No university degree required... Jobs in demand in South Africa with salaries up to 248,800 Rand

Written by: Ayman Ragab

New data from Pnet’s latest Labor Market Trends report has revealed the best jobs in South Africa right now that do not require a university degree, with salaries as high as 248,820 rand per year or 20,735 rand per month.

While youth unemployment remains one of the biggest socio-economic concerns in South Africa, Pnet said there are still areas in the labor market where employers continue to hire entry-level talent.

 Jobs available in South Africa with salaries up to 248,800 Rand

Pnet recently updated its South African recruitment activity measurements to provide a more comprehensive view of labor demand.

Traditionally, job vacancy advertisements have been used as a key indicator of recruitment activity.

However, the company now also includes candidate searches conducted through its candidate database, which contains more than eight million resumes and candidate profiles.

According to Pnet, recruiters are increasingly using database searches to identify suitable candidates and contact them directly, rather than relying solely on advertised job openings.

The latest data shows that job vacancy advertisements increased by 4% month-on-month in May, although they remained 1% lower than the previous year.

Increased job activity

Searches in the candidate database by recruiters increased by 6% per month, but are still 28% lower than the same period last year.

As a result, overall employment activity increased by 5% compared to April, although it remained 9% lower than last year.

Pnet indicated that a number of economic factors contributed to the annual decline in employment activity.

These factors include the 8.8% electricity tariff increase announced by Eskom in April, which is scheduled to take effect in July, as well as higher fuel prices related to ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Despite these challenges, the report found that many occupations still provide easy entry points into the labor market for school graduates, first-time job seekers, and young South Africans with limited work experience.

Sales representatives

Among the most attractive opportunities are sales representative jobs, which require only a high school diploma (grade 12).

Typical jobs include sales assistants, junior and trainee sales representatives, and junior sales consultants.

Market-linked salary packages range from 11,649 to 20,735 rand per month, making sales rep jobs the highest-paying entry-level jobs highlighted in the report.

Administrative positions remain in demand. Salaries for administrative staff, who typically require a high school diploma, are expected to range between 5,875 and 10,784 South African Rand per month. Common entry-level positions include administrative assistants, junior administrators, and receptionists.

Customer service employees are another popular career choice. These jobs typically involve communicating with customers, providing customer service, and offering support. Salaries range from 11,671 to 17,170 South African Rand per month.

Receptionist and call center employee positions continue to offer employment opportunities for school graduates. Receptionist salaries range from 6,150 to 10,500 rand per month, while call center employee salaries range from 4,135 to 13,625 rand.

The report also highlighted promotion and marketing as career paths within the sales sector. Entry-level promoters and marketers can expect salaries ranging from 5,200 to 12,163 rand per month.

Claims advisor positions in the financial sector are still available. Graduate claims advisors, claims managers, and junior claims advisors typically earn between 8,855 and 11,280 South African Rand per month.