Career Ladders in Reverse: Experienced Workers Flock to Entry-Level Roles

Many of today’s experienced employees in the United States may be bucking the traditional adage of “climbing the corporate ladder” to career success, as a recent report found that an unusually large number of experienced workers are seeking entry-level positions.Some experienced workers are willing to take tens of thousands of dollars in pay cuts to move down the career ladder, according to recruiting professionals.Meanwhile, younger workers face competition on two fronts: from their peers and from more experienced candidates.Nearly Half Seek Lower-Level JobsAs of May, nearly 50 percent of job seekers with 10 or more years of experience sought entry-level roles, while only 12 percent of applications from this group were for senior-level jobs, according to a July 23 analysis by Indeed Hiring Lab.The report also revealed that about 62 percent of applications started on Indeed by those with six to nine years of experience were for entry-level jobs, while 32 percent and six percent were for mid- and senior-level positions, respectively.Indeed describes entry-level positions as those that typically require minimal experience and focus on soft skills, while mid-level roles often seek applicants with two to four years of experience and the ability to work independently, handling daily operations. Senior roles usually demand five or more years of experience and focus on strategic vision or advanced knowledge.Among all entry-level postings in May, 30 percent of applications came from workers with 10 or more years of experience—the largest share of any experience group, according to Indeed.Key DriversA same-day Indeed report indicates that as of May, senior-level job postings grew by 14.7 percent year-over-year, but the majority of them were for technology, engineering, or other professional services.“It is important to note that while demand for more experienced workers has been growing rapidly, it is still quite low relative to entry- and mid-level positions,” the report says. Just 14 percent of Indeed’s overall May postings were for senior positions, while entry- and mid-level positions both reached more than 40 percent.The report indicates that the largest number of entry-level positions available at the end of the first quarter were in the retail, hospitality, customer service, childcare, security, construction, and healthcare sectors.Because some of these jobs offer limited opportunities for advancement, people in these occupations tend to hold entry- and mid-level positions later into their careers, according to the report.Andrew Crapuchettes, CEO of RedBalloon, an Idaho-based national online recruiting firm, told The Epoch Times that he has also seen the trend of older, more experienced workers applying for entry-level positions.The reasons, he said, run the gamut from job burnout to career changes to options involving less or little stress. In many cases, these employees are willing to take less money.“I just hired someone who took a job as a recruiter with us, after running an IT department for a Fortune 100 company for many years,” Crapuchettes said.“He had been making six figures but agreed to a $30,000 pay cut and moved from Texas to Idaho. He said he just wanted a job with less stress, and to live in a place where his kids can grow up safely. He’s also probably saving money on housing.”One of Crapuchettes’ clients also recently hired an experienced employee who agreed to a $40,000 annual pay cut to take an entry-level position in customer service. The new hire said he just wanted to enjoy his work rather than constantly deal with high stress.Crapuchettes also blames the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) for inadvertently weeding out qualified, experienced workers for senior-level positions.“AI doesn’t do an awesome job of filtering through resumes,” he said. “There’s a big difference between the perfect resume and the perfect employee.” As a result, he said, there may be a higher probability of someone overqualified getting an entry-level job.Stacey Berk, founder and managing consultant for Expand HR Consulting in Maryland, agrees that reduced stress, fewer or different responsibilities, and more predictable schedules are some of the typical reasons that seasoned workers choose junior positions.“Increasingly, though, experienced professionals are also seeking organizations whose missions or innovations align more closely with their personal values, whether that’s making an impact through a nonprofit or joining high-growth investment-backed companies,” she told The Epoch Times.Others, she noted, have experienced layoffs or restructuring and want to prioritize stability, meaningful work, and longer-term career resilience over title or seniority.“Organizations often welcome experienced candidates for entry-level positions when the roles require professionalism, customer service, adaptability, critical thinking, and the ability to learn quickly,” Berk added.Healthcare Draws Experienced WorkersIndeed’s analysis also found that among workers with 10 or more years of experience, those seeking healthcare jobs were more than twice as likely to apply for entry-level positions as those applying for technology and professional service roles.According to a March Indeed report, the healthcare and social assistance sectors now comprise about 15 percent of the U.S. workforce.Besides physicians, nurses, and other skilled healthcare roles, the field also includes many lower-skilled positions such as hospital administration, food service employees, custodians, and other staff. The report noted that, as of January, non-healthcare-oriented roles represented about 35 percent of job postings by hospitals or healthcare companies.Matt Twiford, CFO and managing director of Boston-based consulting firm Pegacorn Group, predicts that the recent trend prompting experienced employees to consider entry-level positions is likely to continue—particularly in the healthcare field.The issue with some of these healthcare jobs, Twiford said, is that they don’t have well-defined career paths.“For example, what’s the next step in a paramedic’s career path—after 10 years he or she is still a paramedic,” he told The Epoch Times.“In these cases, supervisory roles could be limited. While a nurse may have the best career advancement opportunities, supervisory roles can also be limited.”Consequently, he noted, a nurse working the night shift in a hospital for 10 years may be open to a day shift in a doctor’s office or a clinical setting that’s designed more for entry-level applicants. While the pay may be similar or less, the advantage could be more convenient hours.“If it’s a truly entry-level position with a set pay band, an experienced worker often takes it at that rate, and the employer gets more capability at the same price,” Twiford added. “But in many healthcare roles, hospitals have experience-based pay bands, so hiring and retaining an experienced professional does cost more.”Berk noted that she often sees experienced professionals from all industry sectors pursuing starting-level jobs in health care fields such as patient services, medical office administration, care coordination support, scheduling, and operations support.“In many cases, these professionals are intentionally stepping into positions that provide a pathway into a new industry, while offering better work-life balance, greater flexibility, or a renewed sense of purpose.”JobLeads, an international digital job search platform, has just completed a report based on its internal data. The soon-to-be-published report analyzed 28.6 million job interactions from 4.66 million users in the first quarter. It measured clicks and applications of users and tracked whether they gravitated toward roles at their own level, above, or below.The results showed that among U.S. job seekers, 74.2 percent searched for health care positions below their own career levels. Overall, the report indicates that U.S. senior job seekers who were still employed down-leveled at a rate of about 63 percent, compared with 69 percent among those who were unemployed.JobLeads’ analysis also noted that larger firms with high volumes of hiring, such as hospitals or health care centers, are more likely to hire overqualified employees for these entry roles.“There is definitely a clear appeal: more senior and experienced people might need less training and bring valuable transferable skills to the team,” Nathan Putsey, JobLeads talent acquisition manager, told The Epoch Times.However, Putsey cautioned that sometimes in the hiring world, “overqualified” can become a “buzzword” for rejection and age bias.“I’d advise hiring managers and recruiters not to rush into conclusions if someone looks overqualified on paper—you might lose your most capable candidates this way,” he added. “Try to understand their reasons, expectations, and what they can bring to the team before a quick rejection.”Competing With Younger Workers“In industries with few senior-level roles, competition from experienced workers likely makes the job search more difficult for younger workers,” Indeed said.At the same time, California-based online employment marketplace ZipRecruiter said in an April report that competition for entry-level positions has intensified as this segment of the job market tightens.The data indicate that more applicants are competing for these positions. At the end of the first quarter, website clicks on posted entry-level roles increased by 21.7 percent from the same period in 2025.“Young job seekers and students are feeling the pain across every part of the job search,” the report states.“While youth and inexperience can be hurdles, a degree offers a distinct advantage. But that doesn’t mean today’s grads have it easy.”For employers, however, the challenge is often deciding between experience and potential when candidates have similar qualifications.Twiford said there are pros and cons to hiring either an experienced professional or someone directly out of school.“The big question is who’s the best fit when they both have the same qualifications,” he said.Many companies set a 90-day period for employees to learn the job, after which they are expected to be fully proficient in the role.“An experienced hire could shorten that time,” Twiford noted, “and the hiring manager may be looking to that experienced professional to help train and mentor others.”Crapuchettes contends that while this competition could be problematic for younger people, they still have ample opportunity to pursue open jobs.“Young people who are energetic, insightful and have a good work ethic can be a great advantage to employers,” he said.