ACM CareerNews for Tuesday, July 8, 2025

ACM CareerNews is intended as an objective career news digest for busy IT professionals. Views expressed are not necessarily those of ACM. To send comments, please write to [email protected]

Volume 21, Issue 13, July 8, 2025

Mid-Year Report: Tech Skills and Roles on the Rise
Dice Insights, June 26

The rapid growth of generative AI, combined with broader economic uncertainty and demographic shifts in the workforce, is causing employers to recategorize tech roles and realign pay structures at a rapid pace. Recruiters continue to see demand for generalists and specialists. However, what companies really want are highly versatile candidates that combine the best of both worlds. These job candidates are capable in many areas, but they possess deep knowledge in one or more specific domains and can switch to another role or widening scope of situations with ease.

While advancements in AI are automating and potentially eliminating some jobs, they are also creating new career opportunities that require a mix of experience and human decision-making. As a result, IT workers who can demonstrate versatility routinely earn robust salaries and higher-than-average cash pay premiums. This is not necessarily because of any one or two skills, but because of how they synthesize and apply them. As a result, there are new emerging roles across various disciplines. These include opportunities related to software engineering, where IT workers not only design new solutions, but also understand the cloud infrastructure they run on. They integrate observability and contribute to data governance discussions when building user-facing analytics. Moreover, they can communicate with product managers, data scientists, and site reliability engineers.

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Economic uncertainty and shifting candidate expectations are transforming talent acquisition. As a result, the talent acquisition function within any organization must navigate the delicate balance between cost-effectiveness, agility, and the demand for a seamless, high-quality candidate experience. The rapid evolution of technology offers innovative solutions that not only address these challenges but also revolutionize the way talent acquisition is executed.

In terms of talent acquisition, the top trend involves artificial intelligence and agent-powered recruiting. As organizations integrate advanced artificial intelligence solutions into their talent acquisition processes, capabilities and possibilities are expanding. This paving the way for a future where AI agents can autonomously manage the recruitment process with minimal human involvement. Continued generative advancements paired with AI agent capabilities will transform the recruitment landscape and reshape how talent acquisition teams across industries operate. For example, AI-powered assistants can already automate defined and repetitive tasks, respond to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and facilitate self-services needs.

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LinkedIn Adds More AI Tools to Assist Recruiters
HR Dive, June 27

LinkedIn is adding another AI tool for recruiters so that they can find the right candidate for any job opening. The new Advanced AI-Assisted Search uses conversational language prompts in order to offer a more intelligent, intuitive, and dynamic way to discover talent. This next-level AI candidate search process can translate any conversational language query into structured search criteria, which it can then use as a basis for a search. The move is the latest by LinkedIn to integrate AI into the job search process.

The new AI-powered functionality from LinkedIn enables recruiters to use their own words to search, going beyond standard keywords and filters. It understands the intent behind search prompts and dynamically refines results based on multiple interactions, making it easier to uncover high-potential candidates. This new LinkedIn solution is simplifying the candidate discovery process for recruiters, by reducing the need for them to include all relevant keywords and skill description variations. They can add a job description and Advanced AI-Assisted Search will automatically identify the required and preferred qualifications to match the hiring intent. Even hard-to-define skills are understood and surfaced by the new AI tool. It is the latest AI advance for the LinkedIn recruiting platform, which also now has its own hiring assistant that can identify candidates, schedule interviews, and manage follow-up, all with minimal human input.

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Never Leave a Job Interview Without Asking This One Question
CNBC, July 1

When looking for a new job, jobseekers should try to find a job aligned with their values. The problem is that most people know their aptitudes and interests, but may not immediately recognize their values. In fact, only about 7% of adults know their values with real clarity. And worse, most do not know how to identify the real values of a company, either. Nearly every company will say it values empowerment, innovation, and excellence. However, in many cases, those do not reflect workplace realities.

During the job search, it can be difficult to figure out the values of a company. If you ask directly, you will usually get vague buzzwords in response. So you will need to do some sleuthing. And that is where the job interview comes in. There is one question that gets to the heart of the matter very quickly. Simply ask your interviewer what type of person should not work at the company. This question almost always catches hiring managers off guard, but that is exactly why it works. The answers are often more honest, less rehearsed, and far more revealing. For example, a company might claim it respects boundaries and employee well-being, but it might answer this question in a way that lets you know they expect you to work on weekends. Keep in mind that this question is best saved for the end of your interview process, ideally after you have received an offer. Since this question can make people get a little defensive, it has to be delivered with just the right tone. You need to sound pleasantly curious.

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Ten Reasons Why AI Will Not Replace Computer Scientists Any Time Soon
Silicon Republic, July 1

As the power of AI continues to expand, there is an increasingly common belief that the field of computer science (CS) will soon be a thing of the past. This is being communicated to current students in the form of well-meaning advice, but much of it amounts to little more than hearsay. Once an idea becomes part of the popular narrative, it can be difficult to dismiss. Claims that CS jobs are disappearing due to AI typically share two common flaws. First among them is that the advice comes from people who are not computer scientists. Secondly, there is a widespread misunderstanding of what computer science actually involves.

AI can write computer code from prompts, just as it can generate poems, recipes, and cover letters. It can boost productivity and speed up workflow, but none of this eliminates the value of human input. Writing code is not synonymous with CS. One can learn to write code without ever attending a single university class, but a CS degree goes far beyond this one skill. It involves, among many other things, engineering complex systems, designing infrastructure and future programming languages, ensuring cybersecurity, and verifying systems for correctness. AI cannot reliably do these tasks, nor will it be able to in the foreseeable future. Human input remains essential, but pessimistic misinformation risks steering tens of thousands of talented students away from important, meaningful careers in this vital field.

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How to Write a Resume with AI That Gets You Noticed by Top Employers
The Ladders, May 30

In a competitive job market, standing out is more important than ever, especially for professionals aiming to land their dream jobs. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a resume can significantly enhance your chances of catching the attention of hiring managers and employers. Free AI resume builders are now widely available to help most job seekers quickly create professional resumes tailored to their needs. AI-powered resume builders can transform your job application, ensuring it perfectly aligns with your career goals.

Creating a resume with AI offers several advantages. In terms of boosting efficiency, an AI resume writer can help you create a resume quickly, often generating a professional document in just a few minutes, streamlining what was once a tedious process. In terms of accuracy, it can help you minimize errors and ensure consistency throughout your document for a professional presentation. In terms of personalization, a resume writer powered by AI can tailor your resume to your unique background, creating a resume that authentically reflects your unique skills and experiences. Advanced tools offer a wide selection of customizable templates, allowing you to design a resume that not only looks polished but also perfectly highlights your qualifications for any job.

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How to Use AI to Snag a Tech Job and What Not to Do
Computerworld, July 2

Many organizations have started using generative AI to screen hiring prospects, and some are even using the technology to interview job candidates. Many IT workers are understandably concerned that they may be vulnerable to having their jobs replaced by technology, and are turning to AI for a possible competitive advantage. In a recent survey, 35% of tech workers say the biggest challenge of job hunting is finding a role that matches their skills. Another 30% of those surveyed said they struggled with preparing for a job interview. In both cases, generative AI may be able to assist in finding and landing a tech job.

Using AI, you can craft an application that helps you stand out from the pack. Candidates can use these tools to catch spelling and grammar errors, identify industry-specific language and formatting, and help translate technical achievements into clear, impact-driven statements tailored to the role. When used thoughtfully, generative AI helps elevate your application without losing the authenticity of your experience. Generally speaking, people who find success from using generative AI in their job searches use it thoughtfully and strategically. At the outset of the process, AI can help streamline repetitive tasks, such as researching companies, narrowing their job searches, tailoring and customizing application materials, and optimizing professional social media accounts like LinkedIn. Candidates can leverage generative AI to identify companies that use specific tech stacks aligned with their skills and experience.

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Why AI Resumes Are Overwhelming Recruiters and Managers
Inc.com, June 28

While artificial intelligence might seem an effective way to connect job seekers and employers, the technology is actually making it harder to connect. This is true both for mid-career professionals, many of whom have been out of work for six months or longer, as well as recent college graduates. To beat the odds, a growing number of candidates are using AI to either tweak their resumes to include keywords from job listings or submit a resume to a wide array of postings on LinkedIn or other job boards on their behalf.

The number of applications submitted on LinkedIn has surged more than 45 percent in the past year. The AI-driven hiring arms race is proving to be overwhelming for recruiters and hiring managers looking to fill an opening. Some recruiters are seeing hundreds (and, in some cases, thousands) of resumes flood their inboxes, the majority of which are AI created and keyword stuffed. Many are nearly identical. And sifting through those to find actual candidates is a chore. Unfortunately, the process is just as frustrating for candidates. Relying on automation to create or send resumes can reduce their chances of getting a job, even if their qualifications are a perfect match. As a drop in the ocean of applications, they rarely hear back from prospective employers. And that could lead them to follow the same path, engaging ChatGPT or another chatbot to apply for them.

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How Can Vibe Coding Transform Programming Education?
C Blog@CACM, June 23

Educators are now contemplating a fundamental transformation in how they approach programming education and software development. Vibe coding tools and AI-powered no-code solutions, which enable users to create fully functional applications using natural language, represent a revolutionary shift. This is a shift from syntax-centric programming to conceptual, AI-assisted development that prioritizes computational and human thinking over memorization of the syntax of programming languages. This paradigm shift has profound implications for how educators teach computer science in general.

Traditional programming education has long given considerable attention to the need to master syntax. In other words, it emphasizes the precise rules and structures of programming languages. Students spend countless hours debugging semicolon placement, memorizing function signatures, and wrestling with compiler errors that often obscure the underlying logical problems they are trying to solve. General-purpose LLM-based tools, such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, and particularly vibe coding environments, significantly reduce this extraneous cognitive load by removing the burden of syntax, allowing students to express intentions in natural language. This cognitive offloading enables learners to redirect their attention toward germane cognitive load which, in the context of computer science education, is related to computational thinking. This helps when it comes to problem formulation, problem decomposition, abstraction, stepwise refinements, and algorithm design. This approach, which fosters both relevant products and computational high-level abstract thinking, supports advanced problem-solving context-based capabilities, while maintaining accessibility and motivation.

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The Ethical Implications of Online Computer Science Education
Communications of the ACM, June 27

In the ever-evolving world of technology, the influence of computer science on society is both profound and far-reaching. Once a niche field reserved for specialized researchers, computing has transformed into an essential discipline that shapes nearly every aspect of modern life. With the rise of online education and the growing accessibility of computer science degrees, we are entering an era when more people than ever can contribute to this transformative field. However, alongside these advancements come critical ethical questions that demand our attention.

As higher education costs continue to rise, many learners seek flexible, budget-friendly alternatives that still provide high-quality education. This is especially true for technical fields like computer science, where affordability and accessibility can make a significant difference. Over the past decade, one of the most significant shifts in education has been the proliferation of online learning platforms. The availability of affordable computer science degree online programs has democratized access to one of the most in-demand fields of study. As technology becomes more pervasive, the demand for skilled professionals who can understand and innovate responsibly has skyrocketed. Online programs have become a gateway for many to achieve this. Pursuing a computer science degree online enables students to continue working or managing other responsibilities while studying. Many of these programs provide flexible schedules, allowing learners to pace their education according to their needs without compromising quality.

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