It’s estimated that there are 4.8 million IT jobs in the US, and about 377,500 openings are projected each year. It seems like many opportunities are waiting for you, but you’re up against fierce competition.
The IT sector is huge but also very competitive. To break into this industry, you’ll need the perfect entry-level IT resume. I’ll show you how to write it.
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John G. Tunstall
IT Specialist
Phone: 520-489-1354
E-mail: john.g.tunstall@email.com
linkedin.com/in/johntunstall
http://www.john-tunstall.online
Objective
Resourceful IT Specialist and University of Arizona graduate with 1+ years’ experience in IT support. Set up, prepped, and retired a total of 500+ devices. Seeking to apply proven front-end and back-end IT support skills in helping Shilling Insurance thrive in Arizona.
Core Qualifications
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
August 2018–May 2022
Experience
Entry-Level IT Support
TygerBright Business Training, Tucson, AZ
March 2023–March 2024
Key Responsibilities:
Key Achievements
Coding Languages
Other Skills
What makes it work:
James R. Anderson
Entry-Level Web Developer
(123) 456-7890
james.anderson@email.com
linkedin.com/in/jamesranderson
github.com/jamesranderson
randersonwebdesign.com
Objective
Detail-oriented Web Developer with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and 1+ year of freelancing web development experience. Proficient in front-end and back-end development, as well as technical support. Improved website loading times by 25% through optimization techniques, enhancing overall site performance and SEO rankings. Eager to contribute to the development of well-converting websites at Spinner Inc.
Core Competencies
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Texas, Austin, TX
August 2020–May 2024
Freelance Web Developer
February 2023–May 2024
Remote
Key Responsibilities:
Key Achievements:
Soft Skills
Certifications
Projects
What makes it work:
Ethan M. Johnson
Junior Tech Support Specialist
(555) 678-1234
ethan.johnson@email.com
linkedin.com/in/ethanmjohnson_08
ethanithelp.com
Objective
Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, seeking a junior tech support role to leverage academic knowledge and technical skills. Passionate about troubleshooting, problem-solving, and providing excellent customer service in an IT environment. CompTIA, MTA, and Google IT Support Certified. Eager to contribute to the dynamic team at Concordia Studios.
Core Qualifications
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Texas, Austin, TX
August 2020–May 2024
GPA: 3.8/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Computer Networks, Operating Systems, Database
Management, Technical Support Fundamentals
Capstone Project:
Key University Projects:
Honors & Awards:
Club Memberships & Activities:
Additional Skills:
Certifications
Hobbies & Interests
What makes it work:
Stepping into the IT world feels like diving into a digital ocean—full of endless possibilities and opportunities. But with every keystroke and line of code, there’s intense competition.
To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to prepare the perfect, targeted entry-level IT resume. I’ll help you compile one in just a few minutes.
By studying over 500,000 resumes crafted with our builder, we found that*:
- IT specialists prefer our Cascade, Cubic, and Enfold resume templates.
- The most common skills added to IT resumes are Application installations, Technical iccue analysis, Application support, and Desktop support.
- 2.65% of our users report having no previous work experience, and 18.03% have less than 3 years of experience.
* The data comes from the last 12 months (August 2023-August 2024)
Let’s take a look at this offer for a job in Texas:
We are a dynamic tech company specializing in innovative web solutions for businesses of all sizes. We pride ourselves on creating user-friendly, high-performing websites that drive results. We seek a motivated and detail-oriented Junior Web Developer to join our development team. A bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field is welcome.
Key Responsibilities:
It piqued the interest of James. Here’s some information about him:
James R. Anderson is an aspiring Web Developer with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and one year of freelancing experience in web development. He has a strong foundation in both front-end and back-end technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP, with a proven track record of improving website performance by optimizing loading times and enhancing SEO rankings.
James has completed over 15 web projects, including custom WordPress themes and e-commerce websites. His certifications in web development and IT support further highlight his commitment to continuous learning and professional growth. Passionate about delivering high-quality web solutions, James is eager to contribute his skills to a dynamic team environment.
Looks like he has this job in the bag. Or he would if he knew how to showcase his qualifications on a resume properly. Unfortunately, his first draft missed the mark, as it looked like this:
Junior web developer with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and some freelancing web development experience. Eager to leverage my technical skills and experience in a challenging entry-level IT role, contributing to the efficiency and success of your IT operations.
Looks super generic and doesn’t show any of his skills and accomplishments. Unfortunately, his work experience achievements were also lacking:
Key Qualifications:
Unfortunately for James, a resume like that wouldn’t secure him this job. It was way too generic, and he didn’t tailor it for anything. There was a huge chance that it wouldn’t even pass an ATS check. But James’s friend came to the rescue and recommended he check out ResumeLab. With our guides and builder, his resume will soon get a much-needed update.
Reports Show: According to the Future of Jobs 2023 Report, there are many ways to move up from entry-level IT jobs. For example, focus on in-demand skills like cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity, backed by relevant certifications. Develop strong problem-solving and communication skills to complement your technical expertise, and actively seek mentorship or networking opportunities. Stay adaptable by keeping pace with emerging tech trends and continuous learning.
The best way to start a resume for entry-level IT jobs if you have no experience is with a resume objective. It’s a great way to introduce yourself in a resume, showcasing your most relevant skills, achievements, and what you can bring to the company.
James really needed a proper objective, so here is how he improved his previous one:
James’s revamped resume profile
Detail-oriented Web Developer with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and 1+ year of freelancing web development experience. Proficient in front-end and back-end development, as well as technical support. Improved website loading times by 25% through optimization techniques, enhancing overall site performance and SEO rankings. Eager to contribute to the development of well-converting websites at Spinner Inc.
Here’s why this profile is bug-free:
If James had more than 2 years of relevant work experience, he could’ve started with a resume summary. In that case, he’d show more of his work achievements. But at the same time, if he had that much experience, he probably wouldn’t be applying for an entry-level IT job.
Some IT skills are nice to have, others are absolutely crucial. And the importance of these skills depends on the specific entry-level IT job you’re targeting. But even if you know every coding language under the sun, you probably shouldn’t list them all on your entry-level IT resume.
Saving space is important, you’re aiming to keep the length of your resume to either one or two pages. That’s why a curated list of core competencies is such a great idea. You get to showcase the most important hard skills for the job to appease the ATS and save on some space simultaneously.
Core Competencies
Why is this list of core qualifications so good?
I know you’re likely skilled in a ton of different languages and programs. You also have some important soft skills. Don’t worry, you’ll list them soon enough. But before that:
Someone had to sit you down and tell you about the bytes and the bits at some point. Resume education is important in IT jobs. Especially those entry-level ones.
That’s because there is a non-zero percent chance that you have no work experience at all. Or that your work experience is minimal. Whichever one is true, I recommend you turn your bland education into a resume section that rivals job accomplishments.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Texas, Austin, TX
August 2020–May 2024
GPA: 3.5/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Web Development, Computer Networks, Operating Systems, Database Management, Cybersecurity Fundamentals, Software Engineering
Honors & Awards: Dean’s List (Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
Capstone Project: Led a team of three students to design and develop a fully functional e-commerce website using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. The project included setting up a secure payment gateway and a user-friendly product management system.
Here’s why this education section is good:
That’s not all you can add to your education. I also recommend adding school projects, club membership activities, or competitions.
Expert Hint: A scholarship belongs on a resume, too. Simply create an extra “Awards” section and list it there. Mention it in your entry-level cover letter as well.
As I mentioned previously, you may not have any work experience to list here, but in case you’ve already accrued some work experience, I want to show you how to present it correctly on your entry-level IT resume.
I recommend you focus on two things—Key qualifications (responsibilities) and key work accomplishments. The gold standard for said accomplishments is quantifying what benefits you brought to your employer, like saving time or money.
James had some experience as a freelancer, so he chose to include this section. With ResumeLab’s builder achievement suggestions, he came up with this:
Freelance Web Developer
February 2023–May 2024
Remote
Key Responsibilities:
Key Achievements:
Why does this experience section deliver?
Arguably, the most important section of your entry-level IT resume isn’t your profile or education. It’s the resume header. That’s because it contains your contact information. If there is an error there, you can pretty much wave the job goodbye, as the recruiter won’t be able to reach out to you.
This is how you should structure the header on your resume for entry-level IT jobs:
James R. Anderson
Entry-Level Web Developer
(123) 456-7890
james.anderson@email.com
linkedin.com/in/jamesranderson
github.com/jamesranderson
randersonwebdesign.com
Normally, most headers would stop with a name, title, phone, email, and LinkedIn profile. But for IT jobs (including entry-level IT opportunities), I recommend providing links to your online portfolio of works. This can be your GitHub, personal website, or any other place where you showcase your expertise.
Make your entry-level IT resume uniquely yours: The education and work experience aren’t enough to show them what you’ve got. Add your own extra resume sections. James added the following:
Soft Skills
Certifications
Projects
Why is it a good list?
For entry-level IT resumes, Known Software, or Known Programming Languages, are often extremely important to add as well. Other than that, you may consider adding Publications, Volunteer Experience, Spoken Languages, Professional Memberships, or Hobbies & Interests.
Just remember to keep them all relevant to the job.
If you’re looking for some more help writing your entry-level IT resume, read these guides:
Or continue to learn how to format a resume:
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
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Just like no IT professional likes spaghetti code, no recruiter wants to look at a messy resume. Don’t worry, getting your entry-level IT resume format right isn’t going to be like setting up your first server. Especially if you pick a pre-formatted simple resume template from ResumeLab’s builder.
— Although a lot of IT accomplishments can be showcased with graphs, pie charts, and other infographics, I recommend you keep it simple. Images have a hard time passing ATS checks, so avoid them, or you risk crippling your job search. —
You’re an IT professional, so you can create a resume template in LaTeX, Word, or any other tool you want. However, this will prove much more complex. If that’s your path, keep these instructions in mind:
If you want to see expert-approved resume templates, check out the links below:
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Need more info on how to get your entry-level IT resume on the ticket list? Leave your questions and comments below. I’ll be sure to get back to you. And if you liked the samples from this article, give our builder a try.
At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.
Mariusz is a career expert with a background in quality control & economics. With work experience in FinTech and a passion for self-development, Mariusz brings a unique perspective to his role. He’s dedicated to providing the most effective advice on resume and cover letter writing techniques to help his readers secure the jobs of their dreams.
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