Recent graduate resume
A recent graduate resume that gets read.
Recruiters hiring a recent graduate look for a few specific things first. Here is what they are, with a free template to put them in.
- Free
- ATS-friendly
- No retyping if you import
What recruiters scan for
What a recent graduate resume needs
Degree, projects and relevant coursework
Make it easy to find in the first few seconds of reading.
Internships, volunteering and part-time work
Make it easy to find in the first few seconds of reading.
Skills that match the job post
Make it easy to find in the first few seconds of reading.
Wording that works
Keywords and bullet shape
Use the terms from the job post that are genuinely true for you. These are common ones for the role — a starting point, not a script.
✓Consider including
- Keyword: internship
- Keyword: projects
- Keyword: teamwork
- Keyword: research
- Keyword: leadership
- Keyword: coursework
- Led a team project from idea to presentation (add the outcome)
- Volunteered weekly, organising a campus event
✕Watch out for
- ✕Don't pad with unrelated jobs — lead with projects and the skills the employer asked for.
- ✕Vague claims with no tools, scope or result
- ✕Dense paragraphs instead of short bullets
Save time
Already have a resume?
Import it and we'll drop your details into a clean, ATS-friendly template — then you only tailor the wording.
FAQ
Quick answers
How long should a recent graduate resume be?+
One page if you're early in your career, two if you have a long relevant history. Cut anything that doesn't support the job you're applying for.
Should I tailor it for every application?+
Yes, lightly. Reorder bullets and echo the job post's key terms where they are true for you — it improves both ATS matching and human readability.
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