Resume Format for Freshers: Get Noticed & Hired Faster!

Step 01: Choose Your Resume Format

As discussed previously, we have three resume formats to choose from. Choose any one of them. 

As a fresher, you can only choose either the functional or the hybrid format. 

Step 02: Pick a Resume Template

Pick up a resume template that obeys the fundamentals of formatting, such as 1″ margins, font should be Arial or New Times Roman, etc. You can search for a resume template from all the different online platforms like:

• Overleaf
• Canva
• Novoresume

Step 03: Personal Details and Summary

The first section is all about your personal information:

• Start your resume with a clear header that includes your full name, professional title (if applicable), phone number, contact email address, and location.
• Consider adding links to your professional online profiles, like LinkedIn and GitHub. If you write blogs, you can also include a link to your Medium profile or some other channels.

The summary section is all about you:

• Craft a summary that highlights your qualifications for potential employers.
• Briefly mention your educational background.
• Showcase your core skills relevant to the field you’re applying to.
• Use strong action verbs and achievements to demonstrate your capabilities.

Consider using AI writing tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to help refine your summary statement. Make sure to keep your details, like contact information and profile links, updated, as they serve as a medium of communication for employers.

Step 04: Experience Section

This section is irrelevant to freshmen because they are not expected to have any previous work experience. If you have any previous internships or part-time work experience, please include it in this section.

Make sure they are in chronological order, i.e., the recent one at the very top. Also, mention the dates from when you have been working there. Under each company name, you have to write down a brief description in bullet points, signifying:

• What were your roles and responsibilities in the company?
• What was the impact of your addition?
• What improvement did you bring?

Step 05: Project Section

The project section is one of the most important in the whole resume of a fresher. Make sure all the projects are in chronological order. The project section should contain the project name as the header and a description in the form of bullet points explaining the following:

• What is the project all about?
• What is the Tech Stack used for?
• What was your role in the project?
• How has your addition impacted the project?

Step 06: Education and Academics

In this section, describe your level of education. Each level of education should have three entities. First, include the name of the degree; second, the number of years you spent pursuing it; and third, the name of the school or college where you completed that level of education.

Include your CGPA or percentage of marks in your education section, but only if it strengthens your application.

Step 07: Skills and Interest

For a fresher resume, categorize your skills. For example, if you have a technical background, you can classify your skills as programming languages, libraries and frameworks, software development, cloud services, soft skills, and so on.

You can also add all the relevant technology right in front of it. This makes your resume clean and to the point.

Step 08: Achievements and Awards

In this section, you will list all of your accomplishments, awards, and certifications that are relevant to the job posting you are applying for.

This adds up to some extra content that leaves a good impression on employers.

Best Online Resume Builder

Building a resume from scratch and formatting it properly is a task that requires expertise in multiple fields. So there are a few online resume builders with built-in resume templates. You only need to enter your information once, and you will receive your resume in PDF format, which you can share on the go.

Here is a list of the best online resume builders available on the internet:

1. Overleaf

Overleaf is a LaTeX resume builder designed for researchers, academics, and tech professionals who need crafted, ATS-compliant resumes. Engineers, scientists, and mathematicians can create resumes with ease thanks to customizable templates and LaTeX automation with real-time collaborative capabilities. Overleaf is the go-to platform for users looking for highly professional resumes with mathematical precision.

2. Hiration

Hiration is an AI resume builder that allows job seekers to create keyword-infused, ATS-compliant resumes in minutes. Their AI feature analyzes resume scores, recommends improvements, and generates professional cover letters automatically. Hiration simplifies resume creation and increases the chances of landing an interview for recent graduates, students, and even experienced professionals.

3. Novoresume

Novoresume is a modern, user-friendly resume builder that focuses on creating minimalist one-page resumes. This innovative builder enables users to drag-and-drop elements, pre-defined templates, and ATS compliance, allowing users to effectively showcase important skills and achievements.

4. Canva

Canva is the best resume builder for creative professionals looking for a powerful, all-in-one tool, offering thousands of stunning and expertly categorized templates. Designers, marketers, and content creators who want to showcase their creativity while remaining professional can use Canva’s drag-and-drop editing, custom graphics, and brand-aligned resume features.

5. Enhancv

Enhacv is a cutting-edge resume builder that customizes resumes based on real-world professional experiences. With its engaging interface, tailored job-specific content, and stylish layouts, Enhancv is ideal for compelling job seekers looking to tell an engaging career story.

How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume?

HR and hiring managers look for ATS (Application Tracking System) -friendly resumes. For recruiters, going through thousands of resumes is sometimes outside their bandwidth. As a result, they use an ATS. Employers enter keywords and phrases into the ATS, which scans all resumes and sorts them based on whether they contain that word, phrase, or a related keyword.

Here are a few points that you should keep in mind to make your resume ATS-friendly:

1. Tailor your resume according to the job description of the job you are applying for.
2. Check that your resume contains the keywords found in the job description.
3. Use long-form and acronym versions of keywords.
4. Make use of either a chronological or a hybrid resume format for freshers.
5. Use an easy-to-read, traditional font.
6. Use standard resume section headings.
7. Save your file as a .docx, as it is most compatible with an ATS.

ATS-Friendly Resume Checker

Once you have followed the above steps and have created not only a resume but an ATS-friendly resume, it is important to do some check runs that will help you understand if there are any mistakes in your resume. Here is a list of ATS-friendly resume checkers that you can use to scan your resume, and rest assured:

1. Hiration
2. Enhancv
3. My Perfect Resume
4. Live Career
5. Resume Worded

Let us understand how we can use an ATS-friendly resume checker to fix the issues and improve the ATS score of our resume. 

Here, we are using Jobscan to check the ATS score of our resume and make the necessary changes.
First, go to the Hiration portal and upload your resume. Click “Continue”.

After that, the ATS will scan your resume and evaluate it based on multiple parameters. It will look for the keywords in your resume that are in the job description. Accordingly, it will give suggestions, like what changes you need to make to improve the ATS score.

Overall, ATS gives you an idea of what changes you need to make in the resume to make it better and improve the chances of its selection.

Tips for Creating an Effective Fresher Resume

• Keep It Short: Try to summarize everything in a single-page resume.

• Adjust for Every Application: Apply the needed skills in the resume alongside the job description.

• Use Action Verbs: Begin bullet points with action verbs like “Developed,” “Designed,” and “Implemented.”

• Highlight Contributions: Instead of simply mentioning responsibilities, focus on the accomplishments and impact made.

• Proofread: Ensure that the resume is accurate and free of grammatical and typographical errors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Irrelevant Details: Do not include any information that is irrelevant to the job you are applying for.

• Unprofessional Email Addresses: Create a unique professional email account that will be appropriate for applications.

• Keyword Overstuffing: While relevant keywords should certainly be included in the document, there is no need for overstuffing, which could make the information look suspicious or unnatural.

• Poor Structure: A good structure, accompanied by a simple font and spacing, is always necessary for any document.

Conclusion

As a fresher, crafting a compelling resume is one of the most important steps to take. It is at this point that developing an effective attention-grabbing strategy will be beneficial. Choosing criteria such as layout, skill set, education, and canvas of expression allows the applicant to tailor the document to their preferences while increasing their chances of landing a job. By doing so, the job seeker will be able to impress employers and move one step closer to landing their dream job.

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