What Happened to the Entry-Level Job?

If you’ve been on a job board lately, you may have noticed an interesting and, for job-seekers, frustrating trend: entry-level jobs requiring several years of experience. Getting experience has always been a challenge for recent graduates, but it seems more difficult than ever to find a true entry-level position.

Why the mislabeling of jobs? Money is probably the main reason for the trend. If a job is classified as  “entry-level”, a company can try to justify paying less, no matter how much experience is required of candidates. Companies are also reluctant to spend time and money training new employees when they can leave at any minute, taking their knowledge and skills to competitors.

So how to recent graduates get experience in a world without entry-level opportunities? The best option is to get as much experience through internships as possible, because internships are the new entry-level jobs. Many companies hire interns, and internships can count towards experience when applying for a job. Although it’s better to get internship experience throughout college, it’s still not too late to apply for internships after graduation. Even experienced professionals are starting to use internships as a way to break into new industries.

For advice on getting your first job, read  Seven Simple Steps to Landing Your First Job .