Why inexperienced workers can't get entry-level jobs

A recent analysis of close to 4 million jobs posted on LinkedIn since late 2017 showed that 35% of postings for “entry-level” positions asked for years of prior relevant work experience.

That requirement was even more common in certain industries. More than 60% of listings for entry-level software and IT Services jobs, for instance, required three or more years of experience. In short, it seems entry-level jobs aren’t for people just entering the workforce at all. 

Internships are now the entry-level. An ever-growing internship market means more young people are fleshing out their resumes before they even leave university.

This fact impacts the entry-level job market on multiple fronts. 

• First, companies can save money by using interns to do that work without having to pay junior employees; the more interns a company has, the fewer entry-level jobs it’s likely to open.
• Second, because applicants with one or more internships on their resume aren’t tough to come by, those who don’t have internship experience are left out in the cold.