How to Make a Perfect Resume for Freshers | Using Overleaf

Are you a fresher struggling to make your first professional resume?
Tired of messy Word documents and confusing formats?

Don’t worry — in this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to create a clean, ATS-friendly fresher resume using Overleaf, along with 5 FREE templates you can start using right away!

Why Should Freshers Use Overleaf?

Overleaf is an online LaTeX editor. It helps you create professional-looking resumes that recruiters actually want to read.

Pros of Overleaf for Resume Building

  • Clean and structured format
  • Automatically aligned layouts
  • No manual formatting issues like MS Word
  • Recruiter and ATS-friendly
  • Free to use

Cons

  • Slight learning curve with LaTeX (but I’ve made it beginner-friendly below!)
  • Internet connection required

Before You Start: What Makes a Good Fresher Resume?

A fresher resume should be:

  • One page
  • Easy to scan
  • Highlight your skills, projects, and potential
  • Free from unnecessary info

Essential Sections in a Fresher Resume

Here’s what your resume should include, in order:


1️⃣ Header

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Email (professional only!)
  • GitHub / LinkedIn / Portfolio (optional but highly recommended)

2️⃣ Objective or Summary

Keep this short and clear (2–3 lines).

Example:

“Motivated B.Tech student with strong problem-solving skills and a passion for full-stack development. Seeking to apply my learning in real-world software projects.”


3️⃣ Education

Include:

  • Degree & Stream
  • University Name
  • Duration (e.g., 2021–2025)
  • CGPA (if decent)

🎯 Pro Tip: Include 12th & 10th if your resume feels empty.


4️⃣ Skills ( Important! )

List in categories:

  • Programming: Python, C++, Java
  • Web: HTML, CSS, React
  • Tools: Git, VS Code, Postman

✅ Use bullets or small sections for neatness.


5️⃣ Projects (Most Important!)

Add 2–3 relevant projects. For each:

  • Title + GitHub Link
  • 1–2 lines of what it does
  • Technologies used

🧠 Example:

Face Emotion Detector – Detects human emotions using OpenCV and a CNN model.
Tools: Python, TensorFlow, OpenCV


6️⃣ Internships / Trainings

Include any online or offline experience:

  • Role, Company, Duration
  • 1–2 points on what you learned/did

7️⃣ Certifications

Mention useful courses:

Python for Everybody – Coursera – Jan 2024


8️⃣ Achievements / Awards (Optional)

Coding contests, scholarships, rank in college, etc.


9️⃣ Positions of Responsibility (Optional)

Club coordinator, workshop organizer, etc.

What to Avoid in a Fresher Resume

❌ Don’t include:

  • Photos
  • Date of birth, gender, religion, father’s name
  • Paragraphs
  • Fake or exaggerated skills
  • Fancy colors/fonts

5 Free Overleaf Resume Templates for Freshers

Click any template to open in Overleaf and start editing directly!

  1. RenderCV EngineeringResumes Theme
  2. RenderCV sb2nov Theme
  3. Deedy Resume Reversed
  4. NIT Patna Resume Template v2.1
  5. CIS Grad Template (Dev)

How to Use These Templates?

  1. Click on any link above
  2. Create a free Overleaf account
  3. Hit “Open as Template”
  4. Edit the text inside {} brackets
  5. Download your resume as PDF when done

Bonus: Resume Checklist for Freshers

✅ One-page only
✅ Clear objective
✅ At least 2 good projects
✅ Keywords from the job description
✅ Proper GitHub and LinkedIn links
✅ Saved as PDF
✅ No grammar/spelling errors


How to Make a Resume That Gets Shortlisted

Want your resume to stand out from hundreds of applications? Follow these key tips to increase your chances of getting shortlisted:

✅ 1. Customize for Each Job

Don’t send the same resume everywhere.
➡️ Use keywords from the job description
➡️ Highlight relevant projects and skills


✅ 2. Use Action Verbs & Metrics

Instead of saying “Worked on a website”, say:

“Developed a responsive portfolio website using React, deployed on GitHub Pages.”


✅ 3. Highlight Achievements, Not Just Tasks

Focus on what you accomplished, not just what you did.


✅ 4. Keep it One Page

Recruiters spend just 6–8 seconds scanning resumes.
Keep it crisp, clean, and easy to read.


✅ 5. Use an ATS-Friendly Format

Overleaf LaTeX templates are already ATS-friendly, meaning they can be easily read by hiring software.


✨ Bonus Tip:

Add your GitHub or LinkedIn link — it shows professionalism and credibility.

📣 Final Words

Your resume is your first impression — make it count.

You don’t need fancy designs or 5 years of experience.
You need clarity, clean layout, and your real skills.

Pick any of the templates above, follow the format, and build your dream career step-by-step.


💬 Need Help?

If you want a customized Overleaf resume template or help reviewing your resume, feel free to DM me on Instagram or comment below.


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