The 5 Best First Jobs to Have in Austin

If you’ve recently moved to Austin without a job or are planning a move in the near future, you’re in luck! This city consistently ranks as one of the nation’s best places to find employment. Yes, business is thriving in Austin and young professionals — with families and without — continue to flock here in droves every day. (Just take a look at the bumper-to-bumper traffic on MoPac every morning!)

Considering all the many work-related opportunities that abound in Texas’ exciting capital city, how should you even begin to sift through job listings and career sites? It can be tricky to know where to start, but Care.com is here to help! First off, though, we do have one solid piece of advice for you: If you have kiddos and are on the job hunt, we recommend employing a nanny or babysitter to watch your brood each day, if you can. Chances are you’ll get a lot more done!

We’ve outlined some of the best first jobs to have in Austin — and the places to find them.

What: Writer or Journalist

Where: A local publication (like “CultureMap” or “The Austin Chronicle”), a nonprofit (like Austin Bat Cave or the Writing Barn), or go freelance

Image via Facebook/The Writing Barn

Have you always dreamed of writing for a living? Make that dream a reality! There are plenty of writing jobs to go around in Austin. These opportunities range from teaching to nonprofit work to freelancing. “The Austin Chronicle,” “Austin Monthly,” and “CultureMap” are all revered publications that publish work by freelancers and, if you’re lucky, are sometimes hiring. Alternately, if you’re into the idea of teaching writing, we recommend checking out the Writing Barn, a gorgeous wooded retreat that hosts tons of great classes and events. We also love Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching writing to kids and teenagers in the area. Last but not least, if you just want to hobnob with some famous writers and local authors, the Texas Book Festival is a great place to be employed.

What: Tech Startup Employee

Where: Bumble, FloSports, OutboundEngine, or any number of Austin’s other tech startup companies

Image via Facebook/Spredfast

At this point, it’s no secret that Austin is one of the most exciting, fertile spots in the country for tech industry growth. (Just call us the Silicon Valley of the South. Thanks to the 41.4 percent jump in tech industry employment between 2001 and 2013, Austin was ranked as the top city for technology job creation on a recent list by “Forbes.”) Dell is the hometown bigwig here, but in addition, there are more exciting tech companies and startups in Austin than there are taco joints — and trust us, that’s saying a lot! In terms of finding your first-ever tech job, we recommend consulting this list of the top 100 tech companies in the city.

What: Performer

Where: The Hideout Theatre, Zach Theatre, Austin Playhouse, or ColdTowne Theater

Image via Facebook/Hideout Theatre

Austin is home to a thriving performing arts culture, so if you’re a performance artist (or just a fan of the arts), you’re in luck! In terms of places to work and play, we highly recommend the Zach Theatre, a professional live theater center, or the Hideout Theatre, a lauded downtown comedy club. There are dozens and dozens of other small gems that welcome new performers (the ColdTowne Theater and Austin Playhouse come to mind). Alternately, if you’re looking to make a career out of the business side of performing, the Long Center is Austin’s most beloved and well-known live entertainment venue.

What: Nonprofit Worker

Where: Austin Parks Foundation, Keep Austin Beautiful, the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, or Generation Serve

Image via Facebook/I Live Here I Give Here

Austin is a city that believes in giving back — hence, the hundreds of nonprofits that exist here! If you’re interested in working for a nonprofit for your first job, we recommend checking out I Live Here I Give Here, an online collective of local nonprofits and causes. From there, you can search for potential jobs based on your interests. In addition, Idealist.org is a stellar tool for finding advocacy and nonprofit work in your field.

What: Musician

Where: Anywhere and everywhere!

Image via Facebook/Mohawk Austin

As the live music capital of the world, Austin is the perfect place to be if you’re looking to make a living playing music. Multiple venues play music on virtually every night of the week, so your chances of being able to regularly book shows are high. We recommend sending out emails to venues or reaching out to local bars and restaurants on social media. Then, who knows? You may even be able to work your way up to playing at Austin’s famed South by Southwest Festival!