The Entry-Level Job Scam: When Experience Requirements Don't Add Up
Recently stumbled upon a job listing that perfectly encapsulates everything wrong with the current tech hiring landscape. Picture this: an “entry-level” developer position requiring 3+ years of team management experience, preferably a master’s degree, and - here’s the kicker - offering a salary that’s actually below minimum wage for full-time work in Australia.
The mental gymnastics required to label a position requiring three years of experience and a master’s degree as “entry-level” is truly Olympic-worthy. We’re talking about someone who’s invested potentially seven years between education and work experience, yet they’re supposed to accept a salary that would’ve been questionable even back in the early 2000s.
Speaking of which, reading through various online discussions about this listing, someone mentioned landing a junior programming role back in 2004 for $50,000 - that’s nearly 20 years ago! Adjusting for inflation, that would be significantly more than what this position is offering today. It’s not just disappointing; it’s downright exploitative.
The tech industry keeps crying about skills shortages, yet these kinds of job listings are everywhere. It’s particularly frustrating because this pattern often suggests something more insidious - attempting to game the system for visa sponsorship. While there are legitimate cases for international recruitment, these lowball offerings with impossible requirements seem designed to fail at finding local talent.
What’s particularly concerning is the broader impact on our industry. Young developers fresh out of university or TAFE are facing an increasingly hostile job market. The traditional entry points into the industry are disappearing, replaced by these bizarre listings that demand senior-level experience for junior-level pay.
The reality is that many talented local graduates are struggling to find their first real tech job, while companies continue to claim they can’t find suitable candidates. It’s a manufactured crisis that serves nobody except those looking to suppress wages and working conditions.
Things need to change. Companies need to start offering genuine entry-level positions with reasonable requirements and fair compensation. Our industry bodies and government regulators need to take a closer look at these practices. And most importantly, we need to keep calling out these listings for what they are - attempts to game the system at the expense of both local and international tech workers.
For now, my advice to any new developers out there: know your worth. Don’t let these kinds of job listings discourage you or make you question your value. The problem isn’t with you - it’s with companies trying to exploit our broken system.