College graduates enter a job market this year that is more resilient in public relations than in most fields, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics rankings, but only for graduates who adapt fast to how AI has reshaped the profession. I remember graduating college in May 1995 with no clue what profession I wanted. Complete with my B.A., I worked at my local pizzeria, as I had since age 12, while I figured it out.

What Got Me From a Pizzeria to a PR Firm?

Delivering pizza lasted a little over a year, and then I went to an MBA program in Israel, which I dropped out of after less than a week. I ended up working in politics in Israel, loved it, and stumbled into a PR job. At 25, I returned to New York and took my first job at a PR agency. A few years later, this public-school-educated kid from the Bronx started his own business, which has grown into 5W, now approaching 25 years old and one of the world's largest independent PR firms. 5W recently moved its headquarters to Florida, the fastest-growing state in the country.

What Does the Job Market Actually Look Like for the Class of 2027?

The Class of 2027 is entering a market where entry-level hiring has tightened across most white-collar fields, and where AI tools have already absorbed a meaningful share of the tasks junior employees used to learn on the job. That doesn't mean the opportunity disappeared. It means the graduates who get hired are the ones who can demonstrate judgment an AI tool can't replicate: knowing which client relationship needs a phone call instead of an email, knowing which pitch angle a specific reporter will actually take, knowing when a data point is wrong before it goes out under the company's name. Employers are not looking for graduates who can operate the tools. They're looking for graduates who know when not to trust them.

What Job Tips Matter Most for the Class of 2027?

These are the reflections I'd give any new graduate entering the job market today, whatever field they choose.

  • Do it your way. Everyone has their own path to success, so find yours and follow it. It could be that you'd be happy as a solopreneur, yes, that's a thing. One of the reasons I started my own business was that I hated wearing ties, something as petty as that mattered to me. Within a decade of starting my agency, I was named an Ernst & Young Semi-Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year, and my company was named to the Inc. 500 list.
  • Give a damn. Passion matters, so care about your work and your chosen profession.
  • Focus on winning and the path to get there, not the obstacles or mistakes along the way. Think big and make it happen instead of being afraid.
  • Set goals and stop to reflect on your daily, weekly, and monthly progress.
  • Identify where a business can improve. Large overhead costs can hold a company back, and something as simple as renegotiating a vendor contract can save real money.
  • We have two ears and one mouth for a reason, so learn to listen.
  • Live an ethical, balanced life with honor, integrity, and laughter. This pays big dividends in business and in life.
  • Read constantly: books, news, industry newsletters, anything you can consume. It teaches you more about your business than school did, and no one will ever ask you your GPA again.
  • Seek evolution rather than revolution, even when you're young and think you can do everything. Two steps forward and one step back beats four steps forward followed by a fall you can't recover from. Starting a business isn't only for the young either; plenty of people start something new later in life, often with great success.
  • Your only limits are the ones you set for yourself.
  • Work hard, really hard. The harder I work, the luckier I seem to become.

What Should New Grads Actually Be Grateful For?

Every milestone deserves real celebration, not just the big ones. The first client, the first office space, the first hire, and the first piece of client feedback all mattered as much at the time as anything that came after. Gratitude for what you've already built creates the focus that lets you keep building. Act as if you've already reached the success you're working toward, and the work itself starts to look different.

My Mom, Penny Waga, used to always tell me, "try to make the most of it and see that it's all really worth it." Nothing better than that.

Ronn Torossian is founder and chairman of 5W AI Communications, the AI Communications Firm, approaching its 25th year as one of the world's largest independent PR firms, now headquartered in Florida. He is the author of "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations."