Why are entry-level jobs not really entry-level?
Whoever thought getting a degree/diploma would be the simplest part of career building. My parents would always say to me son, work hard, get a degree then you can get a job. Then do whatever you want. They would say work hard now and you will play later. After university, everything will be better. Boy were they wrong. Job hunting is the worst of them all. Ok, we all have been job hunting before. Most of us are still looking for a job. The process is always the same. It begins with you looking for entry-level jobs.
You find the entry-level job you want on any job portal website of your choice. You read the job description, and everything is what you are looking for, but something does not seem right. Then you check the requirements for the job and yes there it is. They want a person with 3 years prior experience for an entry-level job. How does that even make sense? It seems as if you need work experience for you to start working, puzzling huh? let’s talk about that.
So, I know you have the same question as me that is, why? Why do recruiters require experience for an entry-level job? Well, the answer has something to do with the employer’s convenience rather than anything to do with the candidate. From the research, I did on the web, of course, there are two reasons why employers do that, that is, for cost reduction and for screening purposes, Let’s dig deep.
Screening purposes
Not to get you discouraged but for a single job there are thousands of applicants and almost all the applicants are good enough for the job. However, employers have to select one person for the job. The screening process which leads to the selection of that single candidate is cumbersome and too long.
What these recruiters do to shorten the screening process is they set high requirements for the job. Consequently, this helps them reduce the number of applicants thus shortening the screening process, brutal right? This process is not at all the best. However, they must do something in order to find the best candidate for the job in time and it is also in their right to want to do it efficiently also.
Cost reduction
This reason makes a lot of sense for the employer. You incur fewer costs if you employ a candidate who is experienced at the job and knows what they are doing on the get-go. Cost can be categorized in many forms mainly in monetary terms and time as well.
When a candidate has experience in their trade, they do not have to go under training. They also make fewer mistakes which will not be an additional cost to the company. In terms of time, we talk about how long it is going to take for the employer to start making money for the company. Experienced employees take a short time to start making a profit for the company hence they are much more preferable to inexperienced individuals.
How to solve the issue
Apply the 80% rule
So, the common question now is always, how does one get a job when they can’t fit the experience requirements? Are there no more jobs for fresh graduates? Well, you are asking the wrong question, the right question is what do I do then to get the job? Entry-level jobs are always there and applying for a position will always be hard.
Career coaches suggest the use of the 80% rule when conducting an application. This notion works on the basis of nobody being perfect. No one can meet all the requirements set by the recruiter. So, candidates should apply for a job if their skills and qualification meet 80% of the job requirements.
Applicants can also leverage the required experience by acquiring what is known as an “easy access experience”, gained from, internships, personal projects, professional courses, volunteering, and freelancing. Easy access experience is experience gained from different sources rather than from only the job you are applying for.
Easy access experience is ways you can gain experience quickly to put on your CV to meet the required qualifications
Standout CV
Do not lose heart
Ok, we have said a lot here, and it’s all a difficult pill to swallow. However, do not lose heart. Recruiters do this not as a strict rule but just for them to make their jobs easier when there are too many applicants. Also, there are plenty of ways you can leverage your skills and get that job you have been hunting for all this time. So, whenever you see a job description for a job you are sure you can do but requires many years of experience that you cannot provide. Do not be discouraged, apply for that job. Ultimately, a lack of required experience alone won’t make you lose the job.
