A Resume Format for Freshers to Kickstart Their Dream Careers

As a fresher, how do you stand out in a competitive job market? The lack of work experience seems like a glaring gap in your resume, doesn’t it? But don’t let your fresher status scare you from applying for your dream job. Instead, follow the tips from this guide which gives you a handy overview of an effective resume format for freshers. Additionally, there is a downloadable template that you can use to create an impressive resume to increase your chances of landing a great job. 

Introduction: Why Do Freshers Need a Unique Resume Format

Your resume is an essential tool in your job search process. It is a document that represents you, your skills, and your qualifications. In a highly-competitive job market scenario, it can communicate your brand and make you stand out. It is also the document most hiring managers use as a guideline while conducting your interview.  

Additionally, remember to use the right keywords in your resume as most companies use resume software tools to compare keywords in your resume with the job description. Therefore, your resume should not only pass the recruiter scrutiny, but also that of computer software, otherwise you risk missing out on many opportunities despite having excellent credentials. 

What are Recruiters and Companies Looking for?

Most companies know and accept that freshers will require on-the-job training. However, recruiters expect candidates to be equipped with some prerequisite skills which makes training an effortless process. These skills include: 

• Flexibility and adaptability 
• Quick learning ability 
• Being a team player 
• Good communication skills 
• Honesty and integrity 
• Problem-solving
• Punctuality and determination 

Resume Format for Freshers: Key Steps

Before we look at the resume format for freshers, here are some steps you should keep in mind while writing your resume: 

1.  Include Personal Information

Start with what the recruiters need to know about you. Personal information includes name, address, contact number, and email ID. This is also a good section to link relevant social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or blogs. Additionally, you can add a career objective section after your header to give a snapshot of your goals, experience, and skills in two lines or less. 

2.  Add School + College Information Including Years

Your school and college qualifications highlight your academic qualifications. For freshers with no work experience, this is an essential section to convince recruiters of your appropriateness as a candidate. Some roles even require a set qualification. Make sure to include notable achievements and dates or years you attended school. 

3.  Highlight All Skills and Achievements

Your soft and hard skills highlight your abilities to succeed in a job. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that represent your attributes and personality. They show the recruiters how you will fit into their company’s work culture. Some soft skills you can include as part of the resume format for freshers are problem-solving, teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and time management.  

Hard skills are the technical skills that you have gained through education, training, or hands-on experience. These are the skills that help you at work and indicate your expertise. Hard skills are specific to your field and are generally mentioned in the job description. Some examples of hard skills include computer programming, graphic design, search engine optimization, accounting, sales management, digital marketing, and foreign languages. 

ALSO READ: 10 Employable Skills to Help You Land Your Dream Job

4.  Include Certifications

If you have any additional certifications, you can add them to your resume. Certifications are an excellent way of emphasizing your skills and passion for learning.     

5.  Add Extracurricular and Volunteer Work

The resume format for freshers can also include a section for any extracurricular activity or volunteer work that you have done. These activities are also great for emphasizing the skills you have mentioned in your resume. Some examples of extracurricular activities are sports, student council, tutoring, community work, clubs, societies, and relevant hobbies. 

Resume Format for Freshers (Downloadable)

If you want to know how to create a resume that stands out, you can follow our downloadable template or the template below for creating your resume.  

Name: Jon Doe

Address: ABC, New York, USA 

Contact: 202-777-1234

Email: jondoe@xyz.com

Website: jondoe.com 

Career Objective: Fresh marketing graduate with specialized skills in digital marketing and social media seeking a full-time opportunity to use my abilities and passion for digital marketing to benefit my employer with commitment and enthusiasm. 

Education: 

[Title of degree earned 1]  

[Institute name / Attendance dates]  

[Title of degree earned 2]  

[Institute name / Attendance dates]  

Skills: 

Hard Skills

• Social media management
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Data analytics 

Soft Skills 

• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Communication 

Certification:  

[Name of certification 1 (year)]

[Name of certifying agency or body]

[Name of certification 2 (year)]

[Name of certifying agency or body]

Extracurricular Activity or Volunteering:  

• Instagram manager, XY University digital department (2021-2022)

• Debate club president, ABC school (2016-2019)

Learning to Build a Resume, the Emeritus Way

For freshers, it is critical to have a resume that gives them confidence, and which they use to apply for potential job opportunities as they arrive. You can customize your resume by referring to this resume format for freshers. It is a good practice to modify your resume keywords for the job you are applying for based on the job description. At the same time, do not lie or exaggerate about your skills, as they (particularly, hard skills) can be tested during the hiring process and ruin your credibility and chances of getting hired. 

If you want to enhance your chances of getting hired, you can always acquire the skills required for the job. Explore the wide spectrum of online courses offered by Emeritus, and sign up to upskill yourself.

Write to us at content@emeritus.org