When evaluating entry-level jobs, you might be inclined to consider them based on pay and job flexibility alone, due to the current nature of the employment market. However, it turns out that there are more factors to consider than just the average pay or the flexible nature of the role.
According to a recent WalletHub study, you should think about three core characteristics so that your career is on a solid footing.
That's what WalletHub analysts did when researching entry-level jobs for their recent report on the top entry-level jobs for 2024. They evaluated entry-level jobs according to these three factors:
- Immediate opportunity
- Growth potential
- Job hazards
Immediate opportunity refers to the entry-level job being in demand, with a significant number of opportunities and higher-than-usual starting salaries.
Growth potential, on the other hand, concentrates on evaluating the probability that the job would be replaced by AI or technology, as well as income and job growth potential, and the likelihood of being provided with on-the-job training.
Finally, measuring roles against job hazards means that you bear in mind factors such as well-being and work-life balance, and the possibility of occupational injuries.
Top 10 Remote Entry-Level Jobs
According to their analysis of the data based on 108 entry-level jobs, and their overall weighting in the scoring, here are the top 10 in the list:
- Engineer
- Environmental health and safety engineer
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Software Engineer
- Safety Representative
- Hardware Engineer
- Safety Technician
- Electronics Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Operations Research Analyst
One thing is clear: if you look at the list above, you will notice that engineers and technicians occupy almost three-quarters of that list.
However, unfortunately, many of these entry-level jobs cannot be performed remotely, due to the nature of the roles. Therefore, here are the top 10 remote entry-level jobs from WalletHub's analysis of 108 job titles:
- Software engineer
- Operations research analyst
- Web applications developer
- Benefits analyst
- Database administrator
- Programmer
- Web designer
- Market research analyst
- Web content writer
- Financial analyst
These roles are heavily focused on tech and call for professionals with strong analytical skills, so it is important to bear this in mind when considering your career options this summer.
How To Get A Remote Entry-Level Job In 2024
To secure a remote entry-level job, you'll need a combination of preparation, networking, and targeted job search strategies. Here are some ways you can increase your chances of landing a remote entry-level job:
- Identify your skills and interests: Assess your strengths and what you're passionate about to determine the type of entry-level remote job you're interested in pursuing. It is important to get this right as early as possible because this choice sets the precedent for your career future.
- Learn relevant skills: Once you've identified your skills, you should learn new skills that will place you in a favorable position to work remotely, such as communication skills, collaboration across multiple time zones, and collaborative software.
- Tailor your resume: Ensure you customize your resume and supporting application documents to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. In addition to job-specific skills, you especially need to emphasize your ability to work independently, communicate effectively, and manage time.
- Use remote job boards: Remote entry-level jobs can be located in a variety of places, including online job boards, remote job websites (such as We Work Remotely), and company career pages.
- Gain experience: Some entry-level jobs do require some prior experience (ironic, right?) so you'll need to be prepared in the event this scenario occurs. You can gain relevant experience for a remote entry-level job through freelance projects, traineeships, internships, and/or volunteering. Ideally, focus on remote opportunities at this stage so you have a feel for what it's like to work from home, should this experience be needed by a potential employer.
Use these steps above, be patient with the process, try unconventional approaches, and you will find yourself in your dream remote entry-level job.