Universities and colleges are the cornerstones of a student’s development as they act as a guiding light and always extend a supportive hand to them. However, once out of its cosy embrace, students are hit with the harsh realities of the professional world. A fresh graduate’s most daunting task is building a secure professional life for themselves. The key to unlocking a stable career is a strong resume. A resume provides a brief glimpse of an individual’s assets and liabilities to a potential employer and, therefore, is a modest document that can make or break your career! Thus, knowing how to write an effective resume is an essential skill any individual seeking to build a career should possess.
What is a fresher resume?
Freshers, in the workplace context, are individuals with limited or no professional experience pursuing their first job. They are usually students who have just graduated from universities or colleges, and the only experience they possess is in the form of internships. A resume is a brief picture presenting an individual’s skills, qualifications, and abilities for a specific position. Thus, a fresher resume is the resume of a new university graduate with limited work experience.
The focus of a fresher resume is more on acquired skills than experience. Awareness about how to write an effective fresher’s resume can help a new graduate impress potential recruiters. Therefore, this article shall help you write an impressive resume by providing a step-by-step guide.
Steps to write your resume
Pre-drafting requisites
- Know the position you are applying for thoroughly
The first step to writing a good fresher’s resume is to have a thorough understanding of the position you are applying for. You must know details such as
the job requires, the skills and qualifications it is looking for, the complexity of the role and so on like the back of your hand. Comprehensive knowledge of the position and its responsibilities allows you to identify certain keywords that can make your resume stand out to a potential recruiter.
- Identify a suitable format
The second step is to identify a suitable format for your resume. The most appropriate format for a fresher’s resume is a chronological resume. The chronological resume format provides hiring managers with a clear picture of both your educational history and your relevant experience, if any, by stating each position you held in the order you held it.
- Gather and Collate Relevant Information
Before you finally start drafting your resume, you must have all personal, educational, and other relevant information at your fingertips. Gather all your information, certificates, and other documents in one place, either physically or virtually in a secure folder which is easily accessible for reference while drafting your resume.
Writing a fresher’s resume
This section shall now deal with the actual drafting of the resume.
Start by stating your contact information
After following the pre-drafting guidelines, you can start writing your resume by mentioning your contact information. This section includes personal information such as:
- Name
- Address
- Email-Id
- Phone Number
- Any relevant social media accounts such as LinkedIn
Make sure to ensure that all these details are updated versions.
Write down your objective or personal statement
A personal statement gives hiring managers and recruiters a synopsis of your professional background and your professional goals. You can also state any awards or recognition you have received that are related to the position you are applying for. The statement is to be written right below your contact information. Since most hiring agents spend an extremely short time reading resumes, writing a compelling personal statement increases your chances of being considered for the role.
For example- “I am dedicated and passionate about social work and endeavour to use my legal knowledge for the advancement, promotion and protection of legal rights and further contribute to the process of social welfare. I possess effective communication skills and exercises team responsibilities with ease. I also showcase an eagerness to learn new skills and hone my previously acquired skills to perfection.”
You are suggested to not copy statements from any physical or virtual information source. Keep your personal statements unique and concise.
Mention educational information
The third step is to mention your education information. List all your qualifications ranging from high school to university-level education. Mention the name of the educational institution, the level of education, the name of the course, the marks obtained and the year of graduation for each level of education. You can also mention any valid certifications and licenses.
List relevant skills
The fourth step is to list skills which can help you perform the job. Review your skillsets and finalise which skills can help you be better at the job. You must customize your skillset according to the position you are applying to.
For example- If you’re applying for the role of a political analyst then you may mention skills related to the job such as public speaking and strategic planning. If you’re applying for the post of assistant professor then you can mention skills such as interpersonal communication and creative thinking. You may also mention your proficiency in any foreign languages.
List relevant internship/work experience:
Internships play an important role in providing first-hand professional exposure to any job. Therefore, having relevant internships add significant lustre to your profile. If you have any such internships or work experience mention them in a separate section with the role played and work done during the period of the internship.
Mention your achievements
This section can be used to showcase your meritorious academic performance or any achievements in competitions or seminars. Achievements related to the field of your career must be included here. For example- if you’re applying for the post of Assistant Programmer, you can mention any awards won at coding competitions or hackathons.
Review and edit the resume
Once the final drafting of the resume is done, you must proofread your resume multiple times to correct any inadvertent mistakes that may have crept in. You must also edit and format your resume to give it a neat and professional look. You must also read your resume to be well aware of what you have written in your resume. You can share your resume with close family members or friends to give you constructive criticism on the same.
These are the steps one can follow to write an effective and compelling fresher’s resume. Keep in mind to express a willingness to learn and grow your skillset and be ready to take responsibility!
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