It can be very frustrating when looking at the paper or career websties only to discover many of the available jobs require work experience. Even friends I know who have completed masters degrees in specialized fields were discouraged to read job announcements requiring a degree and three to five years experience working in that field. Often I would ask myself: how will I get experience at a job if I do not get the chance to work in this field? So what types of entry level jobs can you apply for with little or no work experience? Even being a high school graduate is often considered insufficient experience when applying for certain entry level jobs that require more sophisticated skills, such as being able to perform clerical office duties. As freshman in college I was happy to learn I was awarded Federal Work Study, but most of the positions on the job board at the career center required specialized experience or a science background. Eventually I found an entry level job as a librarian assistant that consisted of shelving books for barely minimum wage. I was happy to have this job and considered it to be good experience, and without it I would not have have been able to apply for other library positions that require work experience in this field. So just because you have a high school diploma, BA, MA, or PhD. does not necessarily mean you can apply for any entry level position. Often you will have to start at the bottom and work your way up, but I see this as a precious opportunity to learn skills that will be beneficial when deciding to make a pivotal move up the career ladder.

So what are a few of the jobs that you can apply for without experience? Even if you have the bare minimum experience needed in the field keep in mind most employers will expect that you have basic verbal and written communication skills, cash handling knowledge, work safety knowledge, and many other basic skills that are taught in school. If you feel you need to brush up on some of these skills try doing a google search to learn the basic requirements needed for a particular job. When applying to work at any company it is always good to learn about the culture of the business, which will give you an advantage at the interview over people that did not take this initiative.

Here are a few examples of entry level jobs that do not require extensive career experience:

• Library Page
• Food Service Worker
• Day Larborer
• Entry Level Custodian
• Entry Level Office Worker
• Cashier (Depends on the store)
• Various Types of Assistants
• Entry Level Housekeeper
• Entry Level Office Assistant
• Factory Worker

However, always read the job description before applying because different employers may expect varying amounts of experience. For example, some grocery stores and restaurants may hire people to work as food server and arrange for food handler's training at a later date, but some positions require that you have have this license before applying. I never viewed entry level jobs as demeaning and I always took pride in my work. Also, keep in mind right now in this economy many people are out of work and there will be more competition even for jobs that were not considered desirable a few years ago. The best tactic for obtaining an entry level position is to convey your ability the employer of being ready and willing to learn your trade. This job does not have to be permanent, and viewing this as a stepping stone to bigger and better things is always a positive way to go.