How to Make an Indian Resume: Format and Structure

Table of Contents

In this article, we’ll explain how to write a resume using the Indian resume format. Further down, you’ll also find a free-to-download template that you can fill out to complete your resume today.

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Sample resume with Indian format

Here’s a free Indian resume template you can download and use to land your next job:

Example of an Indian resume format. — This resume example has everything Indian hiring managers look for.

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How to write a resume for the Indian job market

When writing a resume for employers in India, there are unique requirements you need to consider.

Follow this guide to the Indian resume format to make your application detailed and professional.

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Here’s everything you need to know about writing each section of your resume for a job in India:

1. Include your contact information

Put your contact information at the top of your resume so employers can get in touch.

Always include these details:

Professional email address
Phone number
Location (just including your city is fine)

You can also add links to relevant media and examples of your work. Here are some examples:

LinkedIn profile
Professional website
Online portfolio

In India, many employers expect to see a photo on your resume. Make sure you know how to take a professional resume picture and add it to your header.

2. Consider whether to include additional personal information

In India, some employers expect your resume to include biodata.

Biodata is personal information about you and your background. Common biodata to include on an Indian resume includes:

Date of birth
Gender
Marital status
Languages spoken
Nationality
Willingness to relocate

Only include biodata if the job description requested it.

While some companies in India consider biodata to be part of a complete resume, others discourage its inclusion to avoid hiring bias.

If it’s required, put biodata in a personal profile section at the end of your resume.

3. Write a strong resume objective

Employers in India expect resumes to start with an objective, not a summary.

Resume summaries exclusively focus on relevant skills and achievements, but objectives also explain how you plan to benefit the employer.

Your objective should be 3–6 sentences long.

First introduce yourself as a candidate and detail your professional achievements. Then include a sentence about how you plan to benefit the employer.

If you’re not sure how to make a strong case for yourself, you can check examples of resume objectives for different jobs.

Include keywords from the job ad (including specific skills, qualifications, and duties) to make your objective relevant to the role.

Here’s an example of an effective resume objective for a customer service representative:

Example of a resume summary that follows an Indian resume format.

In this example, the candidate gives employers a good idea of their skill set and personal strengths, and uses numbers to highlight some of their key achievements. Additionally, they end the summary with a statement about how they hope to make a positive impact in their new position.

4. Fill out your education section

Your resume’s education section should include the details of your highest level of education achieved. Here’s an example of how you can format your education section:

B.Tech in Computer Science
University of Delhi, Delhi
2019

If you’re writing a fresher resume, expand your education section to include more academic achievements. Even if you don’t have hands-on professional experience, employers are more likely to invite you for an interview if they see you’ve taken relevant courses.

Here are some academic achievements you can include:

Here’s an example of how to include these in your education section:

B.Tech in Computer Science
University of Delhi, Delhi
Graduated with First Class Honours, 2019
GPA 8.5/10
Thesis: “An Analysis of Artificial Intelligence in Image Recognition”
Relevant coursework: Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Systems, Computer Networks, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence
Scholarships: Recipient of the National Merit Scholarship for outstanding academic performance in computer science.
Awards: 2018 Recipient of the Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal
President of the VR/AR Club

While you might not have all of these extra additions to put in your education section, highlighting your most relevant academic achievements helps demonstrate your value to potential employers.

5. Describe your work experience

The work experience format for Indian resumes follows standard international practices.

Include these details for each job you did:

Your job title
The company and location
The dates you worked there
3–5 bullet points that describe how you performed your role

The most important advice for filling out a strong work experience section is to use action verbs and numbers. Action verbs on your resume show employers how you accomplished your daily tasks and numbers demonstrate your tangible accomplishments.

Here’s an example of a work experience section for a retail associate that effectively uses action verbs and numbers to sell employers on their qualifications:

Retail Associate
Zara, Jaipur
Jan 2021 – Dec 2022
Assisted customers in locating and purchasing merchandise, resolving complaints, and answering inquiries in a professional manner, resulting in a 97% customer satisfaction rate
Operated POS system, processed transactions, and balanced cash drawers at the end of each shift with 100% accuracy
Maintained a clean and organized store environment, including restocking shelves, cleaning displays, and organizing the stockroom
Trained 5 new employees on store policies, sales techniques, and customer service standards, resulting in a 20% improvement in team performance

Quantifying your achievements proves your capabilities and potential value to employers.

6. Highlight your relevant skills

Use the skills section to highlight your most relevant technical skills.

You should include 8–10 relevant, job-specific skills that target the role. Include a balance of hard and soft skills that shows you have both the technical expertise and the temperament to excel.

Here’s an example of a skills section tailored to suit a project management role:

Skills
Stakeholder management
Risk management
Budgeting and financial management
Agile methodologies
Problem solving
Communication
Time management

If you have other experience or qualifications (like licenses, publications, or volunteer work) to put on your resume, you can create some additional resume sections to showcase your professional accomplishments.

7. Address references and availability

In the Indian job market, employers expect you to conclude your resume by addressing your references and giving your earliest start date.

You don’t need to list contact details directly on your resume though. Instead, end your document with a formal statement like “References available upon request.”

Put the actual references in a separate document using the same formatting and style as your resume. A list of 2–3 references is standard. Include these details:

Name
Job title
Contact information

8. Add a formal declaration and signature

End your resume with a formal declaration statement guaranteeing that all the details provided in your application are accurate and truthful.

While modern startups may skip this, it remains a standard expectation for many legacy companies and government-related roles across India.

Here is a professional declaration you can paste directly into your resume:

Declaration
The information stated above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Below this line, leave space for your signature and include placeholders for the current date and place (your city). This final touch ensures your resume aligns with local professional etiquette and adds a layer of formal accountability to your application.

Additional formatting tips

If you want your resume to make you stand out as a professional candidate, it’s important to know what formatting guidelines to follow when you’re making a resume for a job in India.

Here are some tips to make sure your Indian resume formatting is flawless:

Your resume should be 2 pages long (they can sometimes be longer)
Include a (professional) photo of yourself
Use A4 size, with 2.5 cm margins (down to 1.27cm is acceptable)
Use 10–12 point and easy-to-read fonts (serif and sans serif fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, and Cambria are best)
Save your resume as a PDF or Word document

Indian resume template (text version)

Copy and paste this simple text template to create your resume.

Your Name

Email: your.email@email.com | Phone: +91 xxxx-xxxxxx | Location: City

Summary

Write a sentence or two about who you are as a candidate and mention your professional goal in applying for the position.

Include a bulleted list of professional qualifications, relevant skills, and accomplishments
Include numbers to quantify your achievements
Tailor this section to the specific role you’re applying for

Education

Degree
University Name, City
Graduation year

If you lack professional experience, it can be helpful to showcase some academic achievements in bullet points describing any relevant coursework or projects

Work Experience

Position #1 (Current or most recent)
Company, City (Month, Year – Month, Year)

Use present tense if currently employed in this position
Leave out personal pronouns
Include 3–5 bullet points describing your experience
Start each point with an action verb
Use numbers to quantify your professional achievements

Position #2
Company, City (Month, Year – Month, Year)

Use past tense for previous roles
Target the role you’re applying for with specific skills and duties
Provide examples of how you demonstrated relevant skills in context
Keep your points brief

Position #3
Company, City (Month, Year – Month, Year)

Use fewer bullet points for older positions
Highlight only your most relevant experience
List no more than 15 years of experience

Skills

List 8–10 skills
Use a mix of hard and soft skills
If you include technical skills, consider using skill bars to show your proficiency level

Certifications

List the name of the certification, the certifying body, and the date it was received

Personal Profile

Languages: Any first and second languages spoken
Date of Birth: Day Month Year
Gender: Female/Male
Marital Status: Single/Married
Nationality: Indian/American, etc.
Notice period: Specify how long you need to give notice to your current employer
Ready to Relocate: Yes/No