As a computer science grad, she was promised stability. Then AI arrived.

Kiran Maya Sheikh graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a strong GPA and expected a straightforward path into software engineering — the sort of stability that could lead to a high‑paying job and career growth. She loved her first coding class and imagined starting in an entry‑level role and moving up into more strategic or management work.

Late in 2022, when ChatGPT launched, she was skeptical at first but soon found the tool useful for learning and completing assignments. The situation changed after June 2025, when her search for a first full‑time job made clear that the market had shifted. Resumes flooded hiring channels, internships were harder to find, and many openings seemed to favor mid‑level candidates rather than new graduates.

That dynamic left new entrants competing not only with each other but also with AI tools taking over tasks traditionally given to junior engineers. The experience has tested her confidence, but she has tried to respond proactively.

United States, Irvine, California

chatgpt, ai tools, software engineering, entry level, mid level, internships, resumes, uc irvine, job market, junior engineers