Much like millennials who graduated from college during the Great Recession, the 2021 class faces grim prospects in the labor market (it is still remarkably improved from last year’s COVID-affected market). At least that’s how they feel, so a new survey from educational technology and publisher Cengage.
About half of the respondents who tried to get their first job admitted that they were reluctant to apply for an entry-level position because they did not feel qualified. That anyone brand new to the workforce feels that their skills are not worthy of an entry-level job speaks in favor of an obvious disconnect between them and company expectations, in addition to the misconception the recent graduates have about their own ability to learn .
The survey itself also underscores a misunderstanding shared by both groups: We rarely, if ever, clearly define what a real entry-level job means.
What is an entry-level job?
If something is truly an entry-level model, a worker needs to have basic skills and an appetite to learn the ropes of their trade. A true entry-level job is for a graduate and shouldn’t require anything other than the basic skills that someone at the bottom of the company hierarchy needs.
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Why are they so hard to come by?
Entry-level jobs are usually just in name. Much of the time Companies disguise more demanding jobs in an “entry form” to attract more experienced and theoretically more capable candidates. It’s a way of paying people less to do more. This is a sneaky tactic to watch out for.
In addition, the labor market became increasingly competitive – at least until it was decimated by the pandemic. More graduates become job seekers every year, exacerbating the crisis of newcomers vying for the same positions. As a job resource page Indeed indicates that the subject begins and continues from college:
The class sizes are increasing steadily. Tuition fees share the same increase, but it doesn’t stop many high school graduates from entering college. Because of this significant increase, the main reason graduates struggle to find employment is because of sheer competition.
It’s a sad reality in today’s job market, but luckily, you will know when you encounter a real entry-level position.
Good companies promote professional development
A true entry-level job provides a path to a higher position, and the introductory nature of the job is evident in the job listing. Rather than leading the nature of an experienced worker’s job, you will be expected to do more than just lead, and you may be given more responsibility once you have shown yourself adept at some areas.
Most importantly, however, when you have a manager who is interested in mentoring, or at least recognizes that you intend to move up the ranks someday, you know that you are really in an entry-level position. Good mentoring is rare these days, but a good company will at least give its greener workers a semblance of career development.
Don’t let a “lack of skill” discourage you.
Unless you have attended vocational school or studied something highly relevant to a specific subject like computer programming or marine biology, you shouldn’t have to worry about missing the perfect résumé. The reason you don’t have certain skills is because you’ve never had a full-time job, which is nothing to despair.
No degree is worthless in the real world, despite the belief that only majors with immediate career prospects are worthwhile. The truth is, when you have the opportunity to develop your skills, you know you have reached a real entry-level position and therefore you should never be afraid to apply.
