[00:02] job asking for 2 years of experience, three tools, and zero handholding. If that's entrylevel, then where exactly are you supposed to enter? In this video, I'll break down why entrylevel roles are rarely built
[00:17] for beginners, how companies offload training onto you, and what you can do if you're starting with zero experience. And let me just give a little disclaimer disclosure. I'm not advocating for this. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just
[00:32] telling you what I know. So, let's get started. If you're a new grad career changer or you're re-entering the workforce after a break, you don't need you're going to be learning today in this video. Why entry level doesn't mean
[00:47] beginner, where companies do still train, and how to get hired with no experience. The system is broken. Here's the illusion of entry-level roles. The the illusion of entry-level roles. The first shock most job seekers get. Entry
[01:00] level doesn't mean what you think. Entry level sounds like an invitation that it's your first professional step. But if you've looked closely at these listings, you've probably read that they require 1 to three years of experience,
[01:13] plus software fluency, industry familiarity, and ideally prior work results. But let's be real, what's labeled as entry level is anything but beginner friendly. A 2023 report by Talent Works found that over 60% of
[01:29] entry-level roles actually require prior professional experience. You're just being told, quote, just get your foot in the door. But even the door handle is out of reach unless you're already inside the building. Now, as a
[01:43] recruiter, I've seen this firsthand. These roles aren't built for learners. They're built for plug-andplay hires. The language is coded entry level, but it means that you're already trained. Now, this wasn't always the case. So,
[01:59] what changed? And why did companies stop training from within? Here's why companies don't train anyone anymore. This used to be different. So, what happened? For decades, companies grew talent internally with onboarding,
[02:13] shadowing, and mentorship. Those were not perks. They were part of the not perks. They were part of the process. But that changed fast. Between process. But that changed fast. Between 2016 and 2022, Deote found that learning
[02:26] and development budgets dropped by over 20% across major organizations. Internal development was replaced by external recruitment. Why train someone when you can hire someone who's already trained? The logic sounds simple, right? Training
[02:41] The logic sounds simple, right? Training takes time and time is expensive. So companies shifted the burden from themselves to employees. They still want skilled employees, but now they expect you to arrive trained, certified, and
[02:55] job ready. You pay for the learning upfront before you ever see a paycheck. This is why you feel stuck. You're not applying for a job. You're applying to recover an investment that you were forced to make a loan. It's not just a
[03:10] hiring shift. It's a systemic reframe because companies don't grow talent anymore. They outsource it. And not just at the entry level, at every experience level. When I became a people manager, I received zero training. They didn't even
[03:26] give me a book to read. I was promoted with no onboarding, only with the expectation to learn on my own, and on top of that, build out trainings for my employees that the company didn't provide. This creates a dangerous
[03:40] paradox because if experience is the price of entry, no one will give you that first chance. So, how do you ever break in? Here's the catch 22 of experience. And if you think applying anyway will work, it won't. One of the
[03:55] most common questions I hear is, "How do I get experience if no one will give me a chance and hire me?" That is the catch 22 of modern hiring, and it's the default setting for most companies. Over 47% of junior job postings use the
[04:10] phrase quote hit the ground running according to LinkedIn jobs insights. Translation: We don't have time or budget to train We don't have time or budget to train you. This hits hardest for three groups.
[04:23] New graduates with no internship experience, parents returning after a career break, and career changers who are trying to pivot into a new field. You're not underqualified. You're just invisible to a system that values proof
[04:37] over potential. And even when you try to create your own experience through volunteering, open source work, or side hustles, companies often ignore it because it wasn't done inside another company. So, you're told to build
[04:50] experience and then you're punished when you do it outside of the corporate pipeline. So, if entry-level jobs require experience and self-made experience doesn't count, what roles actually exist for people starting from
[05:03] scratch? These are the only real no experience jobs that are left. So, what jobs actually hire people with no experience? Very few jobs today are truly open to beginners, but they do exist. You just have to know what to
[05:17] look for. They're not labeled entry level. In fact, the term entry level refers to the entry into the corporate leveling ladder, which I talk about in my salary negotiation video. These jobs go by different names, often with
[05:32] clearer intent. Internships, still one of the most common on-ramps, especially for students and recent grads, but they're competitive and often unpaid or underpaid. And the experience doesn't count in the same way as full-time work
[05:46] expected to be held to the same standards as full-time employees because you're not subjected to performance reviews to determine if you're meeting your OKRs. These run throughout the year and can range from 3 to six month
[06:00] internships and most of them happen during the summer. Apprenticeships. Now, these are growing in fields like tech, finance, media, and blue collar fields. They combine paid work with structured learning and these are
[06:13] designed for non-traditional candidates or career switchers. So for example, when I worked in finance, I had this experience. Companies hire for apprenticeship programs. So you're being paid to study and learn so you can pass
[06:26] your licensing exams. Once you pass your exam, your pay goes up and you continue working as a full-time employee. Trainee programs. These don't require prior experience, but they do require learning agility. Think customer success
[06:41] associate or sales development rep. These are very similar to apprenticeship programs. Returns. These are built for people who are re-entering after a career break. Often targeting people who are caregivers, former entrepreneurs, or
[06:55] anyone with a resume gap. Companies like Google and Meta have return programs. feel free to subscribe. When you're looking for jobs on LinkedIn, type in up. You may be surprised by what you find. The through line, these roles
[07:12] aren't about having the full skill set upront. They're about potential, your potential, and they're designed to help you grow into the role. But don't expect them to say entry level. That's where people get tripped up, and rightly so.
[07:27] No one taught us in school about how working in corporate works. These programs are hidden in plain sight. and are often disguised by corporate jargon or buried deep in careers pages. So, you may be thinking, "What about freelance
[07:40] work or gigs? Doesn't that count as experience?" Let's talk about that because the answer isn't what you think. Here's why freelance and gig work don't translate. Freelancing isn't always your golden ticket. And here's why.
[07:53] Freelancing seems like a logical workaround. It's flexible, fast, and often the only way to build experience when you're shut out of traditional jobs. But here's the problem. Most companies still don't treat it as real
[08:07] experience. Why? Because freelancers are often seen as temporary, unstructured, and hard to manage. Hiring managers worry that you won't adapt to a full-time culture or that you chose freelancing because you couldn't land a
[08:21] corporate role. This is not fair. Freelancers do build real skills, execution, client management, problem solving, but companies default to familiar markers like logos, job titles, and full-timelines.
[08:36] If you've freelanced, there are workarounds, and you need to reposition yourself. And here's how you do that. Frame client work as outcomes, not tasks. Highlight measurable impact, not just deliverables. Use testimonials or
[08:50] LinkedIn endorsements to add external credibility. Have a portfolio of your work if you're in a visual field so people can see it. Don't just say you're a freelancer. Show what you did, who you
[09:02] helped, and what changed as a result of your work. And I've helped my through how to target their job search by helping them leaprog from freelancing work to work for companies. So, if gig
[09:14] work isn't enough and entry level is off the table, what should you actually apply for when you're starting from nothing? Here's what to apply for instead. Okay, now here's the good stuff. This is what you came for. So,
[09:27] what do you apply to when you're starting from scratch? Here's where most job seekers go wrong. They apply to more jobs instead of the right ones. The goal isn't to get lucky. It's to get your foot in the door. It's to decode the
[09:41] roles where companies still train and position yourself as coachable, not perfect. Here's where to focus. Associate or junior titles. These signal a level below specialist or manager. Roles like junior data analyst or
[09:56] marketing associate are more open to transferable skills. Trainee or rotational programs especially in tech, finance and logistics. These are built to onboard talent and grow you from inside the company. Customerf facing
[10:10] entry points. Support rep, client success, service coordinator. These roles teach you systems communication and product knowledge. their internal launchpads. Startups and early stage companies, startups care less about
[10:25] pedigree and more about proof. A personalized email with a project link beats a cold resume any day. And here's the reframe. You're not applying to be ready. You're applying to be trainable. Use your resume, your cover letter, and
[10:40] your LinkedIn to signal that. Show that you're resourceful, self-taught, and already learning on your own. Now, what if you're starting at absolutely nothing, like zero, negative scratch? That's exactly what I'm going to cover
[10:55] next. Here's what to do if you're starting from zero. And again, you don't have internships, no formal experience, no references. Most people stop there. But the issue isn't experience, it's evidence. And those are not the same
[11:09] thing. Recruiters are looking for proof of potential, not just job titles. Here's how to build that evidence fast. Volunteer strategically. So, pick roles that mirror real job functions. Managing a nonprofit event, that's project
[11:24] coordination. Use your volunteer story to write bullet points that match the If it looks like the job, it counts as experience. Build a personal project. Do you want to work in marketing? Run an Instagram campaign. UX? Redesign an app.
[11:40] Projects beat platitudes. And here's a bonus tip. Turn your project into a case study and publish it on LinkedIn. That one post can unlock recruiter DMs. Take
[11:52] a micro credential. Get a free Google certification or a 2-hour Corsera course that's related to the type of work you want to do. Anything that proves initiative and relevance and that you have a growth mindset. And don't just
[12:06] add it to your resume. Share what you've learned. Employers notice candidates that show their work, not just list it. And use LinkedIn as proof of work. Share what you're learning. Reflect on case
[12:19] studies. Document your progress publicly. Treat LinkedIn like your living resume. Every post is a signal. And it says, "Here's how I think. Here's what I know. And I want you to post before you're ready. You don't need to
[12:33] be finished. You need to be visible. Growth beats perfection. And remember, visibility is credibility. The more you show up, the more you get seen as someone who belongs. You're not faking
[12:48] experience. You're showing your learning. And in hiring, visibility is leverage. But here's the real shift, and it's not just what you do. It's how you start thinking about your career. That mindset is everything. And here's how
[13:04] you can reframe the game to stop waiting for permission. Here's the moment that changed everything for me. I had done everything right. Got my engineering everything right. Got my engineering degree, got a job, and still got laid
[13:17] off, unemployed, and invisible. And that's when I realized that hard work isn't enough. The system doesn't reward effort. It rewards positioning. Companies don't hire for potential anymore. They hire for proof. They hire
[13:34] people who they know are their people. And most job seekers are still waiting to be picked. And here's the truth. You don't get chosen, you get noticed. When I became a recruiter, I saw this close up. The people who got hired weren't
[13:49] always the best. They were just the most visible and aligned to what the hiring manager, the company, and the job needed. So, your job isn't to be needed. So, your job isn't to be perfect. It's to be obvious. Prove
[14:03] yourself enough. Just share enough to be undeniable. And remember, you are enough. And in today's market, potential only matters when it looks like value to them. So here's the bottom line. Companies don't build talent anymore.
[14:19] They buy it. If you're starting from zero, you're not just behind, you're invisible. Now you have a strategy. Search for associate, trainee, graduate roles, not entry level. Show proof, not perfection, through targeted projects,
[14:34] volunteering, or certifications. So, stop waiting to be picked and start positioning yourself to be obvious. What's the worst entry-level job listing you've ever seen? Drop it in the comments. I want to see receipts. And
[14:47] now I want you to check out this next video if you want to level up your job