Getting Hired in the AI Era: What Employers Really Want

Author : 

Mission Ready

AI is changing the hiring game. That’s why we brought together recruiters, tech educators, and career shifters for a live conversation about what it takes to stand out—and get hired—in this new era.

The consensus? Employers are no longer just looking for technical credentials. They’re hiring for mindset. The traits that make you stand out:

  • Curiosity – A hunger to learn, explore tools, and ask smart questions.
  • Adaptability – The ability to pivot and stay relevant as technologies evolve.
  • Capability – Evidence that you can apply what you know and deliver real outcomes.

This isn’t just theory. It came straight from the agencies and recruiters who joined us. And they’re the same people who help place candidates in real jobs across tech, product, data, and design.

What We Heard (and What You Asked)

The Q&A was packed with practical, honest questions—from “Do I need my own laptop?” to “How do I prove I’m AI-ready if I’m changing careers?” We’ve turned the best questions (and most helpful answers) into a live FAQ.

Read the Tech Careers in AI-era FAQ

What This Means for You

AI is now being baked into how teams operate, from day-to-day productivity to long-term strategy. But being AI-ready doesn’t mean you need to be a coder or data scientist. It means knowing how to work alongside AI tools, solve problems, and keep learning.

The job market is shifting fast:

  • Data & AI roles surged 41% year-on-year (Potentia)
  • Full-stack roles with AI expectations grew 32%
  • Generic front-end ads are down 18% in NZ, while AI-savvy UX and product roles are on the rise

What does that tell us? It’s not just about knowing a tool — it’s about knowing how to apply it in a real-world product or data context. Hybrid data-product skills are where the demand is heading.

Hiring is also becoming more inclusive:

  • 46% of NZ CIOs have hired non-traditional entrants
  • 60% of hiring managers accept micro-credentials and project-based evidence

That means your background doesn’t need to be conventional. What matters is what you can show. More than ever, employers are choosing portfolios over PDFs—whether it’s GitHub repos, dashboards or Figma prototypes.

You can watch the full session

Mission Ready: Building the Signals Employers Trust

At Mission Ready, we design training with input from the same employers who joined our panel. That means our accelerators, micro-credentials and work experience tracks aren’t about theory—they’re built to help you show curiosity, demonstrate capability, and adapt to whatever comes next.

Our capstones don’t just build your portfolio—they build your network. Internal referrals remain the single most powerful way to get hired, and our mentored experience gives you both.

We also help you tailor AI-assisted job applications with a human voice—one that reflects your real strengths and goals.

Start Here

If you’re thinking about how to stay relevant in an AI-driven job market — or break into it for the first time — start a conversation with our Mission Advisors.

We’ll help you get match-fit for the job market, backed by real experience and the support of people who’ve done it before.

Let’s build the skills employers are actually hiring for.