How to Format a Resume for Freshers

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What is a fresher resume?

A fresher resume is written for a person without previous work experience. Freshers are typically college graduates or people with some education who are looking to enter the workforce for the first time. When you search for resume tips, you’re likely to find examples centered around work experience, but there are ways to craft a resume without solely focusing on your career background. In this article, you’ll learn how to format a resume for freshers and gain valuable insight from selected fresher resume examples.

The best format for a fresher resume

While a fresher may not have former workforce experience, that doesn’t mean they don’t have any relative skills or experience. Freshers with a college background are especially likely to have a wide array of experiences that have helped them develop skills relevant to certain jobs.

Although most job applicants will use a chronological resume format, listing their earliest experience first then writing entries by order of occurrence, a functional resume format is much more flexible and suited for applicants without much work experience. In a functional format, experience is defined in wider terms, coming from a variety of sources. This format can fulfill the underlying requirements of a resume without explicitly focusing on prior work experience.

How to write a resume for a fresher

Here are three factors that should be the cornerstone of any fresher resume:

1. First, describe your education

The education section is where a fresher can truly shine. Since a fresher’s educational experiences are typically the most impressive, it’s usually best to list this section first. Most freshers are recent (or soon will be) college graduates, so you should highlight your institution and area of study. Instead of simply listing your major and degree, you can also include any earned accomplishments and awards. 

Consider listing any skills attained from your education that are relevant to a particular job as well. You can detail some of the more rigorous projects you completed during your studies, especially if they involved managing others. 

Example:

Education

Master of Computer Science, Georgia Tech, 2017–2019

  • Major in computer science with a specialization in high-performance computing
  • Managed a group of 20+ students in completing a large project involving programming languages and computer architecture
  • Won the 2018 Champions of Computer Science Award

Bachelor of Computer Science, Georgia Tech, 2013–2017

  • Major in computer science with a specialization in computing systems and architecture
  • Minor in computing and business

2. Second, list your relevant skills

This section is a little different than it would be in a chronological format resume. Your experience and education should be enough to justify your skills, and all you have to do is list them. By listing suitable hard and soft skills, relevant to the job you’re applying for, you show employers you’re qualified. For example, you’ll want to include leadership and communication skills for virtually any position, but industry-specific skills like knowledge of Java, C++, and other programming languages, should be included in an IT resume. If you’re a graphic designer, instead of programming languages, you might list your Photoshop and Illustrator skills.

3. Then, include any formal experience you might have

When writing your experience section, you might not have much formal work to draw from. If you had an internship, especially in the field you’re applying for, you should definitely include it. For example, you might only have a part-time retail job you worked during high school. However, just because you’re applying to a different industry doesn’t mean your retail job isn’t important experience. You should still list this position in your work experience section, but explain how your responsibilities relate to the job you’re applying for. For example, a retail job could have developed your communication and leadership skills.

Example:

Experience

Computer Engineering Intern, Computechtron, 2018–2019

  • Troubleshot programs and assisted programmers in compiling codes to optimize existing software
  • Assisted with the installation of a new server and upgrade of existing servers to help boost efficiency by 15%
  • Used Java and C++ to build data storage solutions for several clients using cloud technology