How To Create An ATS-Friendly Resume For Freshers In 2026 | Vivek Gupta, by Vivek Gupta on YouTube. 11 min 59 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 59 s
- Time to do it
- 40 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Gather your raw material first: degree, college, CGPA, projects with the tech used, internships, certificates and coding profile links. Keep every date and number exact.
Paste the job description into a separate document and highlight the skills, tools and job titles it repeats. Those repeated words are your target keywords.
Open a single-column resume builder or a plain document template. The video walks through the CareerZenith builder from 1:25 as one option.
Keep the resume to one page. Use standard headings: Contact, Education, Skills, Projects, Experience, Achievements. Skip tables, columns, graphics and text boxes.
Write your skills section using the exact wording from the posting, so "REST APIs" stays "REST APIs" instead of becoming "web services".
Describe each project in two lines: what you built, the stack you used, and one measurable result such as users, speed or accuracy.
Run the resume through the AI keyword and role matching check, then add any missing keywords it flags into your skills or project lines.
Read the whole resume once for spelling and past-tense verbs, then export it as a PDF unless the application form asks for DOCX.
Name the file clearly, like Firstname_Lastname_Resume.pdf, and keep a separate copy for each role you apply to.
Before every new application, swap in that posting's keywords and job title. Do not send the same resume everywhere.
Tips and common mistakes
Mirror the job description's wording rather than inventing synonyms, because the software matches strings, not meaning.
A two-column design with icons or a photo can scramble the text order when the file is parsed, so keep the layout plain.
Only list skills you can actually discuss in an interview, since the same keywords get you questions later.
If a portal asks for DOCX, send DOCX, and check the PDF opens correctly on a phone before you submit.
Questions
Does an ATS reject PDF files?
Most modern systems read PDFs fine, but a few older portals only parse DOCX. Follow whatever format the application form states.
How long should a fresher's resume be?
One page is enough. Recruiters scan quickly, and a single page keeps your projects and skills in front of them.
Should I put a photo or my full address on it?
No. Skip the photo, and give city plus email and phone. Photos and full addresses add nothing to the keyword match and can confuse the parser.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
