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You're hiring for an entry-level role. It’s supposed to be someone’s first real step into not just your company or your industry, but maybe even the working world entirely. But somewhere between good intentions and HR templates, your job description has picked up three years of experience, a degree requirement and knowledge of niche and complicated tools the average person has never even heard of.
 
That’s not an entry-level job. That’s a junior hire disguised as one, and it’s turning great candidates away.
 
If you want to access better early-career talent in 2025, it starts with rethinking what “entry-level” actually means.
 
Do I Need to Include Degree Requirements on Job Descriptions?
In most cases: no.
 
Unless your industry is regulated (law, healthcare, engineering), requiring a degree by default is outdated and restrictive.
 
Here’s why dropping the degree requirement helps you hire better:
  • You widen your talent pool. Many capable, motivated candidates are self-taught, trained via bootcamps or upskilled through online courses. They just didn’t follow a traditional academic route. 
  • You reduce barriers to entry. Degree requirements disproportionately exclude candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and lower-socioeconomic communities - a fact which undermines diversity and inclusion goals. 
  • You focus on what actually matters. Most early-career roles don’t require deep theoretical knowledge, they require curiosity, communication, adaptability and a willingness to learn. 
Instead of asking “Do they have a degree?” ask: “Can they do this job and can they grow into it quickly with the right support?”
 
If the answer is yes, leave the degree off the job description.
 
Is It Worth Hiring Someone With No Formal Experience?
Yes. And in many cases, it’s your best move.
 
Too often, “no experience” is misread as “no ability.” But here’s what no formal experience really means: the person hasn’t yet been paid to do the job. It doesn’t mean they haven’t built skills in other ways.
 
Look for signs of:
  • Initiative: Have they created something, run a project, or taught themselves a new tool? 
  • Transferable skills: Retail, hospitality, caregiving, volunteering all build discipline, empathy, communication, and resilience. 
  • Coachability: Are they eager to grow, open to feedback, and curious about the role? 
The truth is, many first-time employees outperform more “experienced” candidates because they’re hungry, adaptable and not set in their ways.
 
If you're serious about hiring early-career talent, don’t screen for polish, screen for potential.
 
Rethinking the Role of Entry-Level Jobs
An entry-level job should be just that an entry point. But today, these roles are often bloated with expectations and disconnected from what early-career candidates can actually offer.
 
If your “entry-level” role requires:
  • Industry-specific tools
  • Prior office experience
  • A portfolio of case studies
  • Professional networks
  • Or a specific (or any) university background
…it’s not entry-level. It’s mid-level by another name.
 
Instead, create roles that allow someone to grow into the job. Offer training. Provide mentorship. Support their development, and you’ll build loyalty and long-term value.
 
You Don’t Need a Prodigy. You Need a Beginner.
We’ve glamorised high performers who can “hit the ground running.” But when it comes to early-career roles, what you really need is someone who’s ready to start running at all.
 
You need someone who wants to grow. Someone who will ask questions, challenge how you do things, and light up when they figure something out. Someone you can mentor, who will one day train the next hire.
 
That kind of growth doesn’t come from ticking boxes. It comes from creating space for people to step in and step up — without fear of not being “ready enough.”
 
Why Rethinking Entry-Level Roles Matters More Than Ever
In 2025, early-career hiring is more than a headcount exercise it’s truly a competitive advantage.
 
Companies that rethink entry-level job requirements will:
  • Attract more diverse, driven and creative candidates 
  • Build internal pipelines of talent they can shape from day one 
  • Reduce churn by giving new hires room to grow and a reason to stay 
  • Improve their employer brand by walking the talk on inclusion 
This isn’t just about being fair, it’s about being smart.
 
Entry-Level Is Not a Loophole
Entry-level roles should not be loopholes for cheap labour or padded out with impossible requirements. They should be a real chance and a starting point for someone who hasn’t had one yet.
 
So before you post that next “entry-level” role, ask yourself:
  • Am I hiring for potential or for polish? 
  • Do I want someone perfect on paper, or someone who’s ready to grow? 
  • Is my job description inclusive? 
Because the talent is out there. Hungry, curious, untapped.
 
You just have to make room for them.
 
Want help finding early-career talent with drive and potential, not just degrees and buzzwords?
 
At Day One, we connect companies with emerging talent who are ready to learn, grow, and make an impact from day one.
 

Ella Doyle
Post by Ella Doyle
7/16/25 1:30 PM