New Grads Say Employers Set the Bar Too High for Entry-Level Roles

2026 is a tough time to be job-searching, and that’s especially true for new grads. According to a recent study by Cengage, “77% of grads believe businesses are calling for too much experience for entry-level jobs, while 75% believe there are too few truly entry-level opportunities.” Employers, on the other hand, are looking for new employees who are ready to deliver results on day one, and “don’t have the patience anymore to train somebody in the basic skills that they might have had 10 years ago or even five years ago.” And while the responsibility to get career ready falls mostly on the individual, it behooves both universities and employers themselves to provide the experience needed for these young professionals to prepare to enter the workforce. Read more on the study’s findings here.