Resume Examples to Help Get Your First Entry-Level Job

Contact information
The first part of your entry-level resume is the header. This is where you will put your contact information including your full name, phone number, and email address so potential employers and recruiters know how to contact you.

Resume summary
The resume objective, or resume summary. is the next section in your professional resume. A resume objective is used when you have little to no work experience and states your career goals. In contrast, a resume summary highlights your most notable achievements in your work history. Regardless of whether you decide to use a resume objective or a resume summary, this section will only be about 2-3 sentences long.

Skills
Since you may not have a lot of professional experience to share, the skills section is where you can shine during your job search. You will want to share hard skills and technical skills that are related to your field. For example, using Microsoft Excel and other software programs, or managing social media, are hard skills.

Soft skills are skills that are not tangible but are useful in all jobs. Some examples are communication skills, teamwork, and organization skills. If you can, group your skills into categories (e.g., “Organizational Skills,” “Computer Skills”) and aim to display around 16-20 skills total.

Work history
Work experiences should be listed in reverse-chronological order section. Include the title of the job, company, and dates you held the job. Then, using bullet points, list the major responsibilities and accomplishments you had at that job. Begin each sentence with action verbs like “Processed” or ”Compiled” (e.g., “Managed and directed 500 customer calls on a daily basis”).

Include only relevant experience. Part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, internships, and volunteer work may be considered relevant even if they are not paid, as long as they feature important skills. For instance, if you are applying to a paralegal position and were in the debate club, that could be important to note! Keep in mind that your responsibilities of a job may be similar to the job description you are applying to, even if the job title is not the same!

Education
For an entry-level position, the education section of your resume is very relevant, especially for recent graduates. List your highest credential (e.g., high school or college) and your course of study, as well as any relevant coursework. Only list your GPA if it was above 3.5 and you graduated within the past year. You can also include any certifications you may have, such as Microsoft 365 or a Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.

Do’s and Don’ts for an Entry-level Resume

There are a few resume tips you should keep in mind when writing your entry-level resume:

Do:

• Check for typos and grammatical errors. Have a friend, family member, or guidance counselor check over your resume for errors before submitting it.
• Emphasize your skillset, especially with technical skills. Since you may not have much experience, the skills you possess are very important for employers to know!
• Use keywords from the job description. Many companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to filter out candidates who do not fit their needs. Include keywords and skills in your resume that are listed in the job description so your resume is not rejected. If hiring managers are searching for someone who can track data and analytics and you have that experience, be sure to have the terms “data” and “analytics” in your resume.

Don’t:

• Worry about not having a lot of professional experience. Once you get your foot in the door with an entry-level job, you will gain that experience.
• Exceed the one-page length. An entry-level resume should be no more than one page. If your resume is too long, remove any irrelevant information.
• Submit the same resume for every job. Your skills and experiences should change slightly to match the specific job you are applying to.