Would you start a career given the following offer:
No college degree or professional experience required.
Salaried full-time position with benefits.
Market average pay rate.
Yearly cost of living raises.
Yearly merit raise possible but not guaranteed.
Certification training courses twice a year.
However:
Promotion only possible after 5 years.
First few years you would have basically no input on what you work on or why.
No more than occasional access to social media while at the office especially in the first year.
Unpaid overtime a few times a month including weekends.
You are expected to be available 24/7 to be contacted with an expected 15 minute response.
You must give your word that you will stay for at least 3 years.

No

Well that's basically my job right now, take out my certification training and add proffesional experiencs. But I am looking for another job because this one is really shitty and I wouldn't want to work at a job like this again

@yukihaki Why not?

Because like vodka said, that kinda job sounds shitty as fuck. I don't know where you live to not have every overtime/weekend paid and to be obliged to be available 24/7 (which is illegal here btw) but it just sounds like exploitation especially if it's for average pay

Well of course it’s a shitty job, it’s an entry level position. Availability and overtime of that sort is pretty standard stuff for IT support jobs in the US.

Hey I have a question: does nightshift/graveyard shift pay more?

I didn’t mean to imply different shifts. More common is that everyone works normal business hours but when there is a issue after hours it still needs to be fixed. There may be a person “on-call” to coordinate but everyone would know to be available in case that person needs assistance or information.

The reason I posed the question is that I have made the claim to friends that given the same opportunities that we were given 20 years ago young people entering the workforce would be as successful as we were.
The job offer as described is pretty much the first 5-6 years of my career. After I got past that period the rise to higher positions and pay went really quickly but the act of proving yourself and gaining experience can’t be done quickly.
Is taking a shitty job for several years with the ambition to move up something that is no longer acceptable to people starting their careers?

I need actual numbers with pay to decide. I'm about to start my career as an engineer in June.

Salary.com can give you averages for your title and area. For the hypothetical we can just go with whatever those numbers are. Salary isn’t really supposed to be a deciding factor. Think acceptable but not stellar.
Do you already have a job lined up?

For me I wouldn't take the job, only because like @yukihaki said it sounds like exploitation and I would not be able to handle a work place where my opinion isn't valued to a degree (of course in jobs opinions values can depend on experience). It doesn't sound like a horrible job but not something I would be willing to do for 3-5 years until I see improvement. With any job though no one should settle for something "shitty", a job takes up a lot of your life so I wouldn't won't to wake up knowing I'm going to a place I don't want to be (unless you really need the money then that's fair). Also, for me salary is a big part of it, money is almost a deciding factor as this career is going to support me and possibly a family in the future.

But a career isn’t a job, it’s years of working in an industry (or more than one) where each job is the stepping stone to the next one.
The stereotype that I have argued against is that entry level workers now have expectations of large salaries and positions of influence in their first step in that career as opposed to putting in the time needed to gain the knowledge, experience, and credentials required to earn those privileges.
Entry level means you don’t know what you are doing very well yet, but are putting yourself forward to learn. The company is investing in your future value as you get to where you are a contributor.
Is this no longer the perception that people going into the workforce have? Not trying to start an argument or be insulting, I’m genuinely curious.

I would like to think that is the perception people have when starting off a career because I agree with you 100%. I can't answer your question without bias though cause all of my friends and other people I know who are starting their careers have a very, "you have to work hard to get what you want" attitude, I've also grown up that way so I can't speak for the general population of people starting in the workforce.

Sounded alright till the 24/7 availability. That’s not worth it unless you’re being paid considerably more than standard rate

Back in the day, an entry-level job usually didn't require university or previous experience. Now, most "entry-level" careers require at least a degree and probably some experience/training. So people entering the workforce today "expect" jobs that pay more and where their opinions are heard because they have already had to work for years just to get started in a career.

Ahh shuts ups

@parisqueen - Ok, makes sense.
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@mickeymouse - I think I made that sound worse than it really is. What it means is that you will answer your phone whenever your team calls looking for help and they will do the same for you.
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@unicycle - That is a excellent point and one of had not considered before. I’m going to noodle on that one for a bit.
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I’m not sure who @jakeboyzappa is talking to but I appreciate you all taking the time to share your thoughts.

No
I’d rather work for myself and make less money than work for someone else and make a lot.
The 24/7 sounds bad also