10 best and worst companies for entry level employees

Creating a healthy and supportive work environment for junior talent is critical to companies’ recruiting and retention strategies, and there are certain organizations that have done a better job of it than others. 

Junior employee satisfaction levels fell 6% between 2020 and 2023, according to a recent survey from resume-building site Resume.io. So far in 2024, there has been a slight increase in sentiment, and in an effort to underscore the companies making the most and least progress, Resume.io ranked the 10 best and worst according to reviews from young talent on Glassdoor. 

“When employees at any level within a company are dissatisfied with their roles — especially if they haven’t been with the company long — it’s often because the job isn’t meeting their expectations,” Amanda Augustine, resident career expert for Resume.io, said in a release. “However, job satisfaction tends to be greater when realistic expectations are set at the start of the employee-employer relationship. It’s the ‘bait-and-switch’ recruitment tactic that leads to bitterness and low satisfaction levels among employees.”

Read more: 20 best entry level jobs of 2024

Despite its relatively rocky year, the tech industry dominated the top rankings among junior talent for the experience it provided. Salesforce came in first place with a rating of 4.65 stars out five. Google and Microsoft followed close behind with respective rankings of 4.53 and 4.52 out of five. Other notable household names that broke the top 10 were Tesla, Apple and Meta. 

On the other end of the spectrum, retail made up the majority of companies that were found lacking, according to young talent. Whole Foods, McDonalds and Starbucks got the lowest ratings and Walmart and Burger King also broke the bottom 10.  

“It might seem like the most important thing is to get your resume through the door, but it’s actually incredibly important to do your research [before] you decide whether or not to accept a job offer,” Augustine said. “Look at the makeup of the senior management team on the company’s website and on LinkedIn, and check company review sites to understand which companies are more likely to provide a supportive work environment and the right company culture for you.” 

Check out which companies are offering the best and worst experience for young talent at the beginning of their careers.