How to Create a Professional Resume from Scratch

If you’re starting your career, your resume is the first proof that you're serious about your goals. But if you’ve never written one before, it can be confusing. What should you include? What if you don’t have job experience?

This guide walks you through the entire process of creating a clear, professional resume that highlights your potential—even if you're just starting out.

Why a Resume Matters (Even If You’re a Fresher)

Hiring managers often spend less than 10 seconds on a resume. So what they see must instantly say: “This person might be a fit.”

For freshers and students, your resume does more than list your education. It should:

• Highlight what you’ve learned through class projects, internships, or volunteering
• Show that you take your career seriously
• Help you land internships or part-time jobs
• Make you stand out in campus placements or early-career roles

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

The first mistake many people make is copying a friend’s resume format without thinking about whether it fits their own background.

Here are your three main format options:

1. Functional Format
Focuses on your skills rather than experience. Ideal if you’ve never held a formal job but have projects or certifications to show.

2. Combination Format
Mixes skills and project experience. This is best for most students and freshers with 1–2 internships, group projects, or freelance work.

3. Reverse-Chronological Format
Lists your experience from latest to oldest. Suitable if you’ve had internships or relevant work experience.

💡 Tip: Start with the combination format if you’re unsure. It gives you the most room to show potential.

Step 2: Start With Clear Contact Details

This may seem obvious, but incorrect contact info is a common mistake.

Include:

• Full name
• Mobile number
• Email (professional format: firstname.lastname@example.com)
• LinkedIn profile (if updated)
• GitHub or personal website (for tech/design portfolios)
• City and country

Avoid:

• Profile photos
• Full postal address
• Date of birth or gender
• Personal social media links (unless directly relevant)

Step 3: Write a Simple, Focused Summary

Your resume summary isn’t a life story. It’s a short intro to tell the recruiter what you can do and what you’re aiming for.

What to include:

• Your current status (student, recent graduate)
• Field of interest
• Relevant skills
• What kind of opportunity you're looking for

Example:

Final-year B.Tech student passionate about backend development. Built multiple academic projects in Python and Django. Seeking an internship where I can contribute to real-world product teams.

Step 4: Add Your Education Details

This is the core section for most students or freshers.

Include:

• Degree or course
• Institution name
• Location (city only)
• Start and end years (or “Expected YYYY”)
• CGPA or percentage (optional if strong)

If you’ve done any diploma or specialization, list it separately.

Bonus tip: If you’ve done coursework relevant to the job, list 2–3 names under the entry.

Step 5: List Key Skills (But Keep Them Honest)

Break your skills into technical and soft skills so it’s easier to scan.

Technical/Hard Skills

These are tools or methods you've learned:

• Excel (Pivot Tables, Data Cleaning)
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Canva or Figma
• SQL or MySQL
• Python, Java, C++
• Google Analytics
• MS PowerPoint

Soft Skills

• Communication – writing emails, presenting, listening well
• Time management – juggling college, side projects, deadlines
• Problem-solving – breaking tasks into parts, asking good questions
• Curiosity – learning tools on your own
• Teamwork – sharing responsibility and supporting others

Pro Tip: Match 4–5 key skills from the job description in your resume.

Step 6: Showcase Projects and Internships (Even If Small)

This section can be your biggest strength if you don’t have formal work experience.

What counts as experience?

• Academic projects
• Freelance gigs
• Personal passion projects
• Online challenges
• Internships, even unpaid
• Volunteering roles

How to write each entry:

• Project/Internship title
• Your role
• Duration
• 2–3 bullet points describing your contributions and outcomes

Example:

Data Dashboard – Personal Project

Created an Excel dashboard to visualize household budget and monthly spending using charts. Shared with 20+ users in college community.

Content Intern – Travel Startup

Wrote blog articles, scheduled posts, and tracked engagement using Google Sheets. One article ranked on Page 1 for a local keyword.

Step 7: Add Certifications That Back You Up

Choose certifications that are relevant and credible.

Add:

• Course name
• Platform
• Completion year
• (Optional) Key skills learned

Examples:

Coursera – Excel Skills for Business (2023)

Learned data cleaning, conditional formatting, and dashboard building.

Google Digital Garage – Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (2022)

Covered SEO, Google Ads, and performance tracking basics.

Step 8: Add Extras That Prove Character or Interest

Volunteering

Taught basic digital literacy to rural students
Assisted at local blood donation camps

Languages

English (Fluent), Hindi (Native), Bengali (Conversational)

Awards

Ranked top 5% in HackerRank Java assessment
Won “Best Research Paper” at college tech fest

Optional: Interests (If related)

Blogging about mobile apps
Drawing UI mockups
Solving puzzles

Step 9: Format Cleanly So It's Easy to Scan

A recruiter spends seconds on each resume.

Good formatting:

• 1 consistent font (e.g., Calibri, Arial)
• Font size: 10.5pt–12pt
• Bold headings
• White background, black text
• 1-inch margins
• Bullet points

Avoid:

• Tables
• Too many colors
• Profile photos
• Icons or columns
• More than 1 page (if <2 years experience)

Step 10: Know How to Talk About Your Resume in Interviews

Practice explaining:

• What each project was
• What you did
• What tools you used
• What the result was

Example answers:

“In my finance tracker project, I used Excel functions like SUMIF and pivot tables. It helped visualize data, and some friends still use it.”

“During my internship, I learned how to write content that drives SEO. One blog reached over 1,000 reads within a month.”

Common Mistakes Freshers Make on Resumes

Don’t:

• Submit resumes with typos
• Use long paragraphs
• List every skill you’ve ever touched
• Paste entire job descriptions
• Include irrelevant clubs

Do:

• Keep sections clean
• Use active verbs: built, managed, organized
• Tailor your resume to the role
• Save as PDF with a clear filename (YourName_Resume.pdf)
• Review on mobile before sending

Apply the Right Way: Don’t Waste a Good Resume

Once your resume is ready:

• Customize your summary and project bullets for each job
• Use keywords from the description
• Write a short cover email
• Track applications in a spreadsheet

Final Resume Checklist Before Sending

• [ ] Contact info updated
• [ ] Summary focused
• [ ] Skills matched to the job
• [ ] Projects described with results
• [ ] No spelling errors
• [ ] Saved as PDF
• [ ] File name clean
• [ ] 1 page only
• [ ] Reviewed on mobile

Final Words: Start Where You Are

You don’t need a perfect background to make a strong resume.

You just need to:

• Show what you’ve learned
• List what you’ve done—even small things
• Keep it clean, clear, and real

Your first resume won’t be your last. But it should be your best so far.

Build your resume to take the guesswork out of formatting and create something you’re proud to share.