A few weeks ago, while on the train, a headline caught my attention — “AI is coming for white-collar jobs”.
It was one of those scary moments when I found myself nodding along, thinking, Yep, this is happening.
You’ve probably seen the headlines:
- “Company boards push CEOs to replace IT workers with AI”
- “Top companies cutting jobs due to AI”
- “Companies quietly using AI as the reason for layoffs”
If you’ve been laid off recently, or you’re feeling like your job is next, I want to start by saying: I see you. Lots of people feel exactly the same. What you bring to the table still matters.
But I also have to say this clearly — you do need to adapt.
In the last few months, Microsoft, Google, Morgan Stanley, Klarna, Meta, and dozens of others have announced massive job cuts — many of them linked directly to “AI-driven efficiencies.”
A 2024 McKinsey report estimated that 44% of global job tasks could eventually be automated by AI. In a LinkedIn survey, 63% of U.S. executives agreed AI would eventually take on some of the everyday tasks of entry-level employees.
It’s very clear to me. AI is all CEOs talk about.
White-collar professions that were once considered secure are all being affected — IT, customer service, media, and marketing.
AI is already baked into how companies operate, how they make hiring decisions, and how they plan their workforce. It’s not a wave that’s coming but will pass — it’s the new normal.
But I don’t want to be a pessimist. The new frontier of AI isn’t entirely horrible. But the sooner you adapt, the better you’ll compete.
Here are four concrete things you can do to stay competitive:
🔵 Re-skill for a future that includes AI
If you’re curious about AI, now’s the time to lean in. The market is hungry for people who understand AI, even at a basic level. There are excellent, accessible courses out there — many of them free or low-cost.
One good place to start is OpenAI’s new learning platform. It’s beginner-friendly and designed to help professionals across fields understand how to use AI. Learn how to use it in your field and you’ll be a lot more marketable.
And if you’re a student and you’re feeling nervous about entering a tech-driven world, don’t be.
You’re actually in the best possible position — you’re learning everything as it’s evolving, not playing catch-up. You’ll have the chance of becoming the go-to for AI-related tasks in your next job.
🔵 Make a bold career shift (to something AI can’t do)
AI is good at a lot of things. But it still can’t:
- Cut someone’s hair
- Build a garden
- Teach a child
- Perform live theater
- Design something truly original
- Lead a team with empathy and vision
Even if 44% of tasks can be automated, that still leaves 56% that can’t. And many of those are in fields that require emotional intelligence, creativity, and hands-on work.
Ask yourself: “What’s something I’ve always wanted to do that can’t be replaced by a chatbot?”
If you’ve been thinking about making a change into work that feels more meaningful, now might be the right time. This shift, however scary, can also be an opportunity to pivot into a career where you bring something AI never will.
🔵 Start your own business
One of the most exciting (and least talked-about) parts of this AI moment? It’s never been easier to start something on your own.
AI can help you:
- Write marketing copy
- Design logos
- Create websites
- Schedule social media
- Handle basic bookkeeping
- Research new markets and competitors
- Draft proposals or pitch emails
These things used to take a whole team. Soon, it might just take you — and a solid AI co-pilot.
So if you’ve ever dreamed of freelancing, starting a side hustle, or building your own business from scratch, this is your moment. You no longer need to be an entrepreneurial genius or have a big budget to get started. You just need curiosity, consistency, and the willingness to learn.
🔵 Use AI to get your next job
AI might be the reason you’re job hunting, but it can also be your secret weapon for landing your next role.
Everyone’s using AI for everything these days, including job search. But here’s the thing — if you use it the same way as everyone else, you’ll blend in, not stand out.
The biggest mistake you can make is letting AI write your entire resume or cover letter for you.
I get it. Your AI-written resume bullet points or cover letter may sound waaaay better than what you’d come up with on your own.
Still, if you rely on AI to write everything from scratch, your application will end up sounding just like everyone else’s. And hiring managers can tell.
It will make you look unoriginal, not genuinely interested and, ironically, less human. That’s not the impression you want to make when applying to roles already under threat of automation.
Instead, use AI strategically, like a collaborator. Use it to brainstorm, organize your ideas, analyze a job posting or point out skills you might be forgetting. But make sure your final application has your voice and your story.
At Big Interview, we’ve spent the last few years integrating AI tools to help you write stronger resumes and cover letters, and prepare for interviews more confidently.
These tools are built specifically to help you match job postings and highlight your experience in ways that recruiters actually care about.
You can use Big Interview’s Resume Builder to create a polished resume using templates approved by career experts and hiring managers.
Once you’re done, you can use the Resume Scanner to get instant feedback, including clear scores, suggestions, and tips on how to improve your resume.
Finally, the AI-Powered Cover Letter Generator will help you create strong, personalized cover letters guided by coaching best practices, not random templates with generic phrases.
One more thing before I go:
This is a hard moment, and for many, it feels uncertain and unfair. Many of you are mid-career professionals who’ve been doing great work for years, even decades. Being told that your job is now “automatable” doesn’t just threaten your livelihood — it affects your entire professional identity.
I’ve coached thousands of job seekers through layoffs, pivots, reinventions, and rocky markets. The ones who do best aren’t always the most tech-savvy or the most experienced — they’re the ones who take a breath, take a beat, and then take action.
So here’s your action for today:
Pick one thing to do — sign up for an AI course, explore a different career path, or use Big Interview’s AI to practice for your upcoming interview.
Rooting for you always,
Pamela Skillings
