Rachel Grandis has no shortage of work experience. Over the past five years, she has worked as a content creator for her school’s athletic department, managed the business school’s social media accounts, landed several marketing and social media internships, and even worked at restaurants and summer camps. But when the 22-year-old graduated from Elon University with a degree in strategic communications in May, she found that her years of experience weren’t helping her land a full-time job offer. that comes from three years of experience in the workforce,” Grandis tells CNBC Make It. “It’s hard when they want all this experience, but no job is willing to give you that first experience that you need to have on your resume.” Although she has work experience related to her time in college, Grandis wonders if AI-assisted applicant tracking systems flag that she graduated in 2026 and automatically remove her from the pool. “If I had had the opportunity to talk to someone and tell them all about my experiences within my school,” says, “[maybe] You would have a better chance of getting a follow-up interview.” Today’s new graduates say they face unrealistic expectations from employers: 77% of graduates believe companies demand too much experience for entry-level jobs, while 75% believe there are too few truly entry-level opportunities, according to a new employability report from Cengage, an educational technology company. Rachel Grandis graduated from Elon University with a degree in strategic communications in May 2026. Courtesy The Cengage report is based on surveys conducted between April and August 2026 of 931 full-time hiring managers, 759 postsecondary instructors, and 1,100 recent graduates with four-year degrees, two-year degrees, credentials, or certificates across the United States. The report has an approximate margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. “The reality is that many employers have raised the bar” in what they expect from young workers, says Michael Hansen. Cengage CEO says employers are especially focused on young workers who come equipped with strong critical thinking and decision-making skills, especially as they invest in artificial intelligence and need employees to manage changing technology. In other cases, Hansen says employers tell him that many new graduates don’t have the soft skills they’re looking for, such as the ability to assemble a team, organize a project, or solve a problem, but don’t demonstrate them. workforce has made it difficult for colleges and universities to keep their workforce readiness programs up to date, according to the Cengage report. Still, many business leaders expect young workers to arrive ready to deliver results on day one, Hansen says, and “they no longer have the patience to train someone in the basic skills they might have had 10 years ago or even five years ago.” that their education was worth it, compared to 68% of new graduates who felt the same in 2022, according to the Cengage report. Meanwhile, the job market for young professionals is tight, postings on Handshake, the starting jobs site, between July 2025 and June 2026 remained stable, with an increase of just 1% over the same period between 2024 and 2025, after three consecutive years of. declines. Employers reported nearly twice as many full-time jobs for the class of 2022 as for the class of 2026. In August, U.S. entry-level hiring is on pace with the U.S. national hiring rate, both down about 6.5% from August 2025, according to LinkedIn data a large pool of entry-level talent (financial services, technology, information and media, and professional services) has declined by a. 33% and 43% since June 2021, according to LinkedIn. Employers can’t just say, “Here, I set the bar higher” and then then. [complain when] they’re not finding enough entry-level people.Michael HansenCEO of CengageMany graduates say their time in school left them feeling unprepared to meet the rapidly changing demands of today’s job market. Just over half, 53%, say they decided not to apply for certain entry-level jobs in their field because they felt underqualified, up from 48% in 2025 and a growing sentiment since 2023. But who is responsible for ensuring students are job-ready after graduation? Students (17%), instructors (11%) and employers (19%) say companies have the least responsibility for ensuring new graduates are prepared for the workforce. Most agree that the responsibility falls primarily on students, but add that academic programs and teachers also play a role. Hansen believes employers should play a bigger role in working with schools to ensure that the skills they need among the entry-level workforce are taught to students in the classroom, or offered through internships, apprenticeships and other training opportunities. “Employers can’t just say, ‘Here, I set the bar higher,’ and then [complain when] “They don’t find enough entry-level people,” Hansen says. “They also have to make an effort to say, ‘I’m going to make those experiences available.'” Employers may also need to level their expectations, Hansen adds: “Interns aren’t necessarily productive employees from day one, right? So [employers] “Many students seem to align with this idea, saying they want their education providers to offer more internships and paid work opportunities as part of their curriculum. About 1 in 3 graduates say their lack of prior work experience leaves them out of the running for job opportunities, which they see as the No. 1 factor in getting a job (24%) versus having a degree (14%), according to Cengage data. Grandis says her education prepared her with the skills to work in her field, but she laments a market competitive job where those with a little more experience have an advantage. Companies can choose candidates in many fields, recruiting professional Bonnie Dilber previously told CNBC Make It, so “employers are not going to consider people who are trying hard to fill the role.” Grandis is hoping that taking on some volunteer or part-time opportunities can connect her with the right people to land a full-time marketing job soon. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how many people are in the same boat and how many recent graduates are really struggling to find work,” he says. 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