Why do entry-level jobs require experience? What to do when they ask for it
Postings are written as wish lists, often copied from older templates, so an entry-level role may ask for years of experience it doesn't strictly need. Read the requirements, not the title: if you can show evidence for most of the must-haves through internships, projects, part-time work or coursework, apply. Skip it when a required license, degree or clearance is missing.
Why do entry-level jobs ask for experience?
- Templates: postings are often adapted from older ones for more senior roles, and the requirements come along.
- Wish lists: hiring managers describe an ideal candidate, knowing few applicants will match every line.
- Filters: a years-of-experience line cuts down applications, even when the team would hire a strong graduate.
- Mislabeling: some postings called entry level are really mid-level roles, and the requirements are the honest part.
Is the role really entry level?
Trust the requirements over the title. A posting that says entry level and asks for a year or two of experience, or experience including internships, is usually open to graduates. One that asks for five or more years, for managing a team, or for a professional license is not, whatever the title says. See how to read a job posting's level.
O*NET's job zones are a useful reference: they group occupations by how much preparation they typically need, from little or none to extensive.
What counts as experience when you're a student?
- Internships and co-ops, paid or unpaid.
- Part-time and summer jobs, especially where you used the skills the posting names.
- Projects: class, capstone, research, personal or open-source work with something to show.
- Leadership in clubs, teams and student organizations.
- Volunteering and freelance work.
Some employers count these toward a years-of-experience line and some don't. Postings rarely say which, and a recruiter will usually tell you if you ask.
Should you apply if you don't meet the experience requirement?
Usually yes, when you can show evidence for most of the must-haves and the gap is in years rather than in a skill or a credential. Write the resume so the evidence is easy to find: the posting's own words for skills you have, in bullets that show you using them. There is more on the decision in should I apply if I don't meet every requirement?
| The posting asks for | You have | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Two years of experience in data analysis | An analytics internship and two class projects in SQL | Apply, leading with the internship and the projects |
| Experience with Salesforce | Another CRM, used in a part-time job | Apply, naming the CRM you used and what you did with it |
| A CPA license | Not yet | Skip, or look for staff accountant roles that don't require one yet |
| Five years managing a team | Leadership of a student club | Skip: this is a senior role |
Where do you find roles that are truly entry level?
Search with the level in the query: new grad, entry level, junior or graduate. On Carir's job board, a level word you type is a must, so a search for new grad analyst keeps to early-career roles, and close calls are listed apart with what differs. Graduate and rotational programs at large employers are built for new graduates, and so are many roles with a trailing I in the title, such as Analyst I.
For the titles to search by kind of role, see where new grads are hired and the early careers guide.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine — Job Zones: How O*NET groups occupations by the preparation they need, from little or none to extensive.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: What each occupation typically requires to enter, what it pays and how it is expected to grow.
Questions people ask
Why do entry-level jobs require 3 to 5 years of experience?
Because postings are often adapted from templates for more senior roles, and because hiring managers describe an ideal candidate. Read the must-haves: if you can show most of them, apply.
Do internships count as experience?
Often, yes. Many employers count internships and co-ops toward experience, and some count substantial projects. Postings rarely say, so list them clearly with dates and ask the recruiter if it matters.
How much experience is entry level?
Usually none to two years. A posting that asks for three or more years, or for managing people, is rarely entry level, whatever its title says.
Which job titles are truly entry level?
Titles with new grad, graduate program, junior or a trailing I, such as Analyst I, and postings that say no experience required or experience including internships.
Try it on your own search
Carir finds the roles employers posted today, scores each one against your resume with the lines that earned it, and tailors without inventing experience. The free plan includes the job board and the tracker.