Employer Expectations Are Reshaping Entry-Level Work

What’s a college graduate to do when “entry-level” job listings require two to five years of experience?

The 2026 Employability Report from educational technology company Cengage dug into this question and more. Among the most prominent stats and storylines:

52% of recent graduates reported degree-related jobs are extremely difficult to find.
75% of grads said there are too few opportunities for true entry-level jobs, and 64% said the qualifications in job postings exceed what should be expected.
53% of grads chose not to apply to entry-level jobs in their field because they felt underqualified, and 32% cited lack of work experience as the primary reason why.
72% of employers agreed that the pace of workforce change is making it difficult for higher-education institutions to keep workforce preparation programs up to date, and only 44% saw themselves as responsible for teaching job-specific skills.
41% of employers ranked job-specific skills and competencies as the most important qualifications for entry-level candidates, compared to only 16% that prioritized a degree.
37% of current college students are looking for more career preparation from their institutions, and 56% want greater access to internships, work-study programs and paid work experience.

“While a degree remains an important foundation, employers want evidence that graduates can apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings and contribute from day one,” said Kim Russell, Cengage’s senior vice president of research, user experience and design. “The challenge is that expectations for entry-level talent are evolving faster than opportunities for students to gain the practical experience and skills employers now require.”

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The True Meaning of ‘Career Ready’

Employers increasingly are looking beyond traditional credentials and degrees to assess candidate growth potential and understand what they can actually do, explained Sue Cantrell, a human capital eminence leader at consulting firm Deloitte.

Cantrell and fellow experts pointed to human skills (i.e., critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, emotional intelligence) as key.

“Candidates should be prepared to share specific examples of how they’ve solved problems, collaborated with others and learned new skills, demonstrating not just what they know today, but how they can continue to grow alongside the business,” she said.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is exacerbating this shift, added Tom McMullen, a senior client partner at consulting firm Korn Ferry (and a WorldatWork Compensation Immersion Program faculty member).

“AI is rapidly eliminating the value of routine, entry-level work while increasing the value of judgment, creativity and collaboration,” he said. “Employers increasingly expect graduates to know how to work with AI, not compete against it. The new baseline is AI literacy; the new premium is human capability.”

“Career readiness is a shared responsibility — not a product that universities deliver. If organizations expect graduates to arrive fully formed, they will lose the opportunity to shape the workforce they need.”
— Tom McMullen, senior client partner, Korn Ferry

Educators and Employers Must Step Up

The workplace keeps changing the rules, said Angela Berg, a vice president and the talent, culture and change consulting leader at advisory firm Alliant Human Capital.

“An employee may need to work independently in a remote setting one day and build relationships in person the next,” she said. “Younger workers are asked to use AI to be more efficient, but they are also supposed to know when its output needs to be questioned or when they need to do the thinking themselves. New hires need to show initiative, but they are also supposed to know when to stop and ask for guidance. That’s a lot to navigate when you’re new to work.”

The experts agreed that the responsibility to figure it all out can’t just fall to the student.

“College is a space to explore options, start to understand the choices you have, get a sense of who you are, where you need to develop,” said Niesha Taylor, the director of career readiness at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which serves the professionals who develop and employ college students and graduates. “These institutions have an obligation to help students do that prep work — learn how to connect networks, do mock interviews, meet employers.”

Higher-ed outlets must reposition where career expertise comes into play, and embed career relevance directly into the curriculum, she said.

“Think experiential learning, project-based learning, research work — not just internships,” Taylor said. “While internships are great, there currently aren’t enough to go around.”

According to McMullen, universities must stop treating career readiness as a separate service and start embedding it into every academic program.

“Every student should graduate with real-world experience, evidence of skills and the ability to explain the value they bring,” he said.

At the same time, McMullen stated that too many employers complain about talent readiness while underinvesting in talent development.

“Career readiness is a shared responsibility — not a product that universities deliver,” he said. “If organizations expect graduates to arrive fully formed, they will lose the opportunity to shape the workforce they need.”

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