[key points]

Key points

• •Soft skills are still largely topping employers' list of valued skills in workers new to their careers, but a solid grasp of artificial intelligence tools is also increasingly expected.
• •Companies are increasingly expecting to replace entry-level roles with AI, which could create leadership problems in the future due to a lack of a development pipeline.
• •Employers don’t expect first-time professionals to have everything figured out on day one, but they value a willingness to learn, an understanding of professional expectations, and a focus on building skills and relationships that drive long-term career success.