Best first jobs

The best first jobs include retail sales associate, server, and administrative assistant. Many first-time jobs provide a great foundation for building your work experience and skills. Consider an administrative assistant position if you are planning on a career in a corporate environment or a server role in a restaurant if you aim to become a professional who interfaces with people often. Whatever your future career aspirations are, try to tailor your first job experience with the transferable skills of one of these ten options:

1. Retail Sales Associate

2. Server

   Average Salary: $29,901

3. Administrative Assistant

   Average Salary: $34,945

   Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.

4. Barista

   Average Salary: $29,528

   Baristas are employees who work on assembling drinks available in the restaurant cafe. They are expected to be familiar with the menu offerings related to non-alcoholic beverages, such as coffee, tea, or chocolate, available in the restaurant. They are also expected to be familiar with the ingredients needed to make such drinks. They are in charge of managing the inventory and ensuring that the ingredients needed are readily available. Baristas are also expected to be able to make drinks in a quick yet accurate manner.

5. Cashier

   Average Salary: $28,144

   A cashier is one of the most visible positions in the retail industry. Cashiers are the last direct point of contact with customers and play a key role in service, retail, and wholesale establishments. They leave a long-lasting impression, which helps encourage the customers to go back. The most common tasks for cashiers are to scan items, conduct price checks, and collect payments. They may deal with a great amount of money on a daily basis, so this position requires them to be honest, reliable, and trustworthy employees. They also need to have great skills in customer service as they may handle customer complaints from time to time, assist in answering questions, and process refunds or exchanges.

6. Intern

7. Receptionist

   Average Salary: $30,571

   Receptionists are employees assigned at the entrances or lobbies of offices. They welcome guests, check identification, issue visitor badges, attend to questions or inquiries, and direct guests to where they are supposed to go. They also receive general mail or packages, answer calls, and manage schedules. Receptionists perform various clerical or administrative functions as assigned by their supervisors. They should have good client relations skills.

8. Delivery Driver

   Average Salary: $38,785

   A delivery driver's general responsibility is to ensure that the packages are being delivered to the destination safely and timely. Delivery drivers must be able to communicate well with the delivery team for the most convenient routes and assigned schedule. A delivery driver also has to check with the customer should there be any concerns regarding the items delivered to guarantee satisfaction and accurate service. Delivery drivers should also have basic knowledge of engines in case of any system malfunctions on the road.

9. Tutor

   Average Salary: $33,998

   Tutors are individual contributors who make sure that students assigned to them can understand classroom lessons. They are often full-time educators themselves, but they may also be working in other fields and are only passionate about teaching. Tutors usually meet students after school to go over any lesson that the students find challenging. They assist students with their homework or other schoolwork that the students may need help in. At times, tutors are tapped to help students study for future lessons, meaning that they go through classroom lessons in advance.

10. Camp Counselor

    Average Salary: $24,340

    Camp counselors' general responsibility is the supervision of a camping event. Camp counselors' duties include reiterating the rules and regulations, emergency drills and procedures, and related standard protocols to ensure that the campers maintain a safe camping environment. A camp counselor should possess strong leadership and decision-making skills to develop recreational programs and immediately resolve concerns that might affect everyone's overall camping experience. Camp counselors also help develop social interaction, promote teamwork, and monitor participation among campers.