How to land an entry-level gig in today’s IT job market

It’s a jungle out there for entry-level IT talent…and by jungle, we mean a wildly tough labor market.

Junior IT talent may feel like the cards are stacked against them as they embark on the job search. According to data from the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates (those aged 22–27) was 5.6% in March, higher than the national average of 4.2%. Meanwhile, a June report from tech venture capital firm SignalFire also found the share of entry-level hiring at large tech companies (examined companies include Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, among others) fell 65% from 2019.

There’s still hope. While it may seem like a trying time to be a newcomer in the industry, there are still plenty of opportunities for fresh talent, according to Bill Driscoll, senior district president of technology staffing at Robert Half.

“We’re seeing a real uptick in hiring, a real uptick in project work,” Driscoll said. “We’re seeing…a prediction of an increase in the class of 2026. We’re seeing more AI roles now.”

What came first? The job or the experience? IT Brew caught up with several tech professionals to discuss how junior talent can stand out in today’s job market and land an entry-level position.

Job-seekers may be familiar with this particular conundrum: You need experience to get a job, but in order to get that experience, you need a job. Some entrants are bypassing this problem by starting their own business: SignalFire Operating Partner Tawni Cranz told IT Brew new graduates are now twice as likely to be startup founders compared to 2022 graduates.

“They’re going to have to find different entry points [into the industry], and certainly our report shows that,” Cranz said.

But not everyone needs to put on their founder hat to find their first big gig. “There is an awesome opportunity for new grads to utilize AI to create prototypes to create and solve real problems that they see in companies, and that be their artifact that they’re bringing, almost the way an industrial designer brings their portfolio,” Cranz said. “You can think of that as a very smart way for entry-level talent to win in the job market.”

Contract work is another way individuals can build experience and expand their professional network.

“It’s a live tryout and it actually does get you experience,” Driscoll said. “It gets your foot in the door.”

The skills to home in on. In today’s market, mastering the art of prompting is an important skill for early talent to obtain, Cyber Innovation Center President Kevin Nolten said: “The prompts that you put into an AI device are absolutely critical.”

Driscoll added that cybersecurity and data skills are hot commodities within the industry.

“In many cases, companies are making sure their data is secure because cybersecurity is a huge issue,” Driscoll said. “And they’re making sure that it’s clean because if you don’t have clean data, then it’s going to be hard to set up an AI.”

The fundamentals still matter. Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity company ThreatLocker, said junior talent shouldn’t forget the “old-fashioned stuff” when putting themselves out there in the job market.

“Just because you’re in a tech world, don’t show up in flip-flops and shorts to an interview,” Jenkins said. “It doesn’t do you any favors.”

Jenkins added budding professionals should make sure to do their research on the companies they are applying for, and to highlight their skills and goals in the industry during the interview process.

“Ask a lot of questions,” Jenkins said. “Because the best technology people are just curious, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re junior or senior.”

Is networking still valuable? Driscoll also mentioned the importance of networking for entry-level job-seekers, even when individuals don’t see instant results.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not working…because typically networking isn’t going to work right now,” Driscoll said. “You may have those conversations and you keep those conversations going, you write the thank you notes, you ask for referrals, you keep having those conversations, and ultimately, that is how you stand out.”