The Best Freshers Resume Format for 2024

Even as a fresher, you can find a job you like using the correct resume format and writing tips. Read on to learn all about optimizing your fresher resume and browse fresher resume templates to get you started.

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What is a fresher resume?

A fresher is a freshman or first-year student at university; therefore, a fresher resume needs to be optimized for someone who has just started college and probably has limited experience.

The best format for a fresher resume is the functional format because it prioritizes the skills section while downplaying the work experience. You can also make your resume fresher-friendly by emphasizing the education section and adding custom sections for additional accomplishments.

You can build your fresher resume from scratch by following our writing tips below, or you can save time by letting our Resume Builder do the job for you! Simply type in the job you want and the Builder will generate all your resume sections with relevant achievements and in-demand skills.

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Sample resume format for freshers (functional)

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What this resume gets right:

Opts for a functional resume format to share the job seeker’s accomplishments in the skills section.
Minimizes the work experience section to draw attention away from the limited number of jobs.
Shares impressive achievements in the education section, such as a 4.0 GPA.
Adds custom sections to provide more accomplishments that make up for the short work history.

How to improve your fresher resume

Before you start writing your fresher resume, make sure you understand what a resume should look like. To start, your resume needs to include the five main sections: contact information, resume summary or objective, work experience, skills and education.

To help you maximize your fresher resume sections, follow these tips:

1. Start with a compelling resume objective.

One of the main characteristics of a functional resume is the resume objective section. The objective benefits freshers by allowing them to control their careers’ narrative.

The resume objective should briefly describe your professional abilities and clearly state your career plans if you land the desired job.

Let’s see an example of a resume objective for a fresher applying for a job as an administrative assistant in a nonprofit organization.

Objective

As a first-year political science student on merit academic scholarship, I’m enthusiastic about supporting a nonprofit organization as an administrative assistant. I offer strong organizational and communication skills developed during three years of Broad Street Food Bank community service. I’m eager to contribute my experience and skills to the organization’s mission and gain valuable knowledge in the nonprofit sector.

2. Share accomplishments in the skills section.

This advice might seem counterintuitive, especially if you only know about traditional chronological resumes, but in functional resumes, achievements mainly go into the skills section.

Because most freshers don’t have much work experience, they benefit from categorizing their achievements by skill instead of role.

In a chronological resume, job seekers share their past jobs and what they achieved in each one. In functional resumes, however, you can share your top-three professional skills and provide achievements that prove you possess them.

Let’s help you visualize this better by showing how a communications student writes their fresher resume’s skills section for an internship at a local newspaper.

Skills

Research and Writing

Successfully completed research projects, including a comprehensive analysis of media ethics in the digital age.
Authored engaging articles and essays for coursework, consistently receiving positive feedback from professors.
Demonstrated strong writing and editing skills through active participation in the college newspaper, contributing to weekly publications.

Communication and interpersonal skills

Excelled in public speaking and debate, earning recognition for persuasive communication abilities.
Collaborated effectively as part of a team in group projects, ensuring timely completion of tasks and goals.
Developed strong interview techniques through coursework and gathering information for journalistic purposes.

Digital Media Proficiency

Acquired proficiency in media production software, including Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop.
Managed social media accounts for a student organization, increasing engagement and followers by 28%.
Adapted quickly to new technologies, staying up-to-date with digital media trends and tools.

PRO TIP

Incorporate resume keywords from the job ad to catch recruiters’ attention and bypass applicant tracking systems (ATS).

3. Include additional achievements in the education section.

Another excellent way to compensate for a minimal work history is by optimizing your education section with additional relevant details.

For example:

Scholarships or academic awards
GPA or valedictorian status from high school
Extracurricular activities or clubs
Relevant coursework

Here’s an example of how a fresher can optimize their education section:

Education

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry

Colorado State University | Fort Collins, CO

Expected graduation date: June 2026

Full-ride merit scholarship

High School Diploma

West High School | Salt Lake City, UT

GPA 4.0
Valedictorian
Student Body President (Senior Year)

4. Keep the work experience minimal.

If you have limited work experience, choosing the functional format is great because it puts the work experience section at the bottom with only the minimum necessary information.

In a fresher resume format, the work experience only includes:

Job title
Employer name
Dates of employment

See this example of a simple work experience section in a fresher resume format:

Work experience

Emilio’s Pizza Kitchen, Philadelphia, PA

Host | Sep 2022 – Current

George Washington High School, Philadelphia, PA

Tutor | Sep 2021 – Jan 2023

5. Customize your resume with extra sections.

Once you’ve included all your five main resume sections, you can share more accomplishments in custom sections.

You might not have as much work experience as a more seasoned candidate, but you undoubtedly have achievements that make you an excellent worker.

Some sections you can add to your fresher resume can be:

Extracurricular activities
Volunteer work
Clubs or associations
Personal projects
Sports achievements
Internships

You can learn more in-depth about how to write these extra sections and more tips on maximizing your resume’s content if you visit our How to Write a Resume guide.

Remember that being a fresher doesn’t have to mean your job options are limited. If you write an excellent resume showcasing all your extraordinary abilities, you can land the perfect role for your situation. Ready to ace that job search?

Fresher resume templates

To help you kickstart the resume writing process, we’ve created this selection of resume templates already formatted for a fresher like you. Click your favorite resume and simply fill it in with your details.

Key takeaways

A fresher resume format should include all five main resume sections organized in a functional resume style.
Start with a resume objective that shares your top skills and achievements and states your career goals.
Include an extended skills section where you list achievements that demonstrate your skill set.
Keep your work experience minimal by only sharing the jobs you’ve held, the employers, location and dates of employment.
Include keywords from the job description to assure recruiters you meet the job requirements and to bypass the ATS.
Optimize your education section with extra achievements like GPA or scholarships.
Customize your resume with additional sections to showcase achievements that make up for a lack of work experience.
Instead of writing your resume from scratch, save time using our Resume Builder to automatically generate a unique resume based on your desired job title.

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