Studying for years at university can give you a degree, but it does not always give you the experience employers want.
Graduates entering the workforce and finding a first job in their chosen field can be extremely difficult.
Entry-level positions are supposed to provide a starting point, yet previous professional experience still influences who gets hired.
Research from Jobs and Skills Australia found around one in three employers hired an experienced candidate for an entry level position, despite the vacancy being open to people without previous experience.
While most graduates move into employment, the figures do not show how difficult securing that first opportunity can be.
For Caitlin Palmer, the search has involved more than 100 applications and no interviews.
Caitlin has spent three and a half years completing a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in management and specialising in digital and social media and public relations.
She expected her degree, previous work experience and strong university results to help her enter the industry.
“I didn’t expect finding a job to be so difficult,” Caitlin said.
“I figured that I had previous work experience, and I excelled at university, so I thought that would help me, but I was wrong.”
Caitlin has worked in the same job since she was 17, but the role is outside the industry she wants to enter. She said the experience has changed how she views the value of a university degree in the job market.
“I think I’m starting to learn the job market favours a lot more experience over education,” she said.
The chicken-and-egg problem
Caitlin has applied for positions advertised as entry-level, but said many still list skills and expertise that are difficult to develop without previous industry experience.
“They say you don’t need one or two or three years of experience, but then they ask for expertise in things you would only have got from working in that industry before,” she explained.
For Caitlin, this creates a constant cycle of rejection.
“You need experience, but it’s really hard to get experience if no one’s willing to give you that first opportunity,” she said.
Rachel Gallanagh, an HR professional with experience in recruitment and graduate programs, said employers should not expect entry level workers to arrive knowing everything.
“For me, entry-level is anyone at the start of their career. They’re not expected to know everything on day one.”
Who should prepare graduates for work?
From a recruitment perspective, Rachel believes employers should look beyond a candidate’s industry experience and consider the skills they have gained through university projects, volunteering, internships and casual work.
A university degree alone does not guarantee job readiness, but she believes it should be considered alongside practical experience.
“It’s not always time at work; you look at everything they’ve done. It’s what sets you apart that will get you the job.”
Rachel also sees responsibility on both sides. Universities need to build stronger links with businesses, while employers need to provide genuine pathways into the workforce.
“If a role generally requires several years’ experience, it’s not entry-level. Employers need to be clear.”
From an employer’s perspective, a degree should not be the end of a student’s preparation for work. Rachel believes universities need to help students connect what they learn in the classroom with what employers expect in the workplace.
This puts responsibility on both sides. Employers need to create genuine entry-level opportunities, while universities need to ensure students have opportunities to gain practical experience before they graduate.
For recent graduates like Caitlin, education should still carry weight when graduates apply for their first professional role.
“I think employers should be more willing to hire new graduates and understand that we’ve learnt things at university, so just give us a shot.”
The issue is not whether experience matters. It is whether the expectations placed on entry-level applicants give graduates a fair chance to prove what they can do.
A degree provides knowledge, while work provides experience, and universities and employers both have a role in connecting the two.
For graduates entering the workforce, the first job should be an opportunity to build experience, not a position they are expected to have already earned.
