Sometimes we have the urge to move to a different country but don’t always have the skills or experience necessary to get a specific job. Whether you’re straight out of school or are looking for some financial support while you’re on the road, there are plenty of job opportunities abroad without any experience necessary!
Wanna find out what you might be doing to help support your new life abroad? Let’s find out!
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1. Teaching English
One of the most traditional ways to work abroad without experience is by teaching English. It might sound weird that you don’t need any experience to teach English, but if you’re a native speaker, there are some countries and schemes that’ll help you get a placement.
Of course, it does help if you have a university or college degree, or if you’re prepared to get your TEFL certification, but for some, these aren’t necessary.
You can be a conversational practice partner, a tutor, or even a teacher in some places without experience or qualifications, and many programs will help you find accommodation and sometimes even include it in the remuneration package.
The main places that don’t require as much experience or qualifications tend to be places like Cambodia, Nepal, Vietnam, and more. If you have a university degree, even without experience, you can work in most countries as an English teacher.
2. Workaway or Trusted Housesitters
If you don’t have a ton of work experience, then you might be able to pick up some odd jobs through the Workaway community.
This is basically a site that matches places or homes in need of help with travelers who match those skills and are in need of accommodation.
Common gigs on Workaway include painting, gardening, housekeeping, IT support, language practice, and more. The site is super easy to use and you can filter by the type of job, location, and time of year to help you find the perfect option.
All the accounts have a review system, so you can see what previous Workawayers have to say and figure out if it’s going to be the right fit for you.
Some of the gigs offer payment in addition to free lodging and some include food or access to transport as well – it all varies from gig to gig.
It’s a good way to gain more experience to get into a similar paid position, without wasting all your savings on accommodation. Bonus: you get to live with and like a local!
If you’re looking for a place to stay for a bit for free while looking for jobs, Trusted Housesitters could be a better bet for you!
Trusted Housesitters is a site where you can stay at someone’s house while they are away in exchange for watching their house or sometimes their pet. It’s a great way to travel the world for free!
3. Pet Sitting on Trusted Housesitters
Consider yourself a bit of an animal whisperer? Then pet sitting on Trusted Housesitters might be a great job for you.
Similar to the Workaway system (in fact you might find some pet-sitting gigs on there), you tend to get paid in accommodation and sometimes can receive additional compensation.
Pet sitting is a cool way to live like a local in different places and have a nicer base to explore from, rather than sharing a hostel dorm with ten strangers. While pet sitting doesn’t really need experience, it does help if you’ve previously had a pet or have an interest in animals.
Most of the time, it’s a written application to the owner, so anything you can bring that’s going to set you apart as a responsible traveler who’s going to take good care of their beloved pet and their house is going to be important.
If you’re on the wild side, pet sitting isn’t limited to dogs, cats, and rabbits.
Any pets from farmyard animals to exotic pets might be on the table, and the more niche your specialty, the more chance you have of separating yourself from the other applicants.
4. House Sitting on Trusted Housesitters
So this one is pretty self-explanatory and similar to pet sitting, just without the animal dander and need to walk anything.
House-sitting gigs are still a popular way to travel around a new place in exchange for free accommodation and a free run of a kitchen – something that’s not guaranteed if you stay in a hostel or hotel.
Mostly, you’ll be staying out in the suburbs, making it look like the house isn’t vacant. This is normally to deter burglars but also to keep the house in order so that the owners don’t come back to a dusty house with frozen pipes.
It’s a good way to save money on accommodation and stay in a nicer place for free.
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5. Volunteering
Although by its very nature, volunteering isn’t a paid position, it’s a great way to see the world, help other people and gain valuable experience along the way.
From building houses to helping with conservation efforts to teaching new skills and running courses, there is a wide range of options depending on what you’re into.
Volunteering abroad programs normally include accommodations, support, and meals as well as connecting with a group of like-minded travelers with who you’ll be living and working for the duration.
Many volunteer scheme providers hire for their paid positions directly from these volunteer programs, so if you make a good impression, there’s every chance that you’ll secure an actual job in the end.
If not, you’ll have plenty of experience, new friends, and memories!
6. Freelancing on Fiverr
If you have a skill that you think people might pay for, then freelancing might be a good option for you.
Normally, all you’ll need is a laptop and a stable internet connection, meaning that you can work from anywhere. From writing to editing to graphic design to coding and English help, there are a lot of options to choose from.
Again, experience does help you get the improved rates of pay and helps when trying to get more clients, but you can always start small until you build up your portfolio and selection of reviews.
Sites like Fiverr and Upwork are great places to find gigs and help you regulate payments and users so you can be safe that you’re dealing with clients who are legit.
7. Au Pair
Another classic work abroad job: becoming an au pair. Essentially a live-in nanny, becoming an au pair doesn’t really need solid experience or qualifications, although if you have them, it helps.
In exchange for looking after the kid or kids, helping them with their English, and some basic household tasks, you can expect to receive a small wage (the average is around $800 a month), free accommodation, food with the family, and in some cases, access to the family transport.
It is possible to get a job abroad as an au pair without any experience, however, you’ll need to demonstrate an interest in childcare or teaching to stand out from the rest of the application.
Maybe you’re thinking of training as a nursery nurse or a teacher and aren’t sure yet. Maybe you used to help out at a little league club and have experience that way. Maybe you have younger siblings or family members who you’ve looked after in the past.
Any of these kinds of things will go in your favor if you’re applying as an au pair without previous experience or childcare-related qualifications.
8. Work on Superyachts
So we’ve all seen Below Deck, right? Ever wanted to live the good life on a superyacht for a season or two?
As with the majority of the jobs on this list, experience does help secure jobs on superyachts, especially the more exclusive ones, but if you can demonstrate some level of people skills and dedication, you might be able to secure an entry-level job on a superyacht.
If you have experience in hospitality, from food prep to bartending to waitressing to pot washing, this will all help. You don’t need to have previously worked on a boat to get a job on a superyacht. There are plenty of transferable skills that will help you secure a job here.
Of course, you get food and accommodation included as well as tips at the end of each client’s visit. With this being the case, you are on-call the majority of the time, so it’s not as easy-breezy as it may sound.
9. Ski Resort
Ever watched the classic film Chalet Girl and thought that it’s the life for you? Well similarly to working on superyachts, you don’t specifically need experience, although some hospitality experience might help.
However, if you’ve been to ski resorts a lot or know your way around a kitchen or a cleaning cupboard, there are plenty of entry-level jobs on offer at all-around ski resorts.
As with any tourist town, there’s a new demand for staff of all levels and in different disciplines each year. Roles that don’t always need experience include ski lift attendants, waitresses, bar staff, cleaners, hotel and hostel staff, and more.
Once you’ve worked one season, you’ve kind of got an in so it’ll be easier to get a better job or work in other resorts around the world.
10. Worldpackers
Worldpackers operates similarly to Workaway except it’s run by travelers. Think of it as a forum where nomads and travelers from around the world leave their tips and job leads for other travelers to benefit from.
They also rate different jobs and businesses so that you can avoid those horrible bosses when you’re trying to get a job abroad!
A lot of the jobs posted on Worldpackers are temporary, part-time, or seasonal roles, making them ideal if you’re out on the road and still want time to explore your new home.
Although some of these roles will require experience, there are plenty that don’t, especially the ones that are in the harder-to-reach locations or are needed on short notice.
11. Hostel Work
If you have no experience whatsoever and want to stay for free in a hostel, then why not work there? Plenty of travelers rave about working part-time in hostels as they travel around.
It not only gives you free accommodation and a small amount of income, but it also allows you to meet the other travelers and give a unique insight into the location, being a visitor yourself.
Within hostels, there are a few roles that you can take on with no or minimal experience.
From housekeeping to bar work to working the front desk to being a social or community manager who puts on events in the hostel itself, there are plenty of options to choose from depending on your preferences and personality.
Of course, this is shift work so you have to be flexible, but you’ll still have plenty of time to enjoy your trip!
12. Fruit Picking
If you’ve ever traveled on a two-year visa in Australia, you’ll probably know all about fruit picking work, as the government requires at least six months of rural agricultural work to extend tourist visas from one to two years.
Many countries have trouble finding locals who’ll help harvest the fields on a seasonal basis, so it’s a really solid, no-experience job that travelers can pick up.
By and large, you’ll end up working a few hours in the morning while it’s cool and then you’ll have the rest of the day to yourself. As most farms or vineyards are rural, many owners will put you up with accommodation as well.
This might be a spare room, shared dorms with other travelers, or an annex.
The actual work is seasonal, so it’ll massively depend on where you are, what fruit or vegetable you’re harvesting, and what time of the year it is, but normally there’s work to be done on a farm all year round.
So, there you have it, even if you don’t have any work experience, you can successfully get yourself a job abroad. Working abroad is a great way to experience a new place and get to live like a local.
It’s also ideal if you don’t have a ton of money saved up and want to continue traveling around without coming home to work.
Let’s be honest, if you’re going to get a minimum wage, entry-level position, why not get one in a beautiful country overseas instead? Sounds like a no-brainer to me!
Read More About How to Find Jobs Abroad:
- The Best Jobs in Italy for Expats
- How to Get into the Tech Industry with No Experience
- The Ultimate Guide to Finding Jobs Abroad for Americans
- Expat Jobs You Can Get Right Now
- Jobs You Can Get in Tulum as an Expat
Vanessa Wachtmeister is a travel tech professional and the creator of the wealth & wanderlust platform, Wander Onwards. Vanessa is originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a proud Chicana, and she has been living abroad for the last 9 years. Today, she helps people pursue financial and location independence through her ‘Move Abroad’ Master Class, financial literacy digital products, and career workshops.