New Grad Resume: An ATS-Friendly Format With No Experience

A new grad resume has to prove you can do the job before you have held it. The answer is to lead with what you do have, education, projects, internships, and part-time work, in a plain layout that application software can read in order.

Put Education and Projects First

If you graduated in the last year or two, education usually belongs near the top: degree, school, graduation date, and relevant coursework or honors. Follow it with two or three projects that match the job, then internships and other work.

Write Project Entries Like Jobs

• Give each project a clear name and say whether it was coursework, a personal project, or a team capstone.
• Start bullets with an action verb and name the tools you actually used.
• Add a measurable result where one exists: users, accuracy, time saved, grade, or scope.
• Never present a class project as paid employment.

Use the Posting's Skills Honestly

List skills the job description names that you can show in your coursework, projects, or work. A dedicated Skills section with standard names (Python, Excel, SQL, Figma) is easier for software and people to scan than skills buried in paragraphs.

Keep the Layout Simple

One column, standard section headings (Education, Projects, Experience, Skills), contact details in the body, and one page. Avoid graphics, rating bars, and text boxes.

Start From the Entry-Level Template

The free Entry-Level / New Grad template already puts education and projects first. Open it in the builder, replace the fictional sample with your own details, then scan it against a real job description before applying.