We need to talk about how we define “entry level.”

Too often, we see employers advertise positions as entry level but then require job experience. SHRM cited a study that found 61% of jobs advertised as entry level require more than three years of experience.

That’s not entry level, and it shapes who applies, who gets screened out, and how quickly organizations can build strong talent pipelines. In my work with undergraduate business students at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, one of the biggest barriers I see for getting a job isn’t lack of motivation, experience or education. It’s a job that advertises itself as “entry level” while requiring more than one year of experience.

That single line may look harmless, but in practice, it creates confusion, discourages qualified applicants, and wastes time for candidates and employers.

What employers mean when they’re looking for candidates with experience is “early career,” not “entry level.” The two terms are not interchangeable, and when we treat them as if they are, we remove the first rung of the career ladder, a rung that is imperative in this competitive employment climate.

Requiring even one year of experience can be limiting for new grads. Too often, employers discount experience that students gain from part-time work, student group leadership, or case study competitions. The editor of a student newspaper, for instance, is learning about project management and deadlines on the job, as is the data analyst intern at a global health insurance company. That should be considered experience.

Students aren’t sure what to do when they see a job listing that requires experience, not knowing if what they learned in a student group, class project, or internship will qualify. Oftentimes, the discouraged or confused candidate doesn’t even apply, or the employer isn’t quantifying those as experience. Either way, employers lose smart and motivated candidates.

In a challenging hiring climate like the one we’re now in, employers would be smart to distinguish between a true entry-level job and an early-career job. We need definitions to make the differences explicit. For instance, an entry-level job should be the first professional role following graduation, with student activity and internship experience counting as work experience.

Positions that require a year or more of professional experience after graduation would be defined as early career.

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