Creating an impressive resume as a fresher can be challenging but with the right guidance, you’ll be able to showcase your skills and achievements effectively. Jobzshala is an online portal that may help you build a customised and polished resume within minutes. You can also pick any template from the numerous options available.

This blog will guide you through the basics and the essential tips along with different templates that will help you in crafting a resume that stands out in the crowd.

Understanding the Fundamentals

What is a Resume?

A resume is what builds your first impression when you embark on the journey of your career. It is a formal document that summarises your personal as well as professional background. A resume is often accompanied by a cover letter that draws attention to the most relevant specifics of the resume. It compiles a whole lot of information and effectively highlights your educational background, skills, qualifications, experience and relevant strengths for the job roles you apply for. While searching for jobs, sometimes you may notice that some companies demand a resume while few ask for a curriculum vitae (CV). Others might also use these terms interchangeably. Our next section will help you understand the few distinct differences between the two.

Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

While both a resume and a CV are used to highlight your relevant skills, achievements and qualifications to the employers, we find few differences in their purpose and the way they both are structured. Here are the key differences between the two:

• Length: A resume is best when all the information is presented concisely and clearly. An ideal resume is said to be of one to two pages, whereas a CV can run several pages in length. It is because a CV contains more detailed information than a resume. A CV provides a comprehensive overview of your academic and professional history. On the contrary, a resume highlights only the relevant skills and experiences.
• Customisation: CV is a static document that generally remains the same for all applications, although you may add more information as your career grows but it won’t change according to the job role you apply for. On the other hand, a resume is tailored according to the company and the position you are applying for in order to highlight the skills that are relevant in that particular field of work.
• Structure: A resume includes sections like contact information, education, work experience, certifications and extracurricular activities whereas a CV includes contact information, education, research Experience, publications, presentations, grants and scholarships received, professional associations, licences and certifications, etc. A CV contains detailed information sharing your career history.
• Geography: In regions of the world such as the U.K., and parts of Europe, employers use the term CV to describe both CV and resume style documents. In countries such as India, South Africa, both terms are used interchangeably. There are also few countries where a resume and a curriculum vitae are referred to as two distinct documents.

Importance of a Well-Crafted Resume

Your resume is the first impression you make on a potential employer. It is a vital tool that helps in your job search as it is clear, concise and tailored according to the company and the job role you apply for. Here are the benefits it offers:

• Skills: An ideal resume highlights the technical, problem-solving, critical thinking skills and abilities you possess that are relevant for the job position you are applying for. It showcases the benefit you can provide to the companies.
• Helps you land interviews: A resume acts as a screening tool to look for eligible candidates before inviting them for the first round interview. Without a solid resume, employers might not feel confident about your capabilities.
• Makes you stand out in the crowd: It makes you noticeable among other candidates as it highlights your unique qualifications. It sets you apart and helps you shine in a competitive job market.

Tips for Creating an Impressive Resume

Lets explore the essential points to consider while drafting a resume. Nolan Church, who’s worked in talent acquisition at companies like Google said - “The No. 1 thing I don’t want to see on a resume is probably text bricks,” he says, which is to say “endless streams of text that have a lot of words but not a lot of content.”

• Tailor your resume: Customise your resume for each job application, emphasising upon the skills and abilities that are relevant for that particular job position. Research about the company, know about the skills it demands and then tailor your resume accordingly.
• Keep it concise: Recruiters spend a few seconds on their first scan of a resume and hence you must limit the length of your resume to one or two pages at most. Focus on the most important skills and recent experiences that matter.
• Clean layout: Choose a simple and professional format with clear headings and bullet points. Avoid excessive colours and fonts. A clean layout makes it easy to scan and find essential information.
• Use keywords: Incorporating keywords relating to your job post can make your resume stand out in a large number of applications. The right content in your resume makes it more accessible to potential employers as it gets past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
• Start with a strong summary: Write a compelling summary at the top that highlights your key qualifications. It sparks the hiring manager’s interest and encourages them to go through your resume.
• Quantify your achievements: Support your achievements with numbers instead of just listing them up. It will make the employer confident about your capabilities. For instance, "Increased sales by 20%" or "Managed a team of 10 people”.
• Include relevant experiences: List your work experience focusing on the positions related to the job you are applying for. Mention the years of experience in your career field that came from internships, full-time jobs, volunteer work, etc.
• Showcase skills: Highlight both of your soft skills and hard skills that are relevant to the job position. Include technical skills and capabilities like language proficiency, teamwork, leadership and time management.
• Include certifications: Adding a professional certificate acts as proof that you are competent in the mentioned skill and field of work. In a few positions, having a particular certification is mandatory before you apply for a job.
• Proofread: Proofread your resume before you send it forward to the employer. Check for grammatical and spelling errors. Consider having someone else review your resume for mistakes you might have missed.

Templates for Resume

A template generally refers to a form or a model that helps you arrange information in a professional way. They are pre-formatted samples for documents that contain important layout and design elements. A resume template is a structural guide that helps you create resumes. These templates are visually appealing, easy to read and hence they provide clear and concise information in the best way possible. It is a helpful tool for crafting a professional-looking resume within seconds. The most common resume format is the reverse chronological resume format in which work history is written from most recent to the past. Think of it like a funnel,” says Julie Bauke, founder and chief career strategist with ‘The Bauke Group’. Expand at the top because “your most recent experienceis the most relevant,” she says.

“The standard template is three sections,” according to Gorick Ng, Harvard career adviser and author of “The Unspoken Rules.” “First, at the very top, is your education. That takes up about 20% of the page, the second section, which takes up about 70% of the page, is your professional experience. The last 10% is your skills, languages and interests.”

Jobzshala provides you with an AI-powered resume-building tool. It offers you creative templates that effectively showcase your skills by placing the right information in the right place. Their resumes have been selected by multinational companies such as Google, Deloitte, Facebook, Amazon and many more. They offer you numerous templates and thousands of pre-written samples that are designed according to industrial guidelines.

Conclusion

“All it needs to focus on is your impact,” Nolan Church (former recruiter at Google) says about your resume. Crafting an impressive resume as a fresher requires highlighting your strengths, tailoring your resume for each job application, and presenting the information in a clear and concise manner. Use the tips provided in this blog to create a resume that stands out and showcases your potential to prospective employers. Also, if you’re a fresher seeking a tool to help you create outstanding resumes, then Jobzshala is the perfect destination for you.

Wishing you success!