Survey reveals 64% of companies plan to hire entry-level professionals, promising high salaries and growth
In 2024, newcomers to the workforce are greeted with an encouraging hiring landscape, as unveiled by research from Robert Half, a distinguished talent solutions and business consulting firm.
Findings from a recent survey indicate a positive trend: 64 percent of businesses plan to recruit entry-level professionals—defined as individuals with 0-2 years of experience—during the first half of the year.
The Outlook for Entry-Level Professionals
Hiring Plans Across Various Professions
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Administrative and Customer Support: 70 percent
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Legal: 67 percent
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Marketing and Creative: 66 percent
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Human Resources: 66 percent
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Technology: 57 percent
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Finance and Accounting: 56 percent
Hiring Intentions Based on Company Size
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Small Companies (fewer than 100 employees): 55 percent
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Midsize Companies (100-999 employees): 65 percent
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Large Companies (1,000+ employees): 65 percent
Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director at Robert Half Canada, states, “Onboarding early-career professionals to your organization can be a strategic hiring move.”
She further elaborates that recent grads and other entry-level professionals bring “new ideas and enthusiasm, different skills and perspectives, and have great potential to contribute to organizations in new and meaningful ways.”
However, the entry process for these early-career hires comes with its set of challenges.
Another survey by Robert Half reveals that 39 percent of entry-level professionals report not feeling well compensated, 34 percent do not have an assigned mentor, and 33 percent experience a lack of training for key tasks.
Vasilopoulos advises that when searching for and starting a new job, individuals should “be researching appropriate salaries, making sure to ask questions about mentorship opportunities, focusing on building connections through networking, and advocating for the support they need during training.”
High Paying Positions for Entry-Level Professionals
The 2024 Robert Half Salary Guide, which outlines employment trends and starting salaries across numerous positions, highlights several entry-level roles with compelling starting salaries:
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Entry-level Financial Reporting Accountant: $68,000–$80,750
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Marketing Coordinator: $50,750–$61,500
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HR Assistant: $49,000–$55,000
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Help Desk Support (Tier 1): $47,000–$56,500
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Entry-level Administrative Assistant: $45,500–$49,500
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Law Clerk (0-3 years' experience): $40,500–$48,000
These salary ranges represent the 25th to 50th percentile, from individuals new to their role, requiring more guidance, to those who can perform core responsibilities without direct supervision confidently.
This overview suggests that 2024 holds promising prospects for entry-level professionals in various sectors, underscoring the significance of strategic hiring and the essential support and fair compensation required for newcomers to prosper in their careers.
