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The best entry level jobs for college grads use the degree that’s recently been earned through four years of college. Since many college grads choose business, management or software related professions, we’ve included some of these in our list of the best entry level jobs for college grads getting into the job market now. Experience is helpful, but the four-year degree in a practical major is the step in the door for most college students who’ve attained graduation from a public university or private college. Entry-level means starting fairly low down the ladder, but the college degree opens many doors.

1. What Is Entry Level?

Entry level is code for “a bottom or lower rung job of the career ladder.” A college degree provides an education, but an employer provides training and experience. To use the full extent of knowledge attained as an undergraduate, an entry level or starting position is usually where recent college grads begin.

2. What Are the Best Ways To Search For Employment?

A sensible start to finding work in your field is to look where the jobs are. If you can relocate, you can find a metropolitan area or even a remote telecommute opportunity. Apply for as many jobs as possible, and be assertive about follow-up. Research companies that have a good reputation—using services, such as Glassdoor—to compare company reviews, and polish your resume with an emphasis on your education and degree.

3. How Does A College Degree Help Me In The Workplace?

Numerous jobs are available to only those with a college degree. If you have a general degree, such as history, English or theater arts, you can parlay the four-year education into management positions, substitute teaching and state and county jobs that require degrees. Focus on jobs that require college degrees to increase earning potential.

4. What Are The Best Entry Level Jobs For College Grads In Business?

Business graduates can find work in small, medium or large business arenas. In the latter, large corporations will often hire business grads in mid-level management positions. Companies like Google, Amazon, Walmart and other large businesses or big box stores love college graduates who have proven their ability to complete a course of study.


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  • Account Manager
  • Software Developer
  • Business Analyst
  • Customer Service Rep
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Recruiter
  • Fast Food Manager
  • Investment Banking Analyst
  • Graphic Designer
  • Staff Accountant
  • Paralegal/Legal Assistant
  • Registered Nurse
  • Project Coordinator
  • Electrical engineer
  • Educator

Account Manager

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  • Uses marketing degrees
  • High people contact
  • High people contact
  • Rewards organization
  • Plenty of room for growth
  • Independent initiative necessary
  • Opportunities to excel
  • Requires assertive salesmanship
  • Must like wining and dining
  • Trial-by-fire atmosphere

Software Developer

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  • Work independently
  • Clear goals
  • Potentially high paying
  • Usually casual atmosphere in office setting
  • Can be mentally draining
  • Can be high-stress
  • Sedentary

Business Analyst

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  • Can work in a wide number of businesses
  • Problem-solving ability in demand
  • Great for strategic thinkers
  • Transferrable skills are attainable
  • Plenty of data to analyze
  • Must know how to reverse engineer
  • Often a go-between
  • Can be a challenge to get data

Customer Service Rep

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  • Jobs – plentiful
  • Structured training 
  • Rewards patience
  • Will help grad learn the product line
  • Can lead to management
  • Repetitive
  • Must deal with difficult customers
  • Pay – not the best in some regions
  • Call center environment

Administrative Assistant

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  • Plenty of daily work
  • Helpful to one or more executives
  • Acquires software and office skills
  • Often manages an entire office
  • Atmosphere depends on supervisor (If the boss is difficult, so is the job.)
  • Can lead to a dead end
  • Pay – not the highest in some regions and industries

Recruiter

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  • Problem-solving opportunities
  • Plenty of scouting and investigating
  • Will always find work
  • Learn a lot about different industries and jobs
  • Possibly difficult clients
  • Highly competitive business
  • Sometimes requires cold-calls
  • Can be high-stress

Fast Food Manager

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  • Opportunity to help customers
  • Upbeat atmosphere
  • Working as part of a team
  • Daily exercise
  • Plentiful jobs
  • Great education in management
  • High level of responsibility
  • Sometimes stressful
  • Difficult customers
  • Must act as coach, training and mom/dad
  • Low pay to start

Salary

Individuals pursuing hospitality or restaurant management typically begin in the high 20s or low 30s.


Investment Banking Analyst

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  • Mentally challenging
  • Structured environment
  • Long-term potential
  • Can be lucrative
  • Requires attention to detail
  • May lack excitement
  • Few transferrable skills gained

Salary

Highly dependent on your degree and the size of the company that’s hiring, this work will typically start in at least the mid-40s.


Graphic Designer

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  • Fosters creativity
  • Requires concentration
  • Can be the go-to expert
  • Can help support multiple projects
  • Can use skills in many fields
  • Competitive
  • Pay – not always high

Salary

Graphic designers typically get paid in the low 30s at the beginning of their careers.

Staff Accountant

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  • Gains inside knowledge
  • Uses mental abilities daily
  • Problem-solving skills important
  • Usually pays well
  • Can lead to consultant positions
  • Puts employee near power players
  • Requires intense focus
  • Mistakes – possibly catastrophic
  • Very sedentary work

Paralegal/Legal Assistant

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  • Interesting work
  • Can help vulnerable people
  • Work as part of a team
  • Supportive and helpful to the office
  • Starting pay not high
  • Some offices – additional education required
  • Long hours at certain times

Registered Nurse

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  • High employment rate
  • Huge variety of environments
  • Get to move around
  • Will practice skills learned in school
  • Great salary
  • RN qualifies for other employment
  • Stressful and grueling at times
  • Long shifts
  • Very physical

Project Coordinator

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  • Plenty of variety
  • Gains inside knowledge of organization
  • Performance based
  • Can be applied to many industries
  • Stressful due to timelines
  • Can be challenging managing superiors
  • Varying pay 

Electrical Engineer

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  • Problem-solving challenges
  • Will use what was learned in college
  • Wide range of industries hiring
  • Thinking and tinkering both required
  • Integral to running operation
  • Career-long learning opportunities
  • Well-paying
  • May have to solve problems independently
  • Requires thinking on your feet

Educator

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  • Daily problem solving
  • Working with children (fun)
  • A sense of reward
  • Being part of a community
  • Ability to be creative
  • Opportunity to perform
  • Ability to move around
  • Breaks and summer off
  • Grueling and stressful
  • Requires a high tolerance of people
  • Pay – rarely high enough
  • Not for everyone

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