Entry Level Resume Example: How to Write a Resume That Gets You Hired

Landing your first job feels daunting — especially when every job posting seems to ask for experience you don't have yet. But here's the truth: hiring managers know you're entry level. They're not expecting a decade of work history. What they are expecting is a well-organized, clearly written resume that shows you're capable, motivated, and ready to contribute. The right entry level resume example can completely change how you approach your own document — and how recruiters respond to it.

TL;DR

• Entry level resumes should lead with potential and transferable skills rather than years of experience, since hiring managers expect no formal work history.
• Organize your resume with contact info, summary, education, skills, and work experience (including internships and volunteer work), keeping the layout scannable in under 10 seconds.
• Write a specific resume summary with concrete skills and tools rather than generic statements like "looking to grow."
• Include internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and academic projects as legitimate experience on an entry level resume.

What Makes an Entry Level Resume Different

An entry level resume serves a different purpose than a mid-career resume. Instead of leading with years of experience, you're leading with potential, transferable skills, and evidence of initiative. That shift in focus changes everything — from how you structure the page to what you choose to include.

Most hiring managers spend fewer than 10 seconds on an initial resume scan. That means your layout, your summary, and your top-loaded content need to do the heavy lifting fast.

The Core Sections Every Entry Level Resume Needs

• Contact Information — Full name, professional email, phone number, LinkedIn (if it's polished), and your city/state
• Resume Summary or Objective — A 2–3 sentence snapshot of who you are and what you bring
• Education — Often moved to the top for entry level candidates
• Skills — Both hard and soft skills relevant to the role
• Work Experience — Internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and freelance projects all count
• Optional Sections — Certifications, projects, extracurriculars, or relevant coursework

How to Write a Resume Summary With No Experience

Your resume summary is your elevator pitch. Even without formal work history, you can write a compelling one. Focus on your strongest skills, your field of study or training, and the value you're ready to bring.

Weak example: "Recent graduate looking for an entry level position in marketing where I can grow."

Strong example: "Detail-oriented marketing graduate with hands-on experience in social media management and content creation through internship and academic projects. Skilled in Google Analytics, Canva, and copywriting. Eager to bring data-driven creativity to a fast-moving digital marketing team."

The difference is specificity. Name your tools. Name your strengths. Give the reader something concrete to hold onto.

Entry Level Resume Example: What It Actually Looks Like

Here's a simplified entry level resume example you can model your own document after:

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Jordan Lee jordan.lee@email.com | (555) 867-5309 | Austin, TX | linkedin.com/in/jordanlee

Summary Motivated business administration graduate with experience in customer service and project coordination. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce basics, and cross-functional team collaboration. Seeking an operations coordinator role where I can apply strong organizational skills to streamline workflows.

Education Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — University of Texas at Austin, May 2024 Relevant Coursework: Project Management, Operations Strategy, Data Analysis for Business

Skills Project coordination | CRM software | Data entry | Written communication | Time management | Microsoft Excel | Team collaboration

Work Experience

Retail Sales Associate — Target, Austin, TX (June 2022 – May 2024)

• Managed inventory tracking and restocking for a high-volume department, reducing stock discrepancies by 15%
• Assisted an average of 80+ customers per shift with product recommendations and issue resolution
• Trained 6 new team members on POS systems and store procedures

Marketing Intern — Campus Student Association (September 2023 – December 2023)

• Created weekly social media content across Instagram and LinkedIn, growing follower count by 22% over one semester
• Drafted and distributed a monthly email newsletter to 400+ subscribers using Mailchimp

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Notice what this example does well: it quantifies achievements, uses action verbs, and keeps descriptions focused on impact rather than duties.

How to Show Skills on an Entry Level Resume

One of the biggest mistakes entry level candidates make is listing vague skills like "hardworking" or "good communicator." These aren't skills — they're adjectives. Replace them with demonstrable competencies.

Hard Skills to Include

Hard skills are teachable, measurable abilities. Think software, tools, languages, and technical knowledge. For example:

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Google Analytics or Google Workspace
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Python, HTML/CSS, or SQL (depending on your field)
• Specific CRM or project management tools like HubSpot, Asana, or Trello

Soft Skills That Actually Stand Out

Rather than just listing "leadership," show it in your bullet points. Did you lead a team project? Mentor a new employee? Organize an event? Let your experience section do the talking, and save your skills section for hard skills and technical competencies.

Using Internships, Volunteer Work, and Projects as Experience

You have more experience than you think — it just might not look traditional. Entry level resumes can and should include:

• Internships (paid or unpaid) — treat these exactly like full-time jobs on your resume
• Volunteer work — especially if it involved responsibility, coordination, or skill-building
• Academic projects — capstone projects, group presentations, research papers
• Freelance work — graphic design, tutoring, writing, social media management for a local business
• Club leadership — president, treasurer, event coordinator roles all demonstrate real competency

The key is framing. Instead of writing "helped organize club events," write "coordinated logistics for 3 campus events with 100+ attendees, managing vendor communications and day-of scheduling."

Formatting Tips for an Entry Level Resume

Your formatting tells the reader something about you before they read a single word.

• Keep it to one page. Entry level resumes should not exceed one page.
• Use a clean, readable font — Calibri, Garamond, or Georgia at 10.5–12pt
• Consistent spacing and alignment — sloppy formatting signals lack of attention to detail
• Save as a PDF unless the job posting specifies otherwise
• Use standard section headers — don't get creative with labels like "My Journey" instead of "Work Experience." ATS systems won't recognize them.

ATS Optimization for Entry Level Resumes

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before a human ever sees them. To get past the bots:

• Mirror language from the job description
• Avoid tables, text boxes, and graphics that confuse ATS parsers
• Use standard section headers
• Spell out acronyms at least once

Common Entry Level Resume Mistakes to Avoid

Even great candidates get screened out for preventable errors. Watch out for these:

1. Generic objective statements — Customize your summary for each application
2. Listing job duties instead of achievements — Focus on what you accomplished, not what you were supposed to do
3. Unprofessional email addresses — Get a simple firstname.lastname@gmail.com if you haven't already
4. Missing keywords — If the job posting mentions "project management" and your resume doesn't, you're invisible to ATS
5. Typos and inconsistencies — Proofread once, then ask someone else to proofread again

Frequently Asked Questions

What should an entry level resume include?

An entry level resume should include contact information, a 2–3 sentence resume summary, education section, both hard and soft skills, work experience (internships and part-time roles count), and optional sections like certifications or relevant coursework.

How do I write a resume summary with no experience?

Focus on your strongest skills, field of study, and concrete value you can bring—name specific tools you know (Google Analytics, Canva) and highlight relevant projects rather than using generic phrases like "looking to grow."

Does volunteer work count on an entry level resume?

Yes, volunteer work, internships, freelance projects, and part-time jobs all count as legitimate work experience on an entry level resume and should be included.

How long should an entry level resume be?

An entry level resume should be one page, since you don't have extensive work history, and hiring managers spend fewer than 10 seconds on initial resume scans.

What is the best format for an entry level resume?

Use a clean, well-organized layout with clear section headers, consistent formatting, and top-loaded content (skills and education above work experience) to make it scannable in under 10 seconds.

Should I include my GPA on an entry level resume?

Include your GPA only if it's 3.5 or higher, as a strong GPA can demonstrate academic performance when work experience is limited.

Writing a strong entry level resume isn't about pretending you have experience you don't — it's about clearly communicating the value you do bring. When you structure your document strategically, quantify what you can, and tailor it to each role, you transform from just another applicant into a candidate worth calling. Start with a solid entry level resume example as your foundation, make it yours, and go get that interview.