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When many of us think back to our very first job, there’s a good chance these memories revolve around tending the counters of the local bar or café to save money for weekends, hobbies, and/or holidays.

Naturally, if you’re about to step onto the job ladder for the first time, you might have already considered these options, especially if you’re not sure on what career path you want to follow.

From bar and café work, to waiting busy tables in restaurants, there are a plethora of first-time jobs out there that are ideal for those who want to start building their CV. But which role is the best for a first-time job in terms of the hourly wage?

To find out, we looked at the average hourly wage data, provided by Indeed, for the 17 most common first-time jobs and used this to organise these jobs from best to worst in terms of pay.

So, without further ado, here are the best-paying roles for those seeking a first-time job.

What are the 5 top best-paying first-time jobs?

With their popularity and skillset always in demand, you might think that those in hospitality are some of the better-paid staff on the market, but our data shows the opposite.

We found the best paying first-time jobs to be:

1. Babysitting

Without a doubt, the best-paying industry for a first-time job is babysitting.

With an excellent average hourly wage of £13.52, most babysitters can expect to earn anywhere from £27 to £67.50 per job (depending on how long you’re needed for).

It also comes with the added benefit of letting you work around school, college, or university hours.

2. Supermarket stocker

If babysitting isn’t your thing, then your next best option might be to apply for a role at your local supermarket.

Supermarket stockers get paid, on average, £11.50 an hour, or £57.50 a day for a five-hour shift.

Given how regular these shifts are compared to babysitting, first-time job seekers may very well earn more overall in this role.

3. Dog walking

Our third most well-paid job is one for any dog lovers out there.

At £10.71 per hour, dog walkers can earn a pretty penny if they walk multiple dogs a day, as well as getting in plenty of exercise and playtime with a variety of excitable pooches.

4. Theatre usher

As for our fourth best-paying role, theatre ushers could be paid £10.56 for each hour of service.

Even if you’re not a fan of the arts, don’t be deterred. The role of an usher expands to movies, stadiums, and all other events that require staff in the venue’s auditorium.

5. Supermarket cashier

In fifth-place , we’re again looking at supermarket and shop positions, specifically cashiers, who can earn around £10.17 on average per hour.

Again, given the regularity and length of shifts in these roles, applicants can expect to potentially earn more than in other better-paid but inconsistent roles.

Common first-time jobs that don’t pay as well

So, now that we know the best-paying beginner roles, what about those jobs so many of us jump to as our first port of call when starting our job hunt?

Waiter/waitress

Well, although they don’t crack the top five, those working as a waiter/waitress can still expect to earn a healthy £10.07 per hour. This puts them seventh on our list, though this could be considerably higher if you work regular shifts of four hours and above.

Baristas

As for baristas in cafes, job seekers might be disappointed to discover that a beginner barista only earns an average of £9.94 as an hourly rate. While not necessarily bad, it’s certainly a step down from the £13.52 earned by babysitters.

Bar staff

Last, but not least, bar staff are 14th on our list. Bar staff earn, on average, £9.63 per hour on shift. You may also be required to sacrifice your weekends and work late nights within this role.

However, with all this being said, all these roles operate on a shift system. This often allows employees to do multiple shifts a week, meaning there’s a good chance you could earn more than other well-paying (but less regular jobs) that ranked higher on our list.

There you have it; these are the best-paying beginner jobs for those looking to get their first-time role.

Protect your income through Reassured

Hopefully, this has given you a better idea of where you might want to begin your search, though it’s worth noting that these are simply the average rates.

Varying rates may be offered in different roles, so it’s worth looking around to find the best offer for the job that interests you.

Once you’ve secured your new job, it may also be worth thinking about insuring yourself against other future hurdles.

This isn’t something you necessarily have to do now, but if you’re interested in finding out more about what we do here at Reassured, you can get in touch with our team to ask about family life insurance and income protection policies.

Methodology

Hourly wages taken from indeed.co.uk on 25/01/23

Please note, the data displayed in this article is correct at the point of publication 14/02/23

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