What Is a Fresher Resume?
This format of resume is different to the traditional type, as it focuses more on skills and personal strengths, rather than an extensive list of work experience. This resume is important when applying for jobs, as it will help the employer decide if the skills and assets you have highlighted will be suitable for the job role, without being able to judge this on employment history and work references. Graduates have little or no job history and can find it a challenge to create an impressive fresher resume, because they feel they do not have much to include. This article will look at what you can include in your fresher resume, how to create it and ideas for an appropriate template.
What to Include in a Fresher Resume
There are some standard factors that need to be included in the resume to ensure all areas are covered and you are showing your strengths and experience as well as possible. It is typical to set out traditional resumes chronologically around employment history. A fresher resume is different as it focuses on the qualifications, skills and assets of the individual more than work experience, as employment is likely to be minimal or non-existent. Many of the other usual factors need to be included in the fresher resume. Here are some pointers on what to include:
Contact Details
As with all resumes, it is recommended to add contact details at the top, so that an employer instantly knows who you are and can easily find this information if they want to discuss anything further or ask you to an interview. The contact details should include:
Full name Address Phone number Email address
This gives the employer options for contacting you.
Summary Statement
This is a personal statement that is typically two or three sentences. It explains your motivation for your career, your passion or interest in the particular role, any awards or high achievements and a summary of relevant skills. This statement often follows the contact details. Spend some time on it to ensure it is concise, short and snappy but also informative and grabs the reader’s attention. One other thing to bear in mind is that whatever is said here should be backed up and proven in the rest of the resume.
Education and Voluntary Experience
The next section contains details of your education history and any work experience and voluntary experience. It may not seem like volunteering through the Scouts at school is relevant, but it shows commitment and skills that can be essential for the applied role. Part-time roles should also be included as they show work ethic and the ability to commit to a job whilst studying, which highlights resilience. The education section should include all academic, sporting and other achievements, formal exam grades, diplomas and other qualifications. This is also the place to add in the five years you spent in the school drama club or the university chess team, highlighting the skills that this experience taught you.
Skills Section
This part of the fresher resume can include a summary of any skills already mentioned, as well as adding others. This is the place to mention the foreign language you can speak fluently or your great typing skills. It is also the space to suggest other soft skills such as motivation and flexibility. Throughout the resume, but particularly in the skills section, it is important to include skills that would suit the role. Although some skills and experience are good to include for every job, there are some that will be pertinent only for specific job positions. You can also show how your skills can be adapted and applied to the job in hand.
Willingness to Learn
Highlighting a desire to learn new skills and expand knowledge could set one person’s resume apart from others. An employer is typically looking for a candidate who is willing to keep up with the latest technologies and develop other skills that will help in their role. Mentioning which skills you would like to learn could be entered in this part of the resume.
Professional Social Media
In fresher resumes today, it is common to include professional social media accounts, where an employer can see more about you and get a feel for your personality. Only include professional accounts that you are happy for a potential employer to see. LinkedIn and Twitter are often the popular ones to add here. This information can be included in the contact details or at the bottom of the resume, with a sentence explaining that this is where the employer can find out more about you.
Any Other Interests and Hobbies
Another section to add in could be any other interests or hobbies that haven’t been mentioned already. An employer may love to see that you go for a run every morning to set you up for the day. Be mindful, though, that it could be detrimental to state that a certain interest or hobby takes up a lot of your time – your employer could view that as less commitment to the role.
References
This section includes two or more references that an employer can contact to confirm what is in the resume. The references should include at least one professional person, such as an old employer, colleague, teacher or professor. The other could be a professional who knows you on a personal level and can vouch for you. These people may be asked to write a short reference about you. They could also be sent a questionnaire to complete with questions about you, such as if you are good at timekeeping, your personal traits and if they would recommend you.
Edit and proofread – This is a professional document showing an employer the reasons they should employ you, so edit and proofread to ensure there are no typos and it all makes sense. Adapt your fresher resume for each job – It is wise to read and analyze the job description, picking out keywords, including the role and required skills. Edit your resume to make sure that these skills are shown explicitly. Break it down into sections – Make your fresher resume easy to navigate for employers and businesses. A good tactic is to write the information (voluntary experience, for example), then highlight the skills learned afterwards. Include self-taught skills – If you have taught yourself to knit or code, make sure this is included, as it shows initiative and determination. Look at examples online – There are some job sites and employee forums that will have templates and tips regarding an industry or business that will help guide you through creating your fresher resume.
Template
One template that could be followed to ensure everything is included and it flows nicely is the one below: Your name Your address Your phone number Your email address Summary Statement Include here two to three sentences about yourself that summarize your ambitions and skills. Education Name of educational institute and period of attendance Qualifications gained Repeat this until you have inserted all education details. Start with the most recent date and finish with the earliest. Work Experience Name of business Dates of work Work position and main tasks Skills learned:
Skill one Skill two Skill three
Repeat this until all work experience is added. Voluntary Experience Name of organization or details of work carried out Dates of work Details of work carried out Skills learned:
Skill one Skill two Skill three
Repeat until all voluntary experience is included. Skills Add in additional soft and hard skills
Soft skill one Soft skill two Soft skill three Soft skill four Hard skill one Hard skill two Hard skill three Hard skill four
Willingness to Learn New Skills Add in a paragraph about wanting to learn new skills or expand those you have. Hobbies and Interests
Hobby/interest one Hobby/interest two Hobby/interest three
Professional Social Media Link one Link two Link three References Name of reference one Contact details Relationship to applicant Name of reference two Contact details Relationship to applicant However, everyone has personal skills and assets – it is just about highlighting them, applying them to the role and making them easy for an employer to spot.
