Early Careers Survey 2025

Prospects Luminate's Early Careers Survey 2025 reveals how AI is reshaping the career landscape for students and graduates, impacting everything from job applications to long-term career plans - plus much more besides

Early Careers Survey 2025 key findings

• 10% of respondents had already altered their career plans due to AI. Those who changed their plans because of AI were more likely to have felt uncertain about their careers (46%) compared with those who had not made changes (37%).
• 43% of graduates planned to leave their current employer.
• Nearly a fifth of respondents had used generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot for careers advice, with 84% rating them as 'very helpful' or 'helpful'.
• AI was widely used by candidates applying for jobs. Around 39% of applicants used AI to edit a CV or cover letter, 30% to write one from scratch, and 29% used it to prepare for or practice interviews.
• Using AI tools also saved candidates time, enabling them to apply for more jobs. A quarter said they had applied for as many roles as possible to improve their chances, with 27% of graduates submitting more than 50 applications.
• SMEs were the most popular employer size among respondents, with 75% expressing a preference for these organisations.
• Money continued to be a major concern this year for 46% of respondents. However, this time it was the third biggest challenge overall, behind 'Keeping motivated' and 'Balancing commitments'.

What's inside

The Early Careers Survey 2025 includes findings on:

• The biggest challenges of the past year
• Careers information, advice and guidance
• Work experience
• Career planning
• Jobs and apprenticeships
• Study plans and experience

About the Early Careers Survey 2025

Users of Prospects.ac.uk were surveyed between 9 January and 9 February 2025 to find out about their career plans and their experiences over the last 12 months.

The data presented in this report is based on the responses of 4,072 Prospects users, including school pupils, sixth form/college students, apprentices, university students, graduates, and those not in education, employment or training.

A breakdown of the respondents by characteristics including gender, ethnicity and disability is included in the full report.

You can read findings from the survey relating to potential postgraduate students here.

Previous editions of the Early Careers Survey

• Early Careers Survey 2024 (PDF, 3Mb)
• Early Careers Survey 2023 (PDF, 14Mb)
• Early Careers Survey 2022
• Early Careers Survey 2021 - part one, part two, part three