Build an Indian Resume for the Competitive Indian Job Market
Create a professional Indian resume with formatting suited to Indian employers, campus placements, and IT/tech hiring conventions.
India resume conventions
| Document type | Resume (1-2 pages standard) |
| Photo | Common but becoming less standard in IT/tech |
| Date of birth | Often included (but declining for IT roles) |
| Date format | Month Year (Jan 2024) |
| Paper size | A4 (210 x 297 mm) |
| Language | English (Indian English conventions) |
| Declaration | Traditional but becoming outdated |
What you need to know
Indian resume conventions are evolving. Traditional Indian resumes included a photo, date of birth, father's name, and a signed declaration — but modern IT and startup roles now follow Western norms without personal details. For campus placements at IITs, NITs, and tier-1 colleges, a one-page resume is standard. For experienced professionals, 1-2 pages. Indian IT companies (TCS, Infosys, Wipro) and MNCs use ATS, so clean formatting matters. Include your notice period and current CTC/expected CTC only if specifically requested.
Do
- Keep it to 1-2 pages for most roles
- Use A4 paper size
- Include LinkedIn profile
- Quantify achievements with numbers
- Mention notice period if job-switching
- For campus placements: 1 page, list CGPA and projects
Don't
- Include father's name (outdated)
- Include a signed declaration (outdated for IT roles)
- List CTC/salary unless explicitly requested
- Include passport number on resume
- Use flowery or overly formal language
- List every certification — focus on relevant ones
Frequently asked questions
For modern IT, tech, and MNC roles, no. For traditional industries, government jobs, or if the application specifically requests it, a passport-sized photo is acceptable.
Only if the job posting or recruiter specifically asks for it. Do not volunteer current or expected CTC on the resume itself — discuss it during the offer stage.
For IIT/NIT/tier-1 campus placements: strictly one page, include CGPA (not percentage), projects, internships, technical skills, and competitive programming achievements.