A fresher CV in Pakistan is usually one page, in English, in one column with plain headings, with Education first, then your final-year project, internships and skills. A photo is common but usually optional, date of birth is often included but optional for most private-sector roles, and you should leave your CNIC number off. Replace the generic "Objective" with a two-sentence profile, and write your CGPA with its scale, for example "CGPA 3.31/4.00".
It is easy to build a first CV by copying a friend's: the same long objective, the same table of Matric and Intermediate marks, the same list of hobbies. HR teams reading applications on Rozee.pk, LinkedIn and company portals notice. This guide covers what Pakistani employers generally expect from a fresher CV, which personal details you can leave out, and how to present your degree, CGPA, project and internship.
Every name, employer, university and figure below is made up, so use your own details. Practice varies by employer: "customary" here means common, not required. If an advert asks for something specific, follow the advert.
Want to build the worked example below as your own? Build this CV in the builder with the Pakistan setup. It opens with a matching template and the optional details Pakistani employers often ask for (date of birth, CNIC, father's name), which print only if you fill them in.
What Pakistani employers expect on a fresher CV
There is no official standard, but private-sector hiring for fresh graduates follows a steady pattern:
- One page. A second page for a fresher usually means padding.
- English, one column, plain headings. Education, Experience, Skills. Clear headings help screening software find your sections (see what an ATS is).
- Education first, most recent first. Your degree is your strongest credential.
- Easy to read on a phone. Assume it will be opened from WhatsApp or email on a small screen.
Rozee.pk, LinkedIn and company career pages ask you to fill in a profile or form and attach a CV. Recruiters read both, so keep them consistent: same degree, dates and job titles.
Personal details: what is customary and what you can leave out
Older "bio-data" CVs carried a long block of personal information. Many private employers no longer need most of it, though some still expect it.
- Photo. Common and usually optional. Add one if the advert asks, using a recent passport-style image with a plain background and smart clothes. No filters, selfies or cropped group pictures: a poor photo does more harm than none.
- Date of birth. Often included and sometimes needed, because government and some public-sector adverts set age limits. For most private-sector roles it is optional.
- CNIC number. Leave it off. Application forms and joining paperwork ask for it, and you can give it there. CVs get uploaded and shared in WhatsApp and Facebook groups, and an ID number printed on one can be misused.
- Father's name, marital status, religion. Father's name is customary on bio-data CVs and many forms, so give it when a form asks. The others say nothing about your ability to do the job; leave them off unless a form requires them.
Use the same name as on your degree and CNIC, because employers verify credentials. In ApplyRaft's builder, photo and date of birth are optional extras under "Add more details". Choose Pakistan under "CV for" on step 2 and you also get optional CNIC and father's name fields, which print only if you fill them in; leave the CNIC blank unless an advert asks for it.
Replace the objective with a short profile
The classic fresher CV opens with a three-line "Objective" that could belong to anyone. Write two sentences instead: what you studied, what you have done, and the role you want.
Before: "Objective: To work in a dynamic and challenging organisation where I can utilise my skills and abilities and grow along with the organisation."
After: "BBA (Hons) Marketing graduate from Example University, Lahore (CGPA 3.31/4.00) with a six-week sales internship and a final-year research project on mobile-wallet use. Confident with Excel and PowerPoint. Looking for a management trainee or marketing executive role."
Rewrite the profile for each type of job you apply for.
Presenting your degree, CGPA and school results
- Degree. Write it in full ("BS Computer Science", "BBA (Hons)") with the university, city and years. If you have not graduated, write "expected 2026".
- CGPA. Most universities report it out of 4.00, so always write the scale: "CGPA 3.31/4.00". Some adverts and management-trainee schemes state a minimum CGPA; if you meet it, show it. If yours is modest and the advert does not ask, let your project and skills lead, but expect forms to ask. Never round it up: transcripts can be checked. If your degree reports a percentage, write that.
- Matric and Intermediate (or O and A Levels). One short line each, such as "Intermediate (Commerce), BISE Lahore, 2022: 84%". Pakistani forms often want the full academic record.
Turning projects, internships and society roles into bullets
Employers hiring freshers know you have not held a job. They look for proof that you can finish things and work with others. For each entry, say what you did and what came of it. Use numbers only when they are true.
Final-year project
Before: "Final Year Project: market study on mobile wallets."
After: "Surveyed 120 shopkeepers in Lahore on mobile-wallet use, analysed the answers in Excel and presented the findings to a three-member evaluation panel."
For a software project, name your part and the tools: "Built the database and reporting module (PHP, MySQL) of a team-of-four attendance system."
Internship
Before: "Internship at a food company. Worked in the sales department and learned a lot."
After: "Sales intern (six weeks), Sample Foods, Lahore: updated daily order sheets for 25 retail accounts, prepared a weekly sales report in Excel and joined two field visits with the area sales manager."
Society role
Before: "Member, Business Society."
After: "Marketing lead, Business Society: ran social media for a two-day career fair with 15 company stalls and coordinated six volunteers."
Freelance work on Upwork or Fiverr counts too. Describe real client work only.
Certifications, languages and references
Certifications. Programmes such as Saylani Mass IT Training, PIAIC and DigiSkills.pk are well known; list them if you finished. A name alone proves little, so add the course, year and what you built or practised. Mark unfinished courses "in progress".
Languages. "Urdu (native), English (fluent)" is enough. Skip percentages. Add an IELTS score if you have one.
References. "References available on request" is the usual closing line and does no harm. Name referees only if asked, and get their permission first.
A worked example: Ayesha Khan (illustrative)
This example is made up. It has no photo or date of birth; add them only if the employer expects them.
Ayesha Khan
Lahore, Pakistan · +92 300 1234567 · ayesha.khan@example.com · linkedin.com/in/ayesha-khan-exampleProfile
BBA (Hons) Marketing graduate (CGPA 3.31/4.00) with a sales internship and a year leading marketing for a university society. Comfortable analysing survey data in Excel. Seeking a management trainee or marketing executive role.Education
BBA (Hons), Marketing, Example University, Lahore, 2022 to 2026. CGPA 3.31/4.00.
Final-year project: mobile-wallet use among 120 shopkeepers.
Intermediate (Commerce), BISE Lahore, 2022: 84%
Matric, BISE Lahore, 2020: 88%Experience
Sales Intern, Sample Foods (Pvt.) Ltd, Lahore, Jun to Jul 2025
• Updated daily order sheets for 25 retail accounts
• Prepared a weekly sales report in Excel and joined two field visits
Marketing Lead, Business Society, Example University, 2024 to 2025
• Ran social media for a two-day career fair with 15 company stalls
• Coordinated six volunteersSkills and certification
Excel (pivot tables, charts) · PowerPoint · Survey design
Digital Marketing, DigiSkills.pk, 2025Languages
Urdu (native) · English (fluent)
Common mistakes on fresher CVs
- Long paragraphs. Keep bullets to one or two lines.
- Decorative templates. Borders, clip art and text over pictures look busy and can confuse software.
- Comic Sans and script fonts. Use one clean font.
- Fake skill bars. "English 90%" means nothing. Write "Excel (pivot tables, charts)" instead.
- A three-page CV. Cut school detail and repeated duties.
More fixes are in our guide to the top 10 CV mistakes.
File name, PDF or Word, and uploading
Name the file with your own name: Ayesha-Khan-CV.pdf. Files called "CV final 2" are easy to lose. Choose PDF by default, because it looks the same on every device. Send Word (.docx) when the advert asks or a recruiter wants to edit it. Check the portal's accepted formats and size limit, and never upload a scan of a printed page.
Choosing a template
First Draft is a quiet, traditional serif design with no photo, suited to law, accountancy and civil-service style applications. Level Ground is a one-column layout with grey heading bands and an optional photo. Browse the rest in the template gallery.
Applying abroad from Pakistan
Make a separate version for each market. Employers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar commonly expect a photo and often a line on visa status, for example "Visa status: visit visa, valid to 30 November 2026". Write it exactly as it is. For the UK and US, drop the photo, date of birth and marital status (see CV vs resume and the UK graduate CV example). Add your country code (+92) to your phone number.
Before you send it
Read it aloud, check every date and ask someone to proofread. Tailor the profile and first two bullets to each job; our guide to writing a professional CV shows how. Then start building your CV free or open the builder. Building is open to everyone, and you need a free account to download the PDF or Word file. The FAQ has more.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put a photo on my CV in Pakistan?
It is common but usually optional. Add one if the advert asks, or for Gulf jobs, where it is commonly expected. Otherwise a CV without one is acceptable. Keep it recent, passport-style and professional.
Do I need to write my age, CNIC or marital status on a CV?
Not for most private-sector jobs. Date of birth matters where an advert sets an age limit. Keep your CNIC number off the CV and give it on the official form. Leave out marital status unless a form requires it.
Should I send my CV as a PDF or a Word file?
Send PDF unless the advert or portal asks for Word, because it looks identical on every device.