Entry-level jobs are generally considered positions requiring little or no prior experience or skills. But job seekers on social media have long complained that job posting requirements are more ambitious.
“When you apply for an entry level marketing job and they ask for: 2+ years of experience, a degree, experiences in graphic design, SEO, copywriting and a viral TikTok account on top of that,” a offered one TikTok user as an example.
“Companies listing ‘Preferred Masters’ for entry-level office positions,” posted another.
There is truth in the meme.
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Nearly half (42%) of employees reported feeling excluded from job opportunities due to a lack of formal qualifications or experience, according to a 2023 report from TestGorilla. In a 2022 report from McKinsey & Company, the second most cited barrier to employment was lack of experience, relevant skills, degrees, or education.
“There has been a shift in recent years toward skills-based recruiting, with employers much more concerned about employees’ experience and skills than their degrees,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter.
This is reflected in hiring trends. Fewer than 61% of HR leaders said in 2023 that they were hiring for entry-level and less specialized roles, compared to 79% in 2022, according to a PwC survey.
One of the main obstacles at play is the lack of skills and training. But for many workers, getting on-the-job training is proving difficult.
Employers “don’t develop talent internally,” said Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “They are looking to hire people from the outside rather than promoting them from within.”
To gain skills, job seekers could enroll in one of the “cheap, affordable, convenient and accessible online training programs, many of which have a large practical component,” suggests Pollak. Self-employment, volunteering or internship experiences can also provide opportunities to gain qualifications and experience..
Watch the video above to learn more about why job requirements have become increasingly demanding and how to prepare for the job market.
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