What jobs can I get with no experience?

Retail and supermarket assistant, hospitality and kitchen roles, warehouse and delivery, care assistant, customer service and contact centre, cleaning and facilities, plus apprenticeships in almost any sector. All of these train you on the job and most accept applicants with no previous employment.

How do I write a CV with no work experience?

Lead with a short personal statement, then school or college subjects, any volunteering, sports teams, clubs, caring responsibilities and personal projects. Turn each into a skill an employer buys: reliability, teamwork, communication, problem solving. Shine's free CV builder does this for you in about ten minutes.

Do apprenticeships need experience?

No. Apprenticeships are designed for people with no experience. You are employed and paid from day one while you train towards a nationally recognised qualification. Most ask only for GCSE maths and English at grade 4/C, and many Level 2 roles ask for nothing at all.

What pays best if you have no experience?

Apprenticeships in engineering, rail, utilities, nuclear and construction typically pay the most for a first role, often £18,000–£24,000 rising quickly with qualifications. Warehouse night shifts, care work with unsocial hours and trades labouring also pay above minimum wage from the start.

How do I get hired without a reference?

Use a character reference instead of an employment one: a teacher, tutor, coach, youth worker or volunteering supervisor. Employers hiring entry level expect this. Applying early, turning up to open days and following up after an application matters far more than a reference at this stage.

No experience needed

Jobs with no experience

Everyone starts somewhere. These are the UK jobs and apprenticeships that hire 16–24 year olds with an empty CV, what they actually pay, and how to get picked.

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How do you get a job with no experience at 16–24?

You get a first job with no experience by applying to roles that train you: apprenticeships, retail and hospitality, warehousing, care, customer service and entry-level office work. Employers hire for attitude and reliability, so lead your CV with school, volunteering and personal projects. Shine matches you to live UK roles that accept no experience.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 by the Shine careers team.

Where entry-level employers actually hire

Apprenticeships

\u00a315k\u2013\u00a324k/yr

A paid job plus a qualification, built for people with no experience. Level 2 upwards.

Retail & supermarket

\u00a37.55\u2013\u00a312/hr

Shop floor, stock, checkout. Full training, flexible shifts, quick progression to supervisor.

Warehouse & logistics

\u00a311\u2013\u00a314/hr

Picking, packing, despatch. Night and weekend shifts pay a premium. Hired on attitude.

Care & support work

\u00a311\u2013\u00a313/hr

Training provided and always hiring. Strong route into nursing and healthcare science.

Customer service

\u00a311\u2013\u00a313/hr

Contact centre, live chat, front of house. Often hybrid after training.

Entry-level office & admin

\u00a318k\u2013\u00a324k/yr

Business admin, data, scheduling. Frequently offered as a Level 3 apprenticeship.

No experience? Start with your strengths.

The free Shine quiz works out what you'd be good at, builds you a CV from school, volunteering and hobbies, and matches you to live roles that accept no experience.

Free forever. Open from age 16.

Five things that get you hired without experience

1. Apply early in the week. Entry-level vacancies are often filled within days of posting.
2. Use school and volunteering as evidence. Group projects, part-time caring, sports teams and clubs all count.
3. Say when you can work. Availability on evenings and weekends is the single biggest hiring factor in retail and hospitality.
4. Turn up in person where it's allowed. Independent cafes, shops and gyms still hire on the spot.
5. Follow up after five days. A short, polite message puts you back at the top of the pile.

FAQs

What jobs can I get with no experience?: Retail and supermarket assistant, hospitality and kitchen roles, warehouse and delivery, care assistant, customer service and contact centre, cleaning and facilities, plus apprenticeships in almost any sector. All of these train you on the job and most accept applicants with no previous employment.
How do I write a CV with no work experience?: Lead with a short personal statement, then school or college subjects, any volunteering, sports teams, clubs, caring responsibilities and personal projects. Turn each into a skill an employer buys: reliability, teamwork, communication, problem solving. Shine's free CV builder does this for you in about ten minutes.
Do apprenticeships need experience?: No. Apprenticeships are designed for people with no experience. You are employed and paid from day one while you train towards a nationally recognised qualification. Most ask only for GCSE maths and English at grade 4/C, and many Level 2 roles ask for nothing at all.
What pays best if you have no experience?: Apprenticeships in engineering, rail, utilities, nuclear and construction typically pay the most for a first role, often £18,000–£24,000 rising quickly with qualifications. Warehouse night shifts, care work with unsocial hours and trades labouring also pay above minimum wage from the start.
How do I get hired without a reference?: Use a character reference instead of an employment one: a teacher, tutor, coach, youth worker or volunteering supervisor. Employers hiring entry level expect this. Applying early, turning up to open days and following up after an application matters far more than a reference at this stage.

Part of Shine's apprenticeship guide series, plain-English answers, updated regularly.

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Apprenticeships and entry-level jobs across the UK, updated daily.

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