its share price has risen. The company's trailing price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 5.2 is already much higher than that of rivals Autozone (NYSE: AZO) or Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP), which sit at 3.6 and 0.4, respectively. Its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio has jumped to a multidecade high of 36.4, also well above that of its rivals. That said, given the company's solid track record and excellent prospects for further growth, its premium valuation makes sense. For O'Reilly's share price to double by 2030, it would need to increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 15% per year. That seems achievable. In the most recent quarter, diluted earnings per share were up 11% year over year, and management projected a 3% net increase in store count for the year. Add a few additional percentage points of sales growth from weakening auto sales and a softening labor market, and you could easily get a 15% CAGR for O'Reilly stock. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, but even if O'Reilly falls short of a five-year double, it should still end up a long-term winner for investors. Do the experts think O'Reilly Automotive is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did O'Reilly Automotive make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,071% vs. just 185% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 886.18%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $663,630!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,115,695!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 John Bromels has positions in O'Reilly Automotive. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Unstoppable Growth Stock That's On Track to Double by 2030 was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Better Technology Stock: Nvidia vs. Palantir
Key Points Nvidia is now the most valuable publicly traded company in the world, and all signs point to another great earnings report this month. Palantir Technologies is the fastest-growing company in the S&P 500. 10 stocks we like better than Nvidia › Semiconductor giant Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and artificial intelligence (AI) kingpin Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) are two of the most compelling technology stocks in the market. Nvidia harnessed demand for its graphics processing units (GPUs) to become the biggest company in the world, with a $4.4 trillion market capitalization. Palantir, meanwhile, is using its artificial intelligence platform to fundamentally change how governments and commercial businesses operate. The stock is up more than 500% in the last year and is the best-performing stock in the S&P 500. In my view, you can't go wrong with either of these tech stocks. But in a one-on-one matchup, which comes out on top? Let's look at both companies before rendering a verdict. Nvidia Nvidia's GPUs are the engine behind this mammoth company. While they used to be best known for providing the graphics in computers, now GPUs are commonly used by companies that are building massive data centers to run artificial intelligence-powered platforms, including large language models needed for generative AI. Nvidia has the lion's share of this business, with Jon Peddie Research estimating that it has roughly 92% of the market share. And as Nvidia is expecting spending on data centers to accelerate from $250 billion in 2023 to $1 trillion annually by 2028, there's a massive opportunity at hand. In addition, major tech companies like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are spending heavily and are even increasing their capital expenditure spending on their data centers. That's why I'm expecting a solid earnings report from Nvidia when it reports its earnings for the current quarter, and why I'm expecting the stock to pop yet again after the numbers are released. Palantir Technologies Palantir got its start a little more than 20 years ago as a data mining company to provide real-time analytics and insights. As a government contractor, it's long been valued by the military for its analytic technology that helps commanders make real-time decisions in battle. To the public eye, Palantir largely flew under the radar for years until in 2011, when it was credited for helping U.S. forces find and eliminate Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Palantir works by drawing information from many sources, such as satellite imagery. By sifting through and digesting that information, it can perform instantaneous analysis that can help governments function. According to its CEO, Alex Karp, "Palantir was founded on the belief that the United States, its allies, and partners should harness the most advanced technical capabilities for their defense and prosperity." As its capabilities expanded through the launch of its generative AI-powered Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), Palantir is quickly bringing in additional non-military government contracts. It has new contracts with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State Department, and the Internal Revenue Service. In the company's just-released second quarter earnings report, U.S. government revenue increased 53% in the last year, reaching $426 million. Commercial revenue is growing even faster, up 93% in the second quarter on a year-over-year basis and reaching $306 million. Clients include Walgreens Boots Alliance, AT&T, General Mills, United Airlines, and others, and Palantir is doing everything from making manufacturing more efficient to managing supply chains and helping companies scale. Palantir closed 157 deals in the second quarter valued at more than $1 million, with 66 of them more than $5 million and 42 of them at least $10 million. As more companies bring Palantir's platform online and share how they are improving their businesses, Palantir's platform will become a must-have for many institutions. The verdict I'm not gonna lie. This is a tough one. I love both of these companies, and I think both are destined to increase. But if I have to choose one, then the valuations of both companies will break the tie. At the time of this writing, Nvidia is richly valued both in its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 59 and its forward P/E of 42, but Palantir comes in at an unhealthy 623 and 288, respectively. The price-to-sales ratio, which compares market capitalization to revenue, is arguably an even more accurate measurement as both of these companies are pouring profits back into the business. And Nvidia is by far the strongest there, too. So, my winner in this hypothetical battle is Nvidia by a nose. But both stocks are great ones to have, and they'll both anchor my portfolio for the foreseeable future. Should you buy stock in Nvidia right now? Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,106,071!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,070% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 Patrick Sanders has positions in Nvidia and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Better Technology Stock: Nvidia vs. Palantir was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
