It’s not only internships that have replaced the entry-level job. Many of them have been eliminated over recent decades as tools and technologies are introduced to do the same work – without the paycheck.

What’s left at the “entry-level”, then, are often jobs that require more interpersonal communication, higher-level responsibilities or consumer-facing roles, which many companies are reluctant to trust to a newly-minted graduate.

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 ent...