Underemployed

5 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 14,2025 at 9:00PM UTC

   I would demonstrate advanced certifications, maybe side hustles at a higher level and maybe additional classes showing your continuing education and involvement in higher level work and more advanced education.

2. Dr. Patty GrossMay 15,2025 at 12:41PM UTC

   If you are stuck there, excel at the position to the point that they have to remove the "entry level" banner. Don't make yourself indispensable. Show leadership by mentoring others and training a replacement so that you can step right into it when a more senior position comes along. I have heard a lot of banter that companies want 2-5 years of experience for "entry-level" jobs, and have run into that myself. As a recent graduate with a Doctorate, I have been searching for teaching jobs, and 2-5 years of teaching experience is the standard, even for adjunct positions.

3. AnonymousMay 20,2025 at 5:13PM UTC

   First, stop being a victim. Take control of your own career by speaking directly to those who hired you and let them know that you need more challenges. Seek them out internally and if they do not exist then it is time to look for something new. When interviewing new prospective employers without talking past the role you are interviewing for ask about stories of those that have moved up. Ask how they reward high achievers and what they do when someone is interested in a long career within their walls. Use Linkedin to ask those who have left any company that have made internal moves how they did it and what their experience was like. Ask the tough questions. The only way you can be let down in the future is if you don't do the homework before you commit again. Never take their word for it only, use the endorsements of those within and those who have left to ensure your decision making is sound next time. Good luck..

4. AnonymousMay 21,2025 at 1:10PM UTC

   Been there. A lot of orgs want to hire people "below" at the level they are capable because they don't want to bother training people to go "above" of what they're currently doing now. I've found that it's best to always be looking out for other opportunities as well as doing things that might help you stand out: taking a class, mentoring or serving as a resource to those genuinely less experienced, etc. I hate networking but stuff like that might put you in touch with someone who can help you out further down the line. I'm sorry you're going through that.

5. Titra HamiltonMay 22,2025 at 1:33AM UTC

   I would add to try to disregard the classification of the role as entry-level, and not even mention that on my resume. Stick to the value you delivered and put advancement as an objective for your next role. While there, perform well, learn all that you can, get training to skill up on their dime and look for opportunities to transition to better roles, internally and outside of the company. Consider asking for endorsements for LinkedIn. If the role is easy for you, you should be able to deliver more in less time, freeing up time for the value-add activities that I and other have mentioned. Also, consider asking for more interesting work to. Diplomatically, discuss your aspirations to advance and seek out supporters/advocates to help you get there. Volunteer for corporate initiatives, come up with process improvement ideas, learn processes in other business functional areas, etc., if possible. You'll have you a chance to build a rapport with others, learn more about the enterprise, and better position yourself for the next bigger and better role. Good luck.