8 strong examples of entry-level resume formatting examples for 2024–2025

Before we get into the details, here’s the big picture. When people ask for examples of entry-level resume formatting examples, they’re usually looking for one of a few tried‑and‑true layouts:

• A traditional reverse‑chronological resume (most common)
• A skills‑focused or hybrid resume (great for limited experience)
• A student or recent grad resume with projects and coursework
• A no‑experience resume that leans on volunteering and activities
• A career‑change entry‑level resume that reframes past work

All of the formats below are ATS‑friendly, easy to skim, and realistic for someone with little or no professional history.

1. Classic reverse‑chronological: the safest example of entry-level resume formatting

If you want something that works for almost any entry‑level job, this is it. A reverse‑chronological layout puts your most recent experience first and moves backward.

A typical structure:

• Header with name, contact info, LinkedIn URL
• Short summary or objective
• Experience (jobs, internships, campus roles)
• Education
• Skills
• Optional: projects, certifications, languages

Imagine a first‑job candidate applying for an entry‑level marketing assistant role:

Header: “Jordan Lee | Austin, TX | email | phone | LinkedIn”

Summary: “Recent marketing graduate with internship experience in social media content and email campaigns. Comfortable with Canva, Mailchimp, and Google Analytics. Seeking an entry‑level marketing role where I can support campaign execution and reporting.”

Experience (most recent first):

• Marketing Intern, local nonprofit – bullet points focusing on metrics ("Increased Instagram engagement by 28% over 3 months")
• Campus Ambassador – bullet points about event promotion and outreach

This is one of the best examples of a format that recruiters recognize instantly. It’s especially good if you have at least some relevant experience (internships, part‑time work, or serious volunteer work).

For general guidance on what employers in the U.S. expect to see, the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop has a helpful overview of resumes and formatting expectations: https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/Resumes/resume-guide.aspx

2. Skills‑first hybrid: an example of entry-level resume formatting for limited experience

If your work history is thin or all over the place, a hybrid (combination) format can help. This layout blends a strong skills section with a shorter experience section.

Order usually looks like this:

• Header
• Summary
• Key Skills (grouped by theme)
• Projects or Achievements
• Experience
• Education

Picture a self‑taught junior web developer:

Summary: “Entry‑level front‑end developer with 10+ GitHub projects using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React. Completed Google UX Design certificate and built responsive websites for two local businesses.”

Key Skills:

• Front‑End: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React
• Tools: Git, GitHub, VS Code
• Collaboration: Pair programming, code reviews

Projects:

• Portfolio Website – “Designed and built a personal portfolio site with responsive layout and contact form; deployed via GitHub Pages.”

This is one of the best examples of entry-level resume formatting examples for tech, design, or any field where projects demonstrate ability better than job titles.

For ideas on in‑demand digital skills to highlight, you can explore resources from the U.S. Department of Education’s digital literacy initiatives: https://www.ed.gov/oii-news/digital-literacy

3. Student / recent grad layout: examples include project‑heavy formats

Students and recent grads often don’t have long work histories, but they do have:

• Class projects
• Group work
• Campus leadership
• Part‑time jobs not directly related to their major

A strong student format moves Education and Projects closer to the top.

Typical order:

• Header
• Education
• Relevant Coursework and Academic Projects
• Experience (internships, part‑time, campus jobs)
• Skills
• Activities and Honors

Imagine an entry‑level data analyst applicant:

Education: B.S. in Statistics, 2024

Academic Projects:

• “Retail Sales Forecasting” – “Built a time‑series model in R to forecast monthly sales; improved baseline forecast accuracy by 19%.”
• “Customer Churn Analysis” – “Analyzed 10,000+ customer records using Python and pandas; identified three key churn predictors.”

Skills: Python, R, Excel, SQL, data visualization

This is a clear example of entry-level resume formatting that lets your assignments do the heavy lifting while still looking professional.

4. High school / no‑experience: real examples that rely on activities

If you’re in high school or have no paid work at all, the format shifts again. Here, activities, volunteering, and skills carry the story.

Order often looks like:

• Header
• Objective (short and specific)
• Education
• Activities and Leadership
• Volunteering and Community Service
• Skills

A realistic example for a first‑time retail applicant:

Objective: “Motivated high school student seeking an entry‑level retail position to build customer service skills while supporting store operations.”

Activities:

• Student Council Treasurer – “Managed a $2,500 annual budget; coordinated fundraising events for 300+ students.”

Volunteering:

• Food Bank Volunteer – “Sorted and packed food donations; assisted 40+ families per shift.”

This is one of the best examples of entry-level resume formatting examples for teens and early job seekers: heavy on responsibility, light on job titles, but still structured in a professional way.

If you’re unsure what skills to emphasize for early jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has a plain‑language guide to soft skills and work readiness: https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/soft-skills.htm

5. Career‑change entry‑level format: example of reframing past work

Maybe you’re not fresh out of school—you’re pivoting. A career‑change entry‑level resume keeps your history but reframes it toward your new field.

This format usually includes:

• Header
• Summary focused on the new field
• Transferable Skills
• Relevant Projects / Training
• Prior Experience (short, targeted bullet points)
• Education and Certifications

Imagine a former restaurant server moving into entry‑level HR or recruiting:

Summary: “Customer‑focused professional transitioning into HR. 4+ years of experience resolving customer issues, training new staff, and coordinating schedules. Completed online HR fundamentals course.”

Transferable Skills:

• Conflict resolution
• Training and onboarding
• Time management

Experience:

• Restaurant Server – bullets focused on training, mentoring, and handling complaints calmly

This is a powerful example of entry-level resume formatting where your old job titles stay, but your bullet points are rewritten to match the new direction.

6. ATS‑friendly minimalist format: examples of entry-level resume formatting examples that pass the scan

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are everywhere, especially in larger companies. An ATS‑friendly format avoids fancy design in favor of clarity.

Key traits:

• Standard headings like “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”
• One column (no sidebars)
• Simple fonts (Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman)
• No text boxes, graphics, or unusual symbols

A minimalist example for an entry‑level administrative assistant:

Header: simple text, no icons

Summary: 2–3 lines, keyword‑rich ("scheduling,” “calendar management,” “data entry")

Experience: clear job titles, employer, city, dates, then bullet points

Skills: grouped logically (Office Software, Communication, Organization)

Many job seekers ask for real examples of entry-level resume formatting examples that won’t break when uploaded to a hiring portal. This style is exactly that: plain, scannable, and easy for both ATS and humans to read.

For more detail on how ATS works and what it looks for, this guide from MIT’s career services is helpful: https://capd.mit.edu/resources/ats-resume-test/

7. Project‑driven format for tech, design, and creative roles

In some fields, projects tell your story much better than titles. A project‑driven format pulls those forward.

Common order:

• Header
• Portfolio or GitHub link
• Summary
• Key Projects
• Skills
• Experience (if any)
• Education

Imagine an aspiring UX designer with a bootcamp certificate:

Key Projects:

• “Mobile Banking App Redesign” – “Conducted 8 user interviews, created wireframes in Figma, and delivered high‑fidelity prototypes; reduced task completion time by 35% in usability testing.”
• “E‑commerce Checkout Flow” – “Mapped current user journey, identified friction points, and redesigned checkout screens; improved task success rate from 62% to 88% in tests.”

This layout is one of the best examples of entry-level resume formatting examples for portfolios, where each project has a short, results‑oriented description.

8. One‑page generalist format for “I’ll take anything” job searches

Sometimes you’re applying to a wide range of entry‑level roles—admin, retail, customer service—and you need a flexible generalist format.

This layout focuses on broad, transferable strengths:

• Header
• Summary tailored to general office / customer‑facing work
• Core Competencies (customer service, communication, organization)
• Experience
• Education
• Skills

An example of entry-level resume formatting for this situation:

Summary: “Adaptable early‑career professional with experience in customer service and office support. Comfortable handling phone calls, email communication, and basic data entry.”

Core Competencies: Customer Service, Communication, Time Management, Problem‑Solving

This is one of the most practical examples of entry-level resume formatting examples when you’re casting a wide net but still want a resume that looks intentional, not random.

Key formatting tips that apply to all these examples

Across all of these examples of entry-level resume formatting examples, a few rules keep your document clean and readable in 2024–2025:

Font and size
Stick with standard fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman. Use 10–12 pt for body text and 13–16 pt for your name and section headings.

Margins and spacing
Use margins around 0.5–1 inch. Leave enough white space between sections so your resume doesn’t look cramped.

Length
For entry‑level roles, one page is usually best. Two pages only make sense if you have significant relevant experience, multiple degrees, or a lot of technical projects.

Bullet points
Start bullets with action verbs ("managed,” “created,” “organized") and end with results when possible ("increased,” “reduced,” “improved"). Even in a simple format, results make your resume feel stronger.

File type
Unless the posting says otherwise, submit as a PDF to preserve formatting. If an ATS system specifically asks for Word (.docx), follow those instructions.

FAQ: examples of common questions about entry‑level resume formatting

Q: What are the best examples of entry-level resume formatting examples for someone with absolutely no work history?
The high school / no‑experience format and the volunteer‑heavy layout work best. Put Education at the top, followed by Activities, Volunteering, and Skills. Use detailed bullet points to show responsibility (handling money, leading a group, organizing an event), even if it wasn’t a paid job.

Q: Can you give an example of a good entry‑level resume summary?
Yes. For an entry‑level customer service role:
“Detail‑oriented recent graduate with 2 years of experience in student leadership and volunteering. Comfortable handling customer questions, resolving basic issues, and working in fast‑paced environments. Seeking an entry‑level customer service position where I can support customers and learn company systems.”

Q: Do I need separate resumes for different jobs, or can one format work for everything?
You can keep one core format and adjust it slightly. Use the same structure, but tweak your summary, reorder skills, and adjust a few bullet points to match each posting. The examples of entry-level resume formatting examples in this guide can all be tailored this way.

Q: Are templates from word processors and job sites okay to use?
Yes, but choose simpler ones. Some built‑in templates look fancy but confuse ATS software with columns, graphics, or text boxes. When in doubt, start from a blank document and model it on the real examples in this article.

Q: How do I know if my resume format is readable for employers?
Print it or export to PDF and look at it on your phone. If you can skim your name, job target, and key skills in under 10 seconds, you’re on the right track. You can also compare your layout to the examples of entry-level resume formatting examples above and to guidelines from reputable university career centers.

If you use any one of these eight formats as your starting point—classic reverse‑chronological, hybrid, student, no‑experience, career‑change, ATS‑friendly, project‑driven, or generalist—you’ll have a resume that looks current, professional, and ready for real‑world job applications.