In this age of information overload, aka the internet era, a lot of freshers may find writing their first resume difficult. We’ve simplified the ordeal of nailing the format for you. Read on.
Limit it to a page
Experts (hiring executives, business heads and possibly, even your peers!) will tell you that your resume shouldn’t go beyond a page. Recruiters get innumerable resumes, so keeping yours short and simple will be key to retaining their interest in your profile. You will also be likelier to move to the interview stage faster.
Watch experts tell you what mistakes to avoid: 3 Mistakes You can’t Afford to Make on Your Resume [Video]
What should your resume have?
Include details about yourself that put the spotlight on your skills and capabilities. If you’re a fresher, you will be able to best highlight your talents this way.
Inform the reader about the below title-heads and in the suggested sequence:
- Contact information – Your name, mailing address in full, mobile number and a formal email ID that you check frequently.
- Resume objective – State your motivation to pursue the career path of your choice.
- Skills – List out four to five skills such as familiarity with particular softwares or adeptness in various tools, etc.
- Internships – State the name of the organisation you interned at, alongside the location and date in mm/yyyy format. In one or two brief bullet points, state the nature of work you were assigned during the internship.
- Projects – If you’ve carried out projects, state the name of the course alongside the name of the teacher and date. Underneath the sub-head, in a line or two, briefly talk about the nature of the project and your role in it.
- Volunteering – Any social or environmental cause for which you may have formally given your time.
- Extracurricular activities – Activities that you pursue apart from covering your syllabi.
- Education – This section should state the year in which you acquired a qualification alongside the name of the board, or university, the final percentage or grade attained and your major subjects in case of post-school qualifications.
- References – Recruiters check your social media profiles to run background checks. Mention your Twitter and LinkedIn handles, but ensure they are public, and devoid of puppy videos and banter with your bae! Seek permission from a couple of relatively senior professionals known to you who will vouch for your character. You should mention their full name, professional stature, number and email ID.
Hot tips
Even with these directions, it is easy to go overboard on your first resume. Check out our list of non-negotiable fresher resume mistakes to avoid facing rejections:
- Ensure the date is of the day you’re sending it.
- Avoid information irrelevant to the job role. Customise every application and resume.
- Avoid primary school achievements.
- Avoid low GPA or individual subject scores.
- Don’t use pronouns, lengthy descriptions or acronyms.
- Don’t lie on your resume.
We hope that these guidelines will help you jot an effective fresher resume and present your abilities in the best possible light.
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