Lots of “entry-level” jobs require applicants to have significant prior experience. This seems like a catch-22: if entry-level positions require experience, how are you supposed to get the experience in the first place? Needless to say, this can be frustrating. But we don’t think this is (quite) as paradoxical as it sounds, for two main reasons.
1: Listed requirements usually aren’t as rigid as they seem.
Employers usually expect that candidates won’t meet all of the “essential” criteria. These are often more of a wish list than an exhaustive list of strict requirements. Because of this, you shouldn’t necessarily count yourself out because you fall a little short on the listed experience requirements. Orgs within EA are much better at communicating this explicitly, but it should be taken as a rule of thumb outside of EA as well. You should still think strategically about which roles you apply for, but this is something to factor in.
2: You can develop experience outside of conventional jobs.
For a hiring manager, length of experience is a useful heuristic. It tells them you’ve probably picked up the skills needed for the role. But if you can show that you have these skills through other means, the exact amount of experience you have becomes far less important. A few of the best ways to do this:
Internships and fellowships. These are designed for people entering new fields and signal to employers that someone has already vetted you. They’re often competitive, but usually don’t require previous experience.
Volunteering. Organizations usually have lower bars for volunteers than paid positions, making this a more accessible option (usually). Look for advertised volunteering opportunities at orgs you’re interested in, or reach out to them directly.
Independent projects. Use your spare time to make something tangible you can show potential employers, like an app, portfolio, research paper, blog, or running an event. Obviously the most useful projects will vary by profession, but whatever you do, try and make it look professional–close to something you’d do in a “real” role.
Courses and qualifications. Taking some online courses can fill gaps in your knowledge and demonstrate some investment in the career path, especially if there are well-regarded professional certifications in your field (though perhaps less relevant for EA roles). Employers also often interpret graduate degrees as relevant experience, and if you’ve done any relevant coursework in your undergraduate degree, you can bring this up too.
Also: don’t neglect networking. If somebody at a hiring org knows you personally, they can be more willing to look past ways in which your CV might diverge from their listed requirements.
If you want to learn more about specific strategies and see a practical example of how to interpret job requirements, you can read our full guide on building experience through non-traditional jobs.
Anecdotally, it seems like many employers have become more selective about qualifications, particularly in tech where the market got really competitive in 2024 - junior engineers were suddenly competing with laid-off senior engineers and FAANG bros.
Also, per their FAQ, Capital One has a policy not to select candidates who don’t meet the basic qualifications for a role. One Reddit thread says this is also true for government contractors. Obviously this may vary among employers—is there any empirical evidence on how often candidates get hired without meeting 100% of qualifications, especially since 2024?
Lots of “entry-level” jobs require applicants to have significant prior experience. This seems like a catch-22: if entry-level positions require experience, how are you supposed to get the experience in the first place? Needless to say, this can be frustrating. But we don’t think this is (quite) as paradoxical as it sounds, for two main reasons.
1: Listed requirements usually aren’t as rigid as they seem.
Employers usually expect that candidates won’t meet all of the “essential” criteria. These are often more of a wish list than an exhaustive list of strict requirements. Because of this, you shouldn’t necessarily count yourself out because you fall a little short on the listed experience requirements. Orgs within EA are much better at communicating this explicitly, but it should be taken as a rule of thumb outside of EA as well. You should still think strategically about which roles you apply for, but this is something to factor in.
2: You can develop experience outside of conventional jobs.
For a hiring manager, length of experience is a useful heuristic. It tells them you’ve probably picked up the skills needed for the role. But if you can show that you have these skills through other means, the exact amount of experience you have becomes far less important. A few of the best ways to do this:
Internships and fellowships. These are designed for people entering new fields and signal to employers that someone has already vetted you. They’re often competitive, but usually don’t require previous experience.
Volunteering. Organizations usually have lower bars for volunteers than paid positions, making this a more accessible option (usually). Look for advertised volunteering opportunities at orgs you’re interested in, or reach out to them directly.
Independent projects. Use your spare time to make something tangible you can show potential employers, like an app, portfolio, research paper, blog, or running an event. Obviously the most useful projects will vary by profession, but whatever you do, try and make it look professional–close to something you’d do in a “real” role.
Courses and qualifications. Taking some online courses can fill gaps in your knowledge and demonstrate some investment in the career path, especially if there are well-regarded professional certifications in your field (though perhaps less relevant for EA roles). Employers also often interpret graduate degrees as relevant experience, and if you’ve done any relevant coursework in your undergraduate degree, you can bring this up too.
Also: don’t neglect networking. If somebody at a hiring org knows you personally, they can be more willing to look past ways in which your CV might diverge from their listed requirements.
If you want to learn more about specific strategies and see a practical example of how to interpret job requirements, you can read our full guide on building experience through non-traditional jobs.
Anecdotally, it seems like many employers have become more selective about qualifications, particularly in tech where the market got really competitive in 2024 - junior engineers were suddenly competing with laid-off senior engineers and FAANG bros.
Also, per their FAQ, Capital One has a policy not to select candidates who don’t meet the basic qualifications for a role. One Reddit thread says this is also true for government contractors. Obviously this may vary among employers—is there any empirical evidence on how often candidates get hired without meeting 100% of qualifications, especially since 2024?