If you’re applying for your first job or switching careers, you need to write an impressive resume to compete with other applicants. To help you succeed, we’ve put together:
- four entry-level resume examples
- an entry-level resume template
- guidelines for writing an entry-level resume
Entry-level resume examples
This entry-level job resume is a great example to follow because it shows you how to format your resume to emphasize your relevant skills and academic qualifications:
And here are three more entry-level resume examples with varying levels of experience:
Entry-level resume template
Replace the information on this entry-level resume template with your information to make a resume that gets you hired:
1. Resume Heading
FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email: youremail@gmail.com | Phone: 895 555 555 | Address: 4397 Aaron Smith Dr., Harrisburg, PA 17101 | Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
2. Resume Title
[Job Title] With [# Years of Experience / Best Skills]
3. Resume Summary or Objective
Expand on your resume title by listing more relevant skills, the name of the position you want, and how you plan to help your target company in 3–5 sentences or bullet points.
4. Relevant Skills
First Skill
- Include a bulleted list of accomplishments related to this skill
- Quantify (add numbers to) these bullet points whenever possible
Second Skill
- List any accomplishments or responsibilities that demonstrate this skill
- If you no longer perform a task, use past tense verbs to describe the experience
- Be as specific as possible — mention the names of software or tools you’ve used
5. Work History
Most Recent Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
Earlier Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
6. Education
Degree / Diploma Name / Major
University / High School Name, Location | Start Date – End Date
7. Additional Resume Section
- Here’s where you can add other relevant information
- For example, this section could be any of the following: publications, languages, volunteer experience, or relevant hobbies
How to write an entry-level resume
Here’s how to write your resume for an entry-level position:
1. Make a catchy resume title
Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for entry-level jobs. Make your application stand out by writing an attention-grabbing resume title (also called a resume headline) that includes your:
- job title
- most impressive skill or accomplishment
Below are three good resume title examples for entry-level applicants like you. Note how these headlines use title capitalization, don’t have periods, and fit on one line:
- Accomplished Graphic Designer Upskilling in UI/UX Design
- Recent Graduate With a BSc in Economics and a US Treasury Internship
- Volunteer Fundraiser Seeking to Apply Sales Skills in the Private Sector
2. Direct your application at a specific job in your resume objective
Your resume title should catch the hiring manager’s attention with your most outstanding skills, and your resume introduction should follow through by explaining your title in more detail.
The best type of resume introduction for an entry-level resume is a resume objective, which is a 2–3 sentence paragraph that highlights your skills, experience, and career goals that best match the requirements for your target job.
Here’s an entry-level resume objective example aimed at a specific position:
College senior pursuing a BSc in Geology with a specialization in magmatic and metamorphic petrography. Seeking to apply knowledge and skills learned interning with geologists studying igneous samples from Mount St. Helens to Volco Labs’ open Geologist-in-Training position.
3. Emphasize your relevant entry-level skills
Because you’re applying to an entry-level job, you probably don’t have lots of related experience. That’s okay. Use the functional resume format to show the hiring manager that your relevant skills make up for your lack of work history.
A functional resume features a robust skills section with headers and explanatory bullet points for each category of skills on your resume. Here’s an example of how to use functional resume formatting to showcase your skills if you’re writing an entry-level resume with no experience:
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Technical Expertise
- Comfortable using industry-standard security software, like McAfee SIEM and FireEye CMS
- Practice debugging with OllyDbg and WinDbg
- Fluent in SQL, able to manage large datasets with Microsoft SQL
Customer Service
- Resolve student tech issues in person and via phone, email, and text message
- Outgoing and friendly, regularly hosting meet & greet parties for incoming freshmen
- Part-time cashier experience at various fast-food restaurants
4. Show your relevant experience
Experts debate the effectiveness of requiring experience for entry-level jobs, but many companies continue the practice. If you have the required amount of work experience, great — list it on your resume.
But if you’re one of the many frustrated job seekers wondering how to write an entry-level resume with no experience, don’t give up. Fill your entry-level resume with:
- volunteer work
- internships
- part-time jobs
- self-employed work (freelancing, contract gigs, and side businesses)
- extracurricular activities (clubs, sports teams, and student government)
- relevant coursework
- hobbies and interests
Click the links above to discover how to add each type of experience to your resume. And here’s how to format part-time jobs and freelancing work as entries in your resume’s work experience section:
Video Editor (Freelance)
Various Vendors, August 2020–Present
- Combine original, stock, and found footage to create videos for internet and television ads
- Accrued 100,000+ views on YouTube across 8 videos
- Reached Level 2 selling status on Fiverr within 4 months
Cashier (Part-Time)
Jack’s Grocery, June 2019–July 2020
- Rang up and bagged groceries for 50+ customers daily, promoting weekly sales specials during each transaction
- Managed an average of $2,000 per shift
- Led all cashiers with a 99.7% customer satisfaction rating
More resources to help you get an entry-level job
Here are more resources to assist you as you seek a rewarding new career:
