Entry level, junior, associate, new grad: how to read a posting's level
Read the title first, then the requirements. Intern, co-op, new grad, entry level and junior mean early career. Associate and a trailing I usually do too, though some firms use associate as a rank above entry. Senior, staff, principal, lead and director do not. When the title and the experience line disagree, believe the requirements and decide from what you can show.
The level words, and what they usually mean
- Intern, internship, co-op, working student: a fixed-term student role.
- New grad, graduate, early career: built for people within about a year of finishing a degree.
- Entry level, junior: the first rung of a ladder, open to people without much experience in that exact job.
- Associate: often the first rung, as in Associate Product Manager; in consulting, law and some finance firms it is a rank above entry.
- A trailing I, as in Engineer I or Analyst I: the first rung of a numbered ladder; II and III are the next ones.
- Senior, staff, principal, lead, head, director: experienced roles, whatever else the posting says.
The words that mislead
Some level words change meaning with the field. Staff Accountant is usually an early accounting role, while Staff Engineer is a senior engineering rank. Chief of Staff is a role of its own, not a level. Lead can mean a team lead or simply the main person on a task. Read the requirements before you rule a posting in or out on one word.
Coordinator, assistant and specialist titles are often early-career roles that never say so. Search those without a level word and decide from the requirements.
When the title and the requirements disagree
An entry-level posting that asks for three to five years of experience is common. Usually the title is right about the pay band and the requirements describe an ideal hire. If you meet most of the core requirements, apply; if the years are the only gap and your internships or projects show the same work, say so plainly on your resume.
Some employers count internships, co-ops and substantial projects toward experience and some do not, and postings rarely say which. A recruiter will tell you if you ask.
How Carir reads a level
On Carir's job board a level word you type is a must. Search junior designer or entry level accountant and the results are early-career roles only: titles with the early-career words above, or postings the source itself marks as entry level. Senior, principal, director, head, vice president, chief and staff-as-a-rank titles are left out, and so are staff jobs that run an internship program.
The role words stretch to their field forms, so a search for product manager intern also finds a Product Management Intern, and data scientist finds data science roles.
Sources
- 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
Is an associate role entry level?
Often. Associate Product Manager and associate analyst roles are usually first jobs. In consulting, law and some finance firms, associate is a rank above entry, so check the requirements.
Can I apply to a junior role with no experience?
Yes, if you can show the core skills it asks for through internships, projects, coursework or other work. Junior roles are written for people early in that exact job.
What does Engineer II mean?
The second rung of a numbered ladder. Engineer I or Analyst I is usually the entry rung, and II and III follow as experience grows.
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.