Career advice

Entry-Level Career Advice

We have you covered with a broad range of career advice, from application to placement and beyond, to support your entry-level career.

Career advice helping to kickstart your entry-level career

Have you recently finished college and feel pressured to secure that career move but need help knowing where to start? If so, don't panic. Our career advice and job interview tips will jump-start your career and make you feel confident to apply for entry-level jobs. In addition, our candidate recruitment experts are here to kickstart your entry-level career and help you realize your potential. 

We've supported entry-level talent for over 25 years, helping to assess, place and train future business leaders into some of the world's most sought-after entry-level jobs. Our candidate recruitment team is passionate about nurturing emerging talent and will work closely with you to understand your goals, objectives, and career aspirations. Once we have established what you're looking for, we will provide specialist career advice and job interview tips to get your entry-level career off to the best start possible. 

Apply for entry-level jobs with Pareto

If you're stressing about those application forms or unsure what to do next with your entry-level job search, stress no more. 

Our candidate recruitment team is here to ensure you avoid the common pitfalls and mistakes many emerging talents make when they apply for entry-level jobs. Read through our guide to applying for an entry-level job now, then get in touch to see how we can support you with your entry-level career.

Download our guide to entry-level jobs

Succeed on your assessment day

Once you have applied for your dream entry level job and have passed our initial interview screening stage, you will go through to the next round and be invited to one of our weekly assessment days.

Before attending your assessment day, please read some of our entry-level candidate recruitment and management team's top tips and insights to set you on the way to assessment day success.

Download our top tips for an assessment day

Job Interview Tips

Once you've nailed your assessment day, it's time to prepare for the all-important interview stage.

Explore our job interview tips to ensure you're ready to deliver your very best on the day and win over your future employer.

Download our interview tips

Developing entry-level careers with top entry-level jobs

In addition to providing expert career advice and job interview tips, we support entry-level careers by providing top emerging talent with the best entry-level jobs on the global market. Our scope across the US reaches New York, Los Angeles, DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV), Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto, Austin, and Denver. Within these locations, we cater to a broad range of industries, including Business Services, Construction, Finance, Healthcare, IT, Legal Services, Marketing, Telecoms, and Utilities.

We support all college leavers from the foundation of their entry-level careers to helping them reach the pinnacle of the US' most prominent entry-level employers. Discover our global stats below.

276K
entry-level sales job applications per year
20
assessment days run per month
2000+
over 2000 entry-level talent placed every year
Career advice

Entry-level FAQs

Pareto takes its name from Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto's 80:20 principle. He noticed that 80% of Italy's land and wealth was owned by 20% of the population. Pareto Law put this principle into practice; we believe that 80% of a company's sales will come from 20% of its sales team, and our unique approach to entry-level recruitment discovers this 20%.

Short answer, yes. We only require a bachelor's degree to apply. Additionally, we welcome applicants from any degree subject and consider all classifications.

One of the best things about how we recruit is that entry-level talent does not require prior experience to go through our process. Instead, we ask that attendees have a degree (grade or subject doesn't matter). So you bring the drive and hunger to succeed, and we will take care of the rest.

We're not concerned with where you've been but about where you could go. We pride ourselves on finding the top 20% that makes 80% of the difference. We look for those core competencies and soft skills that make world-class salespeople. We have a place for you if you're driven, motivated, adaptable, work well in a dynamic team, and have excellent communication skills.

Pareto assessment days are opportunities to demonstrate the skills that make you invaluable to a prospective employer. Through various assessment exercises, we want to understand who you are and what you could bring to an organization to increase your chances of being hired for a role you can succeed and in which you can realize your potential. 

Our assessment days begin with an overview of Pareto, and everyone introduces themselves to our assessors and fellow candidates. Next, you will participate in two group activities that give you chances to express yourself. Finally, you will give a three-minute presentation explaining why the world of sales is for you and why Pareto should select you to be successful.

Depending on the nature of the assessment day you are invited to will depend on the number of assessors that will observe you. For example, if you attend one of our open assessment days, you may be present to one team member from Pareto who will hopefully put you forward to multiple entry-level jobs. Whereas if you attend one of our bespoke assessment days, you could present in front of up to five assessors from Pareto and prospective employers.

The number of candidates on any given assessment day can vary. However, you can expect 10-30 candidates to attend our Pareto assessment days.

As a leading global sales recruitment company for entry-levels, we have an extensive list of clients enabling us to connect our entry-levels with some of the most successful organizations worldwide. So whether it's an innovative start-up or blue-chips company, all of our opportunities give entry-level talent a chance to set their careers off to a fantastic start.

Our assessment days help us understand how candidates will respond to challenges and group situations in a way that face-to-face don't show. In addition, they provide entry-level talent opportunities to connect with like-minded people while learning and showcasing essential workplace skills.

All our placed entry-levels can expect highly competitive entry-level salaries with competitive, on-target earnings. However, the specific package will vary based on location, client, etc. We do not work with any commission-only roles.

A career in sales can be immensely rewarding and can offer entry-level talent a variety of opportunities. It is one of the most lucrative industries in the world and encourages a quick career progression. This means that you will be rewarded for the hard work you put in. entry-levels looking to launch a career in sales can expect more significant starting salaries, extra bonuses, and financial rewards. Money isn't a dirty word in sales! In addition, you'll get travel opportunities and more. With no barriers to entry and loads of potential, a career in sales can give any recent grad a long-term and fulfilling career.

Yes, we welcome applications from all college entry levels. However, all our entry-level sales roles are entry-level positions, though they have higher than average compensation.

We can only accept applications from candidates eligible to work within the US and can not sponsor work visas. If you successfully obtain a position with us, we will require your original passport or other documentation proving your eligibility to work in the US.

You can apply directly for any of our current roles or send us your resume at any time, with a cover letter detailing why you feel you're made for sales. A member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch to discuss your application and schedule a telephone interview. If you are selected to move on, you will be invited to one of our assessment days, where our assessors will lead you through various tasks and activities to determine how you could fit into the world of sales. We will then match successful entry-level talent from the assessment day to the best role for their individuality.

Our assessment days allow candidates to express their enthusiasm for employment and showcase the invaluable natural skills needed to succeed in sales. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee employment to everyone invited to an assessment day.

Most assessment days take place virtually. Unfortunately, due to the volume of candidates we invite to our assessment days, we cannot offer expensed travel when they are in person.

Our assessment days are opportunities for you to promote yourself as the ideal candidate to top clients and companies. Therefore, we expect our attendees to come in full business professional attire and present themselves in the best way possible to potential future employers. Your recruiter will brief you on the attire required but always assume business professional.

There is no set number of successful candidates. So let yourself shine and set your career off to a great start.

After being placed in a role, starting 2-3 weeks from the initial assessment day is typical. However, our clients are flexible and understand that some individuals may have notice periods.

We offer training and development programs to all our placed individuals that cover sales fundamentals.

Ready to kickstart your entry-level career?

If you require further career advice or are looking to kickstart your entry-level career with an entry-level job, complete the form to request a callback today.