Choose the entry route
Compare junior roles, apprenticeships, paid internships, assistant roles, and trainee programs. Check eligibility and compensation.
YOUR CAREER STARTS SOMEWHERE
Your first job.
Let’s find a way in.
Starting out can feel like being asked for experience before anyone will give you a chance. Build proof from what you have done, choose realistic entry routes, and make the search manageable.
Your first role is a starting point. It does not define your whole career.
A way forward
ProjectsProof
ConversationsAccess
First roleA beginning
Your first role is a starting point. It does not define your whole career.
01 — START WHERE YOU ARE
Build your first-job application kit
Check what you already have. You’ll get a short list of next steps based on what is missing—no invented chance-of-hire score.
Selections stay on this page. They are not saved or submitted. No signup is needed.
02 — PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
A two-week plan you can actually finish
Aim for useful evidence and real conversations. Give yourself a stopping time each day, especially when replies are slow.
Build one useful sample
Use a public dataset, fictional brief, or permitted project. Explain your process, limitations, and what you would improve.
Get human feedback
Ask a career adviser, alumnus, or practitioner to review your sample and resume against a specific posting.
Apply and learn
Send a small batch of tailored applications. Track responses, practice interviews, and adjust your approach based on evidence.
03 — MAKE IT CONCRETE
Experience can begin outside a job title
A project with a result
Explain the question, your method, your contribution, and what the team produced. Label academic work clearly.
Reliability under pressure
Customer service, shift work, and campus jobs can demonstrate judgment, teamwork, communication, and follow-through.
Work that helped someone
Describe a real need, what you delivered, and the feedback. Get permission before publishing names or work samples.
04 — YOUR WORDS
Write your first evidence-based introduction
Fill in three short facts to draft a starting point. Edit it until it sounds like you. Use accurate information you are comfortable sharing.
Your draft will appear here once all three fields are filled in.
This uses a simple sentence template. Your text stays on the page and is not saved or submitted.
05 — KEEP PERSPECTIVE
Protect your time, money, and personal information
Verify openings on the employer’s website and contact the organization through independently found details. Do not pay a recruiter to get a job or send money back from a deposited “equipment” check. Be cautious about requests for banking details or identity documents before you have verified the employer and hiring process. Read the FTC’s job-scam guidance below.
06 — GO TO THE SOURCE
Useful places to go next
U.S.-focused resources. Check the source for current requirements and availability.
07 — COMMON QUESTIONS
What you might be wondering
What if an entry-level job asks for experience?
Look at the actual work and distinguish mandatory requirements from preferences. Apply when you can credibly demonstrate the core skills, including through projects. Do not claim experience you do not have.
Should I accept an unpaid internship?
Compare the learning, supervision, financial cost, and alternatives. Pay rules depend on the arrangement and jurisdiction. Ask for clear duties and terms, and get qualified guidance if you are unsure about legality.
Can I use AI on applications or projects?
Use it to brainstorm, practice, or review, while following the employer’s rules. Verify every statement and be ready to explain the work yourself. Label assistance when required and protect private data.
How do I network without asking strangers for a job?
Ask a specific learning question: “What would you want a new hire to understand before joining your team?” Keep the request small, thank them, and act on useful advice.
What if I need income now?
A bridge job can support you while you continue searching. Compare schedules, transportation, learning opportunities, and whether the role leaves time for interviews. It is a practical choice, not a permanent label.
How do I cope with repeated rejection?
Set a daily stopping time, stay connected to people, and track actions you control. Ask for feedback where possible. If the search is affecting your health or daily functioning, reach out to a qualified professional or trusted support.
You have a future.
Let’s help it start.
Oppy is being built for the worker, including people at the beginning. Join the waitlist for an AI career guide designed to help you understand your strengths and plan what comes next.
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