How To Write an Entry-Level Tech Resume
If you’d like to break into the information technology (IT) field in an entry-level role, the first step is creating a resume that positions you as an eager-to-learn candidate. It should also highlight your acquired skills, such as system administration, troubleshooting, software development and/or hardware configuration, and technical support. Follow this guide to help craft a resume that helps you stand out in a competitive field.
1. Craft a compelling profile summarizing your key qualifications
The goal of your resume profile is to grab a recruiter or hiring manager’s attention so they continue reviewing your full resume. Because IT is such a vast industry, highlight your specialized knowledge areas, from IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) processes to programming to quality assurance. Follow up with an accomplishment that illustrates the value you can bring to an organization.
Because you’re looking for entry-level work, you might not have a huge list of accolades or experiences. But don’t be afraid to discuss a project you did during an internship. For instance, if you found a creative solution to a complex technical issue or were recognized for providing excellent tech support, showcase that achievement.
Profile Example
A recent computer science graduate with two years of internship experience at well-known IT firms, focused on systems administration and technical support. Adept at working within cross-functional teams on technical projects.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
As an IT job seeker, your goal is to describe the value you’d bring to a new employer as illustrated by your recent career accomplishments. Instead of just listing a bunch of job duties you had in former roles, focus on the quantitative results of your contributions. Whenever possible, emphasize your ability to do both focused solo work and collaborative projects.
At the entry level, it’s also beneficial to highlight your eagerness to add to your skill set and take on new challenges.
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Junior System Administrator, IT Corp., Edison, NJ
October 2022 – present
- Identify technical solutions for hardware and software issues across the organization in collaboration with the IT team, including server upgrades and system migrations
- Conduct system administration for all IT services, which includes installing patches, performing updates, and supporting hardware and software implementations
- Interface with cross-functional groups from sales, marketing, and product development departments to provide end-user support and training
3. Include relevant education and certifications
In a field like IT, it’s often important to show evidence of your foundational technology skills related to the role. Many employers have minimum education requirements while some might be more interested in professional experience. Either way, showcasing your relevant degrees and certifications can demonstrate your core competencies.
If you earned a certification like The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Cloud+, for example, it can make you more desirable for cloud computing roles. Having certifications or advanced degrees indicates you’re eager to learn new skills, which is key in a field like IT.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science
University of Syracuse (Syracuse, NY) | 2021
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
CompTIA Security+, 2022
ITIL, 2023
4. Include relevant key skills
The meat of your resume lists your relevant professional skills. Especially if you’re applying to online postings, your resume will likely go through an applicant tracking system (ATS), which looks for keywords preselected by the hiring manager.
Be sure your resume’s “Key Skills” align with the tech requirements listed in the job description so you make it through to the human round of review. Don’t forget to include soft skills relevant to the job, such as project management.
To help you along, here’s a list of key terms and skills found in many entry-level IT job postings:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Client relations | Cross-functional collaboration |
| IT | ITIL processes |
| Microsoft, Mac, and Linux OS | .NET |
| Project management | QA testing |
| Quality assurance | Root-cause analysis |
| Solution design | Software engineering |
| System migrations | Team leadership |
| Technical support | Troubleshooting |
5. Highlight your soft skills
IT combines tech prowess with people skills since you’ll likely be serving end users, working with clients, and/or supporting various departments within the organization. You may give presentations, write reports, or break down technical processes for others. Share a few bullets demonstrating your ability to communicate well, work within teams, or show leadership. Incorporating some of these soft skill areas into your “Key Skills” section can strengthen your resume.
How To Pick the Best Entry-Level Resume Template
Choosing the right resume template comes down to finding one that can best showcase your accomplishments and fill the page in a way that looks clear and organized. As an entry-level job seeker, you may not have the depth and breadth of a more senior-level applicant. But the right template can package your shorter job history so it doesn’t appear stretched too thin. Spotlight your stand-out attributes and make your resume easy to scan, and worry less about overusing design elements or flashy graphics.
Entry-Level Information Technology Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
John Zhao
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Philadelphia, PA
Profile
A recent graduate with entry-level work experience, specializing in IT, system administration, troubleshooting, and technical support. Adept at collaborating with diverse IT teams to identify solutions for complex technical issues. Expertise in interfacing with customers and providing end-user support.
Key Skills
- Client relations
- Information technology
- Microsoft, Mac, and Linux OS
- Root-cause analysis
- Team leadership
- Troubleshooting
Professional Experience
IT Helpdesk Support, TechSolutions Inc., Philadelphia, PA
May 2021 – present
- Troubleshoot tier I technical issues for 20 to 30 customers per day, field inquiries, diagnose problems, perform root-cause analysis, and identify solutions
- Attend meetings with the IT to discuss recurring technical issues and integrate solutions into the knowledgebase to improve resolution times by 15%
- Oversee computer configuration, troubleshoot software and hardware issues, and provide training to end-users
Academic Projects
Academic Projects, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
May 2019 – May 2021
- Executed an application development project with a team of students to design a video calling solution, which included conducting bug fixes to ensure functionality
- Collaborated with the Temple Information Technology Club to create a mobile application for students to manage academic schedules, which included delivering automated alerts for campus events, assignment deadlines, and class cancellations
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Temple University Philadelphia, PA September 2017 – May 2021
GPA: 3.8
Coursework
- Advanced programming
- Database management
- Hardware and software configuration
- Network administration
- SQL
- System administration
Certifications
- CompTIA A+, 2021
Sarah Johnson
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Newark, NJ
Profile
An entry-level software engineer specializing in IT, software development, project management, programming, and quality assurance. Adept at collaborating with diverse cross-functional teams to technical design solutions and drive continuous improvement.
Key Skills
- Project management
- Quality assurance
- Software engineering
- System migrations
- Team leadership
Professional Experience
Software Engineer, Newark Tech Corp., Newark, NJ
May 2021 – present
- Collaborate cross-functionally with product management, engineering, and QA teams to build innovative solutions for large-scale database systems
- Perform comprehensive analysis of customer data and develop SQL queries to create reports for the software engineering team
- Support the migration from an outdated legacy system to Oracle, which included creating project documentation and troubleshooting complex technical issues
Academic Projects
Web Development Project, University of Newark, Newark, NJ
January 2021 – May 2021
- Developed a mobile web application to enable users to track carbohydrate intake throughout the day in support of weight loss goals, designed the interface, diagnosed and resolved bugs, and utilized Python, Ruby on Rails, and Javascript
- Executed an academic project with a team of students to create a web application compiling a database of sample problems and strategies to aid users in learning Python
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Newark, Newark, NJ September 2017 – May 2021
GPA: 3.6
Coursework
- IT
- JavaScript
- Python
- Ruby on Rails
- Software development
- Web development
Certifications
- CompTIA A+, 2021
- Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer (PCEP), 2021
Robert Morrison
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Seattle, WA
Profile
An entry-level IT professional specializing in system administration, security, ITIL processes, and hardware and software configuration. Excels in identifying creative solutions to complex system issues. Adept at partnering with cross-functional teams and clients on technical projects.
Key Skills
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Information technology
- ITIL processes
- Microsoft, Mac, and Linux OS
- Technical support
Professional Experience
Junior System Administrator, Advanced Technology Corp., Seattle, WA
May 2021 – present
- Identify technical solutions for hardware and software issues across the organization in collaboration with the IT team, including server upgrades and system migrations
- Conduct system administration for all IT services, which included installing patches, performing updates, and supporting hardware and software implementations
- Interface with cross-functional groups from sales, marketing, and product development departments to provide end-user support and training
Volunteerism
IT Volunteer Project, Overlake Community Library, Bellevue, WA
January 2021 – May 2021
- Served as an IT volunteer for a project to install, set up, and configure 30 PCs and 25 new laptops for a community library, which included updating OS systems, installing firewalls, and collaborating with a team of volunteers to create user logins for library cardholders
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Seattle, Seattle, WA September 2017 – May 2021
GPA: 3.7
Coursework
- Hardware and software configuration
- Network administration
- Python
- SQL
- System administration
Certifications
- CompTIA A+, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions: Entry-Level Information Technology Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for entry-level information technology resumes?+
It’s easy to get stuck on the experience section of a resume. Choose impactful action verbs without sounding like your r thesaurus was nearby. To help you with this challenge, we put together the below list of common action verbs that can describe entry-level IT roles:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Conducted |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Designed | Developed |
| Diagnosed | Drove |
| Enhanced | Evaluated |
| Executed | Implemented |
| Led | Managed |
| Performed | Programmed |
| Resolved | Spearheaded |
| Supported | Troubleshot |
How do you align your resume with an entry-level information technology job description?+
As per the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, IT jobs are booming and growing faster than average for most occupations. For instance, Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Tester jobs are expected to grow 25% through 2031 while Information Security Analyst job openings will increase 35% during the same timeframe.
All sectors and business types are in need of employees with IT skills. The competition can still be significant given the number of people studying computer science and related education programs. Luckily, computer science was chosen as the second highest degree in demand by employers in the Winter 2023 Salary Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
As such, tailor your resume to each individual job posting since employers are looking for candidates who are the best matches for their roles. It’s just a matter of shuffling your skills around (maybe emphasizing one particular skill set they are most interested in), and perhaps tweaking the profile section to better align with a particular employer.
What is the best entry-level information technology resume format?+
Generally, you can’t go wrong with a reverse chronological format for most professions, including entry-level IT. Recruiters like to get a sense of your most recent accomplishments, and they will scroll down to see how you’ve grown, developed, and enhanced your knowledge.
If you’re new to the industry and have only had one job or even none in the field, list your internships, academic projects, and volunteer projects. For example, maybe you helped run the IT help desk for your college as your professional experience.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Not all applicants take the time to write a well-crafted cover letter to accompany them. This is an excellent way to set yourself apart, especially in a tech field where people may be less apt to put their writing skills on display.
Check out our IT cover letter examples to help guide you. Depending on the position you’re seeking, the computer science or software developer cover letters may also be helpful.
