If you’re starting to think seriously about life after graduation, the NACE Job Outlook 2026 Report has good news. Employers expect to bring on more new hires in 2026, and they’re prioritizing skills and experience over perfect grades. Here’s what that means for you.

GPA Matters Less Than You Think

Only 42% of employers plan to screen by GPA in 2026—down from 73% in 2019. Whether they check GPA or not, here’s what really matters:

Top factors for employers who don’t screen by GPA:

• Academic major (94%)
• Industry experience (81%)
• Internships in their industry (79%)
• Internship with their organization (74%)

Top factors for employers who do screen by GPA:

• Academic major (96%)
• Industry internships (87%)
• Industry experience and leadership roles (82% each)
• Extracurricular involvement (73%)

Takeaway: Internships and hands-on experience matter the most.

Show Your Skills, Don’t Just List Them

Nearly 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring. Here’s how to demonstrate what you can do:

1. Prepare for skills-based interviews (89%) – Use specific examples of your problem-solving.
   
2. Get hands-on experience during college (74%) – Internships, part-time jobs, on-campus work, project work, and volunteer experience all count.
   
3. Translate coursework into skills (61%) – “Developed data analysis skills” beats “Took Marketing 301.”
   
4. Reframe extracurriculars as experience (55%) – Club treasurer = budget management experience.
   
5. Create a skills-based resume (50%) – Focus on what you can do for the employer.
   

The Work Environment

Entry-level roles in 2026 will be 50% hybrid, 43% fully in-person, and 6% fully remote.

Takeaway: Remote roles are rare, so be prepared for in-person or hybrid work environments.

Don’t Panic About AI

61% of employers are not replacing entry-level jobs with AI, and only 14% are discussing it. A bigger trend is emerging: augmenting roles with AI rather than eliminating them. 26% of employers are actively exploring how AI can support entry-level work.

Takeaway: Learn to work with AI tools. The jobs aren’t disappearing—they’re evolving.

Your Action Plan

• Talk to someone and figure out a plan: Mohr Career Services is a great place to start! 

• Get experience: seek out part-time work, project-based work, or volunteer roles (ideally in your target industry) 

• Build a portfolio with concrete examples of your work

• Practice translating your experiences into skills-based language 

• Learn AI tools relevant to your field 

Takeaway: Employers care more about what you can do than your GPA. Get experience, demonstrate your skills clearly, and show up prepared to demonstrate your value.


Written by: Gene Rhee, with thanks to Drew Manley and Hailey Sandler for their input.