4 Best First Jobs To Help You Build Skills for Any Career Path
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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People’s first jobs are generally not their best-paying jobs. However, the right entry-level position can pay a bonus in the form of transferable skills they’ll take with them for the rest of their lives.
Anyone new to the workforce should consider the following first jobs, which can serve as a launchpad for success in a variety of career paths, industries and fields.
Also see the five best high-paying jobs for remote work.
Sales
Sales expert and author Dr. Cindy McGovern wrote a book called “Every Job Is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work.”
The so-called “First Lady of Sales” wrote the book, but the idea that every job involves selling is not a new concept. The notion is that actively contributing to the company’s bottom line and honing soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, adaptation and persuasion are crucial to sales — and just about every other line of work in one way or another.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average entry-level salesperson earns $63,444 per year.
Administrative Assistant
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median administrative assistant earns around $46,000 a year — but the job’s most valuable compensation might be the wealth of transferable skills that it provides.
Successful administrative assistants master a highly marketable blend of soft and hard skills, including time management, organization, attention to detail, multitasking, writing, scheduling, computer proficiency, database management, clerical skills and protocols for handling sensitive information.
Customer Service Representative
Communication, dispute resolution, temperament and learning how to turn customers into satisfied customers are hallmarks of successful customer service representatives — and successful employees across all industries.
Indeed reports that many entry-level customer service positions are available. The work teaches problem-solving skills that apply to many fields, allowing for seamless transitions to new levels within the organization or to different industries or career paths altogether.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average entry-level customer service rep makes $19 an hour, or just over $39,000 a year.
Human Resources Assistant
The Society for Human Resource Management outlines how human resource assistants can learn what makes good candidates and employees stand out to companies, including their backgrounds, bios, resumes, strategies, contacts and processes, that lead to success, hiring and promotions — and what doesn’t.
That’s because much of their job involves managing and maintaining files and programs for personnel, new hires, terminations, training and recruiting. According to the BLS, human resource assistants make an average of $23.46 per hour, or $48,800 annually.
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