Working abroad is a great way to explore new cultures while also gaining work experience. There are a variety of overseas jobs you can pursue with no experience that allow you to travel to new places and enhance your professionalism. By reviewing the types of overseas jobs you can apply to without experience, you can narrow your job search and take the next step to work abroad.
In this article, we define what we mean by overseas jobs that require no experience and provide a list of potential job options with salary expectations and job responsibilities.
What are overseas jobs that require no experience?
Overseas jobs that require no experience refer to any job that a person can apply to without having a college degree, or while currently enrolled in a college degree program. Sometimes overseas jobs allow applicants without a high school diploma. These jobs may require new employees to complete onsite job training in order to succeed in their roles. International corporations and working abroad programs typically provide work opportunities for Americans who want to travel overseas while gaining valuable work experience.
10 overseas jobs that require no experience
Review these types of jobs you can get overseas that require no prior experience with salary expectations and job details. It’s important to note that the salary expectations listed reflect U.S. salary estimates and may differ from another country’s average salary expectations for the same occupations.
1. Hotel breakfast attendant
National average salary: $24,477 per year
Primary duties: Hotel breakfast attendants work for hotels and resorts as part of the food services team. They set up buffet tables in the hotel dining area and make trips from the kitchen to the dining room with breakfast buffet items. Breakfast attendants also layout buffet trays with baked goods, fresh-made eggs, fruit and other popular breakfast dishes for hotel guests to self-serve. Throughout the breakfast service, breakfast attendants monitor buffet stations, answer guest questions and restock buffet tables with fresh food before they run out.
Typically, breakfast attendants need a high school diploma to qualify, but this may differ depending on the employer.
2. Tour guide
National average salary: $28,873 per year
Primary duties: Tour guide jobs are a great way for individuals to travel and work abroad. Typically, those wanting to pursue tour guide positions in another country should look for opportunities through English-speaking tour companies. Once there, prospective tour guides need to learn about the area they plan to work in before being able to lead tour groups.
3. Event planning intern
National average salary: $33,121 per year
Primary duties: There are a variety of different festivals and cultural events that take place in foreign countries and tourism hotspots. Event planning companies may need to hire interns or volunteers to assist with clerical work, marketing initiatives, event bookings and set-up or clean-up efforts. There typically aren’t requirements for event planning interns, however some employers may prefer candidates with a high school diploma or candidates currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program.
4. Landscape laborer
National average salary: $33,979 per year
Primary duties: Landscape laborers work for landscaping companies or as a part of a landscaping team for private properties. They prune trees and shrubs, mulch garden beds, mow lawns, dig holes and assist with laying pathways and making repairs as needed. To work as a landscape laborer, candidates typically have a high school diploma.
5. Hotel housekeeper
National average salary: $34,594 per year
Primary duties: Hotel housekeepers have a responsibility to carryout cleaning activities like vacuuming and mopping floors, changing bed linens, sanitizing restrooms and dusting surfaces. They may also assist guests by taking room services trays back to the kitchen after meals. When working as a hotel housekeeper abroad, individuals may have the opportunity to work for cruise liners, hotels in major tourist cities or smaller Inns in remote areas. Some hotel housekeepers have high school diplomas, but it’s not a requirement.
6. Server
National average salary: $35,037 per year
Primary duties: For those looking to work abroad without needing experience, they can pursue work as a server for a restaurant. In foreign countries, hotels and independent restaurant establishments may hire English-speaking servers to appeal to English-speaking tourists. Servers greet restaurant patrons, take food orders and bring patrons their food orders from the kitchen. They also refill drinks and answer questions about menu items. Depending on employer preferences, servers may or may not need a high school diploma.
7. Hotel front desk clerk
National average salary: $35,100 per year
Primary duties: Hotel front desk clerks assist guests with checking in and out of their rooms. They also provide them with room keys and tell them about hotel amenities. Hotel chains with locations in foreign countries may hire English-speaking desk clerks to communicate effectively with English-speaking guests. Hotel front desk clerks usually only need a high school diploma to qualify for their roles.
8. Nanny
National average salary: $42,486 per year
Primary duties: Nanny positions in different countries give individuals the chance to travel and experience a different culture while also helping parents take care of their children. For those who want to pursue nanny jobs abroad, they should look for opportunities through international nanny services and other credible sources.
9. Farmhand
National average salary: $47,174 per year
Primary duties: Farmhands assist with a range of farm jobs to support farmers on a daily basis. Farmers in foreign countries may offer work opportunities to those looking to work abroad with little to no experience. Typical job duties for farmhands include feeding livestock, spraying pesticides, spreading fertilizer or operating farm equipment to plant and harvest crops.
10. Cafe assistant
National average salary: $58,456 per year
Primary duties: Cafe assistants support the daily activities of cafes by cleaning surfaces, taking coffee orders, preparing bakery items and overseeing customer transactions. Cafe chains in tourist hotspots can offer work abroad opportunities for individuals who want to travel and work at the same time.
Next steps to finding the best way to work abroad for YOU
Before you jet off to your new life in the country of your dreams. You can also get more into the planning stages by looking through all our resources below. Get your dream job and your dream life at the same time! Choosing a work abroad program isn’t as hard as it sounds, especially if you follow these steps:
- Decide where to go. Figuring out where YOU should work abroad is paramount. Have a short list of locations that sound ideal for your goals. Don’t let your experience (or lack thereof!) hold you back—choose a place that’s right for you.
- Pick your job. Do some reflection on what skills and knowledge you bring to the table, and which type of company or organization—and role within—would best benefit from your time and energy.
- Choose from the best work abroad programs in the world. Pay attention to past participants’ reviews, program/university reputation, location, and how the project’s needs match your skills. Some programs may even share contact info for ambassadors or past participants if you want the REAL dirt. Here are more considerations to make as you figure out how to choose the right job program for you. Pro tip: You can use MyGoAbroad to compare programs side-by-side.
- Plan your finances. Sort out funding before you go to afford daily essentials and splurge on travel (in addition to program costs and airfare). Be sure to raise a little extra money to donate to the organization that you’ll be working with.
- Get prepared! Preparing to work and move abroad is as fun as it sounds. With the days til departure number dwindling and your excitement boiling, it can be easy to overlook the details. Lean on us to help guide you through your pre-departure process—that’s what we’re here for.
You’re informed, so what’s stopping you?
When it comes to working abroad, there are plenty of opportunities. You just need to make sure you have organized all your paperwork and have a clear plan for what you want to do. Although the process can seem annoying, and never-ending there’s always going to be light at the end of the tunnel. So get organized for these visa applications and let’s get to work! Contact us today
