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You Can Do It: The 8 Best Jobs For Making Money in Your 20's

Julie Ellis
Julie Ellis
business.com Member
Mar 29, 2016

Some say that your 20's are for learning and 30's are for earning, but there are jobs that allow you to earn a healthy salary in your 20's as well.

We’re not talking about short term and unstable freelance work either.

There are many great jobs for twenty somethings at great companies that offer great salaries and the potential for future growth.

If you are particularly interested in corporate or business careers in areas such as finance, web design, marketing, and human resources, you have come to the right place.

Here are eight careers in which you can get your career started in your twenties and then go on to do great things well into your thirties.

Related Article: They’re Not Just for Coffee Runs: Getting the Most Out of Your Interns

1. Web Designer

Job Description: Uses various technologies to create and maintain websites for businesses and individuals.

Required Education: Varies. Some companies expect entry level web designers to have a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in a computer science or web development related field.

Others will accept technical certification or proven ability. Proven ability could be established via a portfolio of active and working websites.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $50,000.

Employers: Large corporations, web design firms, marketing agencies and self-employment.

One company that offers a dream internship in web and graphic design is the Disney Corporation.

2. Graphic Designer

Job Description: Uses different tools and software to create and modify the designs for logos, advertising, packaging, signage, businesses and organizations.

Required Education: Bachelor’s, associate’s, or technical certification in graphic design, art, media or similar field. However, some graphic designers are self-taught and are able to find work due to their portfolios and word of mouth.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $46,000.

Employers: Large and small businesses, marketing and advertising firms and self-employment.

Consider looking into a company such as Xerox who has great graphic design internships.

3. Content Writer/Copywriter

Job Description: Write web content, blogs, social media posts, advertising copy, white papers, and other works to be published on web pages, social media platforms, digital publications, advertisements, and other online and print outlets.

Required Education: Usually a bachelor’s degree in English, media, marketing, public relations, journalism, or mass communications. Some are able to find work in the field as freelancers if they can show they have good writing skills.

Median Entry-Level Salary: Around $42,000.

Employers: Media outlets, businesses of all sizes, marketing and advertising agencies, PR firms, web development and design companies, and self-employment.

Some of the best copywriting internships can be found at small advertising agencies, content marketing, and web design firms in your area.

Related Article: Social Entrepreneurs That Are Changing the Developing World

4. Human Resources Assistant

Job Description: Assist with payroll, become a part of your company’s human resources team, help your fellow co-workers apply for benefits, create easy to understand job descriptions, explain policies to new and existing employees, sit in on interviews, and perform a variety of other tasks related to recruiting, staffing, payroll, benefits, and employee related policies.

Required Education: A bachelor's degree in human resources, management or business related fields.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $34,000.

Employers: Any size business that is large enough to have a dedicated human resources department or companies that specialize in providing these services to other businesses.

Internships and entry level positions for HR Assistants can be found at many corporations.

5. Computer Programmer

Job Description: Create and develop computer programs you write yourself. Become a part of the ever expanding tech industry, and help move the world further just from your office.

In addition to simply writing programs one must be able to have great problem solving abilities. As well as excel in creating programs that are based on specific needs for the companies you work for and with.

Required Education: A bachelor's degree in computer science.

Median Entry-Level Salary: About $54,000.

Employers: Any sized businesses, technical firms, social media outlets, web development and design companies.  

Many Fortune 500 corporations offer internship programs to prospective computer programmers.

6. Financial Analyst

Job Description: Taking financial data and analyzing it for insurance companies, individuals, investment firms, banks, and other entities. Then, presenting that information in a way that can be understood by those who are not financial experts.

Required Education: A bachelor’s degree in business, business administration, finance, accounting, or other related field plus any required certification or licensing.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $47,000.

Employers: Banks, investment firms, insurance companies, large corporations.

Large financial management firms are often the best source of entry level jobs and internships for twenty somethings interested in pursuing a career as a financial analyst.

7. PR Assistant

Job Description: Promote individuals groups and businesses by creating and selecting promotional materials to be released to the public. Also deal with media representatives and others in the event of a scandal or crisis.

Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or public relations.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $44,000.

Employers: Any individual, business, or corporation with a need to publicize their products or services, and to create and maintain a favorable reputation.

Here are some great tips for completing your PR internship successfully.

8. Sales Representative

Job Description: Selling products and services to individuals and businesses in a retail, office, or inside environment.

Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in business or other related fields or proven sales experience.

Median Entry-Level Salary: $54,000.

Employers: Virtually any company that has products or services to sell.

If you are confident, personable, and have natural sales ability, you can pretty much write your meal ticket as a sales representative.

Related Article: Millennial Takeover: The Workplace Revolution and How It Changes Everything

Conclusion

Once you have selected the field you are interested in, be bold. Use your college’s recruiting center, create a LinkedIn profile, and get your resume or CV together.

Then, start your job search by checking out the websites of companies that you would like to work for. Soon, you will find the right fit for an internship or entry level job possibility.

Better yet, it will be in a field that pays well and that matches your talents and abilities. From there, it will be up to you how and where your career develops.

 

Image Credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock
Julie Ellis
Julie Ellis
business.com Member
About the author: Julie Ellis – experienced freelance writer, marketer and passionate traveler. As a business writer, she’s been featured on such websites as Business2Community, SocialMediaToday, jeffbullas.com and others. When she’s not engaged in helping her customers and students, you can find her reading articles and books of young writers and attending marketing conferences. Follow Julie’s Twitter and Google+ to learn more about academic and business writing skills.