New grads say employers set the bar too high for entry-level roles

Key Points:

• Recent graduates like Rachel Grandis face significant challenges securing full-time jobs despite extensive related experience, as employers increasingly demand multiple years of prior work experience for entry-level roles.
• A Cengage report reveals that 77% of new grads believe employers expect too much experience for entry-level jobs, while 75% say there are too few truly entry-level opportunities available.
• Employers cite a skills gap, particularly in critical thinking, decision-making, and interpersonal abilities, and often expect new hires to be productive from day one without extensive training.
• The job market for young professionals remains tight, with entry-level hiring down significantly in key industries and many graduates feeling unprepared and underqualified for available roles.
• Experts suggest employers should collaborate more with educational institutions to provide relevant training and internships, while also adjusting expectations to better support new graduates entering the workforce.