So you’re ready to take that important step into the working world and get your first job! 🙌
But where do you start? 🤷🏼♀️
You might think that getting a job when you have no experience is impossible. But the good news is, that there are plenty of jobs you can do 🥳
You have more experience than you think. These are your soft skills. Soft skills are non-technical skills relating to how you work. Like being good with people, listening and empathy.
For example, if you found yourself leading group projects at School or University you might suit a retail or sales position 🛍
If you have a caring nature and like to help others, you could look into a career as a care worker 👩⚕️
In this list, we are going to take an in-depth look at the types of no experience jobs that are available. The skills needed to do them. And what companies offer you the best deal.
Just because it’s your first job and you don’t have any experience yet, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a good job 👍
So from good shift notice, good rate of pay, career progression and sick pay. Breakroom helps you get a good job, by telling you what it’s like to work there from the people who actually do.
Now let’s explore what no experience job suits you best 👇
Contents:
1. Retail and sales assistant 🛍
Working in retail or as a sales assistant is a fantastic route into the workspace for anyone looking for their first no experience job. Not only will they train you as you go, but you’ll learn invaluable skills that will last you throughout your entire career. From people skills, communication and sales tactics. These skills are transferable to many industries should you wish to change your career path later. The soft skills you need to be a retail and sales assistant are:
A personable nature
Friendly and approchable
Work well with others
Strong attention-to-detail
Great communication skills
Persuading and negotiation skills
What are the duties:
As a retail sales assistant, you’ll help customers by selling and displaying the products or goods. You will also be responsible for handling customer payments, returns and refunds.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You may be standing for long periods of time
It may involve some heavy lifting
You may have to keep the store clean and tidy
The job can be quite physical
In our survey of over 22k Retail and Sales Assistants we found the following:
The good:
84% say it’s great for students
77% say they get proper breaks
66% say it’s good for parents
58% enjoy their job
The bad:
77% say the head office doesn't understand the frontline
60% are often stressed at work
76% say breaks are not paid
65% are paid below the Real Living Wage
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Ikea (score 7.3)
2️⃣ Screwfix (score 7.1)
3️⃣ Waitrose & partners (score 7.0)
3️⃣John Lewis & Partners (score 7.0)
5️⃣ B&Q (score 6.6)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
5️⃣ Zara (score 4.7)
4️⃣ Carephone Warehouse (score 4.4)
3️⃣ Smyths Toys (score 4.4)
2️⃣ The Range (score 4.2)
1️⃣ McColls (score 4.1)
Apply for retail and sales assistant roles here.
2. Bar staff 🍷🍺
To work as a bartender you don’t need any set qualifications. The only requirement is that you’re over the age of 18 to serve alcohol. There are some key traits that you need to have in order to be a good bartender:
Great people skills
Communication
Listening skills
Good memory
Attention-to-detail
Patience
What are the duties:
Your main duties will be serving food and drink to customers. You’ll also be handling payments. It’s important to be a good listener, especially when customers are looking for a friendly ear.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You will be standing for a lot of the day/night
You’ll sometimes have to deal with difficult customers
It can be quite physically demanding with restocking
In our survey of over 1k Bar Staff we found the following:
The good:
85% say it’s good for students
50% say they were given a chance to progress in the last year
71% enjoy their job
63% get a good choice of shifts
The bad:
63% often feel stressed at work
71% report working 8 hours or more than they’re contracted to each week
88% are paid below the Real Living Wage
70% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
Popular companies in this sector:
1️⃣ JD Wetherspoon (score 6.3)
2️⃣ Greene King (score 5.0)
3️⃣ Marston’s (score 5.0
4️⃣ Stonegate Pubs (score 4.8)
Apply for bar staff roles here.
3. Waiter/Waitress
Working as a waiter or waitress is the ideal no experience job as you can start at entry-level. You can then work towards getting certified in Food and Beverage Service. You may be asked to have a few GCSEs usually in Maths and English, but don’t let that put you off applying. The main traits they look for are:
People skills
Working well as a team
Good memory
Great listening skills
Being personable and friendly
What are the duties:
Your main duties are to serve food and drinks to customers in either a restaurant or a cafe. You’ll also need to take orders and converse with customers, as well as take payments.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You will be standing for long periods of time
There may be some anti-social hours
It can be physically demanding
In our survey of over 2.6k Waiters and Waitresses we found the following:
The good:
81% say it’s good for students
65% say it’s good for parents
69% enjoy their job
People report getting a 50% discount
The bad:
78% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
93% don’t get sick pay
93% are paid below the Real Living Wage
69% report often feeling stressed
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Nandos (score 6.8)
2️⃣ Wagamama (score 6.10
3️⃣ Whitbread (score 5.3)
4️⃣ TGI Fridays (score 5.2)
5️⃣ Pizza Hut (score 5.2)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
3️⃣ Mitchells & Butlers (score 5.0)
2️⃣ Greene King (score 5.0)
1️⃣ Marston’s (score 5.0)
Apply for waiter/waitress roles here.
4. Supermarket assistant 🛒
Working as a supermarket assistant is a good first-time job as they often have multiple vacancies and you don’t need any formal qualifications to apply. Here are the types of traits they look for:
Personable and friendly
Works well with others
Attention-to-detail
Great communication skills
Persuading and negotiation skills
What are the duties:
Your role as a supermarket assistant will vary, but your main responsibility will be to serve and advise customers. You will also take deliveries of stock and goods, arrange the displays, clean the store and handle payments.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You may be standing for long periods of time
It may involve some heavy lifting
You will have to keep the store clean and tidy
The job can be quite physical
In our survey of over 16k Supermarket Assistants we found the following:
The good:
88% say it’s good for students
74% get proper breaks
66% are paid at or above the Real Living Wage
66% say it’s good for parents
The bad:
30% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
58% don’t get sick pay
57% report no career progression
81% don’t get paid breaks
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Waitrose & Partners (score 7.0)
2️⃣ Aldi (score 6.8)
3️⃣ Sainsbury (score 6.4)
4️⃣ Tesco (score 6.1)
5️⃣ Lidl (score 5.8)
Apply for supermarket assistant roles here.
5. Delivery driver 🚚
All you need to be a delivery driver is a clean driver's licence. You can drive a van with your normal license as long as the van is less than 3.5 tonnes. Here are some of the traits you need to be a delivery driver.
Organised
Team player
Attention-to-detail
People skills
Great communication skills
What are the duties:
Whether you’re working as a food delivery driver or a parcel delivery driver, the basis of the role is collecting items from a depot or a warehouse and delivering them to the customer.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You may have to lift heavy items
You deliver 100’s of packages per day
You’ll spend a lot of time on the road
It’s an active role with lots of walking
In our survey of over 3.2k delivery drivers and couriers we found the following:
The good:
81% say it’s good for students
67% say they enjoy their job
65% feel they get enough training
52% don’t feel stressed
The bad:
78% say they don’t get paid breaks
66% say there’s no career progression
42% say they get their shifts one week or less in advance
71% don’t get sick pay
71% say they are paid below-market rates
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Waitrose & Partners (score 7.0)
2️⃣ Ocado (score 6.7)
3️⃣ UPS (score 6.6)
4️⃣ Amazon (score 6.5)
4️⃣ Royal Mail (score 6.5)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
2️⃣ Domino’s Pizza (score 4.9)
1️⃣ Hermes (score 4.9)
Apply for care delivery drivers roles here.
6. Warehouse operative 📦
Working as a warehouse operative as your first job is a great career choice for someone with a lot of stamina and likes to be active. You do not need any qualifications or experience, but some companies may require some GCSEs and basic IT skills. Things like forklift training will be completed on the job. Traits they’ll be looking for include:
Team player
organisation skills
Flexible
Self-motivation
Physically dependable
Literacy and numeracy skills
What are the duties:
Your role will be to take deliveries of goods and raw material. You’ll pack and wrap goods as well as check for damaged and missing items. You will check stock is stored correctly and safely as well as load goods for dispatch.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You will be standing for most of the day
There is a lot of heavy lifting involved
Many warehouse roles include night shifts
In our survey of over 5k warehouse operatives we found the following:
The good:
80% say it’s good for students
84% don't worry about getting enough hours
82% get proper breaks
67% are paid at or above the Real Living Wage
The bad:
77% say head office doesn’t understand the frontline
68% don’t get sick pay
46% get one week or less notice of their shifts
66% report no career progression in the last year
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Waitrose & Partners (score 7.0)
2️⃣ Aldi (score 6.8)
3️⃣ Gist (score 6.5)
4️⃣ Amazon (score 6.5)
5️⃣ Sainsbury (score 6.4)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
1️⃣ Hermes (score 4.9)
Apply for warehouse operative roles here.
7. Barista ☕️
A barista is a fantastic first-time job. You can work making coffee and other beverages in shop chains, restaurants and even hotels. The best thing is that you don’t need any experience to do this as you’ll have on the job training. The main traits they are looking for are:
People skills
Friendly and approachable
A quick learner
An interest in coffee is desirable
Ability to sell products and services
Great communication skills
Work well with your hands
A good memory
What are the duties:
Your main duties are to serve drinks to customers in a timely manner. You’ll also need to take orders and converse with customers, as well as take payments.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You will be standing for long periods of time
There are some anti-social hours
It can be physically demanding
In our survey of over 1k baristas we found the following:
The good:
85% say it’s good for students
61% say it’s good for parents
65% enjoy their job
People report getting a 50% discount
The bad:
72% are paid below the Real Living Wage
56% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
88% don’t get sick pay
71% often feel stressed
Some companies in this sector are :
1️⃣ Starbucks (score 5.7)
2️⃣ Costa Coffee (score 5.5)
Apply for barista roles here.
8. Fast-food server 🍟
Fast-food service is a common first job for people with no experience. It’s great for building up your customer service skills and learning about the hospitality industry. Here’s the traits they look for:
Patience
Remaining calm in stressful situations
Flexibility
People skills and friendly
Great communication
Team player
Attention-to-detail
What are the duties:
You’ll be serving customers in a fast-paced environment. Dealing with customers, taking payments and cleaning the restaurant.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
It can sometimes be anti-social hours
You’ll be on your feet for the majority of your shift
It’s quite physically demanding
In our survey of over 8k fast-food servers we found the following:
The good:
85% say it’s good for students
57% had the chance to progress in the last year
64% say it’s good for parents
55% enjoy their jobs
The bad:
81% do not receive the Real Living Wage
75% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
91% don’t get sick pay
84% don’t get paid breaks
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Five Guys (score 7.1)
2️⃣ Greggs (score 6.0)
3️⃣ Mcdonalds (score 5.4)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
3️⃣ Burger King (score 4.7)
2️⃣ KFC (score 4.7)
1️⃣ Taco Bell (score 4.3)
Apply for fast-food server roles here.
9. Care Worker 👩⚕️
To be a care worker you will receive training on the job, which makes it ideal when you have no experience. You will need to have a clean DBS check. The main thing they are looking for is natural abilities. These are your traits that cannot be taught. Employers will be looking for someone who is:
Respectful
Empathetic
Reliable
Patient
Caring
Observant
Practical
What are the duties:
Care workers help people with their daily lives in order to help them live as independently as possible. You would perform tasks such as helping with social or physical activities, household tasks, preparing food, bathing, getting dressed, personal care such as toilet assistance and minor health assistance.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You may be standing for long periods
There may be some heavy lifting
It can be emotionally demanding
There are often long anti-social hours
You often have to work nights
It’s a very physical role
In our survey of over 6.5k care workers and assistants we found the following:
The good:
73% say they enjoy their job
65% say it’s good for parents
76% say it’s great for students
72% say they got enough training
The bad:
79% say that head office doesn’t understand the frontline
73% often feel stressed at work
75% don’t get paid breaks
69% don’t get sick pay
The best organisations in this sector:
1️⃣ NHS (score 6.2)
2️⃣ Home Instead (score 5.4)
2️⃣ MHA (score 5.4)
2️⃣ Anchor Hanover (score 5.4)
5️⃣ Bupa (score 5.3)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
3️⃣ Caremark (score 3.7)
2️⃣ Allied healthcare (3.8)
1️⃣ Cera Care (score 3.6)
Apply for care assistant roles here.
10. Cleaner 🧽
A cleaning role is a great no experience job as they’ll teach you everything you need to know. And whilst you don’t need any specific qualifications you will need to show them that you’re reliable and up to the task. Here are some of the traits they are looking for:
Able to work independently
Friendly and approachable
Attention-to-detail
Organisation skills
Time management
Be physically fit as it’s an active role
What are the duties:
You could be cleaning anything from offices, industrial buildings, shops or homes. Or perhaps cars or gardens. This can be anything from vacuuming carpets, to cleaning upholstery and bathrooms.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You will be on your feet most of the day
There will be some heavy lifting of equipment
You may have to work long and anti-social hours
It can be quite solitary
In our survey of over 2.7k cleaners we found the following:
The good:
82% say its good for students
79% say it’s good for parents
81% say their manager doesn’t change their shift last minute
60% say they got enough training
The bad:
60% only get 1 week or less notice of shifts
67% don’t get sick pay
69% report no career progression for the last year
65% are paid below the Real Living Wage
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ NHS (score 6.2)
2️⃣ Mitie (score 6.1)
3️⃣ Sodexo (score 6.0)
Apply for cleaner roles here.
11. Factory production operative 🏭
You don’t need any formal qualifications to work as a factory production operative. But you may have to take a test during your interview process to access your practical skills. The main things the employer will be looking for is the following:
Physical strength and coordination
Attention-to-detail
Work well in a team
Flexible
Willingness to learn how to operate and control equipment
What are the duties:
Many companies need factory workers such as pharmaceuticals, food and drink, construction and engineering. Your role would be to take in and load the deliveries of goods and raw materials, to make, wrap and manufacture goods as well as ensure goods are stored safely.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
You need to be physically fit as there is a lot of heavy lifting
There will be long periods of standing
There are often unsociable hours
In our survey of over 1.9k factory production operatives we found the following:
The good:
70% say it’s good for students
70% are paid at or above the Real Living Wage
84% get proper breaks
53% say breaks are paid
The bad:
62% get 1-week notice or less of shifts
57% don't get sick pay
69% report no career progression in the past year
58% often feel stressed
Apply for factory production roles here.
12. Receptionist 🏨
A front of house role is an important part of a business. It’s often the first impression someone has of the company. And the best news is that you don’t need any experience to apply. The only thing they may ask for is some GCSEs. However, the main skills they are looking for are:
Great people skills
Friendly and approachable manner
Organisation skills
Admin skills
Remaining calm in busy situations
Attention-to-detail
Communication skills
Work well in a team
Use own initiative when working alone
What are the duties:
As the first point of contact for visitors at hotels or businesses, you’ll be required to sign people in. You’ll also need to help customers with general questions, answer phone calls and take payments. If you’re working at a hotel, spa or similar, you’ll need to manage and take bookings.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
There are often anti-social hours involved
Not all receptionist roles are sitting, so you may need to ask if you don’t want to be stood all-day
In our survey of over 2k Receptionists we found the following:
The good:
78% say it’s great for students
69% say it’s good for parents
54% enjoy their job
69% say their manager doesn’t change their shifts at the last minute
The bad:
75% often feel stressed
59% are paid below the Real Living Wage
39% get 1 week or less notice of shifts
67% report no career progression in the last yea
Some companies in this sector include:
1️⃣ My Dentist (score 6.2)
2️⃣ NHS (score 6.2)
3️⃣ Premier Inn (score 5.2)
4️⃣ Travelodge (score 5.0)
Apply for receptionist roles here.
13. Call centre assistant 📞
Working at a call centre is perfect when looking for no experience jobs. There are no formal qualifications needed, however they may ask you to have some GCSEs and basic computer skills. The skills that really matter are:
Remaining calm under pressure
Work well as a team
Basic computer skills
Friendly telephone manner
Patience
Communication skills
Problem-solving
What are the duties:
As a call centre assistant, you’ll either work in an office or from home. Your role will be to handle customer queries, complaints and feedback via telephone, email, webchat, social and text.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
Sometimes they are unsociable hours
There may be long periods of talking to customers
Customers can get irate so you’ll need to be patient
In our survey of over 2.4k Call Centre Assistants we found the following:
The good:
71% say it’s good for students
60% get sick pay
55% get at least 4 weeks notice of shifts
67% are paid the Real Living Wage
The bad:
58% reported no career progression in the last year
56% don’t get paid breaks
72% often feel stressed
60% don’t enjoy their job
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Lloyds Bank (score 7.2)
2️⃣ Sky (score 6.9)
3️⃣ BT (score 6.9)
4️⃣ British Gas (score 6.6)
5️⃣ NHS (score 6.2)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
2️⃣ Concentrix (score 5.0)
1️⃣ Teleperformance (score 4.6)
Apply for call centre assistant roles here.
14. Entertainment host 🎞
One of the most fun no experience jobs you could do is working as an entertainment host. This can be anything from working at the cinema, a tourist attraction or a theme park. You won’t need any formal qualifications but here are traits they’ll look for:
Friendly manner
Great people skills
Problem-solving
Communication
Team player
What are the duties:
Depending on what area of entertainment you work in, you will have a variety of tasks. These may include taking payments, dealing with customers, ensuring that people are having a fun experience, cleaning and serving food and drinks.
Some things about the role you need to know before you apply:
It can sometimes be anti-social hours
You’ll be on your feet for the majority of your shift
It’s quite physically demanding
The best companies in this sector:
1️⃣ Vue Cinemas (score 5.8)
2️⃣ Alton Towers (score 5.7)
3️⃣ Parkdean Resorts (score 5.5)
4️⃣ Cineworld (score 5.5)
5️⃣ Odeon (score 5.4)
The companies that don't have the best deal:
3️⃣ Mecca Bingo (score 4.6)
2️⃣ Buzz Bingo (score 4.4)
1️⃣ Tenpin (score 4.2)
Apply for entertainment roles here.
At Breakroom, we believe that you deserve a good job. Which is why we let you know what a job is really like from the people who actually work there. This may be your first role or you may be changing jobs and looking to build experience. Whatever your reason, you deserve a good deal at work. Breakroom gives you full transparency before you apply, so you can decide if the job is right for you.
Find a job that suits you here.
Published on 22 March 2022