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August 12, 2022
It’s no secret that the world of work is changing. With the advent of new technologies, the way we do business is evolving and with it, so too are the jobs that are in demand. If you’re an 18-year-old just starting out in your career, you may be wondering what the best options are for you. In this article, we’ll take a look at 25 of the highest-paying jobs for 18-year-olds in the UK today.
You might assume that the only work available to you is zero-hour contracts on minimum wage, but this isn’t the case. With a little bit of planning and initiative, you could be earning a healthy salary with good opportunities for career progression. Read on to learn the 25 jobs you could land at age 18 with little to no qualifications.
The retail sector has been one of the most popular industries for 18-year olds and it’s easy to see why. There are plenty of entry-level roles available, many of which don’t require any qualifications. One such role is as a retail sales associate. As a sales associate, you’ll be responsible for working on the shop floor and assisting customers. Your earning potential will depend on the type of store you are working in. Look for high-end stores that offer commission for sales if you want to boost your earnings.
Another common entry-level job for 18-year-olds is waiting tables. This role is often found in restaurants, cafes, and bars. As a member of the waitstaff, you’ll be responsible for taking customer orders, serving food and drinks, and clearing tables. Your earnings will depend on the level of customer service you provide because you will be able to enhance your earnings through tips.
If you’re looking for an office-based role, why not consider becoming an administrator? This is a great entry-level job for those with good communication and organisation skills. As an administrator, your duties will include answering phones, filing paperwork, and dealing with customer enquiries. You could work in a variety of different sectors, with some sectors (like law and finance) offering premium salaries.
Another job that’s well-suited to those with good communication skills is customer service. As a customer service representative, you’ll be the first point of contact for customers dealing with a company. Your duties will include handling customer enquiries and complaints, providing information about products and services, and resolving any issues. The customer service sector is huge, with plenty of opportunities for career progression. You might also have the option to work from home.
If you’re creative and have an interest in marketing, working as a marketing assistant could be the perfect job for you. In this role, you’ll be responsible for supporting the marketing team with various tasks such as creating marketing materials, conducting market research, and organising promotional events. This is a great role for those who want to get their foot in the door of the competitive world of marketing.
Working in human resources (HR) is a great option for those who are interested in people and have good organisation skills. As an HR assistant, you’ll support the HR staff with tasks like recruiting new employees, organising training, and dealing with employee enquiries. This is a fast-paced and demanding role, but it’s also very rewarding. You’ll need to be able to handle sensitive information discreetly and have excellent people skills.
If you’re interested in working in HR but want a more challenging role, you could become a recruitment consultant. In this role, you’ll be responsible for finding suitable candidates to fill vacant positions within a company. This involves conducting interviews, sourcing candidates, and managing the recruitment process from start to finish. Recruitment companies are often keen to hire college leavers with drive and ambition.
If you have your driving license, working as a delivery driver could be a great option. You’ll be responsible for delivering goods to customers within a designated area. This job is often suited to those who enjoy working independently and have good time management skills. There are many different types of delivery driver roles, from food delivery to parcel delivery
If you don’t have a driving license but still want to work in the delivery industry, you could become a postal worker. In this role, you’ll be responsible for sorting and delivering mail within your local area. This job is often suited to those who enjoy being active as it involves a lot of walking and could also include some early starts. To get your foot in the door, try taking on a seasonal role at Christmas when they have increased demand.
Working as a tutor is a great option for recent college leavers because everything you have learned at school will still be fresh. You could become a private tutor, working with students one-on-one, or you could work for a tutoring company. As a tutor, you’ll be responsible for helping students to improve their grades and achieve their academic goals. If you’re patient and enjoy working with people, this could be the perfect job for you.
If you are very organised and like creating processes, a virtual assistant role could be ideal for you. You’ll work from home with clients that need help with things like managing their social media accounts, scheduling appointments, and dealing with customer enquiries. This is a great job for those who are self-motivated and can work independently.
If you’re a whiz with social media and have an interest in marketing, working as a social media manager could be the perfect role for you. Employers are often looking for young people to manage their social media channels as they are digital natives, so use your age and experience with social media to your advantage. As a social media manager, you’ll be responsible for creating and managing content, engaging with followers, and running promotional campaigns.
Do you love organising events and making things happen? If so, working as an event planner could be the perfect role for you. You could start this as a freelance business and work your way up, or you could look for an apprenticeship role to get a foot on the ladder. This is a fast-paced role, and you’ll need to be comfortable working to tight deadlines.
If you’re already active and enjoy helping people to reach their fitness goals, you could easily train as a personal trainer. In this role, you’ll be self-employed, or you might work for a gym. As a personal trainer, you’ll be responsible for designing workout programmes and helping clients to achieve their fitness goals. You’ll need to have excellent people skills as you’ll be working closely with clients and motivating them to stay on track.
If you’re looking for an entry-level job that doesn’t require any qualifications, then working in the waste and recycling sector would be ideal for you. While these roles might have a bad reputation, they are actually very well paid and offer some great benefits. As a recycling collector, you’ll be responsible for collecting recyclable materials from homes and businesses in your local area. This job is often suited to those who enjoy being active as it involves a lot of walking.
If you love spending time outdoors and have a soft spot for animals, working as a dog walker could be ideal. You could advertise your services in your local area, or you could sign up with a pet sitting agency. As a dog walker, you’ll be responsible for walking dogs and providing them with some companionship while their owners are out. This job is great for those who want to work flexible hours as you can often choose when you work.
If you’re looking for a simple way to earn money, becoming a professional cleaner is a great place to start. You could work in a private home, or you could sign up with a cleaning agency. As a cleaner, you’ll be responsible for tasks like vacuuming, dusting, and mopping. This job is suited to those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty and are happy to work alone.
If you love being outdoors, then a job as a gardener would be ideal. You could work for a landscaping company, or you could start your own business. As a gardener, you’ll be responsible for tasks like mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and planting flowers. This job is great for those who are active as it can involve a lot of manual labour. You might also need some knowledge of greenery, but this can also be picked up on the job.
If you love working with children, then becoming a nanny would be perfect for you. You could work for a family, or you could sign up with a childcare agency. As a nanny, you’ll be responsible for caring for children and helping them to meet their developmental milestones. This job is suited to those who are patient and have a lot of energy, as it can be physically and emotionally demanding
If you’re good with your hands and have an eye for detail, then working as a car valet could be the perfect job for you. You could work for a dealership, or you could start your own business. As a car valet, you’ll be responsible for cleaning and polishing cars. This job is great for those who take pride in their work and are happy to work alone. If you specialise in valeting high-end sports cars, you could quickly establish yourself as the go-to valet in your local area.
If you’re interested in hair and fashion, then working as a barber could be the perfect job for you. You could start your own business or work for an existing salon. As a barber, you’ll be responsible for cutting and styling hair. You’ll need to have good people skills as you’ll be working closely with clients. This job is suited to those who are creative and enjoy being around people.
If you’re interested in art and have a steady hand, then working as a tattoo artist is a great way to combine your skills and interests. You’ll need to build your portfolio and find some willing guinea pigs to be the canvas for your first few tattoos, but after that, you could start your own business. As a tattoo artist, you’ll be responsible for creating tattoos for your clients. This job is suited to those who are creative and have a good eye for detail.
If you have a passion for high-end dining or events, you could take on work with a catering company. Training is often offered on the job, and you could work your way up to a supervisory or management position. You might also get to work for tips, which could greatly increase your earning potential, particularly if you are working for fancy events.
A home health aide works with elderly or disabled patients in their homes, providing basic medical care and helping with activities of daily living. No formal qualifications are required for this job, although you will need to undergo some training. The job can be emotionally demanding, but it is also very rewarding.
If you are strong and physically fit, you could work as a mover. You will need to be able to lift heavy furniture and appliances, and you may have to do a lot of walking or standing. The pay is not always great, but it can be very good if you are working for a large company or for tips.
These are just a few of the highest-paying jobs that an 18-year-old could secure with limited qualifications in the UK. Although many of these jobs require some form of training, they are all relatively easy to get into and provide an excellent opportunity to earn a good wage.
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