Think an entry-level job is just a means to get by? Think again. Holding an entry-level job has many benefits you may not have considered. Read our top 10 benefits of an entry level job.
1. No Experience Necessary
Entry-level jobs often require no prior work experience nor do they require you to have a particular skill set already. Often, employers are looking for individuals who have strong soft skills such as being reliable, hardworking, a team player, and willing to learn on-the-job. You can often find these positions in retail, food service, or the hospitality industry but you can find employment in other industries as well. Though you may not need experience, you might need one or two references who can speak about your dependability and work ethic.
2. Explore Other Job Environments
Entry-level jobs also provide the opportunity to explore a variety of settings and industries without being completely tied down or making a big commitment. This enables you to get a sense of the day-to-day activities at a company or industry to ensure that the environment is a good fit. In just 90 days, you can sometimes figure out if you are interested in an industry and if it will hold your interest over time. When people know you have an entry-level position, they are often open to answering questions or sharing what they love and dislike about the industry. You might even gain the opportunity to shadow someone on-the-job if you ask.
3. Learning Environment
We already mentioned that not needing experience to land an entry level job is a benefit. Learning a new skill if you have no experience is another benefit. Many college graduates have a degree, but may not have experience in their career field. An entry level job can allow you to use your “book smarts” and gain the hands-on part that you may not have earned in college. The ‘hands-on’ part even includes hearing and using the jargon that is commonly used in an industry, understanding what it may take to advance in an industry, and provide you with insight into the pros and cons as well.
4. Transferable Skills
You’ll learn a thing or two at your entry level job and often you’ll find, that experience is applicable in other industries as well. Maybe you learned a bit of sales, or customer service. Perhaps you gained insight into various forms of team structures, team building, or collaborating with others. You may have also met people that have different cultures and backgrounds than your own and learned from them as well. Every experience is a growth opportunity and the skills you learned are most likely useful down the road.
5. Low Pressure
Most entry level jobs are less stressful than positions requiring more experience, as more experienced workers generally have higher demands placed on them. Most entry jobs are viewed as learning opportunities and employers and managers may allow for mistakes. At this level, mistakes may not be as detrimental for the company. This is a time to learn as much as you can. Take advantage of any opportunity you have and learn as much as possible. This low pressure environment may provide you the opportunity to handle other commitments while keeping a job. Perhaps you are in high school, college, or thinking about going back to school. An entry level job may be more management to maintain than a position that has more expectations tied to it.
6. Opportunities in Departments
An entry level position may provide an opportunity to work across multiple departments (even if performing an entry level task). This provides you an opportunity to explore careers in an industry you may have not considered. You may find you pursue an entirely new career path than you expected.
7. Networking Opportunities
Remember, everyone starts somewhere. Your lead worker, assistant manager, or manager may become the next senior manager, director, or chief officer of a company. Even your peers working entry level jobs at this present time may find themselves working at other companies in other positions. You can stay in touch with your new connections and start to build your online professional profile through a platform such as LinkedIn (link opens in a new tab). Another value in leveraging a professional social network is that your contacts will update their own personal information. This means if their phone number or email changes, you’ll still be able to look them up in your social network and send them a message. You can also get notifications when someone leaves a company for another company or gains a promotion. Take a moment to congratulate these individuals on their life achievements and stay in touch – even if in brief communications.
8. References
Along with networking opportunities you can also gain references from your colleagues as well. If you are a hard worker, reliable, and are viewed as someone who will get the job done, your employer and peers will notice. This can be a great opportunity to gain references for future employment. Many employment applications ask candidates for references from prior supervisors and people other than your friends and family. Again, this is why a social media network can be invaluable. If you need a reference but the contact information you have for the individual has changed, you can always message them through their social media network.
9. Resume Builder
Employers may list on a job description that they require a certain amount of years in the industry. Even your experience holding that entry-level job can count towards that time requirement. Holding that entry-level job provides you the opportunity to show your knowledge of an industry and shows employers that they have a foundation to build from. If you are working on your resume and only have an entry-level position to place on that resume at this point, visiting your local Workforce Center can help you craft an impressive resume that will stand out to employers. You can visit our Top 10 Resume Tips to learn more about creating a resume or check out an article that goes over cover letters.
10. Side Income and Benefits
Of course, earning an income never hurts. While you are learning and gaining the benefits that an entry-level provides, you also are earning a paycheck as well. In fact, some companies even offer their part-time workers medical benefits and tuition reimbursement. For instance, did you know Starbucks and Chipotle offers college tuition to their employees? Visit our how to pay for college article to learn more.
As you can see, there are various benefits in working an entry-level position. If you view this job as an opportunity to learn, network, and grow, you’ll make the most of your experience!
