What Are The Dos & Don'ts of Resume Formats in India in 2023?

by Hiration

What is the best resume format for job applications in India?

With the volatile job market in India with ever-increasing competition, having an impeccable resume that showcases your strengths and is visually appealing is a must.

Recruiters only spend about 6 to 7 seconds reviewing a resume before they decide to toss it or shortlist it. But, even before reaching the human eyes, your resume needs to beat Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by 53% of Indian professionals.

And with so many dos & don’ts and constantly changing industry practices for resume formats, it can be daunting to build a resume without knowing the basics.

But you’re in luck. In this post, we will break down the different Indian resume formats, styles, and layouts you can choose from.

You’ll get clarity on the following questions about resume formats in India:

What is a Resume Format in India?


A resume format refers to the structural layout that determines the order of the information, including sections, and visual elements that make up a professional, job-winning resume.

A good resume format enhances the readability of the resume, supports its ATS-friendliness, and gives the resume an organized look that helps recruiters scan through and identify the candidate’s strengths with ease.

The resume format in India typically includes sections like header, personal information, summary, skills, professional/internship experience, education, certifications, and additional sections like volunteer experience, projects, etc. (depending on the job profile and experience level).

However, resume formats in India can also vary based on the industry and job role.

For instance, job seekers in the creative industry might need to opt for a visually appealing format that can include graphics and illustrations whereas applicants who belong to traditional industries like finance and healthcare need to stick to the traditional resume format in India.

Also Read: How to use different resume formats in 2023?

How to Format a Professional Resume in India?


Whether you are a seasoned professional or a fresher, using a proper resume format in India will maximize your chances of getting shortlisted by effectively showcasing your skills and experiences in a structured manner.

Given below are some tips you can follow to craft a brilliant resume format in India for any job profile:

Choose the Right Format Type


Job seekers in India typically use 3 types of resume formats to build their resume. They are - reverse chronological, functional, and combination resume formats.

The reverse chronological format refers to the order of information that you present in your resume. When applicants use this format to showcase details in their resume, they place the most recent experience or education qualification at the top, followed by the older ones.

This is one of the most preferred formats out of the three due to its popularity among recruiters. However, this format is not suitable for applicants who have multiple career changes and lack relevant experience for the role.

Meanwhile, the functional resume format is a format that highlights the applicant’s skills over their professional experience.

As opposed to the standard resume format that includes a section for professional or internship section, this format includes a section titled ‘summary of skills’ wherein the applicant’s skills are exemplified.

This format is suitable for freshers and candidates who are switching careers. However, it can impact the ATS-friendliness of the resume.

And lastly, the combination resume format is a fusion of the two resume formats and is suitable for seasoned professionals. But the downside of this format is that it is time-consuming to create and can make your resume lengthy.

Depending on your situation, experience level, and employer, you can choose a resume format that best suits your needs.

Include the Must-have Sections


Irrespective of your job profile, your resume format must include clearly titled and segregated sections to showcase your career trajectory.

The must-have sections in a resume format in India include a header, contact information, skills, summary or objective, professional or internship experience, and education section.

Other optional sections that can be added depending on your need, preference, and job profile include certification & training, awards & recognition, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, projects, and professional associations.

Pay Attention to the Visual Elements


As stated earlier, the resume format in India also refers to some visual elements that make up a resume. Here are some pointers to keep in mind while formatting your Indian resume:

  • Leave a 1” margin on all sides of your resume
  • Use your full name as the header of your resume using a 14-16 points font size
  • Leave ample white space in your resume as a cluttered look with little white space and poor layout is found to be some of the characteristics of lowest performing resumes
  • Use easy-to-read fonts like Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman, or any other font style that doesn’t have special characters
  • Opt for a font size between 10 to 12 points to write the contents of your resume
  • Avoid writing in paragraphs and use bullet points to present information on your Indian resume
  • Unless you have 10+ years of experience, limit your resume’s length to a page
  • Stick to a consistent format for dates (DD/YY OR DD/YYYY) and location abbreviations (IN or India) throughout the resume
  • Use single or 1.15-line spacing
  • Unless specified otherwise in the job listing, save your resume in PDF format to ensure that the contents of your resume stay intact
Hiration pro tip:
If you have a middle name, consider initializing it while writing it in the resume header.

Also Read: What is a two-page resume format and when should you use it?

Resume Format Examples


For your reference, given below are some snapshots of the different resume formats for different job profiles:

Reverse Chronological Resume Format for Teaching Jobs in India


Resume Format for Legal Jobs in India


Resume Format for Accountant in India


Resume Format for Accounts Payable in India


Resume Format for Software Engineer in India


Also Read: Which are the best free resume templates that you can use for any job profile in 2023?

Key Points from the Blog


  • A resume format refers to the structural layout that determines the order of the information, including sections, and visual elements that make up a professional, job-winning resume.
  • The 3 commonly used resume formats in India are - reverse chronological, functional, and combination resume formats.
  • The must-have sections in a resume format in India include a header, contact information, skills, summary or objective, professional or internship experience, and education section.
  • To ensure that your resume format is visually appealing, leave ample white space between sections, use bullet points instead of paragraphs, and create well-segregated and titled sections to showcase your career trajectory.

Want to create a brilliant resume with a perfectly tailored format? Use Hiration’s ChatGPT powered resume builder with 24x7 chat support. You can also reach us at support@hiration.com to resolve any queries.