Interview & Career · Lesson 1 of 12 · Updated ·
How to Write a Fresher Résumé That Gets Shortlisted (ATS-Friendly)
A recruiter spends about 6–10 seconds on a first look at a résumé, and many companies first filter with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software. Your résumé must be clear, relevant and easy to scan.
1. Format rules
- One page. Freshers don't need two.
- A simple single-column layout, standard fonts (Calibri, Arial, Inter), 10.5–11 pt.
- Save as PDF named
Asha_Verma_Resume.pdf. - No photo, no date of birth, no father's name, no "Declaration" — they're not needed for software roles and waste space.
- Avoid tables, text boxes, icons and two-column templates — ATS software often reads them wrongly.
2. Sections in order
- Header: name, phone, professional email, LinkedIn, GitHub, portfolio/Skills101 profile.
- Skills: grouped and honest — Languages: Java, Python, SQL · Web: React, Node.js, Express · Tools: Git, Postman, VS Code · CS: DSA, DBMS, OS, OOP.
- Projects (the most important section for freshers).
- Internships / experience (if any).
- Education: degree, college, year, CGPA (if ≥ 7, or as required by the company).
- Achievements: coding contest ranks, hackathons, verified profiles, certifications that matter.
3. Writing project bullets
Use this formula: Action verb + what you built + technology + result/number.
| ❌ Weak | ✅ Strong |
|---|---|
| Made a website for college | Built a college event-registration site with React and Node.js used by 600+ students during the annual fest |
| Worked on database | Designed a normalised MySQL schema and added indexes, cutting report query time from 4 s to 0.3 s |
| Did a chatbot project | Developed a WhatsApp FAQ bot in Python that answered 70% of admission queries automatically |
Each project: title + tech stack + live link/GitHub + 2–3 bullets.
4. Beat the ATS (honestly)
- Read the job description and use its words for skills you really have ("REST APIs", "SQL", "unit testing").
- Use standard headings: Skills, Projects, Experience, Education.
- Don't hide keywords in white text — recruiters notice, and it gets you rejected.
5. What to remove
- An "Objective" like "to work in a reputed organisation…" — says nothing.
- Hobbies (unless directly relevant).
- Skills you can't answer questions on ("Machine Learning" after one YouTube video).
- Long paragraphs — use bullets.
6. Final checklist
- Fits on one page; no spelling mistakes (read it aloud).
- Every link works (GitHub repos are public with a README).
- Numbers in at least half of the bullets.
- Consistent dates, fonts and bullet style.
- Tailored keywords for this job.
Skills101 tip: your verified Skills101 profile (problems solved on our judge, mock percentiles) is proof you can show next to your GitHub.
Common mistakes
- Two-page résumés full of school marks and hobbies.
- Fancy templates that ATS can't read.
- Listing technologies without showing what you built with them.
Quick recap
- One page, single column, PDF, no personal details.
- Skills → Projects → Experience → Education → Achievements.
- Bullets: action + what + tech + number.
- Tailor keywords honestly; check every link.