Best Free Tools & Templates for ATS-Friendly Resumes in 2025: Freshers Download Now
Best Free Tools & Templates for ATS-Friendly Resumes in 2025: Freshers Download Now
Are you a fresher or student dreaming of getting hired by top companies like TCS, Deloitte, Google, or Infosys?
Your resume is your first impression, and if itβs not ATS-friendly, it might never reach human eyes.
In this blog, youβll learn:
β
What is an ATS-friendly resume?
β
Why freshers must use an ATS-optimized format.
β
Key tips to create a job-winning resume.
β
And β download a free ATS resume template to boost your chances of landing interviews!
π What is an ATS-Friendly Resume?
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System β software used by most companies to scan resumes and filter the best matches.
If your resume isnβt optimized, it might get rejected before a recruiter ever sees it.
π Over 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS!
This means you could be missing out on your dream job simply because your resume isnβt ATS-compatible.
π― Why Freshers & Students Need an ATS-Optimized Resume
-
Competing with thousands: As a fresher, youβre often competing with a huge talent pool.
-
Campus or off-campus drives: Companies use ATS even for entry-level roles.
-
No experience? No problem: An ATS-friendly resume highlights your skills, internships, projects, certifications, and makes you stand out.
Click Here To Prepare For Interviews β C/C++/Java/Python/HTML/JavaScript/DSA
π₯ Must-Have Features of an ATS-Friendly Resume for Freshers
β
Simple & Clean Formatting:
Avoid tables, graphics, and multiple columns. ATS struggles to read them.
β
Use Standard Headings:
Like Education, Skills, Projects, Internships, Certifications. Donβt use fancy words.
β
Include Keywords:
Mirror the keywords in the job description β like Python, Data Analysis, Financial Modelling, Marketing Strategies.
β
Save as PDF or DOCX:
Most ATS can easily parse these. Avoid JPG or fancy templates.
β
Highlight Academic Achievements & Projects:
If youβre a fresher, your college projects, hackathons, or volunteer work are your biggest strengths.
β
Add a Strong Career Objective:
Tailored for the role & industry youβre applying for.
Step-by-Step Guide to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume for Freshers
1οΈβ£ Choose the Right Format
π Always use a simple, clean layout β either in Word (.docx) or PDF.
Avoid fancy graphics, tables, icons, columns, or resume builders that produce creative designs.
Why? Most ATS canβt read these properly.
π Recommended layout:
2οΈβ£ Start With Contact Information
At the very top, clearly mention:
-
Your Name (large, bold)
-
Mobile number
-
Professional email (e.g. firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
-
LinkedIn / GitHub link
β Donβt put this info in headers or footers. ATS often ignores those.
3οΈβ£ Write a Targeted Career Objective
This is a short 2-3 line statement about:
-
What role you are seeking
-
Your key strengths / interests
-
How you hope to contribute
β Example:
βRecent Computer Science graduate passionate about software development. Looking to apply my skills in Python and data analytics in a dynamic IT firm. Eager to learn and grow with challenging projects.β
4οΈβ£ List Your Education Clearly
Use a standard format so ATS can pick up your degree, university, and dates.
β Example:
5οΈβ£ Highlight Skills Using Job Keywords
This is critical for ATS.
Read the job description youβre applying for and include exact keywords (like: Python, SQL, Financial Analysis, Java, Cloud, Excel, Power BI).
β Example section:
6οΈβ£ Add Academic Projects (Very Important for Freshers)
If you donβt have experience, projects are your portfolio.
β Example:
7οΈβ£ Mention Internships & Trainings
Even short internships, online internships, live projects, or major trainings count.
β Example:
8οΈβ£ Certifications & Extra-Curricular
List only relevant certifications (online courses also count).
β Example:
If you have space, add extra-curriculars like coding clubs, volunteer work, hackathons.
9οΈβ£ End With a Declaration (Optional)
Especially for freshers, it looks neat.
β Example:
βI hereby declare that the above information is true to the best of my knowledge.β
1οΈβ£0οΈβ£ Save It Correctly & Test For ATS
π Save as:
-
.docx
(Word) β most recommended -
or
.pdf
(if the company accepts PDFs)
Click Here To Download ATS Friendly Resume Template
You can create and scan a ATS Friendly Resume by making use of below Tools.
Best Free Tools to Create ATS Resumes in 2025
1οΈβ£ Canva (ATS Resume Templates)
π¨ Canva is widely known for design, but it also offers simple, ATS-friendly resume templates β just be sure to choose minimalist, text-heavy ones.
-
Free version gives you full customization.
-
Export as PDF (standard) for ATS.
π https://www.canva.com/resumes/templates/
2οΈβ£ Novoresume (Free Plan)
-
Provides professional, simple templates that are ATS-friendly by design.
-
Free plan allows 1 resume, with customization.
-
Good for students & freshers β focuses on clarity, standard headings.
π https://novoresume.com
3οΈβ£ Google Docs Resume Templates
-
100% free and simple.
-
Google Docs offers clean, minimalist resume templates that you can download as
.docx
or.pdf
. -
Totally ATS-safe.
π Use directly from Google Drive > Templates > Resumes.
π Or from https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/
4οΈβ£ Resume.com (by Indeed)
-
Completely free resume builder.
-
Generates resumes with standard sections & formatting that ATS can parse.
-
You can download as Word or PDF.
π https://www.resume.com
5οΈβ£ Standard Microsoft Word Templates
-
The simplest, most universally accepted ATS format is still Word.
-
MS Word has built-in resume templates under File > New > βResumeβ.
-
Save as
.docx
β guaranteed to be ATS-readable.
π https://create.microsoft.com/en-us/search?query=resumes
π Best ATS Resume Scanning Tools in 2025 (For Freshers & Students)
1οΈβ£ Jobscan
β
The most popular ATS resume scanner.
β
Paste your resume & the job description β it gives you a match rate, highlights missing keywords, and suggests improvements.
2οΈβ£ Resumeworded
β
AI-powered tool to scan your resume & LinkedIn.
β
Gives actionable tips to improve impact, keywords, and format.
Great for freshers trying to optimize for specific roles.
3οΈβ£ SkillSyncer
β
Compares your resume to a job description, tells you exactly which skills & keywords youβre missing.
β
Also gives an overall match score.
4οΈβ£ Rezi
β
Generates ATS-friendly resumes automatically, also has a checker to test if your resume passes ATS.
β
Useful for creating keyword-optimized bullet points.
5οΈβ£ TopResume Free ATS Check
β
Upload your resume for a free ATS scan β they email a report showing if itβs parseable.
β
Helpful to see if your format is clean.
6οΈβ£ Teal Resume Builder + Score
β
Build your resume and instantly get ATS compatibility feedback & keyword suggestions.
β
Useful for freshers who want a guided builder + checker in one.
β Why use these tools?
β
Freshers often miss critical keywords from the job description.
β
Many resumes are rejected by ATS before a human sees them.
β
These tools make sure your resume is optimized, readable, and tailored to each role.
π Bonus: Quick Tips to Beat ATS & Get Your Resume Shortlisted
β
Customize for Each Job:
Update skills & keywords based on the job description.
β
Use Bullet Points:
Helps ATS read easily.
E.g.
-
Developed a web app using React & Node.js
-
Analyzed sales data using Excel & Power BI
β
Avoid Headers & Footers:
Important info should be in the main body.
β
Add Relevant Links:
Portfolio, LinkedIn, or GitHub.
β
Keep it to 1 Page:
Especially for freshers. Clear, crisp & powerful.
π¬ Final Thoughts
An ATS-friendly resume isnβt about fancy designs. Itβs about getting noticed by the software, so it can land on a recruiterβs desk.
By following these tips & using the free template, youβll have a professional, powerful resume ready to help you land interviews at top MNCs.