What hiring managers actually look for
Recruiters screening entry level applicants focus on potential over pedigree. Here is what they prioritize:
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Relevant skills over job titles. Hiring managers know you may not have held a formal role in your field yet. They scan for transferable skills, software proficiency, and keywords that match the job posting. Tailor your skills section to every application.
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Clarity and professionalism. A clean, well organized resume signals that you take the opportunity seriously. Typos, inconsistent formatting, or cluttered layouts can knock you out before your qualifications are even reviewed.
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Evidence of initiative. Internships, volunteer work, relevant coursework, and personal projects all demonstrate drive. Managers want to see that you have sought out opportunities to learn and contribute, not just waited for someone to hand you a role.
If your resume communicates these things in the first 7-second scan, you'll make it to the detailed read. Everything below is about making that happen.
Pay varies a lot by field and location, so treat these as benchmarks rather than promises. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $49,500 for all workers in May 2024. The National Association of Colleges and Employers projected an average starting salary of $68,680 for Class of 2025 bachelor's degree graduates, with engineering and computer science majors at the high end and liberal arts majors lower. Look up your specific target role on the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook before naming a number in an interview.
How to structure your resume, section by section
The order matters. Here's what a strong entry level resume looks like from top to bottom:
1. Contact header
Keep your header simple and professional. Include your full name, phone number, email, city and state, and optionally a LinkedIn URL.
Jordan Mitchell
[email protected] · (555) 482-1039 · Denver, CO · linkedin.com/in/jordanmitchell
2. Summary or objective
An objective statement works well for entry level resumes because it tells employers what you bring and what you are looking for. Keep it to two or three sentences and mention the specific role or industry.
Strong: "Organized and detail oriented business administration graduate with customer service experience and strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace, and CRM software. Seeking an entry level operations coordinator role where I can apply my data entry accuracy and time management to process improvement."
3. Education
For entry level candidates, education often carries more weight than experience. List your degree, school name, graduation date, GPA if above 3.3, and relevant coursework or honors.
4. Skills
Create a dedicated skills section with 8 to 12 relevant skills. Mix technical skills with workplace competencies, and prioritize skills mentioned in the job description.
Microsoft Office Suite · Microsoft Excel · Google Workspace · CRM software (Salesforce, HubSpot) · Data Entry · Scheduling · Written communication · Attention to detail
5. Experience / Activities / Projects
Include any paid work, internships, volunteer roles, or academic projects. Focus on accomplishments and results rather than listing duties.
Strong: "Managed front desk operations for a 200 person office, handling 40+ daily calls and logging visitor check-ins through data entry, earning a 95% satisfaction rating on quarterly feedback surveys."
6. Additional sections
Consider adding certifications, languages, professional memberships, or relevant extracurricular activities. These sections help fill your resume and demonstrate well roundedness, but only include items that add genuine value.
Key skills to include
These are the tools and competencies that applicant tracking systems most often scan for in entry level postings. Customize the list based on the specific position you are targeting, and only claim what you can back up.
Tip: Mirror the exact phrasing from the job posting whenever possible. If the listing says 'client relations,' use that phrase instead of 'customer service' to improve your chances with applicant tracking systems.
Example Entry-level job seeker resume
Here is one more illustrative example that puts the verified entry level keywords to work. The name and details are fictional, but the structure shows how to weave tools like Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, and CRM software into accomplishments rather than just listing them.
Detail oriented business graduate with internship and part time office experience. Strong in Microsoft Excel and data entry, comfortable with QuickBooks and CRM software, and known for time management on busy teams. Seeking an entry level administrative coordinator role.
Microsoft Office Suite · Microsoft Excel · Google Workspace · Data Entry · QuickBooks · CRM software (HubSpot) · Scheduling · Inventory management · Customer Service · Written communication · Time management · Attention to detail
- Entered and cleaned roughly 200 tenant records a week in HubSpot through careful data entry, keeping the contact list current for the leasing team.
- Built a Microsoft Excel tracker with PivotTables that turned a manual rent report into a one click summary, cutting the task from an afternoon to minutes.
- Reconciled small vendor invoices in QuickBooks and flagged three duplicate charges before payment.
- Handled customer service and scheduling for 30+ daily check-ins and class bookings using the center's reservation system.
- Tracked equipment with simple inventory management counts and kept written communication logs that cut lost item disputes.
B.B.A. Management, University of Illinois Chicago · May 2025
GPA 3.5 · Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS): Excel Associate
Why this resume works: Every named tool, from Microsoft Excel to QuickBooks to HubSpot, shows up inside a result, not just a skills list. The MOS certification gives a keyword scan something concrete to match, and time management and attention to detail are demonstrated rather than claimed.
Resume summary examples you can steal
Use one as a starting point, then swap in your own technologies, numbers, and achievements.
"Detail oriented communications graduate with internship experience in office administration and strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace, and scheduling. Eager to bring accurate data entry and clear written communication to an entry level administrative assistant position."
Why it works: It connects the degree to the target role, names specific tools, and shows enthusiasm without being vague.
"Customer service professional with three years of retail experience transitioning into an entry level account coordinator role. Proven ability to manage competing priorities, resolve issues efficiently, and pick up CRM software quickly while keeping strong time management in fast paced environments."
Why it works: It reframes retail experience as relevant corporate skills and specifies the target position clearly.
"Motivated self-starter with 200+ hours of nonprofit volunteer coordination, including event planning, scheduling, and donor data entry in a CRM. Seeking an entry level marketing assistant position to apply hands-on organizational and written communication skills."
Why it works: It quantifies volunteer work and directly ties those activities to the target role's requirements.
"CompTIA A+ certified candidate with hands-on experience troubleshooting hardware and software issues in academic lab environments. Looking for an entry level IT support specialist role where I can pair Microsoft Office Suite fluency with a commitment to excellent end user customer service."
Why it works: It leads with the certification, provides context for hands-on experience, and clearly states the goal.
Writing strong experience bullets
Every bullet point should answer: "What did you do, and why did it matter?" Use this formula:
Before and after examples:
Helped with data entry tasks in the office.
Completed data entry for 150+ customer records weekly in Salesforce with 99.2% accuracy, cutting cleanup time by 30%.
Worked at the customer service desk.
Resolved an average of 25 customer service inquiries daily, maintaining a 4.8/5 satisfaction score across two quarters.
Helped keep track of supplies.
Ran weekly inventory management counts in a Microsoft Excel tracker, reducing stockouts and saving the team about 3 hours a week.
Strong action verbs for entry level resumes:
Coordinated · Managed · Processed · Resolved · Organized · Implemented · Streamlined · Delivered · Maintained · Analyzed · Communicated · Facilitated · Trained · Documented · Supported · Scheduled
7 mistakes that get entry level resumes rejected
Using a generic objective statement
Phrases like 'seeking a challenging position' tell employers nothing. Every word on your resume should be specific to the role and company you are applying to.
Listing job duties instead of accomplishments
Hiring managers already know what a cashier or intern does. Show them what you achieved in those roles by using numbers, percentages, or concrete outcomes.
Including a photo or personal details
In most industries, adding a headshot, age, or marital status is unnecessary and can introduce bias. Stick to professional contact information only.
Overloading with irrelevant skills
Listing every skill you have ever heard of dilutes your resume. Focus on 10 to 12 skills that directly match the job posting.
Poor formatting or inconsistent design
Mixing fonts, using random bold or italic styles, and cramming text into margins makes your resume hard to read. Use a consistent template throughout.
Submitting the same resume for every job
Each application deserves a tailored resume. Adjust your summary, skills, and bullet points to align with the specific job description.
Forgetting to proofread
Spelling errors and grammatical mistakes signal carelessness. Read your resume out loud, use a spell checker, and have someone else review it before submitting.
What to do if you have no professional experience
If your work history is thin, shift the focus to what you have done outside of traditional employment:
Lead with education and coursework
List relevant classes, academic projects, and your GPA if it is strong. Group projects where you took a leadership role are especially valuable.
Highlight volunteer and extracurricular work
Treat volunteer positions like jobs. Use the same action verb plus result format to describe what you accomplished.
Include personal or freelance projects
Built a website? Managed a social media account? Organized a community event? These demonstrate real skills that employers value.
Get a recognized entry level certification
A named credential can fill a thin work history and pass a keyword scan. Google Career Certificates (IT Support, Data Analytics, and others, offered through Google and Coursera) are built for entry level roles and require no degree or prior experience. CompTIA A+ is the standard starter credential for a first IT job and needs no work history to sit the exam. For office roles, the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification, administered by Certiport, validates the Word and Excel skills employers screen for.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an entry level resume be?
One page. Hiring managers spend an average of 7 seconds on an initial resume scan, so keep it concise and focused on your strongest qualifications.
Should I include my GPA on an entry level resume?
Include it if it is 3.3 or higher. If your major GPA is stronger than your cumulative GPA, list that instead. After one to two years of work experience, you can remove it.
Is an objective statement or summary better for entry level?
An objective statement works well when you have minimal experience because it tells employers what you are pursuing. A summary works better if you have internships or relevant projects to highlight.
Which skills should an entry level job seeker put on a resume?
Lead with the tools and competencies that applicant tracking systems scan for in entry level roles: Microsoft Office Suite (especially Microsoft Excel), Google Workspace, Data Entry, Customer Service, CRM software such as Salesforce or HubSpot, Scheduling, QuickBooks, Inventory management, plus Written communication, Time management, and Attention to detail. Mirror the exact phrasing from the job posting wherever you can.
What if I only have retail or food service experience?
That experience counts. Reframe it using transferable skills: customer service, cash handling, conflict resolution, multitasking under pressure, and team coordination are all valued in corporate settings.
Which certifications help an entry level job seeker with no experience?
A named credential can fill a thin work history and pass a keyword scan. Google Career Certificates (IT Support, Data Analytics, and others) are built for entry level roles and require no degree or prior experience. CompTIA A+ is the standard starter credential for a first IT job. For office roles, the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification validates the Word and Excel skills employers screen for.
What salary should an entry level job seeker expect?
It depends heavily on field and location. As a benchmark, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $49,500 for all workers in May 2024. The National Association of Colleges and Employers projected an average starting salary of $68,680 for Class of 2025 bachelor's degree graduates, with engineering and computer science majors at the high end and liberal arts majors lower. Research the specific role on the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook before naming a number.
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