What does an entry-level position mean?

Question

I have an interview tomorrow for an entry-level postion and I was wondering what entry-level meant.

Answer 1

It's not as simple as meaning "poor-man's-job", it largely depends on the company and what a typical "low level" job is IE how unskilled the tasks used for it are.
Imagine an "entry level" (cheap) Nokia cell phone...you think of a cell phone with basic features by Nokia's standards. Yet if you get an entry level PDA, it will have many more features...and even a mid to high-level cell phone may have the same amount of features as the entry level PDA.

Same thing goes with jobs. If you get an entry level job at a major accounting firm, it may well be a $35-40 year job aimed at college graduate candidates.
However if you get an entry level job at Wal Mart, it likely means a "basement job" such as a "stocker"...and a mid level job at Wal Mart may be about the same pay or requiring the same amount of skill as an entry level job for an accounting firm.

Yes, technically, it is the bottom of the ladder for the company you choose (although there are, say, secretaries at HP and at HP entry level usually means above secretary unless noted).
But you have to remember it's only the bottom relative to the firm...some firms have much higher "bottoms" then others. In general, though, for any well established firm (esp. outside retail), entry level means associate degree level work with experience or college degree level work.

Hope this helps...

Answer 2

It means you will be starting in one of the lowest positions available within the organization. Entry level may often be filing, data entry or other tasks until you learn more about the line of work.

Answer 3

Ity means that you will be expected to work at a level higher than that of your compensation. Also known as a "working-poor" job. Entry-level jobs also do not allow for increased starting pay for prior experience in that type of work. If you had ten years experience you still have to start at, or near, minimum wage.

If, however, you had served at the decision-making levels of a corporation, you could insist on higher compensation if you hired on at a new company - even if your last company had done rather poorly.......................................

Answer 4

It is the bottom of the ladder in the corp. world. But, it's a place to start.

Good luck

Answer 5

It means that you are starting in the basement of the corporate ladder.

Answer 6

It means the bottom of the totem pole :-) That is, the most junior position interms of pay and status.

Answer 7

Just means that they are looking for someone new to that particular position