Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That question is just about as easy to solve as the riddle that many graduates or mid-careers switchers face when looking for their first jobs in a new field: can you get a job with no experience?
The great news is that yes, there are plenty of positions available that don’t require degrees or tons of experience. If you’re looking to play an integral role in an organization and you’re willing to work hard, there are several no experience jobs that you can enter right away. These jobs will all require no experience.
Some will require little more than a decent work ethic and willingness to learn what you need on the job. Other positions that require little experience can be stepping stones to more senior posts, especially in dynamic, high-demand fields like technology. While conventional education works for some, others choose to break into the field and climb the ranks with new skills developed along the way.
We’ll take a look at some options that rank as the easiest jobs in Singapore. Ultimately, these positions are what you make of them. Over time, if you show exemplary leadership and exhibit skills worthy of promotion, they can be unconventional paths that lead right to the top.
Is it possible to get a job without experience?
Singapore is home to a highly-skilled and competitive workforce. Many of the job portals in Singapore will list openings along with a list of necessary qualifications, like skills and credentials. For students or recent graduates and those who have decided to start over doing something completely different in the middle of their career, pursuing those positions might not be realistic.
Education takes time and money. Without it, you just have to be a little more creative. A customer service representative, for example, only needs the capacity to learn how to use the equipment and follow instructions. It also helps to be friendly and have high emotional intelligence. Still, neither of those are things that you can learn in school anyway. There are also openings in lots of other fields, especially in junior positions. You might take an initial pay cut to earn your employer’s trust and the chance to show off your skills. But with hard work and determination, you can distinguish yourself and start climbing in your career.
Can I get a job in Singapore without a degree?
There are several no experience jobs in Singapore that don’t require degrees. Here are some of the highest-paying jobs that you won’t need to wait to start until after university. Several of these surprising choices would serve even the most adventurous, high-achieving individuals well:
- Financial Advisor: You’ll need some higher learning, like an IB or polytechnic diploma, to be sure. And then, you’ll need to pass modules 5 to 9A taken from the CMFAS Exam to qualify as a financial adviser. Since the barriers to entry can be overcome if you’re inclined to pursue this profession, it’s your people skills that will set you apart.
- Cabin Crew: Know that if you love airplanes, there are plenty of opportunities to work with them without having a degree. Becoming an airplane pilot does take considerable time and additional training, but you can join the cabin crew with just a diploma!
- Executive Chef: You might have to start at the bottom, but it just takes talent and hard work to eventually manage your own kitchen in this competitive arena.
- Commercial Diver: If you’re a fan of the water, you can quickly and easily learn to dive. Maybe you wind up working for a company leading tourist expedition.
- Automotive Mechanic: As there are plenty of cars on Singaporean roads, there’s a need for mechanics to maintain them. Work your way up from a rookie to a manager in less time than you might think if you like to tinker with cars.
- Real Estate Agent/Property Manager: If you can handle the social component of real estate, it might be worth it to take the CEA certification exam. You don’t need a degree, and the commissions and flexible hours can be attractive.
Real Estate
Several occupations, like real estate, can be done without a degree. To work as a realtor in most places, you’ll simply have to familiarize yourself with the rules and become pass the CEA certification exam to sell properties for other people. It may take a bit of effort to get started, but you don’t actually have to go to school to become a realtor.
Tech Careers
As previously mentioned, you don’t need a fancy degree in computer science or software engineering to break into the tech industry, either. Networking with people who are in the field you want to enter can help you get your foot in the door. Taking a really low-ranking position within a company that you’d like to work your way up in is also an excellent strategy to establish yourself in a new field.
Tech positions are especially great for self-motivated people who are willing to start as beginners and forge their own path. Nearly 2/3 of all computer programmers are self-taught. Many simply begin by taking online courses that teach basic coding skills. Then, you can work on developing your signature coding style. From there, take on projects that can eventually be used as part of a portfolio to showcase your skills.
To make the most of this path, concentrate your efforts on a particular set of skills that you enjoy to work on a specialty. Take on a few freelance projects and work up to more difficult ones. You can link some of your best work to online profiles, like LinkedIn, to showcase your talents and expertise. Programmers who capitalize on their niche can eventually earn pretty significant paychecks.
The sky’s the limit!
Focus on the skills and qualifications that you have rather than the ones that you don’t. Believe it or not, you technically don’t even need a degree to be hired for the top job in Singapore—Prime Minister. Though the person who runs the country is usually well educated, a degree is not legally required of the Prime Minister.
Don’t let the absence of a degree hinder your progress. There are several no experience jobs to be found in many places if you are willing to look for them.
What are the easiest jobs in Singapore to get with no experience?
Jobs that rely heavily on physical labor or innate talent are the ones that you can get without experience. Positions like medical assistants, who assist doctors and nurses with small tasks that keep things going smoothly, can learn a lot on the job after being hired.
Administrative assistants, who are also in high demand right now, don’t need a lot of initial experience, either. To thrive as an administrative assistant, you need to be organized and capable of accomplishing what needs to be done to keep an office humming. If you prove that you can do that, you’ll be rewarded with additional responsibility more often than not. Basically, there are plenty of jobs with no experience in Singapore if you choose to look for them.
What job can I get with no skills?
When you’re looking for a new job, you should pay attention to the difference between a lack of skills and a lack of experience. You can be a mid-career switcher who has decided to take a different path, such as choosing to start over in a completely different field.
In this case, you retain all of the skills you’ve learned and practiced from your previous positions. You can list all of those competencies as you apply for another job. Hopefully, some of those skills, like interpersonal communication, problem-solving, or crisis management, will serve you well in a new position.
However, if you’re just starting out, you may not have many skills to advertise to potential employers. Instead, you’ll need to rely on your work ethic and creativity to distinguish yourself. Most of these jobs with no skills pay you for your physical labor.
Here are some examples of currently listed jobs with no skills in Singapore:
- Mall temperature screeners
- Healthcare assistant
- Bank sales officer
- Warehouse assistant/loading
- Security Guard
- Housekeeper
- Babysitter
- Delivery job
Upskilling
To quickly get ahead in any of these positions, you’ll need to focus on upskilling. In your free time, look at ways to develop new skills that will make you better at what you’re currently doing or what you want to do.
Tech is a great field to consider if you don’t have a degree or any other formal training. You could start at an entry-level position in the company that you want to work for, especially if you find a role that offers the potential for advancement and additional training. Even if you’re doing menial tasks at first, you can spend nights or weekends watching online tutorials to learn or improve your skills.
By consistently preparing for the next step of your career, you’ll be ready to move and present skills that you’ve acquired when the opportunity presents itself. Keep in mind that this applies to all jobs, though, as the Singaporean workforce is highly skilled and very competitive.
Thanks to the rapid evolution of technology, everyone in the workforce is always learning and improving to stay ahead. Consequently, upskilling is imperative if you want to remain at the top of your game. Taking the initiative by learning as much as you can to set yourself apart for future roles and leadership positions is a smart move.
What unskilled jobs pay the best?
Job Title
Hourly Pay
Executive secretaries, executive administrative assistants
$16-$23
Legal assistants
$17-$25
Real Estate Agents
$16-$30
Medical Assistants
$16-$22
Customer Care Specialists
$17-$25
Delivery drivers
$10-$26
Sales Representatives
$13-$23
Each of these jobs with no skills in Singapore is an excellent opportunity for individuals entering positions or changing careers without skills or degrees. By working hard to learn the tools of your trade, for some of these, making sure that you know the rules that you’ll need to honor as you work, you can earn a decent living. It will take some time to reach the higher end of these pay scales, but it is possible to make a salary that compares with that of a skilled, educated position.
How can I get a high paying job with no experience?
It will take some time, effort, and creativity to break into specific areas in a non-traditional way, but it can be done! Better still, as you climb the ranks with increasing responsibility, you’ll reach higher salaries, often in line with your educated colleagues as time goes on and you prove your capability. Here are some of our best tips for landing a high paying job without skills, experience, or a university degree.
- Take a beginner’s approach. As an entry-level employee at a job with no skills or a job with no experience in Singapore, understand that your time at the bottom of the ladder is critical to working your way up. It is here that you can hone your understanding of your role and the corporate culture of your company. Even if a position is technically beneath you, or you have to take a pay cut, working in this job with no experience will get you ahead in the long-run. It may be worth it to happily accept.
Stay curious, make mistakes, and do what it takes to learn about what you want out of this position and where you want it to take you as you start developing your career plan. Use this opportunity to network in your field and take any chance that you can to get in the door, no matter what it takes. If you’re lucky, you might even come across a mentor who takes a shine to you. - Always keep learning! Upskilling will help you maintain a competitive advantage in a workforce that is as advanced as Singapore’s. Take advantage of employee training or enhance your skills on your own time to prepare for the job that you want. There are plenty of online courses and tutorials to help you join the ranks of self-taught professionals. Some have even managed to successfully create freelance careers or find themselves in a corporate role that suits them.
Know that you can gain relevant career experience even without a job. If you like to write, start a blog or a portfolio of writing samples. If you can, develop talent as a hobby. If you’ve taught yourself to code, link some of your best work as you compile a portfolio that demonstrates your strengths and capabilities. - Take the initiative! When you are presented with an opportunity to solve a problem or use a skill you’ve mastered, do it! Ultimately, you want to make yourself invaluable. Devote yourself to continued personal growth and development as you invest in yourself and your talents.
Be passionate about your side projects and devote time to pursuing the talents that will get you into the career that you want. If you’re going to become a web developer, for example, pick up a few tasks on freelance sites like Fiverr or Upwork. Choose more advanced projects that align with what you’re good at to increase your confidence and build your skills.
Conclusion
Finding a job traditionally involves working hard to secure a degree and gather years of professional experience working your way to upper management. Unfortunately, that path isn’t feasible for everyone. There may not even be a traditional path in place to get you where you want to wind up. Thankfully, there are several jobs with no experience in Singapore that can provide a gateway to profitable and fulfilling careers despite continued education or experience requirements.
Will it take a little creativity and hard work to make the most of these jobs with no skills? Absolutely, but it is possible to do whatever you set out to accomplish as long as you have a plan and work hard to develop yourself in preparation for your future roles. In the absence of formal education, work on upskilling through corporate training or by absorbing information on your own time. Don’t let the lack of a degree hold you back. After all, not even the prime minister must have one, and he is responsible for the entire country.
Just as you may want to consider non-traditional paths to the roles that you desire, you should also consider no experience jobs that may be a bit outside of the box. There are trades that you can learn on the job. As long as you are intentional about learning new skills and actively seeking to apply them, unique and varied experiences can be an asset to your career.
The bottom line is that hard work, determination, and a little bit of ingenuity are required to bypass the typical requirements of skill, experience, and education. You can succeed in many areas simply based on your own merit and personal achievements, regardless of the hardships that lacking these tools usually present. You just have to be willing to work hard for it.
