How to Write Resume for Freshers

For many recent graduates and entry-level job seekers, writing a resume can feel overwhelming. Unlike seasoned professionals with years of work history, freshers often worry they have little to showcase. But the truth is, your resume doesn’t need years of experience—it needs clarity, structure, and strategic presentation of your potential. A well-crafted resume for freshers can open doors to internships, graduate programs, and full-time roles across industries. This guide walks you through every step of creating a compelling, ATS-friendly, and employer-approved resume—even if you’ve never held a formal job before.

The goal of a fresher’s resume is not to mimic experienced candidates, but to highlight transferable skills, academic achievements, projects, volunteer work, and personal qualities that align with the job description. Employers know you’re new—they’re looking for adaptability, initiative, and a strong foundation. With the right approach, your resume can turn perceived gaps into powerful opportunities.

In this comprehensive tutorial, we’ll break down exactly how to write a resume for freshers, from formatting and content selection to optimization for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and human reviewers. You’ll learn best practices, discover essential tools, review real-world examples, and answer common questions—all designed to help you stand out in a competitive job market.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

As a fresher, your resume format plays a critical role in how your strengths are perceived. There are three main types: chronological, functional, and combination. For most freshers, the combination resume is ideal because it emphasizes both your skills and your academic/professional experiences.

Chronological resumes list work history in reverse order. These are best for candidates with prior employment, so they’re not recommended for most freshers.

Functional resumes focus entirely on skills and achievements, minimizing employment gaps. While useful for career changers or those with inconsistent work history, they can raise red flags with ATS systems and hiring managers who prefer clear timelines.

Combination resumes blend both approaches: a strong skills section upfront, followed by a reverse-chronological education and experience section. This format lets you showcase what you can do before detailing where you did it—perfect for highlighting relevant coursework, internships, projects, and extracurriculars.

Use a clean, single-column layout with consistent fonts (e.g., Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica), 10–12 pt font size, and 0.5–1 inch margins. Avoid graphics, tables, or columns—these often confuse ATS software.

Step 2: Write a Powerful Resume Summary or Objective

At the top of your resume, include either a summary or an objective. For freshers, an objective is often more appropriate because it clearly states your intent and aligns your goals with the employer’s needs.

A strong objective should be concise—two to three sentences—and tailored to each job. Include:

• Your current status (e.g., recent graduate, final-year student)
• Your key skills or areas of expertise
• Your career goal and how it aligns with the company

Example:

Recent B.Com graduate with strong analytical and communication skills, proficient in Excel and financial reporting tools. Seeking an entry-level accounting position at XYZ Corp to apply academic knowledge in real-world financial operations and contribute to team efficiency through attention to detail and process improvement.

If you have relevant internships or projects, a summary may be more effective:

Dynamic marketing graduate with hands-on experience managing social media campaigns for two university clubs, increasing engagement by 40%+. Skilled in content creation, Google Analytics, and Canva. Eager to bring data-driven marketing strategies to a growing startup environment.

Never use generic phrases like “hardworking team player” or “looking for growth opportunities.” Be specific and outcome-oriented.

Step 3: Highlight Your Education Section

Since you lack extensive work experience, your education section becomes one of your most important assets. Place it just below your summary/objective.

Include:

• Full name of your degree (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)
• Name of the institution
• Location (city and state or country)
• Expected or actual graduation date
• CGPA or percentage (if 7.0/10 or above, or 70%+)
• Relevant coursework (3–5 courses directly related to the job)

Example:

Bachelor of Arts in Economics

University of Delhi, New Delhi

Expected Graduation: May 2025

CGPA: 8.4/10

Relevant Coursework: Microeconomics, Statistics for Business, Financial Accounting, Data Analysis, Research Methods

If you’ve completed honors, distinctions, or scholarships, mention them here. For example: “Recipient of the National Merit Scholarship (2023)” or “Dean’s List, Fall 2023.”

Step 4: Showcase Projects and Academic Work

Projects are your secret weapon as a fresher. They demonstrate practical application of your knowledge, problem-solving ability, and initiative. Even small class projects can be powerful if presented well.

For each project, include:

• Project title
• Time period (e.g., Jan 2024 – Apr 2024)
• Tools/technologies used
• Goal or problem addressed
• Your specific role and responsibilities
• Outcome or impact (use numbers when possible)

Example:

Inventory Management System (Academic Project)

Jan 2024 – Apr 2024 | Python, SQLite, Excel

Developed a desktop application to automate inventory tracking for a mock retail store, reducing manual data entry errors by 70%. Designed database schema, wrote Python scripts for data input/output, and created user-friendly interface using Tkinter. Presented findings to faculty panel; received top grade in class.

Other examples: group research papers, coding apps, marketing campaigns for campus events, financial modeling exercises, or design portfolios. If you’ve contributed to open-source projects on GitHub, include the link.

Step 5: Include Internships and Volunteer Experience

Even short-term internships or unpaid volunteer roles count. Employers value initiative and real-world exposure. Treat these sections with the same seriousness as paid jobs.

For each entry, use the PAR method: Problem, Action, Result.

• Problem: What challenge were you addressing?
• Action: What did you do?
• Result: What was the outcome?

Example:

Marketing Intern

ABC Startup, Bangalore | June 2023 – August 2023

- Assisted in creating weekly social media content for Instagram and LinkedIn, increasing follower growth by 35% over 8 weeks.

- Researched competitor marketing strategies and compiled a report used by the team to refine targeting criteria.

- Coordinated with the sales team to track lead generation from digital campaigns, contributing to a 20% increase in qualified leads.

Volunteer Coordinator

Green Earth Initiative, Chennai | March 2023 – May 2023

- Organized 5 community clean-up drives involving 80+ volunteers, improving local park cleanliness ratings by 60% as reported by municipal authorities.

- Designed promotional posters and managed event registration via Google Forms, reducing administrative workload by 50%.

Even tutoring younger students, helping at a local NGO, or assisting in campus events can be included. Focus on transferable skills: leadership, communication, organization, time management.

Step 6: List Relevant Skills

Employers scan resumes for keywords. Your skills section should mirror the language used in the job posting. Divide skills into categories for clarity:

• Technical Skills: Software, tools, programming languages, platforms
• Soft Skills: Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability
• Language Skills: Proficiency levels (e.g., Fluent in English, Conversational in Spanish)

Example:

Technical Skills: Microsoft Excel (Advanced), Google Sheets, PowerPoint, Python, SQL, Canva, Trello, Google Analytics, WordPress
Soft Skills: Team Collaboration, Time Management, Critical Thinking, Public Speaking, Adaptability
Language Skills: English (Fluent), Hindi (Native), Tamil (Basic)

Only list skills you can confidently discuss in an interview. If you say “proficient in Excel,” be ready to explain how you’ve used pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, or data visualization.

Step 7: Add Extracurriculars and Achievements

Leadership roles in clubs, sports, debate teams, hackathons, or competitions add depth to your profile. These show initiative, discipline, and passion beyond academics.

Examples:

• President, Business Club – Led 15-member team, organized 4 career workshops with industry professionals
• Winner, National Coding Challenge 2023 – Developed a mobile app for waste segregation, ranked top 10 among 500+ entries
• Member, Debate Team – Represented university in inter-college tournaments; won Best Speaker award (2022)

Include any certifications you’ve earned—even free ones from Coursera, edX, or Google. Examples: Google Data Analytics Certificate, HubSpot Inbound Marketing, Microsoft Office Specialist.

Step 8: Keep It Concise and Error-Free

A fresher’s resume should be no longer than one page. Every line must earn its place. Remove fluff like “References available upon request”—it’s assumed.

Proofread meticulously. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor. Ask a friend, mentor, or career counselor to review it. Typos and grammatical errors are immediate disqualifiers.

Save your file as “FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf” (e.g., PriyaSharma_Resume.pdf). Avoid “Resume_Final_v2.docx”—it looks unprofessional.

Best Practices

Customize for Every Job Application

Never send the same resume to every employer. Tailor your objective, skills, and project descriptions to match the keywords in the job description. If the posting mentions “data analysis,” make sure your resume includes that phrase. If they want “team collaboration,” highlight group projects.

Use the job description as a checklist. Highlight keywords and ensure they appear naturally in your resume. This boosts your chances of passing ATS filters and catching the recruiter’s eye.

Use Action Verbs

Start each bullet point with a strong action verb. Avoid passive language. Here are powerful verbs to use:

• Analyzed, Designed, Developed, Implemented, Led, Managed, Optimized, Presented, Researched, Streamlined, Trained, Created, Collaborated, Improved, Increased

Instead of: “Was responsible for helping with social media posts.”

Write: “Created and scheduled 20+ weekly social media posts across platforms, increasing engagement by 45%.”

Quantify Everything Possible

Numbers make your impact tangible. Even if you don’t have sales figures, use percentages, time saved, number of people reached, or volume handled.

Bad: “Helped organize an event.”

Good: “Coordinated a 150-person career fair with 12 participating companies, resulting in 30+ internship applications.”

Bad: “Worked on a group project.”

Good: “Led a 4-member team to develop a budgeting app prototype; used Excel and Python to model cash flow scenarios for 50 simulated users.”

Be Honest, But Strategic

Never lie about skills, grades, or experience. Background checks are common. Instead, focus on framing your experiences positively.

If you have a low GPA, don’t list it. If your CGPA is below 6.0, omit it and highlight projects or internships instead. If you took a gap year, briefly explain it (e.g., “Took a semester off to pursue freelance graphic design work and build a portfolio”).

Optimize for ATS Systems

Most large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to screen resumes before a human sees them. To pass these filters:

• Use standard section headings: “Education,” “Experience,” “Skills,” “Projects”
• Avoid headers, footers, text boxes, or columns
• Use keywords from the job description
• Save as PDF only if the job posting allows it; otherwise, use .docx
• Don’t use icons, images, or unusual fonts

Test your resume with free ATS checkers like Jobscan or ResumeWorded to see how well it matches the job description.

Design for Readability

Use white space effectively. Don’t cram text. Use bullet points, not paragraphs. Keep line spacing at 1.15 or 1.5 for easy scanning.

Use bold sparingly—only for job titles, company names, and section headers. Avoid italics, underlines, or ALL CAPS.

Ensure your contact information is clear: full name, phone number, professional email (e.g., firstname.lastname@gmail.com—not cutiepie123@xyz.com), LinkedIn profile (if active), and location (city only).

Tools and Resources

Free Resume Builders

Several platforms offer free, ATS-friendly templates designed for freshers:

• Canva – Offers visually appealing, customizable templates (use sparingly—keep it simple for corporate roles)
• Novoresume – Free tier includes ATS-optimized templates and keyword optimization tips
• Resume.com – Step-by-step builder with industry-specific examples
• Google Docs Resume Templates – Search “Google Docs resume templates” for clean, professional options

ATS Checkers and Keyword Analyzers

• Jobscan – Paste your resume and job description to get a match score and suggestions
• ResumeWorded – Provides AI-powered feedback on impact, keywords, and clarity
• Grammarly – Essential for grammar, spelling, and tone checks
• Hemingway Editor – Helps simplify complex sentences for better readability

Certification Platforms

Boost your resume with free or low-cost certifications:

• Coursera – Google Data Analytics, IBM Data Science, HubSpot certifications
• edX – Harvard, MIT, and Stanford courses in business, computer science, and communication
• Google Skillshop – Free certifications in Google Ads, Analytics, and Search
• LinkedIn Learning – Free 1-month trial; courses on Excel, PowerPoint, project management
• Microsoft Learn – Free modules on Excel, Word, and Azure fundamentals

Portfolio Platforms (For Design, Writing, Coding, Marketing)

For creative or technical roles, a portfolio is often more important than a resume:

• GitHub – For coders and developers
• Behance – For designers, illustrators, UI/UX professionals
• Medium – For writers, bloggers, content creators
• Notion – Create a personal landing page with projects, testimonials, and resume
• Adobe Portfolio – Free with Creative Cloud subscription

University Career Centers

Don’t overlook your college’s career services. Most universities offer:

• Free resume reviews
• Mock interviews
• Job fairs and alumni networking events
• Access to exclusive internship portals

Book an appointment early—many centers are overwhelmed during peak hiring seasons.

Real Examples

Example 1: Fresh Graduate – Marketing Role

Arjun Patel

Mumbai, Maharashtra | +91 98765 43210 | arjun.patel@email.com | linkedin.com/in/arjunpatel

Objective:

Recent BBA graduate with hands-on experience in digital marketing and content creation. Skilled in social media strategy, Google Ads, and analytics tools. Seeking to leverage academic training and internship experience to drive brand growth at a dynamic marketing agency.

Education:

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing

Symbiosis School of Economics, Pune | Expected Graduation: June 2025

CGPA: 8.6/10

Relevant Coursework: Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing, Brand Management, Market Research

Projects:
Instagram Campaign for Local Café | Feb 2024 – Apr 2024

- Designed 12 visually engaging posts using Canva and scheduled them via Buffer.

- Increased followers from 1,200 to 2,100 and boosted engagement rate by 65% in 8 weeks.

- Created a UGC (user-generated content) contest that generated 47 customer submissions.

Internship:

Marketing Intern | Starlight Digital, Mumbai | May 2024 – July 2024

- Assisted in running Google Ads campaigns for 3 clients, improving CTR by 22% and reducing cost-per-click by 15%.

- Wrote 15+ SEO-optimized blog posts, increasing organic traffic by 30% over 8 weeks.

- Compiled weekly performance reports using Google Analytics and presented findings to senior team.

Skills:
Technical: Google Ads, Google Analytics, Canva, Buffer, Excel, SEO, WordPress
Soft Skills: Communication, Creativity, Time Management, Team Collaboration
Language: English (Fluent), Hindi (Native)

Achievements:

- Winner, National Marketing Case Challenge 2024 (Top 5 among 200 teams)

- Certified in Google Ads Fundamentals (Google Skillshop, 2024)

Example 2: Engineering Graduate – Software Developer Role

Sneha Reddy

Hyderabad, Telangana | +91 87654 32109 | sneha.reddy@email.com | linkedin.com/in/snehareddy | github.com/snehareddy

Summary:

Computer Science graduate with strong foundation in full-stack development and problem-solving. Built 3 web applications using React, Node.js, and MongoDB. Passionate about clean code and user-centered design. Seeking entry-level software engineering role to contribute to scalable product development.

Education:

B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras | Graduated: May 2024

CGPA: 8.9/10

Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Web Development, Database Systems, Software Engineering

Projects:
TaskFlow – Personal Productivity App | Aug 2023 – Dec 2023

- Developed a full-stack task management app using React frontend and Node.js/Express backend with MongoDB database.

- Implemented user authentication, task categorization, and due date reminders; deployed on Netlify and Heroku.

- Used Git for version control and received positive feedback from 15+ beta testers.

College Library Management System | Jan 2023 – Apr 2023

- Led a 4-member team to design a web-based system for tracking book checkouts and returns.

- Used Python and SQLite; reduced manual errors in library records by 80% in pilot testing.

Internship:

Software Development Intern | TechNova Solutions, Hyderabad | June 2023 – August 2023

- Assisted in debugging and testing REST APIs for a customer portal using Postman and Swagger.

- Wrote unit tests for 12 modules, improving code coverage from 65% to 88%.

- Collaborated with UX team to implement feedback for improved UI navigation.

Skills:
Technical: JavaScript, React, Node.js, Python, SQL, MongoDB, Git, HTML/CSS, Postman
Soft Skills: Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Attention to Detail
Language: English (Fluent), Telugu (Native)

Achievements:

- 1st Place, CodeQuest 2023 (Campus Hackathon)

- Certified in Full-Stack Web Development (Udemy, 2023)

FAQs

1. How long should a fresher’s resume be?

One page is ideal. If you have multiple internships, projects, and certifications, two pages are acceptable—but only if every line adds value. Avoid padding with irrelevant information.

2. Should I include my high school details?

No, unless you’re still in college and haven’t completed your degree. Once you have a university degree, high school is no longer relevant. Focus on your higher education and beyond.

3. What if I have no internships or projects?

Start small. Create a personal project: build a website, write a blog, design a logo for a friend’s business, or analyze public data (e.g., COVID trends, stock prices). Document it. Even a simple GitHub repository with code and README counts.

4. Should I include a photo on my resume?

In most countries (including the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and India), do not include a photo. It can lead to unconscious bias. Only include one if the job posting explicitly asks for it (rare in most industries).

5. How do I explain a gap in my education or employment?

If you took time off for personal reasons, health, travel, or family, briefly mention it in your cover letter—not your resume. On your resume, just list your education dates. If the gap was productive (e.g., freelancing, volunteering, online courses), include it as experience.

6. Can I use the same resume for different industries?

No. A resume for a finance role should highlight analytical skills and Excel; one for a content role should emphasize writing and SEO. Customize your objective, skills, and project descriptions for each application.

7. How do I make my resume stand out without experience?

Focus on initiative. Did you learn a skill on your own? Start a club? Solve a problem? These show drive. Employers value curiosity and self-motivation more than you think.

8. Should I list my GPA if it’s low?

If it’s below 7.0/10 or 70%, leave it out. Highlight your projects, internships, or certifications instead. You can mention “Relevant Coursework” to show strength in key areas.

9. Is it okay to use templates from the internet?

Yes—as long as they’re clean, ATS-friendly, and customizable. Avoid flashy templates with graphics. Stick to minimalist, professional designs.

10. When should I send my resume?

Apply as soon as the job is posted. Many companies review applications on a rolling basis. Don’t wait until the deadline. Early applicants often get priority.

Conclusion

Writing a resume as a fresher isn’t about having the most experience—it’s about having the most clarity. Your resume is your first impression, your personal pitch, and your proof of potential. Employers don’t expect you to know everything. They want to see that you can learn, adapt, and contribute.

By following this guide—choosing the right format, crafting a targeted objective, showcasing projects and internships, optimizing for ATS, and tailoring every version—you transform from an unknown graduate into a compelling candidate. Remember: your academic work, volunteer efforts, and personal initiatives are valid experiences. They reflect your character, discipline, and ambition.

Don’t wait for the “perfect” resume. Start now. Draft one version, get feedback, refine it, and apply. Repeat. Every application is a step forward. With persistence and attention to detail, your resume won’t just get noticed—it will open doors.

Your journey doesn’t begin with a job title. It begins with a well-written resume. Make it count.