Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume

By: Aureen Kyle Mandap, DMP
July 27, 2023

As a fresh graduate, launching your career can be overwhelming. It will require always putting your best foot forward and no room for any oversight.

One crucial step in this process is crafting an outstanding fresh graduate resume that will set you apart from the vast pool of applicants.

Even with no prior experience, an effective resume can make a lasting first impression on potential employers. Therefore, it is essential to consider every piece of information you include carefully. This is because even minor details can significantly affect the overall message and impression you convey.

Thus, to assist you, we have compiled everything you need to know. From content to formatting, we will guide you through the process of building a professional and outstanding fresh graduate resume.

What is a Resume?

A resume is a document that can make or break your job search. It is a summary of your personal, educational, and professional experiences. Also, as the applicant, you will surely need to present your resume to potential employers. Furthermore, it is a crucial component of job searches. Additionally, resumes allow employers to skim quickly through your key qualifications. This helps them determine whether you are a good fit for a particular job.

The primary purpose of a resume is to help a job seeker stand out from other candidates. Hence, this means that you need to update, adjust, and revise your resume constantly to fit the specific job post you are applying for. Typically, resumes are one to two pages. Included in this must be the list of different information. Such includes one’s educational background, work history, skills, accomplishments, and other relevant information.

Furthermore, Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume

Consequently, Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume

Resume Structure and Information

In creating an outstanding fresh graduate resume, you must know how to put everything together. Here’s how to do this:

1. Heading and Contact Details

The uppermost part of your resume should be clear in stating your basic information, such as your:

Name
Mobile phone number
Personal email address

In some cases, you can provide other information like your:

LinkedIn profile
Personal website or portfolio
Address

There is no need to put sensitive personal information and affiliations that may result in discrimination. Also, use a professional email account. Hence, avoid using emails with organizational domains or humorous addresses, as it may present a wrong impression.

2. Summary and Objectives

Including this part in your resume is up to you. However, these two to three sentences can help increase your chances of landing a job. Here, you can outline your career goals and relevant skills that you will use in your career.

While writing this section, make sure that you:

Make it brief.
There is no need for complex explanations. Also, you have a limited space in your resume that you can fill with information that will strengthen your document.

Include keywords.
Reread the job advertisement and note the keywords used. Then, include them in your summary to further encourage your employer to read your whole resume.

Highlight your strengths.
Mix the keywords with your skills that are relevant to the job. Hence, doing this can help stress the value that you offer.

Although you may lack professional experience compared to your competitors, your extracurricular activities can help emphasize your credibility.
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Furthermore, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

3. Education

As a recent graduate, it is recommended to place your educational qualifications following your summary. This is to highlight the relevance of your education to your application. However, it should be in reverse chronological order where you will put your highest educational attainment first.

Information about your education should include:

Degree and Major or Field of Study
The institution where you graduated from
Start and completion date

Then, feel free to add any academic award and recognition, especially if they are related to the job post you are eyeing. By doing so, potential employers can recognize your academic achievements and how they align with the position.

4. Internships and Relevant Experience

Although you may lack professional experience compared to your competitors, your extracurricular activities can help emphasize your credibility. In fact, employers also consider nontraditional experiences as long as they are pertinent to the career.

These include, but are not limited to:

Internships
Club affiliations
Part-time employment
Volunteer work
Freelance job

5. Skills

This part of your resume is where you allow recruiters to figure things out about you. To establish credibility, your skills must match your experience and what your employer needs. Thus, to do that effectively, remember to:

Only use related skills. Stop confusing the employer with a lengthy list of unrelated abilities.
Sort your qualifications. Then, categorize your skills if you believe they are vital to the job.
Highlight your technical proficiencies. After that, list the software or tools you are confident of using.
Demonstrate your soft skills with the help of presenting relevant situations.
Stop putting basic competencies like Microsoft Word, as you may appear less knowledgeable.

6. Optional Sections

You can make your resume even more outstanding by adding sections like:

Certifications and Licenses
If your job legally requires certain training or a license and you have one, you must include this part. Thus, this will help you secure a chance of being considered by the recruiter.
Interests and hobbies
When you have no prior experience to put, you can resort to adding relevant hobbies. Not only will this create an interest in your application, but this will also add personality.

In addition to that, Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume

Formatting Tips

Follow these formatting tips to make your outstanding fresh graduate resume:

1. Keep your design simple

Do not let fancy designs you see online fool you. Instead of looking at the face value, employers favor applications that are direct and contain essential details. Consequently, employers prefer applicants who use a clean and professional format that enhances readability. Accordingly, stick with the basic fonts to avoid messing up your layout. However, if you want to have variation, use a maximum of two fonts. This will increase your chances of passing the initial job application process.

Without a doubt, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

Do not let fancy designs you see online fool you. Instead of looking at the face value, employers favor applications that are direct and contain essential details.
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Furthermore, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

2. Ditch unnecessary design elements

Keeping your resume simple includes removing unnecessary objects. Some companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline their hiring process. Then, the ATS sorts and filters applications based on the job board. For the system to read your resume, your entire document must be readable.

As much as you can, avoid using:

Tables
Uncommon fonts
Logos
Photos
Text box
Graphics

3. Maximize bullet points

Rather than writing long sentences explaining your tasks under a job entry, you can use bullet points. This can save space and will give you an easier time to construct your thoughts. Additionally, using bullet points can help the recruiters recognize how you manage your duties.

A straightforward way to write about your job responsibilities would be to follow this structure:

Action Verb + Job Responsibility + Hard and/or Soft Skills Used = Impact

Furthermore, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

Additional Information

1. Mind the language

To get the attention of the recruiter, use clear and concise language to articulate your point. Do not use flowery statements since employers would likely scan it quickly. Consequently, it is best to be specific to show your actions. Then, stick to the facts and provide quantifiable and qualifying details to display your achievements. More importantly, refrain from fabricating details to impress employers, since they are likely to verify details in your resume.

2. Proofread

As mentioned earlier, the job search process leaves no room for error. It is crucial to ensure that every document presented to potential employers is free of mistakes. First, take the time to proofread your resume thoroughly for any errors or typos. Then, pay close attention to the consistency of the text size, color, and font used.

Additionally, to further ensure the quality of your resume, consider asking a trusted individual to review it as well. Thus, this extra step can provide valuable feedback and help catch any mistakes you may have overlooked.

3. Take note of the file format

When you send your resume to your employer, submit it either as a PDF or Word document. Unless requested otherwise, do not pass any other format as it may make it hard to assess your resume. More importantly, be mindful of your file name. Rather than sending out a file entitled “Resume,” you can add your name to it. Hence. doing this will give the recruiter an easier time to find your file.

4. References are not essential

Contrary to general belief, providing character reference is not necessary during the initial part of the recruitment process. Not only does it waste the limited space you have, but it also breaches your reference’s private info. To get your reference, recruiters will privately ask you to provide the information.

5. Photos

Another frequent practice we see in resumes is including your photo. Perhaps this was taught when you were younger. However, this is not vital. Nevertheless, if you choose to include a photograph, it is important to ensure that it is professionally taken. Additionally, it should be a front-facing image with good lighting.

6. Cover Letter

Not all employers would require you to write a cover letter. However, if you want to further contextualize your resume, having a cover letter is your best shot. Aside from that, having a cover letter would most likely put you above every competitor since not all create one.

By all means, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

Furthermore, it is important to Build an Outstanding Fresh Graduate Resume.

Kickstart your career with DBA

As a fresh graduate, you may feel frustrated as you navigate the job market. Hence, it is important to find a company that can offer the support you need to start your professional career journey. With DBA, you can have countless opportunities for growth. We value innovation and creativity. Additionally, we invest in our people to help foster these qualities.

Aside from these qualities, we focus on the jobseeker’s potential to contribute to our team rather than sticking to traditional hiring criteria.

What are you waiting for? This is the perfect opportunity for you to start your career in an organization that values and recognizes your contributions.

Be part of our team and become one of the leading professional services providers.

Build your outstanding fresh graduate resume that will surely land your dream job NOW.

Hence, this is the time to build an outstanding fresh graduate resume that will get employers' attention.

Most important, build an outstanding fresh graduate resume

Aureen Kyle Mandap, DMP

Aureen is a Content Writer for DBA, and a technical and creative writing expert. She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional with a strong background in SEO copywriting, content marketing, and social media management. Also, Aureen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and has experience in Human Resources and clinical setting duties.