Kick off your career with one of these high-paying entry-level jobs

Did you know that General Motors CEO Mary T. Barra began her journey at the company on the assembly line? Or that Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon started his career at the company by loading trucks at its distribution centre? 

Similarly, Walt Disney’s Bob Iger, CitiGroup’s Michael Corbat, IBM’s Samual Palmisano, and Johnson & Johnson’s Alex Gorsky all began at the bottom before working their way towards a leadership position. 

That said, there’s no reason why entry-level jobs should be frowned upon, especially if they’re high-paying. In fact, some companies require its candidates to begin with an entry-level position before building enough experience to climb the career ladder. 

Apart from being the perfect opportunity for new hires with little to no work experience get their foot through the door, these roles can be extremely educational. 

Mentorship is a common tactic to fast-track candidates’ career growth. Entry-level staffers are often assigned to a department coach or mentor. Jobs that offer this training shows that management truly understand the complexity of certain roles and are eager to help their employees gain the necessary skills and knowledge to work their way to the top. 

Especially in this day and age, where finding a job can be challenging – securing an entry-level position is an achievement any inexperienced individual should be proud of. Apart from being the perfect stepping stone to future successes, entry-level jobs can also be surprisingly lucrative – with many high-paying options currently in demand. 

If you’re looking for a job that could pay over 50,000 US dollars per annum, here are five top picks to consider: 

Human resource associate

If you’re interested in keeping businesses afloat, this is the job to do it. Good organisational skills and exceptional interpersonal abilities are prerequisites. Tasks could include studying and suggesting policies, assisting in handling onboarding, terminations, promotions, and more. The role could offer an annual salary of US$73,500. 

Investment associate

Investment associates can be found in banks, financial services firms, and a suite of other organisations. They are typically hired to analyse financial data, conduct research, put together presentations, manage transactions, and perform various administrative tasks. They may also take home an average base salary of US$63,919 annually. 

Executive assistant 

The path to leadership could sometimes mean starting by assisting another leader.

Some of the common tasks for an executive assistant could include reviewing documents, managing calendars, maintaining professional relationships, organising meetings, arranging travel plans, taking meeting minutes, to name a few. The role could come with an annual salary of US$60,890.

Sales representative 

An unqualified Julia Haart sold life insurance till she earned enough to leave her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in New York. Less than a decade later, she became the CEO and co-owner of Elite World Group. That said, a career in sales can be extremely educational. The role entails selling a range of products, whether in person or on the phone. 

It could also mean being a principal point of contact between a business and its consumers, and could involve identifying new markets, customer leads, and pitching new target markets. According to US News, the role pays a median salary of US$59,930.

Paralegal 

Paralegals play a critical role in any legal team. They engage in research and help draft legal documents or reports under the supervision of an attorney, and may assist with daily operations of a law firm. They are not licensed and hence, cannot dole out legal advice – yet. Paralegals can take home US$52,920 a year.