Writing an entry-level tech resume is an exercise in creativity. While nothing on a resume ever should be fabricated, the information sometimes is culled from unusual sources. If you’re just starting on a career path, your resume has two purposes: to show employers that you have the skills to begin an entry-level tech career and to demonstrate that you will be a reliable employee.

Showing your entry-level skills is simple if you have an educational background in the tech field you are trying to enter. Recent graduates with degrees in computer science should put list the most relevant courses they have taken. Including examples of projects completed in popular languages is an excellent way to demonstrate knowledge as well.

Also be sure to include any information that makes your entry-level tech resume stand out with real-world experience. You may have completed an inventory project for the Habitat for Humanity chapter in which you were active. Perhaps you gave a paper at a student research conference. Look for ways to demonstrate your knowledge outside your classroom work.

Once you have the skills section down, the next important piece to your entry-level resume is showing that you would make a good employee. Just knowing the technical skills needed isn’t enough. It’s also vital that employers know you will show up to work and dedicate yourself to the job.

To demonstrate this quality, be sure you have asked people who know you well to be references. Contact former employers, professors, and even community members and ask if they will serve as references for you. Choosing eloquent references who will speak on your behalf can mean the difference in getting an entry-level tech job.

You also need to seek out non-classroom ways to show your dedication. Include involvement in any non-political student organizations. Include only information to show how you helped the organization, not simply that you were a member. If you planned a speakers’ panel, put it on your resume. If you helped at quarterly neighborhood clean-ups, employers can use that information to make a determination about your ability to complete tasks.

Spend some time searching your memory for what you have done over the course of your college life that would demonstrate to employers your value as an employee. Always keep in mind that an employer’s priority is determining how you could benefit the company and prepare your resume accordingly.