It’s no secret that a fundamental requirement for landing a top-notch job is previous experience. Most employers reserve their most demanding positions for candidates who have already worked the position or hold ample experience in the field.
That said, you have to start somewhere after college, especially if you want to use your bachelor’s degree. Fortunately, you still have job opportunities if you don’t have professional working experience.
If you choose a specialty, you’re passionate about, getting your foot in the door is the priority. Below, Pocketbook Agency shares 14 of the best entry-level jobs for college graduates with a few tips for impressing hiring managers!
Many new graduates know early on what kind of full-time job they are interested in. Others take years to figure it out. Don’t be discouraged if you have to use the trial-and-error method until you land on an industry and career path that sticks.
That said, it helps to have a vague idea of the business area and industry you want to pursue after graduation. We’ve tested 14 of the best jobs for new college grads to help you narrow your job search:
– Admin Assistant
– Personal Assistant
– Lab Technician
– Data Entry Clerk
– Veterinary Assistant
– HR Assistant
– Research Assistant
– Editorial Assistant
– Legal Assistant
– Marketing Coordinator
– Graphic Designer
– Customer Service Representative
– Freelance Writer
– Copy Editor
As the name suggests, administrative assistants handle a range of administrative duties for companies and professionals. It involves organizing files, handling correspondence, fielding phone calls, and much more.
Personal assistants fulfill many of the same responsibilities as admin assistants. The primary difference is that you would work for an individual instead of a company.
You can build a lucrative career as a personal assistant. Your schedule might be hectic at times, but you would have the opportunity to do meaningful work and develop good relationships.
As a lab technical technician, you would work alongside scientists and technologists to process samples and maintain lab records. This job requires you to use a range of laboratory equipment and tools.
While not the most creative job, being a data entry clerk can provide you with a decent, consistent income. You would be responsible for entering and updating data into a company’s computer system. You would also need to review data and alert superiors to any discrepancies.
If you love animals and would like to work around them every day, becoming a veterinary assistant could be right up your alley. This job entails working alongside a veterinarian to monitor and care for animals. You might watch pets as they recover from surgery, clean kennels, feed animals, and more.
Human resource assistants handle duties similar to admin assistants in the HR department. As an HR assistant, you would likely provide employees with services, work on the payroll process, create company documents, etc.
Research is a crucial aspect of science. Many of the world’s most influential scientists started their careers in research.
As a research assistant, you would conduct experiments according to the guidelines established by your superiors. You would present your collected data via spreadsheets, graphs, and other visualizations.
Publishers, magazines, or newspapers employ most editorial assistants. These assistants aid a company’s editors by fielding phone calls, replying to emails, running errands, and performing other clerical duties.
If you want to work in law, becoming a legal assistant is an excellent way to get your foot in the door. This job would require you to attend trials, conduct investigations, draft case briefs, handle office correspondence, research for lawyer review, and more.
Working as a marketing coordinator can help you build a lucrative, fulfilling career in marketing. You would help your company’s marketing department prepare campaigns and create promotional opportunities for your target audience.
You might thrive in graphic design if you’re creative. You don’t even need a degree to start in this field, though it can help you get off to a strong start. As a graphic designer, you would develop logos and other client designs, often collaborating with other designers.
Customer service can be a challenging field. It requires you to exhibit patience and know a lot about your company. But if you genuinely enjoy interacting with and helping new people daily, being a customer service representative could be an excellent choice.
This is another job for which a college degree is not required. As long as you have a command of the English language and can write compelling content in a niche or on various topics, you can supplement your income or build a career as a freelance writer. Freelance writing means researching, writing drafts, editing your work, and submitting it to clients.
If editing is your favorite part of writing, you may flourish as a copy editor. This would entail reviewing written materials and reviewing and editing written materials for readability, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You also must consider editorial policies, company style guides, and informational accuracy.
You likely have a decent idea of the industry or field you want to pursue at this point. Maybe you’ve participated in an internship and already have your foot in the door to your first job. But consider these tips for impressing hiring managers if you’re starting from scratch and applying for interviews straight out of college:
There’s no denying that hard skills are crucial for any job, but soft skills are just as important and often overlooked. Excellent communication, organization, collaboration, and time management can score many points in the workplace.
Assess your soft skills and make a list of where you shine. Be sure to highlight those skills on your resume and cover letter, and describe to hiring managers how those skills can transfer to your desired position.
It’s worth noting that demonstrating exceptional communication skills can help you secure a job in almost any industry, whether you hope to be a financial analyst, account manager, software developer, software engineer, or social media manager.
Succeeding in most industries has much to do with the people you know. Start building your professional network as soon as possible. If you’re still in college, start attending job fairs, conferences, workshops, and other events that allow you to network with other professionals.
You may not know anyone at the company where you hope to work. But if you develop enough relationships, chances are someone from your network can help you make a connection.
Faking it until you make it is still an effective strategy when interviewing for jobs. Of course, you don’t want to go overboard and start rambling about topics you don’t know much about. But maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on your best skills can help you gain the confidence necessary to impress recruiters and business leaders.
Keep in mind that you will learn a lot along the way. You only have to get your foot in the door and remain open-minded to how you can learn more about your industry and position. There is only one like you in the world — why wouldn’t you be confident?
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have all the necessary experience for the job you are applying for. And even though the job description says “required,“ the company may give you the benefit of the doubt if you can demonstrate how some of your non-work experience translates to the position.
For example, describing how you helped raise money for a community cause can help you land a job opening as a sales representative. Similarly, showing that you have a high-quality personal blog or portfolio can help when applying for web development for design positions.
Recruiters love seeing recent college graduates passionate about the specific positions they’re applying for. Too many jobseekers see entry-level jobs as a short stepping stone to what they want to do. Even if that’s true, don’t focus on that during your interviews and cover letter.
Conduct extensive research on the position you’re applying for, and express your interest and passion for the position to the hiring manager. Tell them you will be 100% committed to excelling at your job and growing alongside the company from day one.
Finally, be nice to the hiring manager and anyone else you see at the company. You might be surprised how long a kind word or a smile can go when landing a job.
Step out of your comfort zone a bit, and be sociable during the interview process. People like friendly people. Plus, it will show you have valuable soft skills.
It’s possible to start working in your dream industry as soon as you graduate college. And you can start sooner than that if you land an internship.
Consider the job ideas above as you develop your career plan, and connect with Pocketbook Agency to learn about potential employers. Lastly, no matter what entry-level position you accept, remember to give it your all and collaborate well with others. You’ll be moving on to better things in no time!
Sources:
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
List of Top Soft Skills Employers Value With Examples | The Balance Careers
How to Maintain Confidence During at Long Job Search | Washington Post