Have a resume with no experience and looking for work? You've got to start somewhere! Here are the best entry-level jobs for people without experience.
If you are recently out of college or looking to start your career without a degree, an entry-level job is a rite of passage that just about everyone experiences starting out. However, entry-level does not need to mean bad.
Entry-level positions are simply jobs with no experience and less responsibility than upper-level positions. They also offer tons of room to grow and learn from more seasoned colleagues.
There are several great entry-level positions across all industries that are fulfilling and pay well, so you can gain the experience you need to move up in your profession.
Let’s go over the best entry-level jobs that you can apply for the kick-start your new career.
The Best Entry-level Jobs You Can Get
Before we get started, if you’re on the job hunt right now, check out this blog and start incorporating these daily habits into your routine for job hunting success.
The jobs below are a great starting place while also being challenging and fulfilling. We’ll look at jobs that pay well at the entry level and will look great on a resume.
Here are the best entry-level jobs for people with no experience:
1. Social Media Manager
2019 US Median Pay: $16.54 per hour [source: PayScale]
Experience Required: General social media know-how and sense of online etiquette.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): N/A
Companies are looking to hire young social media natives to take their brand to the next level online. Your responsibilities include creating, planning, and publishing social media content, as well as growing and managing the community of followers.
Knowledge of social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn is a must, and graphic design experience could be a helpful perk too.
The average salary for social media managers is $49,000.
2. Virtual Assistant
2019 US Median Pay: $19.16 [source: BLS]
Experience Required: No experience required for most positions.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): N/A
If you are looking for flexibility in your job, consider applying to be a personal assistant. Help businesses manage their day-to-day tasks remotely from wherever you live. Some companies only need a part-time virtual assistant depending on the workload, so this position offers a lot of flexibility.
Your responsibilities include managing appointments, answering emails, and other clerical work.
The average salary for virtual assistants is $16 an hour.
3. Flight Attendant
2019 US Median Pay: $56,640 per year [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma or equivalent, moderate-term on-the-job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 17%
If you are looking for jobs with little experience requirements, applying to be a flight attendant could be the right choice for you since airlines do on-the-job training. After you are hired, you will go through about six weeks of training before you start flying.
Being a flight attendant has great job perks and benefits, including getting to see the world. Your job responsibilities include serving customers, facilitating safety demonstrations, and assisting the pilot to ensure a safe flight.
The average salary for flight attendants is $56,000.
4. Insurance Sales Agent
2019 US Median Pay: $24.49 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma or equivalent.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 5%
The insurance sales rep job does not require a college degree, so it’s easy entry-level work to get when you are starting out on your own. It also includes on the job training, so you don’t need to fear if you don’t have any sales experience.
Most insurance sales positions operate on commission-based pay, so how much money you make depends on how well you do. To succeed in sales you should have to be self-motivated, have a winning personality, and a willingness to learn.
The salary for the spectrum of sales representative jobs ranges from $30,000-$125,00, with the median being $63,000.
5. Financial Clerk
2019 US Median Pay: $19.49 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma or equivalent.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 0%
Financial clerk are administrative professionals specializing in finance across a number of organization types. On a day-to-day basis, a financial clerk will help make financial transactions, update relevant records, tabulate bills and invoices, and other similar tasks.
You can also use this little or no experience job to get into other positions in the financial industry because you’ll develop financial fluency.
The average salary for a financial clerk is $50,000.
6. Veterinary Assistant
2019 US Median Pay: $13.75 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma or equivalent, on-the-job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 16%
If you’re looking for great entry-level jobs and love working with animals, go for a job in a veterinary office where you can work with animals all day. This job doesn’t offer amazing pay, but it is a perfect position to take while you’re applying for veterinary school. You will learn a lot about your future career working directly under a vet, and the clientele doesn’t get cuter.
The average salary for a veterinary assistant is $28,000.
7. Public Relations Associate
2019 US Median Pay: $29.40 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: Bachelor’s degree, communications skills.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 7%
Public relations majors usually have no problem getting an entry-level position at a PR firm as a public relations associate after graduating from college. This role will build your customer service skills and give you valuable experience so you can apply for a promotion when it becomes available.
Strong verbal and written communication skills are required to succeed in this position.
The average salary for public relations associates is $61,000.
8. Tax Preparer
2019 US Median Pay: $20.71 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: Mathematical skills, on-the-job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): N/A
If you want to get into accounting, you can start learning the business by being a tax preparer. You only need a high school diploma or equivalent, and you’ll receive on the job training.
A strong eye for detail, familiarity with tax preparation software, and willingness to work hard for a few months out of the year are required for this job. These positions are available seasonally through tax season at big tax firms like H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, and others, and if you’re the best you could get hired on full time.
Even though this may just be a seasonal job, it’s great preparation for a future as a CPA. You’ll learn a lot about the industry and use those skills later in your career.
The average salary for a tax preparer is $38,000.
9. Construction Worker
2019 US Median Pay: $17.31 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: Physical fitness, on the job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 5%
If you want to work outside and do something different every day, becoming a construction worker could be a great opportunity for you. This is an on-demand job that doesn’t require any experience, and they’ll teach you everything you need to know on-site.
Construction also offers a lot of room to move up. You could use the skills you learn to get into carpentry or plumbing, or you can move up into foreman or site supervisor positions.
The average salary for a construction worker is $36,000.
10. Real Estate Agent
2019 US Median Pay: $24.39 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma or GED, on the job training for entry-level positions.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 2%
This is one of the highest-paid entry-level jobs you can get with a high school diploma. You do need to take some courses to get a license, but once you do there is a lot of earning potential. According to a report, it’s also an extremely flexible job with high satisfaction levels.
Real estate agents need to be likable and successful salespeople to be successful, and much of their success depends on how hard they work.
The average salary for a real estate agent is $50,000.
11. Police Officer
2019 US Median Pay: $31.33 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: Moderate-term on-the-job training, perhaps a degree to move up the ranks.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 5%
Most law enforcement agencies require a degree or at least some coursework in criminal justice, but some take applicants with a high school diploma. Once you do get hired, you’ll go through a six-month training academy. From then on, you’ll have some great experience on your resume and cover letter listed!
Police work is demanding, both mentally and physically, but it can also be extremely rewarding. There is room to move up into higher positions like a detective, and most police officers retire early around 50. And, more than being one of the best starter jobs, police work may turn out to be a great, entry-level career!
The average salary for a police officer is $65,000.
12. Medical Assistant
2019 US Median Pay: $16.73 per hour [source: BLS]
Experience Required: High school diploma, then on-the-job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 19%
The medical assistant industry is growing rapidly and is a great way to get into the medical field. You only need to do a one-year certification program to apply for medical assistant jobs, and you’ll receive on the job training when you start.
Many medical assistants go on to become nurses or other positions in healthcare, so it’s a great place to learn about how the industry works.
The average salary for a medical assistant is $35,000.
13. Restaurant Server (Waiter or Waitress)
2019 US Median Pay: $11.00 per hour, plus tips [source: BLS]
Experience Required: None, on the job training.
Expected US Job Growth (2019–2029): 4%
If you’re searching for a great job with no experience required offering excellent pay and plenty of flexibility, become a waiter or waitress. Many restaurants will take a server without previous experience, though you may just start by shadowing one of their more senior members of staff. Still, though, it’s a great job for high school and college students looking to make some extra dough!
