You spent four years studying. You built projects, cleared exams, maybe even did an internship. And now you’re sitting in front of a blank Word document, cursor blinking, wondering how to fit all of that into one page without sounding like everyone else.
This guide is going to fix that.
We’re going to walk through every single section of a fresher resume – what to include, how to write it, what to avoid, and why it matters. By the end, you’ll have a resume that’s clear, specific, ATS-friendly, and actually represents what you bring to the table.
Why Most Fresher Resumes Get Rejected Before Anyone Reads Them
Before we talk about what to write, you need to understand one thing that most freshers don’t know: your resume is probably being read by software before it ever reaches a human.
Most companies – especially large ones like TCS, Infosys, Amazon, and Wipro – use something called an ATS (Applicant Tracking System). It’s software that scans your resume for keywords, checks formatting compatibility, and ranks you against other applicants automatically.
If your resume fails the ATS scan, it gets filtered out. A recruiter never sees it.
What causes ATS failures:
- Using tables or multi-column layouts (ATS can’t read them properly)
- Saving as an image or using heavy graphics
- Missing keywords that match the job description
- Fancy fonts or colored text
- Headers and footers with important information
- Inconsistent formatting
The good news is that fixing these issues is straightforward. This guide will show you exactly how to format and write your resume so it clears ATS filters and impresses the human reviewer who reads it next.
The Right Format for a Fresher Resume
Before you write a single word, get your format right.
File type: Always save and submit as PDF. Not Word (.docx), not image files. PDF preserves your formatting across every device and operating system.
Length: One page. No exceptions for freshers. If you find yourself going to a second page, you’re including things that don’t need to be there.
Font: Use Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman at 11pt or 12pt. Nothing decorative. Nothing smaller than 10.5pt.
Margins: 0.75 inches on all sides. Gives you space without making it look cramped.
Spacing: Single spacing or 1.15. Don’t add extra space between bullet points.
Colors: Black text on white background. One subtle color for your name or section headers is fine. Avoid anything that looks like a design portfolio.
Layout: Single column only. Not two columns. Single column resumes scan reliably across all ATS systems. Two-column formats cause parsing errors.
Sections (in this order for freshers):
- Header with contact info
- Professional summary
- Education
- Technical skills
- Projects
- Internship or work experience (if you have it)
- Certifications and achievements
Section 1: Your Header
This is the first thing a recruiter sees and it needs to be clean and complete.
Include:
- Your full name (14pt, bold – slightly larger than the rest of the text)
- Phone number with country code (+91 for India)
- Professional email address
- LinkedIn profile URL (shorten it in LinkedIn settings)
- GitHub profile URL (if you have one – especially important for tech roles)
- City and State (no need for full address)
What NOT to include:
- Date of birth
- Photo (not required for most Indian companies unless specifically asked)
- Religion, caste, or marital status
- Multiple phone numbers
- A personal Instagram or Facebook link
Example of a good header:
Arjun Mehta
+91 98765 43210 | arjun.mehta@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/arjunmehta | github.com/arjunmehta
Bangalore, KarnatakaExample of a weak header:
ARJUN MEHTA
DOB: 12th March 2002
Flat 14, Koramangala, Bangalore — 560034
arjun.coolkid99@gmail.com
Phone: 9876543210The weak version has too much personal information, an unprofessional email, and no LinkedIn or GitHub. The good version is clean, complete, and professional.
One important thing about your email: If your current email is something like rockstar2002@gmail.com or gamer.forever@yahoo.com, create a new one before you start applying. Firstname.lastname@gmail.com is the standard.
Section 2: Professional Summary
This is a 3-4 line paragraph at the top of your resume that immediately tells the recruiter who you are, what you’re good at, and what you’re looking for.
Most freshers either skip this section or write something so generic it hurts: “A motivated and hardworking student seeking challenging opportunities to grow.”
That tells a recruiter nothing. Everyone is motivated. Everyone is hardworking. Everyone wants to grow.
A good professional summary has four parts:
- Who you are (degree, specialization)
- What you’re skilled at (2-3 specific areas)
- What you’ve done (a standout achievement or project)
- What you’re looking for (specific role)
Template:
[Degree] graduate with hands-on experience in [skill 1] and [skill 2]. Built [specific project or achievement]. Passionate about [domain] and seeking [specific role] where I can [contribute something specific].
Examples:
For a Computer Science fresher: B.Tech Computer Science graduate with strong skills in Python and full-stack web development. Built a live e-commerce platform used by 200+ beta users using React and Node.js. Seeking a Software Development Engineer role at a product-based company where I can build scalable backend systems.
For a Data Science fresher: B.Tech CSE graduate specializing in data analytics and machine learning. Completed a 6-week internship at a fintech startup where I reduced customer churn prediction error by 18% using Python and scikit-learn. Looking for a data analyst or ML engineer role at a growth-stage startup.
For a Mechanical Engineering fresher: B.Tech Mechanical Engineering graduate with a focus on CAD design and manufacturing processes. Designed and fabricated a solar-powered water pump as a final year project, reducing energy consumption by 30% compared to conventional designs. Seeking a graduate trainee or design engineer role in the automotive or manufacturing sector.
For a fresher with no experience: Final year B.Tech CSE student with a strong foundation in Java, SQL, and Android development. Built three personal projects including a task management app with 50+ GitHub stars. Actively preparing for software development roles and seeking an entry-level SDE position to contribute to real-world applications.
Notice how each one is specific. It mentions actual skills, actual accomplishments, and an actual target role. Not vague enthusiasm.
Section 3: Education
For freshers, education comes right after the summary because it’s your primary credential. Once you have 2+ years of work experience, this section moves to the bottom.
What to include:
- College or university name (in bold)
- Degree and specialization (B.Tech Computer Science, not just B.Tech)
- Expected or actual graduation date (Month Year format – May 2026, not 05/2026)
- CGPA or percentage – only include if it’s good (CGPA above 7.5 or percentage above 70% is generally worth listing)
- Relevant coursework (optional but useful for freshers, max 6-7 subjects)
- Academic honors or awards (if any)
Format:
B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering
VIT University, Vellore | Expected Graduation: May 2026
CGPA: 8.4 / 10
Relevant Coursework: Data Structures & Algorithms, Database Management Systems,
Operating Systems, Computer Networks, Object-Oriented Programming, Machine LearningWhat NOT to do:
- Don’t list your 10th and 12th marks unless a company specifically asks (some government and PSU applications require it)
- Don’t list every course you took — only the ones relevant to the roles you’re targeting
- Don’t worry if your CGPA is low – just leave it out, don’t highlight it
If you attended multiple institutions:
List them in reverse chronological order – most recent first.
B.Tech, Electronics and Communication Engineering
Anna University | 2022–2026 | CGPA: 7.8/10
Senior Secondary (12th Standard)
Delhi Public School, Chennai | 2022 | 85.4%Whether to include 12th marks depends on context. If you’re applying to large companies like TCS or Infosys that have eligibility cutoffs (they typically require 60% or above), list it. If you’re applying to startups that don’t have these cutoffs, skip it.
Section 4: Technical Skills
This section tells recruiters and ATS systems exactly what you know. It needs to be organized clearly and honestly.
The golden rule: Only list skills you can actually discuss in an interview. If you can’t answer a basic question about it, don’t claim it.
How to organize it:
Group your skills by category. Don’t just dump 25 skills in a single line.
For a Software Developer:
Programming Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C++
Frontend Development: React.js, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap
Backend Development: Node.js, Express.js, Django
Databases: MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL
Tools & Platforms: Git, GitHub, VS Code, Postman, AWS (basics)For a Data Analyst:
Languages: Python, R, SQL
Data Tools: Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, Seaborn, Scikit-learn
Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Google Data Studio
Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Google BigQuery
Other: Excel (Advanced), Google Analytics, Jupyter NotebookFor a Non-Tech Fresher (MBA/BBA/B.Com):
Software: MS Office Suite, Google Workspace, Tally ERP
Marketing Tools: Canva, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Google Analytics
CRM: Salesforce (basics), HubSpot (basics)
Languages: English (Fluent), Hindi (Native), Marathi (Conversational)How many skills to list:
15-20 is the sweet spot. More than that looks like keyword stuffing. Fewer than 10 looks like you don’t have enough skills.
What NOT to list:
- Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel – unless you’re genuinely advanced in them, these are assumed
- Skills from a course you just completed and never applied
- Tools you’ve “heard of” but never used
- Vague things like “team player” or “good communicator” (those go in your summary, not skills)
Section 5: Projects
This is the most important section for freshers and the one most commonly written badly.
Projects are your proof of work. They show that you can actually apply what you know, not just list it on your resume.
The format for each project:
Project Name | Tech Stack Used
[One line describing what the project does and who it's for]
- What you built (specific feature or component)
- What result you achieved (users, performance, outcome)
- What specific technology you used to build it
GitHub: [link] | Live: [link if deployed]Example 1 – Good project description:
E-Commerce Platform | React.js, Node.js, MongoDB, Stripe API
A full-stack shopping platform with user authentication, product catalog, and payment integration.
- Built a responsive frontend using React.js with 12 product pages and cart functionality
- Developed a RESTful API using Node.js/Express that handles 500+ requests per day
- Integrated Stripe payment gateway with test mode; processed 100+ simulated transactions
- Deployed on AWS EC2 with a custom domain; maintained 99.5% uptime over 3 months
GitHub: github.com/arjun/ecom-app | Live: arjun-ecom.vercel.appExample 2 – Bad project description (what most freshers write):
E-Commerce Project
Made a shopping website using React and Node.js for college project.The good version tells a recruiter exactly what you built, what technologies you used, how it performed, and where to see it. The bad version tells them almost nothing.
Example 3 – Data Science project:
Customer Churn Prediction Model | Python, scikit-learn, Pandas, Matplotlib
Predictive ML model to identify customers likely to cancel subscriptions for a telecom dataset.
- Analyzed a dataset of 7,043 customer records using Pandas and identified 5 key churn indicators
- Built and compared 4 models (Logistic Regression, Random Forest, XGBoost, SVM)
- Achieved 84.6% accuracy with XGBoost, outperforming baseline model by 12%
- Created a Tableau dashboard visualizing churn patterns by region and usage behavior
GitHub: github.com/priya/churn-modelExample 4 – For freshers with only college assignments:
Not every project needs to be a live deployed application. College assignments can count if you describe them well.
Inventory Management System | Java, MySQL, JDBC
Desktop application for managing product stock and purchase orders built as a DBMS course project.
- Designed database schema with 6 normalized tables handling 1,000+ mock inventory records
- Implemented CRUD operations using Java and JDBC with input validation
- Built a reporting module that generates PDF inventory summaries using iText libraryEven a class project sounds credible when you describe it with specifics.
How many projects to list:
2-4 is ideal. More than 4 starts to dilute the quality. If you have 10 projects, pick your 3 best ones and link to a GitHub portfolio for the rest.
What counts as a project:
- Personal builds (apps, websites, tools)
- Open source contributions
- Internship work you can describe
- Hackathon projects
- College capstone or mini projects
- Freelance work (treat as a project with outcomes)
Section 6: Internship or Work Experience
If you have internship experience, it goes here. If you don’t, skip this section – never create fake experience.
Format:
Software Development Intern | Company Name
Month Year – Month Year | City (or Remote)
- What you built or contributed (specific feature, component, or task)
- What impact it had (reduced X by Y%, handled Z requests, etc.)
- What tech you worked with
- Who you collaborated with (team of N developers, worked with product manager, etc.)Example – Strong internship entry:
Backend Development Intern | Groww (Fintech Startup)
June 2025 – August 2025 | Bangalore (Hybrid)
- Built a microservice for real-time portfolio valuation using Node.js, handling 10,000+ requests/day
- Fixed 23 bugs in the existing codebase during code review process, reducing error rate by 8%
- Participated in daily standups and 2 sprint planning sessions as part of an 8-person Agile team
- Wrote unit tests covering 78% of the new service using JestExample – Weak internship entry (what most freshers write):
Intern | Some Company
May 2025 – July 2025
- Worked on web development
- Learned new technologies
- Helped team with tasksThe difference is specificity. Exact numbers. Exact technologies. Exact contributions.
What if your internship was at a small company no one has heard of?
Doesn’t matter. What you did matters more than where you did it. Describe the work in detail. Real outcomes are real outcomes regardless of company size.
What if you have no internship at all?
Skip this section. Don’t try to disguise college projects as work experience. Recruiters see through it immediately. Let your projects section carry the weight – that’s what it’s for.
Section 7: Certifications and Achievements
Certifications worth listing:
- Google certifications (Data Analytics, IT Support, Digital Marketing, etc.)
- AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud certifications
- Coursera/edX specialization completions from recognized universities
- HackerRank verified badges (Gold or above in a relevant skill)
- NPTEL certifications with scores above 60%
- Domain-specific certifications (CFA Level 1 for finance, CCNA for networking, etc.)
Format:
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate | Coursera | March 2025
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials | AWS Training | January 2025Achievements worth listing:
- Competitive programming rankings (LeetCode, CodeChef – only if strong)
- Hackathon wins or top placements
- Academic rank in class or university
- Publications or research papers (even if just submitted)
- Scholarship receipts
- Sports/cultural achievements at state or national level (only these – college level isn’t notable enough)
What NOT to list:
- Participation certificates from college events (everyone got one)
- Basic online course completions that took less than a week
- School-level competitions
- Generic “communication skills” training certificates
Keep this section lean and credible. Three strong certifications beat ten weak ones.
10 Mistakes That Get Fresher Resumes Rejected
Mistake 1: Vague bullet points
Worked on a project related to machine learning
Built a sentiment analysis model using Python and NLTK, achieving 81% accuracy on a dataset of 10,000 tweets
Mistake 2: No metrics anywhere
Recruiters want evidence, not claims. “Improved performance” means nothing. “Reduced page load time from 4.2 seconds to 1.8 seconds” means a lot.
Mistake 3: Using a two-column layout
Looks nice to human eyes. Gets mangled by ATS. Use a single-column layout every time.
Mistake 4: Listing every skill you’ve ever touched
If you list 35 skills, a recruiter will assume you know none of them deeply. List 15-20 skills you can actually speak to in an interview.
Mistake 5: The generic objective statement
“To obtain a challenging and rewarding position in a reputable organization where I can utilize my skills and knowledge” – this could be copied and pasted from anyone’s resume. Replace it with a specific summary.
Mistake 6: Inconsistent formatting
Dates formatted differently in different sections. Some bullets with periods, some without. Some section headers bold, some not. Run through your resume once specifically looking for consistency issues.
Mistake 7: Saving as Word document
.docx files render differently on different machines. Always save and submit as PDF unless the company specifically asks for Word format.
Mistake 8: Not customizing for each application
Your resume doesn’t need to be completely rewritten for every job. But at minimum, adjust the summary and rearrange your skills section to match the keywords in the job description. This alone can significantly improve your ATS score.
Mistake 9: Putting your address instead of just city
Flat 23, Phase 2, HSR Layout, Bangalore 560102 is unnecessary and takes up valuable space. Just Bangalore, Karnataka is enough. Recruiters need to know your city for location matching, not your street address.
Mistake 10: Not proofreading
Spelling errors and grammar mistakes signal carelessness. Run your resume through Grammarly. Then read it out loud. Then ask someone else to read it. Three passes before you send it anywhere.
How to Test Your Resume for ATS Compatibility
Before you submit your resume anywhere, run it through this quick test:
Test 1: Copy the full text of your resume and paste it into a plain text editor (like Notepad on Windows). If the text looks garbled, has weird characters, or sections are missing – your resume has formatting issues that ATS will struggle with.
Test 2: Use a free ATS checker. Tools like Jobscan or Resume Worded let you paste your resume and a job description and tell you your keyword match percentage. Aim for 60% or above.
Test 3: Look at the job description for the role you’re applying to. Identify 10 keywords in it. Are those words naturally present in your resume? If not, work them in.
Test 4: Ask someone outside your field to read your resume. If they can’t understand what your projects do or what impact you had, the descriptions need more clarity.
How Long Should You Spend on Your Resume?
More than most freshers think.
Your resume is the single most important document in your job search. It determines whether you get called for an interview or not. Spending two hours on it is not enough.
A realistic timeline:
- First draft: 4-6 hours (slower than you think, especially if you’re writing proper bullet points)
- Revisions and feedback: 2-3 hours
- ATS testing and optimization: 1-2 hours
- Proofreading: 30-45 minutes
That’s roughly one full day of focused work. It’s worth it.
And remember – your resume isn’t finished. Every time you complete a new project, get a certification, or have a notable achievement, update it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include a photo on my resume?
For most private sector companies in India, no. It’s unnecessary and can introduce unconscious bias. Include it only if a company specifically asks for it in their application instructions.
What if my CGPA is below 7.0?
Leave it off your resume. Focus on your projects, skills, and certifications instead. Many companies only check academic scores at the offer stage, by which point your interview performance matters far more.
Can I have a two-page resume as a fresher?
No. You haven’t built enough experience to justify two pages. If you’re running over, you’re including things that aren’t important enough to include. Cut and tighten.
Should I put “References available on request”?
No. Everyone knows references are available on request. It’s outdated filler. Use that space for something more useful.
What if I genuinely have no projects to list?
Build some. It’s not as hard as it sounds. A basic CRUD application in whatever stack you know takes a weekend. A data analysis on a Kaggle dataset takes a day. The investment of two weekends in building real projects will change your outcomes significantly.
Should I use a resume template from Canva or similar sites?
Be careful. Many Canva templates use design features (text boxes, columns, decorative elements) that break ATS parsing. If you use a template, choose one specifically labeled as ATS-friendly or test it using the plain text method described above.
Should I write a different resume for every job?
Not a completely different one. But you should at minimum customize your summary and adjust your skills section to include keywords from each job description. Five minutes of customization per application is worth it.
Writing a good resume takes effort. But it’s a one-time investment that pays off every time you apply. Take the time to do it properly, keep it updated as you grow, and it’ll carry you further than you expect.
If you want a ready-to-use ATS-friendly template, check out our Resume Template page where we’ve put together three complete examples – for tech, non-tech, and engineering students – that you can download and edit directly.
