Blog > Resume Guide for Freshers
Resume Guide for Freshers
June 23rd, 2023
Table of Contents
First impressions are everything, and a resume can make or break that impression.
For freshers, a well-crafted resume is even more crucial as nowadays recruiters are more interested in the skills you have than simply a college degree. Thus, for your first job, you need to learn to make a resume that highlights your relevancy to the applied job and skills for the same.
In this blog, we will provide valuable tips and insights to help you create an impactful resume that will definitely take you to the interview round.
Simply put, a resume is a document that summarises your education, skills, and achievements. It's typically the first point of contact between you and a potential employer.
A compelling resume aims to capture the attention of employers and recruiters, encouraging them to consider the applicant for further evaluation.
So what should go in a resume?
✔ overview/summary
✔ any information relevant to the company’s job description
✔ experience on projects, internships, etc.
✔ soft skills and technical skills
✔ extra curricular activities
Not sure how to put all these together? Read on to find out.
Here are some important tips that will help you create a well-crafted resume and increase your chances of getting shortlisted.
1. Customise your resume as per requirement
Analyse the job description, identify the keywords and skills desired by the employer, and customise your resume accordingly.
For example, if a job requirement places high importance on teamwork, highlight attributes of teamwork in your resume.
This approach shows that you have taken the time to understand the company requirement and will increase your chances of being noticed by recruiters.
2. Open with a good resume headline
A unique resume headline can help you to stand out from other candidates and grab the recruiter's attention. The headline should be aligned with your full name, contact information, and a professional email address.
We’ve all had that phase when our email IDs showed our quirky sides, like “sweetpooja14@gmail.com” - but guess what? It is highly unprofessional and makes the employer form a poor image of you immediately. Instead, use an Email ID that has the same name as your LinkedIn profile and your resume.
3. Write a compelling Summary/Objective Statement
Begin your resume with a concise summary or objective statement that highlights your key qualifications, skills and career goals.
A recruiter receives hundreds of applications in a single day. They might not even have the time to scroll through your entire resume. So instead of writing generic things like “Looking to leverage my skills for new opportunities and initiatives in this organisation and enable its growth”, remove the buzzwords and simply highlight your best skills and experience in just 3-4 lines
Tailor this section to match the specific job you're applying for, emphasising your relevant skills and experiences.
For example if you are preparing your resume for a Digital Marketing Agency , then you should showcase all the Digital Marketing Skills you know.
4. Be on point
A well-crafted resume should be concise and to the point, using the right keywords and highlighting relevant coursework.
An unstructured, exhaustive resume can significantly reduce the chances of getting shortlisted. Therefore, while drafting a resume keep in mind that it should be precise and crisp.
5. Showcase Internships, Projects, and Extracurricular Activities
If you have completed internships, projects, or participated in extracurricular activities during your studies, include them in your resume. Describe the responsibilities you undertook, the skills you gained, and any notable achievements.
These experiences demonstrate your practical application of knowledge and show your initiative and dedication.
6. Make your resume easy to read
A well-formatted and easily readable resume makes a positive impression. Use a clean and professional font, maintain consistency in headings and subheadings, and use bullet points to organise information.
While creating a resume it is also important to follow the professional ethics of language. Using slang words will kill your chances of getting even considered.
To showcase your professionalism, use appropriate language.
7. Double-check all the information provided
Having a CV with notable achievements is definitely eye-catching. That said - do not fill your CV with fake information. Interviewers nowadays are thorough with the background checks that they conduct on their potential recruits. They’d appreciate your honest and authentic selves a lot more than highly exaggerated claims like scaling Everest with one hand.
8. Make Resume Builder Apps your friend
If you are a fresher and aiming to build a good resume, there are many new sites and apps available for resume building free of cost. Here are a few sites mentioned which can assist you in resume building.
For freshers, a resume should be ideally one page long. This is because they have limited work experience and their resume should focus on their education, skills, and any relevant extracurricular activities.
You should avoid including irrelevant information and focus on highlighting only your strengths and achievements.
By following these tips and guidelines, you can create a good resume that will surely get you noticed. But your journey doesn’t end here.
You also need to ensure that you perform well in interviews, are able to stand out in the group discussions and have the necessary soft skills to impress the recruiters. If you’re worried about how to improve these skills, you should check out upGrad Campus’s Placement Plus and Internship Plus programs. Guaranteeing 3 assured job/internship opportunities, these programs are a gateway to your dream career.
For freshers, a well-crafted resume is even more crucial as nowadays recruiters are more interested in the skills you have than simply a college degree. Thus, for your first job, you need to learn to make a resume that highlights your relevancy to the applied job and skills for the same.
In this blog, we will provide valuable tips and insights to help you create an impactful resume that will definitely take you to the interview round.
What is a Resume?
Simply put, a resume is a document that summarises your education, skills, and achievements. It's typically the first point of contact between you and a potential employer.
A compelling resume aims to capture the attention of employers and recruiters, encouraging them to consider the applicant for further evaluation.
So what should go in a resume?
✔ overview/summary
✔ any information relevant to the company’s job description
✔ experience on projects, internships, etc.
✔ soft skills and technical skills
✔ extra curricular activities
Not sure how to put all these together? Read on to find out.
Resume Building Tips for Freshers
Here are some important tips that will help you create a well-crafted resume and increase your chances of getting shortlisted.
1. Customise your resume as per requirement
Analyse the job description, identify the keywords and skills desired by the employer, and customise your resume accordingly.
For example, if a job requirement places high importance on teamwork, highlight attributes of teamwork in your resume.
This approach shows that you have taken the time to understand the company requirement and will increase your chances of being noticed by recruiters.
2. Open with a good resume headline
A unique resume headline can help you to stand out from other candidates and grab the recruiter's attention. The headline should be aligned with your full name, contact information, and a professional email address.
We’ve all had that phase when our email IDs showed our quirky sides, like “sweetpooja14@gmail.com” - but guess what? It is highly unprofessional and makes the employer form a poor image of you immediately. Instead, use an Email ID that has the same name as your LinkedIn profile and your resume.
3. Write a compelling Summary/Objective Statement
Begin your resume with a concise summary or objective statement that highlights your key qualifications, skills and career goals.
A recruiter receives hundreds of applications in a single day. They might not even have the time to scroll through your entire resume. So instead of writing generic things like “Looking to leverage my skills for new opportunities and initiatives in this organisation and enable its growth”, remove the buzzwords and simply highlight your best skills and experience in just 3-4 lines
Tailor this section to match the specific job you're applying for, emphasising your relevant skills and experiences.
For example if you are preparing your resume for a Digital Marketing Agency , then you should showcase all the Digital Marketing Skills you know.
4. Be on point
A well-crafted resume should be concise and to the point, using the right keywords and highlighting relevant coursework.
An unstructured, exhaustive resume can significantly reduce the chances of getting shortlisted. Therefore, while drafting a resume keep in mind that it should be precise and crisp.
5. Showcase Internships, Projects, and Extracurricular Activities
If you have completed internships, projects, or participated in extracurricular activities during your studies, include them in your resume. Describe the responsibilities you undertook, the skills you gained, and any notable achievements.
These experiences demonstrate your practical application of knowledge and show your initiative and dedication.
6. Make your resume easy to read
A well-formatted and easily readable resume makes a positive impression. Use a clean and professional font, maintain consistency in headings and subheadings, and use bullet points to organise information.
While creating a resume it is also important to follow the professional ethics of language. Using slang words will kill your chances of getting even considered.
To showcase your professionalism, use appropriate language.
7. Double-check all the information provided
Having a CV with notable achievements is definitely eye-catching. That said - do not fill your CV with fake information. Interviewers nowadays are thorough with the background checks that they conduct on their potential recruits. They’d appreciate your honest and authentic selves a lot more than highly exaggerated claims like scaling Everest with one hand.
8. Make Resume Builder Apps your friend
If you are a fresher and aiming to build a good resume, there are many new sites and apps available for resume building free of cost. Here are a few sites mentioned which can assist you in resume building.
- Zety
- LiveCareer
- Resume Genius
- MyPerfectResume
- ResumeLab
- Resume Now
- EnhanCV
- ResumeHelp
Ideal Length of Your Resume
For freshers, a resume should be ideally one page long. This is because they have limited work experience and their resume should focus on their education, skills, and any relevant extracurricular activities.
You should avoid including irrelevant information and focus on highlighting only your strengths and achievements.
Conclusion
By following these tips and guidelines, you can create a good resume that will surely get you noticed. But your journey doesn’t end here.
You also need to ensure that you perform well in interviews, are able to stand out in the group discussions and have the necessary soft skills to impress the recruiters. If you’re worried about how to improve these skills, you should check out upGrad Campus’s Placement Plus and Internship Plus programs. Guaranteeing 3 assured job/internship opportunities, these programs are a gateway to your dream career.
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