Future-proofing careers in the age of AI: Insights for hiring, learning, and growth

Introduction: A hiring landscape in flux

To better understand the realities currently being faced by both job seekers^† and HR executives^†† in the U.S., Google partnered with Ipsos to conduct new research at a time when economic shifts and advances in AI are transforming how people find jobs and how organizations hire talent. 

The study examined the impact of emerging technologies such as AI automation and advanced matching tools, as well as the evolving skills demands that are redefining what it means to be "qualified." Insights are drawn from surveys of a total of 1,000 U.S. job seekers and 500 U.S. HR executives fielded in June and July 2025. The findings represent the views of those who participated in the study.

To help organizations attract and retain the right talent in an evolving job market, this article examines the experiences and priorities of both job seekers and employers. For brands and platforms, the insights reveal how shifts in skills demands, technology adoption, and candidate expectations are shaping hiring success. 

Some of the key questions addressed in this article include:

• What skills and qualifications are employers prioritizing, and how do they align with candidate strengths?
• Where are the biggest gaps between talent supply and demand?
• What role can institutions, platforms, and marketers play in connecting people with the right opportunities?
• How is AI and automation influencing hiring decisions and trust in the process?

In the current market, AI proficiency is an essential skill for professionals across all industries. According to a quarterly index published by Ipsos in Q2’ 2024, two-thirds of small businesses (67%) say hiring employees with AI skills could save them money, underscoring the ROI of an AI-skilled workforce.^†††

Our latest research unveils a market eager to evolve, energized by possibility, and increasingly ready to break free from outdated paradigms that no longer serve the modern workplace. For institutions, learning providers, and marketers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity to close the gap between market needs and today’s talent pipelines.

A shifting landscape: Selective hiring meets a skills gap

HR executives say a root challenge is a considerable skills gap. According to our study, Three out of five (60%) believe there is a mismatch between current job seeker skills and employer needs,¹ and nearly half (48%) report that most applicants are underqualified for the positions they apply to.² These shortages are most acute in specialized fields such as Healthcare and Technology. To compensate for this gap, executives are leaning on more experienced talent with Two-thirds (64%) of employers recruiting mid-career professionals, and 43% targeting specialized roles.^3,4

Some organizations are adapting their hiring practices to address this challenge. According to the study, nearly half (49%) of hiring managers are now using formal skill assessments, like technical tests, job simulations, and cultural fit evaluations.⁵

While nearly two in three (64%) HR executives believe non-traditional credentials^†††† can help close the skills gap,⁶ only 22% say they are actively hiring more candidates with them.⁷ This gap between belief and practice reflects ongoing trust and standardization issues, top barriers are difficulty determining the credibility of non-traditional credentials, and lack of standardized methods of evaluation of non-traditional credentials against traditional^{†††††} ones.

Job seekers are leveraging education, both traditional and non-traditional, to help close the skills gap. However, for education providers, workforce programs, and platforms, the opportunity lies in making skills and credentials more visible, verifiable, and clearly tied to employer needs. This empowers companies to identify qualified talent while giving job seekers clearer ways to demonstrate readiness.

Companies must also find creative ways to reach their targeted talent pool. According to the study, Google Search Ads are used by 58% of hiring managers to source candidates, highlighting a shift toward more data-driven, scalable outreach methods.⁸ 

This trend signals a broader industry movement toward smarter recruitment strategies that emphasize discoverability, skill alignment, and measurable reach.

Skills first: A slow but steady shift in mindset

Employers and job seekers are beginning to align around skills as the core currency of employability. According to the study, 61% of the hiring managers surveyed say that their company’s final recruitment decision is more likely to be based on a candidate’s skills or work experience.⁹

Job seekers are also noticing the gap. Fifty-seven percent recognize a mismatch between their skills and employer needs, and the challenge is even more pronounced in the technology industry; two in three (66%) tech job seekers say their skills fall short of evolving employer expectations.^10,11

As a result, 72% of job seekers consider learning resources and education benefits when evaluating prospective employers.¹²

This shared belief in the value of skills, coupled with a lag in hiring practices, highlights a clear opportunity for tools that are more equipped to assess and validate real-world competencies and present them in ways employers trust.

Rethinking readiness: Where institutions and marketers fit in

As employers continue to report readiness gaps, candidates encounter outdated or ambiguous job criteria, further highlighting a breakdown in how opportunity is signaled and recognized.

To bridge the disconnect, companies are beginning to act as educators by investing directly in learning to build the talent they need. Over 4 in 5 employers surveyed (81%) agree that providing educational resources is essential to attracting top talent¹³ and nearly half (45%) already cover education costs for their employees.¹⁴

The role for institutions, platforms, and marketers is clear: translate in-demand skills into accessible pathways, verify competencies with trust and transparency, and create systems that empower both sides of the hiring equation.

The top ways educational institutions can improve student readiness are developing their soft skills (e.g., incorporating communication, teamwork, leadership skills), and aligning the curriculum with industry needs.

The opportunity lies in shaping a career ecosystem that makes skills visible, credentials actionable, and hiring more human and efficient.

Technology's role: Potential, but not a panacea

AI adoption by employers in the hiring process is accelerating at a rapid pace. Half of HR executives surveyed see the most value in AI tools that match, screen, and rank applicants,¹⁵ while 47% already use AI to identify skills gaps.¹⁶

Job seekers are also embracing AI, but with different priorities. They view it as both a tool and a teacher, integrating AI into their job search while building AI-related skills to stay competitive. Nearly 7 in 10 job seekers use AI assistance during their job search, creating value for job platforms to implement similar AI technology.¹⁷

However, trust remains a barrier despite broad adoption. Organizations want efficiency but remain cautious about judgment and bias. The takeaway is clear: AI can enhance matching, screening, and personalization, but its impact will only be meaningful when paired with transparency, thoughtful program design, and human oversight.

Conclusion: Designing for the future of work

The future of hiring will be shaped by trust, transparency, and the ability to connect real skills to real opportunities. Our research shows both job seekers and hiring executives are ready for change: employers are investing in high-value talent and adopting new technologies, while job seekers are developing skills and seeking meaningful advancement. 

As organizations and candidates increasingly integrate AI into hiring and job search experiences, a new imperative is emerging: preserving the human element. Whether crafting tailored resumes or screening applicants, AI is reshaping how talent is discovered and evaluated. But while automation can streamline, it still requires human involvement to be effective.

The real challenge is no longer deciding if AI belongs in the process, but in determining how to use it in ways that elevate the experience. The future belongs to those who can design systems where human insight and technological efficiency work in concert to unlock potential on both sides of the hiring equation.

†Surveyed U.S. Job Seekers: those actively looking for jobs

††Surveyed U.S. HR Executives: responsible for making hiring decisions and have 3+ years of experience 

†††Newall, M., & Rollason, C. (2024, June 26). Two-thirds of small businesses say hiring employees with AI skills could save them money. Ipsos. https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/two-thirds-small-businesses-say-hiring-employees-ai-skills-could-save-them-money

††††Non-traditional credentials as defined in survey: industry or professional certifications (e.g., LinkedIn certificates, Google Career Certificates), skill-building courses, bootcamps, apprenticeships, or badgings that indicate one’s competencies in a particular field.

†††††Traditional credentials as defined in survey: academic degrees or required occupational licensures

Contributors

Roy Daiany, Director - Education & Careers, Google

Allie Bartoszewicz, Strategy & Insights Lead, Google

Lesley Chou, Industry Research Lead, Google

Ayesha Anum, Director - Market Strategy and Understanding, Ipsos

Taylor Santos, Account Manager - Market Strategy and Understanding, Ipsos

Aidan Buss, Research Analyst - Market Strategy and Understanding, Ipsos

References

About the Study

The findings in this article are based on a study conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Google seeking to understand how economic shifts, advances in AI, and evolving skill demands are transforming how people find jobs and how organizations hire talent. Below are the details for this study. 

• Future Proofing Careers (Hiring Executives)
  • Online, device agnostic survey among residents in the US, aged 22 to 67
  • Data collection occurred from June 24 to July 3, 2025
  • A total of 500 interviews were conducted among those who are employee hiring decision makers and work in the HR department within their company
• Future Proofing Careers (Job Seekers)
  • Online, device agnostic survey among residents in the US, aged 18 to 67
  • Data collection occurred from July 8 to July 17, 2025
  • A total of 1,000 interviews were conducted among those who are currently looking for a job

In this study, data is unweighted and thus only represents opinions of those who participated in the surveys.