Your take on requirements for entry level jobs

[Ave07]

It's not a entry level position when the requirement is a paragraph long with a 5-10 year work experience requirement.

[Deleted]

Is it a American thing to have 3 years of irrelevant work experience to work for a chain like McDonald's?

[PosPosPos]

Entry level just means that it's bottom tier for a given company, department or type of job IE a specific trade. My trade, for example, has some entry level stuff for fiber optic cabling, but companies generally won't let you get into that without a basic understanding of the copper side of things first since those principals carry over as light instead of a tone.

Most people misuse the phrase "Entry Level" when they mean to say "No Skill" or "Green (Horn)".

As always when it comes to working for someone else: You're only worth what you can negotiate.

At least until you wake up to reality and realize is nobody is indispensable in this day and age and even high level jobs like scientists can be replaced in a blink of an eye so it turns out that employers just underpay everyone except their elites anyway.

[rayden54]

That happens a lot around here. Ironically they really are looking for entry-level employees. I've seen them talking to the professors, "Why are none of your students applying for our jobs? We can't fill our positions." Well, duh, they're seeing that you want three years experience and not applying. Hell, they want current students to apply.

That said, those same companies would much rather hire the guy with 30 years experience to any of the recent grads. If one of them applies for the same job as you, you're not getting it.

[PACOX]

Entry-level isn't entry-level if they aren't willing to train you. The 3-5 year requirements are BS. Then again you probably dont want to work with an HR department/manager/company thats wants to pay entry level wages but not invest in talent. They are the same companies (and this is probably part of their game to hire H1B visa holders for less) that say they can't find qualified candidates. Maybe because you want to pay a grad $12/hr, have 5 years corporate experiences, and 3 certs (I've seen job posts like this)?

[Mafic]

A company that has high requirements for entry level is not a good sign.

True, it is can be a filter for good candidates. But good candidates also avoid applying for entry level positions with high requirements because the pay will not be good. In my opinion, if you are looking for an entry level position, ignore the requirements and apply.

If you are established in your career field avoid jobs that advertise their jobs like this like the plague.

[zhero]

Entry Level doesn't mean "No training", that's a common misconception.

If a Company's "Entry level" is 3 years of experience, that just means their base pre-requisite is 3 years of Experience thus having that would mean you pass their Entry level requirements.

Being a WoW-related Website allow me to explain it in WoW Terms. If a Guild wants to recruit people for Heroic Antorus and it has an recommended Entry level of 940 ilvl. Then if you are below 940 ilvl you aren't in their "Entry Level" requirements.

being a real world application, entry level are positions where you would expect to start in that field. entry level raiding positions are casual raiding guilds with loose and social raiding activities, a heroic or mythic raiding guild shouldn't be calling any of their openings entry level

[PACOX]

That happens a lot around here. Ironically they really are looking for entry-level employees. I've seen them talking to the professors, "Why are none of your students applying for our jobs? We can't fill our positions." Well, duh, they're seeing that you want three years experience and not applying. Hell, they want current students to apply.

That said, those same companies would much rather hire the guy with 30 years experience to any of the recent grads. If one of them applies for the same job as you, you're not getting it.

They could get that student for a lot less and perhaps a future loyal skilled employee in due time if they just invest in the student. A couple of $300 courses/certifications (just using IT as an example) for $40-$50k is a lot cheaper than paying the guy with 30 years experience $60=$70k.

[Mafic]

Plus, I have seen people hired for a position that don't meet the requirements at all because they interviewed really well. Interviewing well > requirements/experience/training/specific degree.

This is the biggest pitfall of high school and university...they don't put enough emphasis on the job search and interview process. Too much emphasis on filling out pre requisites that a state or uni requires and these classes don't help with your major or even your job search/interview skills.

[Auxora]

These things tend to balance themselves out in the marketplace. If they are asking for 3 years experience, then it likely means that at least for that specific position they are generally getting applicants with those credentials to the extent that they feel comfortable setting that bar as the minimum. Companies are smart enough that if they set the bar and get no applicants they'll lower it.

You see those higher requirements more for certain jobs in retail where they are honestly a bit too picky, or entry-level jobs where there is good opportunity to move up. But you don't see it really so much in fast food like McDonald's where they are happy if you are a breathing body willing to work.

[Ave07]

Is it a American thing to have 3 years of irrelevant work experience to work for a chain like McDonald's?

Sure if you want to be a manager at a McDonalds.

[Wyrt]

They want to pay you entry level pay without having to train you or you doing entry level quality work.

[Independent voter]

I would apply for the job even if I didn't have the required experience. I've always looked at job hunting like it's gambling and I have a 1 out of 20 chance of winning, the more you try the better odds you have.

[Knaar]

That remind me of a job listed for the local public library of my town.

The job was the most basic of basic thing to do, the kind of job you give to a 16 years old during summer.
It was to receive daily mail, including all the news papers and magazines, to enter them in the system with a simple scanning device that would print a label to stick on them and replace the old issues by the new ones.

For that job, they were asking to have a specific degree that usually takes about 3 years to get and ofcourse a bunch of years of experience. Just to sort mail.... They dont understand why they couldnt find someone to fill the job :')

[Pickynerd]

The industry as a whole has gotten so used to exploiting the weak economy, and getting over qualified, underpaid workers.

It all depends on location too.

Say it is extremely expensive where you live, Entry level means (3+ years experience), or like in OH/MI/IN where there is a drug problem, Entry level means "Can you fucking pass a drug test? Do you have a vehicle? We Will Train you TODAY!"

Overall most places want 1 person to do 3 jobs, and use a laundry list that no longer makes it entry level - stay away from those places.

[Vago]

Here’s the truth most hiring personnel have no idea what so ever. If they like you best they’ll hire you as long as you check out which has zero to do with them, if you pass then you get hired.

Never agree with this person on anything they say but this is truth. Most postings you see are filled in and posted by HR departments that really have no idea what the position really requires. they just post a "standard description". It weeds out the people that aren't willing to take a chance because they don't meet ALL the requirements. Once you get in the door, it really doesn't matter what your skill set is, if they like you as a person and they feel you are worth training and would make a valuable asset to the organization; you will be hired.

[Khaza-R]

Job requirements list the ideal or perfect candidate. Most recruiters know the perfect candidate doesn’t exist so they usually look for someone who meets at least a percentage of the criteria. I’ve been told as long as you meet 60% of the job requirements (barring licensing, technical skills, permits, etc) that you should be okay to apply and are qualified for the job.

So basically, your friend is right. The bar is set high intentionally to filter out low quality candidates