How many years of experience should a candidate be reasonably expected to have for an entry-level position?

An entry level position by its nature is 0-3 years of work experience. Entry level jobs that require 2-3 years of experience is a common issue for college students who are just entering the workforce. Its often difficult for them to gain relevant work skills while attending school full time. On the other hand, employers want to make sure they hire someone who is capable.

So what's the solution?
I believe that employers should look for well rounded candidates who not only did well academically, but was also actively developed themselves by participating in student clubs, volunteering, working part time or full time, even in another field.


Personally, I've found that years of experience (generally) does not make all candidates equal. Some companies have given "novice" people more "seasoned" responsibilities while some "seasoned" people cannot perform "novice" duties. Years of experience does not necessarily equal maturity, ability to perform, experience or any other predictor of success. The transferable skills are valuable and should definitely be considered in accessing candidates.