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If you take the time to look through the “Best Jobs of 2013” lists, you will see systems analysts, engineers and lots of computer jobs. The predictions are for folks with advanced degrees to do very well.

But for those of us without degrees, we should not despair. We need to recognize the one thing that most of these lists never do: every team of college graduates needs a support staff.

• Secretary/Administrative Assistant – During the darkest days of the economic beating the country recently took companies got rid of a lot of office staff and forced their executives and engineering staff to handle their own affairs. That makes sense when things are slow, but as the world economy heats up again, these folks will be needed again. The best part is these are skills that if you don’t have them, you can learn them in night classes at the local community college very cheaply.
• Human Resource Assistant – More people means more HR issues. Again, skills learned in a few months of night school will be enough to get you in the door.
• Drivers – Sure not something you normally think of, but America runs on rubber and gasoline. Drivers will be needed for everything from semi trucks to taxis. A Class C trucker’s license can allow you help your employer move their products or their people and movement makes money.
• Sales Representative – As the economy gets stronger, companies will need more people to sell their goods and services. There isn’t a lot of training that can happen here, but making sure you can write a good letter, make a strong sales call and keep track of a lot of information will make you a great sales person. Find someone who is already a success to mentor you.
• Bookkeeper – Not a job you can learn quickly, but if you are in school and taking accounting classes (and like them), try applying for a bookkeeping job or as staff in the accounting department. They don’t need someone with a PhD; they need someone who competently crunch numbers.

Be ready for any of these jobs to be a long, slow journey. Getting the job may take months, then there will be a lot to learn.

There are still a lot of very experienced, very well-qualified candidates on the market. That’s going to make getting any jobs tough, if you have neither experience nor a degree.

Don’t despair: the one thing employers usually want most is someone who wants to work and will do it with them for a long time.

One way to smooth the path is to find a good employment agency to help you. The news may not be good: they are likely to tell you that you aren’t qualified for a CEO job, but at the same time, they will help you find work. Remember: if they are good, they know their job. Follow their advice to the letter and you will find work.