AI may not be getting a warm reception at college graduations this spring, but it’s reshaping the workplace that the class of 2026 is about to enter.
Until recently, employers typically assigned junior recruits basic, and often mundane, duties to teach them the ropes. But with AI tools like ChatGPT now capable of handling much of that work at warp speed, some companies are giving entry-level hires bigger responsibilities from the get-go.
“AI is changing the entry-level experience for an entire generation of white-collar workers,” Peter Cappelli, a management professor and director of the Center for Human Resources at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, previously told Business Insider.
Given these changes, we asked career gurus to share their best advice for workplace newbies on how to start off strong.
Here’s what they had to say:
Shadow AI is a no-no
Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben wasn’t talking about AI when he said that great power comes with great responsibility. But the iconic phrase applies nonetheless.
AI is powerful technology, so workers should closely follow their employer’s safety protocols when using it, said Chris Lyon, head of engineering at Twilio, a communications-infrastructure platform.
He recommends sticking to approved AI tools instead of engaging in so-called shadow AI because sensitive company information can end up outside corporate guardrails.
“You have to be extra careful,” he said.
Avoid leaning on AI too much
It may be tempting to use AI to help you with just about every aspect of your job. But going overboard can weaken your ability to solve problems and think creatively, warned Jeff LeBlanc, a management lecturer at Bentley University.
“If every email, every idea, every decision gets filtered through AI, people risk never fully developing their own instincts,” he said. “Early career growth is supposed to include uncertainty, mistakes, and figuring things out. That discomfort is where confidence can be built.”
Be skeptical of AI
AI is like “a flaky coworker” — sometimes brilliant, sometimes catastrophically wrong, said Matthew Bidwell, a management professor at Wharton.
“You want to make sure that the output passes the smell test,” he said. “You can’t just believe everything that you’re getting from them.”
This is important because turning in AI slop to your boss could breed resentment, said Dr. Andrea Derler, head researcher at Visier, a workforce intelligence company. Senior employees who started their careers doing grunt work don’t want to have to clean up careless AI-generated content from junior staff, she said.
Don’t hide behind a screen
With AI at your disposal, you might assume that tapping someone more senior for help understanding an assignment is inappropriate.
But asking questions, such as why a task matters and what success looks like, is actually a wise move because it demonstrates critical thinking, said Hebba Youssef, chief people officer of the media company Workweek and host of the HR podcast, “I Hate It Here.”
Even if you don’t need an assist, building relationships with more experienced colleagues is still smart, Rebecca Port, chief people officer at Okta, an identity-management company. A chatbot isn’t going to help you navigate office politics, and while your performance matters, relationships can also play a part in whether you get a promotion or bonus.
“Like it or not, organizations are social organisms,” she said.
Be reliable
The workplace isn’t as forgiving as the classroom. If you consistently show up late, dress inappropriately, miss deadlines, or make other faux pas, you could dent your career, said Dr. Derler.
She described reliability as a “hidden expectation” that’s essential for getting your employer to trust you enough to keep you around.
“If you say something will be done by 5 o’clock tomorrow morning, have it done by 5 o’clock by tomorrow morning,” she said. “Do not try to negotiate on timelines two minutes before it’s due.”
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