She didn’t take time off after graduation!

Why entry level jobs are so important

The topic of entry-level jobs has come up with several friends who are graduating from college. These recent graduates want to take a year off to travel, “find themselves,” or “start a business.” The thought is that, given the tough job market, these graduates might as well pursue something other than employment. I always cringe when I hear this. Someone paid for that college education, and it must be tough not to worry about getting a return on investment (ROI) on that four-year investment. 

Entry-level jobs are often considered among the most challenging to break into.  I disagree. I think entry-level jobs are the easiest to land because employers know they are looking for someone with little to no experience. What employers want when filling an entry level job is the right attitude. What kind of experience can an employer expect when the candidate has just graduated? Hiring companies give the most leeway when hiring for an entry level job because there is no interviewing experience. This may sound harsh, but many candidates don’t know how to go about their entry level job search.     

It’s a gamble

Hiring companies are taking a chance on recent graduates with no experience when hiring for an entry level job. Usually, the only data points available to inform a hiring decision are the grade point average and the attitude evident during the interview. Prior behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. Grades indicate prior behavior.  With no immediate real-world experience after graduation, hiring decisions for these entry-level jobs will largely be based on grades, the school where those grades were earned, and in-person interviews.  

Here’s why I dislike hearing about college graduates putting off their job search.  The first few years out of school are the formative years of your career, as well as the time when you will build a strong foundation for your future salary. Landing that entry level job as soon as possible after graduation (or before) is important because this position will set you up for the rest of your career. Landing a job unrelated to your chosen field or with a lower-than-average salary will impact your subsequent positions and wages.  Put that job off one year, and you start the career chapter of your life behind the competition. 

Compounding a 401K

Think of your entry-level salary right out of school as you would of the early contributions you make to your 401(k). These early contributions will compound over time and can make a significant difference later in life. Start your 401 (k) late by 10 years, or even 5 years, and you feel it toward the end of your career. 

A job looking for 1 or 2 years of experience may be willing to pay $45K a year, but if you were making $15.00 or 17.00 an hour (approximately $30K – $35K a year) at your previous job, don’t expect to get bumped up to $45K. Expect to start at $30,000 or $35,000 and work your way up to the prevailing rate. I am not saying it is fair, it is human nature. Hiring managers are hesitant to jump a salary this much.  

I believe it is in the best interest of a recent graduate to do everything possible to secure a job that leverages their chosen degree. If nothing else, establish a path for salary trajectory. A college degree and 1-3 years of corporate experience will provide you with an extra spring to your career launching pad. 

Dog years

Solid work experience can help you secure your next position or promotion.  Those who put off their careers are only playing catch-up with their peers. More importantly, you will have gained a deeper understanding of yourself and the workings of corporate life.  These are maturing years, and I (almost) consider them DOG years.  In these early years, 1 year equals 7 years of future career experience. 

You will have the opportunity (I am not saying you will, or that it is guaranteed) to mature more in the first 5–7 years of your career than you will later in your career.  You may move from Director to VP later in your career, but I would argue that your corporate maturity will remain relatively flat at that point.  

Don’t put off the entry level job 

If you take a break, travel, or start your own business for a few years right after school, this time off can be hard to overcome financially. At 25 years old, your most important accomplishment is a college education. This will put you at a disadvantage compared to others who are searching for entry-level positions at 21 or 22.  You are competing with candidates for entry-level jobs who will have limited or no real-world job experience. When given the choice of someone right out of school or someone who took a break with little to show, my bet is on the recent graduate. 

Those first few years are critical to employers because they assume that many corporate values will not require extensive training. With 2 years of experience, you may need training on the specific responsibilities of the job. 

Much less training required

• How to manage your inbox
• Email Etiquette
• How to go through a 90-day, 6-month, and 1-year review. 
• How to dress and behave in a 9-5 job.
• What SMART Goals, OKR, or MBOs are.  You may not understand all three, but you get the idea.
• Etc.    

Your first relationship

Think of your early relationships with a significant other when you were back in high school.  I am confident this is more pronounced for women because guys mature later.  Let’s say Betty Sue is hanging out with Joey, and this is Joey’s first relationship.  Betty Sue needs to train Joey and explain what it means to be a good boyfriend.  There are advantages to being “the first” if you are into that sort of thing.

There can also be a lot of headaches when dating someone who has never been in a relationship. Joey learns a great deal by hanging out with Betty Sue. When the two break up, the next girl Joey meets reaps all the benefits of Betty Sue’s training. Joey hasn’t learned everything about relationships, but he is a lot better off than before, Betty Sue.  

And the guy hanging out with Betty Sue next will reap all her relationship frustrations.  He is the one who needs to deal with all of Betty Sue’s baggage because Joey didn’t know WTF he was doing.  Please, no jokes about HR being the place where bitter Betty Sue’s (or Joey’s) go to work.  

You have some initial training

There are advantages to being with someone who has been in a few relationships, and one of them is that they have been “trained up.” 

This is why you will see many job descriptions seeking 1 to 2 years of experience.  With one to two years of real-world experience, there is a lot less drama and training involved. 

We can all argue that a 25-year-old candidate is more mature than someone 21 or 22. Employers are looking for an entry-level candidate whom they fully expect to train. Companies are not currently seeking specific skills. We are seeking a “go-getter” or an ambitious attitude, which will be determined by the resume. A one or two-year gap won’t be the reflection of a “go-getter.”  

If you work after graduation for a few years, it will be assumed that you have more “corporate maturity” than someone who hasn’t worked that entry-level job for a few years. 

So, don’t give up on your career before you conduct a methodical job search.  Entry-level jobs can be among the easiest to secure. 

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

If you feel this post is valuable, please subscribe here. I promise no spam,

Thank you!