Hiring has always been a balancing act. Companies want strong talent, reasonable costs, and fast onboarding. But in today’s market—especially across Canada’s manufacturing, logistics, and operations sectors—the gap between what employers want and what they advertise has never been wider.
And nothing illustrates this better than the rise of the so-called “entry-level job” that secretly requires three years of experience.
Candidates see it. Hiring managers feel it. And the talent market reacts accordingly.
So why does this happen, and why does it hurt your ability to attract quality applicants?
Let’s break it down.
The Problem With Calling It “Entry-Level” When It Isn’t
You don’t need a focus group to confirm one thing: candidates notice inconsistencies. When they see “entry-level” paired with senior expectations, it signals a lack of clarity, or worse, a lack of realism.
And in a tight labor market, unclear expectations cost you more than you think.
1. You discourage the very people you want to attract
Entry-level candidates are early in their careers. They don’t apply to roles that feel out of reach. When job postings demand experience they haven’t had the chance to gain, they simply move on.
That means fewer applicants. And fewer applicants means lower-quality pipelines.
2. You create distrust before the interview even starts
Job seekers today are sharp. They’ve read thousands of job postings. They compare roles. When your requirements contradict your title, it creates a sense of inconsistency, an immediate strike against your employer brand.
In a competitive hiring landscape, trust is currency.
3. You slow down your own hiring process
Mislabelled job titles generate mismatched applications.
Too junior. Too senior. Wrong expectations. Wrong fit.
Suddenly, a role that should take 10 days to fill takes 45.
The business loses time, productivity, and momentum.
How We Got Here: The Real Reason Companies Inflate Entry-Level Requirements
There’s a practical reason this happens, and it’s not malicious.
The fear of “training lag”
Some employers worry that bringing on a true entry-level worker means a long ramp-up period. They want someone who can “hit the ground running,” even if the role isn’t complex.
Shrinking teams = higher pressure on each hire
With leaner operations, every hire feels more critical. So job descriptions expand.
Legacy job postings that no one revisits
Sometimes a role was senior in the past. Sometimes the requirements were copied from another posting. Over time, job descriptions become outdated or bloated.
The belief that more requirements = better candidates
But the data shows the opposite: clear, simplified job descriptions attract stronger applicants faster.
What “Entry-Level” SHOULD Mean in Today’s Market
If you want to attract strong entry-level talent, the definition must be consistent:
• A willingness to learn
• Foundational skills
• Basic industry awareness
• Ability to be trained
• Realistic expectations
Entry-level roles should open doors, not set impossible thresholds.
How to Fix the Problem and Attract Better Talent
1. Rewrite job postings from scratch, not from templates
Write the job for what it truly is today, not what it used to be.
2. Separate “must-haves” from “nice-to-haves”
If it’s not essential on day one, it’s not a requirement.
3. Focus on outcomes, not checklists
What will this person actually DO in their first 30–90 days?
That’s what matters.
4. Train hiring managers to align expectations
Skills grow. Potential compounds. Not everything needs to be pre-loaded.
5. Use honest titles, not inflated ones
If it’s junior, call it junior.
If it requires experience, call it intermediate.
Clarity wins.
The Bottom Line: Words Matter in Hiring
When we mislabel roles, we don’t just confuse candidates, we limit our own access to talent.
A job posting is more than a list of tasks. It’s the first impression of your company. It communicates who you are, what you value, and how you treat people.
Entry-level should mean entry-level.
If your expectations have changed, your job titles, and your hiring strategy, should change too.
Because getting great talent isn’t about demanding more.
It’s about communicating better.