Careers advice

6 examples of jobs you can do with no experience

No experience? No problem.

Last updated: 3 August 2023


When you’re scrolling through job listings on Trade Me Jobs, and reading all the required experience that employers want to see, you might be wondering, how do people get their first jobs, if everyone wants experience?

We all have to start somewhere, right? So there must be jobs out there with no experience needed. Well, you’d be right, these roles do exist. But, that's not to say they’re always obvious. Employers in industries which take on ‘no experience’ staff don’t often write this in job ads. So, it’s up to you to know what these industries are, and be able to sniff out the opportunities.

To give you some starting points, here’s a list of sectors where it’s common to start with no experience whatsoever.

6 ‘no experience’ jobs to look out for on Trade Me Jobs

1. Customer service representatives

Providing their customers with positive experiences is of paramount importance to businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand, meaning that customer service jobs are very common, even in an age where AI is starting to play a bigger part in this space.

Entry-level customer service jobs typically require little to no prior experience, as they rely heavily on soft skills such as the ability to communicate and empathy, which most people either have or they don’t. Additionally, because the nature of your interactions with customers will be heavily dictated by the specific business you’re working for, you’ll receive lots of on-the-job training to get you familiar with the products or services the businesses sells. For example, if you’re working as a phone rep, you’ll often be given a script with some of the most likely conversations you’ll encounter, and you’ll do plenty of practice with common scenarios to get you ready to go. All this means that you should feel confident about applying for customer service jobs with little to no prior experience under your belt.

Entry-level customer service roles can be great for people with no previous experience.

2. Hospitality roles

It’s pretty hard to get experience of working in a bar, restaurant or hotel without actually doing it, which means that these roles make good options for those without previous work experience. It’s not a coincidence that many of your favourite cafes or bars are staffed by younger Kiwi – these positions typically make great student jobs because they require little to no experience.

Of course, there are exceptions to this. You’re unlikely to be able to land a job in a really high end restaurant or fancy cocktail bar if you don’t have experience, as these places typically require a certain level of specialisation. But, ultimately, those establishments tend to be the exceptions, rather than the rule, meaning there are plenty of no experience hospitality jobs out there.

3. Cleaning roles

Nearly all businesses, and many private individuals, employ professional cleaners to keep their premises or homes looking spick and span. Like customer service jobs, cleaning roles often involve a lot of learning as you go, meaning that you don’t need to have much, or any, experience when you first start.

If you work for a cleaning business that takes care of other businesses’ offices, chances are you’ll be working with at least one other person, or perhaps you’ll work with a colleague for the first few shifts, until you feel comfortable going it alone. One of the great things about these cleaning roles is that there are often a variety of different shifts you can take on, allowing you to fit your work around the rest of your life.

4. Construction and roading roles

It’s pretty common to see construction and roading roles advertised on Trade Me Jobs, where the employer is happy to take on staff who don’t have previous experience.

Again, these entry level roles will involve lots of on the job training, and you’ll usually be working in large teams, so there will be plenty of experienced folks on hand to oversee what you’re doing and, importantly, ensure you stay safe.

Because there’s so much to learn in these roles, and plenty of different specialisations you can follow, construction and roading positions make for great first jobs from which you can launch your career. What’s more, as you start to climb the career ladder, you'll find that construction and roading positions can be very well paid – win win!

Construction roles offer heaps of opportunities to learn new skills and climb the ladder.

5. Delivery driving

With the proliferation of services like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Delivereasy, there’s an almost constant need for delivery drivers, particularly in larger centres such as centres like Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Nearly all delivery driver roles require no previous experience, meaning that, as long as you have a means of getting from A to B quickly (a car, bike or perhaps even an e-scooter), you should be good to go.

A real benefit of working these types of delivery jobs is that you’re usually free to work as and when you want. This means you can fit work easily around the other things that are going on in your life, or only work during periods when you know there’s going to be high demand.

6. Landscaping/gardening

Professional landscaping or gardening roles often work similarly to construction jobs in the way that new-starters get trained up as they go.

While you’ll need a certain amount of physical fitness to be able to do this kind of work, there’s a lot to like about it. Firstly, you’ll be outside, so if the thought of a desk job makes you want to run for the hills, this could be a great avenue to explore. In addition, you’ll typically work in teams, meaning that landscaping and gardening jobs can be fun and sociable environments to work in. Finally, once you’ve worked your way up, there are also opportunities to earn good money, or start a business of your own, giving you the freedom to work on your schedule and only take on projects that interest you.

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Author

Al Hall
Al Hall

Al Hall is a regular contributor at Trade Me Jobs and Trade Me Property. He’s dedicated to helping people succeed in their aspirations to find their dream job and place to live.