simple attractive resume format

• Simple Resume Templates

Use a foolproof, simple resume template that focuses on your skills and strengths. To begin, select a resume design, type over the text and replace it with your own.

A modernized Harvard template featuring a sleek design favored by recruiters and an optimized structure for enhanced ATS performance.

Double Column

A popular two-column resume template, free of charge, ideal for various roles, such as programming and marketing.

Single Column Refined

A traditional, simple resume template perfect for someone who's just starting out their professional career.

Single Column

The well-known single-column template with a traditional, yet time-tested layout. Perfect for conservative industries.

A resume template that neatly shows your experience and education in a timeline fashion. Great for experienced people with lots of experience.

The classic resume that everyone loves. Simple, yet effective layout that's perfect if your resume will go through an ATS.

In This Guide:

What is a simple resume, when to use a simple/basic resume, what sections to include in a simple/basic resume, tips for building a simple/basic resume, basic resume formatting tips, teacher simple resume, new grad simple resume, customer service representative simple resume, accountant simple resume, content writer simple resume, administrative assistant simple resume, legal assistant simple resume, pharmaceutical sales simple resume.

If you're looking for a timeless, evergreen template, the simple or basic resume is your top choice. Candidates can use this clean, minimalist format to curate what matters most to the job - their relevant experience.

One of the biggest benefits of using the basic template is that your resume becomes easy to scan.

What is more, simple resume formats are an ideal choice for candidates, regardless of their experience level.

This organized layout offers industry professionals an efficient and streamlined approach to:

• present their experience, especially for industries where your professional track record speaks for itself;
• highlight basic skills that are important for new to the workforce candidates (e.g. students, interns, etc.).

The simple resume template is a clear and concise way to format your resume .

The basic design aims to draw attention to your professional qualities and achievements. Thus presenting them in a systematic and easy-to-read fashion.

This minimalistic and orderly approach should help you stand out in a crowd of professionals who have invested in fancy design, instead of relevant content (in the form of their experience).

What characterizes the simple resume is the lack of clutter in intricate formatting.

This specific resume design excludes over-the-top elements; bright and energetic colors; and fancy, unreadable fonts.

By keeping the design simple, you'd cut to the chase to provide recruiters with a simple, yet very effective overview of your experience.

Speaking of your professional expertise, the basic resume template works perfectly well with all three best-practice formats.

Select the one that fits your experience best:

• reverse chronological - arranging your experience in a chronological manner, starting with your latest role;
• functional/ skill-based - shifting the focus from your experience to your strengths and unique skill set;
• hybrid - balancing both skills and expertise.

Usually, candidates opt to present their professional experience via a double-column, simple resume that includes their:

Dedicate some resume space to highlight the specifics of your experience - awards, strengths, and accomplishments.

This would also help you to make a more personable impression on the recruiters.

Use the simple resume template to:

• save time - creating and updating your resume within the blink of an eye;
• highlight your experience - your content and essential information take center stage;
• create an easy-to-read experience - thus following a structured, clean logic and presentation;
• leave a more professional impression.

Use the basic resume formatting to organize qualifications with a focus on your career.

The minimalist, simple resume presentation hints at a variety of soft skills you possess, e.g. organization and presentation.

The basic design offers endless opportunities for professionals across different industries and niches.

No matter the job you're applying for, your experience level, or the competition for the role - a simple resume could allow you to stand out .

What is more, this basic template is perfect for both:

• recruiters - as the format is easy to scan over;
• ATS (or Applicant Tracking System) - the software, used to assess candidate profiles, could easily match different sections of your resume to job criteria.

So, when should you use this easy resume template?

Use the simple resume format when your experience is self-explanatory and relevant to the role

You have all the relevant skills that just don't need a fancy presentation.

With basic resume formatting, you'd show recruiters that you have what it takes for the job.

Candidates within these two fields benefit the most from a simple resume template:

• labor-focused - e.g. construction; transportation and logistics; maintenance and repair; etc.
• traditional or technical roles - e.g. automotive and aviation; education; law; medicine; etc.

Use the simple resume format to show how your experience aligns with basic job requirements

Just about to kick off your career , you’re a student, intern, or entry-level professional.

With your application, you'd like to show that you cover the core requirements of the role.

Utilize the simple resume format to spotlight your professional work ethic and your unique skill set.

The basic resume template allows you more time to get creative and perfect your resume content.

Make sure your resume includes at least six of the below sections to curate the specifics of your experience.

Ensure that your simple resume header is clear, professional, and includes up-to-date information, like your:

Your headline is the perfect opportunity to communicate your current role and expertise.

E.g. "AI developer perfecting the code of ChatGPT"

Alternatively, you could keep your headline simple and include the exact job position you're applying for.

Career summary or objective

Let's build up your resume further with a minimalistic approach to your summary or objective statement .

Write a resume summary when applying for more traditional roles where experience and skills are key.

Use the resume summary as an overview of your key qualifications, qualities, and achievements - and how they'd match the job.

Meanwhile, the objective statement is one of the best choices out there for entry-level professionals.

Candidates can align their best skills to the job while offering a more long-term perspective of their career goals.

Whichever option you choose, make sure to keep it concise (up to three sentences) and to use active language .

Professional experience

​​When writing your resume experience section , always make sure that it's easy to read (and is clear for recruiters).

You can do so by aligning your work history to the job advert and selecting only the most relevant items.

The resume experience is basically your proof - it's what backs up your credentials, career goals, and success.

Using the basic resume template, list all relevant roles, followed by:

• company name
• location (city/ state or city/ country)
• start-end dates
• achievements.

Opt to organize your experience items based on how applicable it is to the job.

Also, instead of creating a never-ending list of responsibilities, curate items that detail your success backed up by hard / soft skills and outcomes.

Bullet points that correspond the most with the advert should be listed closer to the top.

One of the best ways to ensure that all relevant job keywords are part of your resume is via the skills section to showcase:

The education section is especially important for entry-level candidates, who may not have as much experience that ties them to the industry.

We suggest you use it as a coherent bridge: between the role you're applying for and your professional capacities.

List the most recent or advanced degree first, working in reverse chronological order, and include:

• name of the institution
• degree obtained (pursuing)
• location (city/ state)
• graduation dates.

A simple rule of thumb: always consider the relevancy of your education to the role.

Take for example the following scenario: you are applying for a job in operation management and logistics.

But, after high school, you decided it was not the best time to continue your education.

You should definitely leave your high school diploma out of your resume.

Instead, focus on all certificates you happen to have that pertain to the job.

Achievements / Awards

A clear basic resume template also curates your career highlights with either your achievements (strengths) or awards .

These two (or three) specific sections bring recruiters’ attention to:

• achievements/ strengths - the array of skills (you have grown over time) that make you a strong candidate;
• awards - unique accomplishments within your industry or field that help you stand out.

The first tip to achieving a timeless, classic feel of your simple resume is this - be consistent all through.

The basic template shifts the focus from design to the actual resume content. So, be mindful of even the smallest design elements you decide to include.

Furthermore, when building your next simple resume, consider these four aspects.

Simple Resume Design

The design needs to be clean and straightforward.

All sections need to be efficiently organized while avoiding cluttered layouts , many decorative elements (e.g. icons ), and excessive use of graphs.

Within your basic resume, include the five standard sections that allow hiring managers to determine whether you qualify for the job. Those include:

• Summary (or Objective)

Basic Resume Fonts

The end goal of your resume is for you to land the job - that's why you should prioritize legibility over creativity.

The simple template allows you to do just that.

Use classic, easy-to-read fonts (e.g. Bitter and Oswald), as they are more widely accepted for professional presentations.

The font size of your basic resume content should be between 10 - 12 points. You should use a bit larger font size for your name (14 - 16 pt); resume section headings, like Experience and Education, and headline (12 - 14 pt); and subheadings like job titles, company names, etc. (11 - 12 pt).

If you decide to spice up your simple resume with text in bold, italics, or underlined - do so to emphasize vital information.

Make sure that no matter the font you select, it does not take away the focus from your expertise.

Simple Resume Colors

Including colors on your resume that are too bright and contrasting may distract the recruiters. Thus, making your profile seem cluttered and unprofessional.

Simple resume templates avoid any over-the-top color combinations by sticking to a limited palette.

Most often, basic resume colors are neutral with:

• one primary color - this is usually in the grayscale, and
• one accent color - highlighting key information, like achievements.

If you decide to use different colors throughout your resume, do so sparingly and ensure that there is consistency all through your design.

Basic Resume Layout

The simple resume layout should be clean, easy to read, and polished.

How you order different resume sections is key to achieving a minimalistic and professional resume.

First off - stay clear of complex layouts.

As, when your resume is scanned by the ATS , a fancy layout could deceive the software. Hence, misaligning job requirements with, let's say, your education or hobbies section.

Next, select between a single- or double-column format to effectively utilize resume space. The single column can be an excellent choice if you happen to have less professional experience.

Your resume shouldn't be longer than two pages . In most cases, the one-page format is entirely sufficient. But, if you happen to have more than a decade of relevant experience , curate it via the two-page format.

Now that we've laid out the basics of the simple resume template design, let's dive deeper into the rabbit hole with four more key tips.

Find out more about the importance of white space, active language, simple fonts, and the right colors.

Use white space

Keep your resume easy to scan and orderly by avoiding large blocks of text.

By incorporating plenty of white space, you would:

• create a clean and uncluttered layout;
• draw attention to separate resume sections;
• structure the resume with clear boundaries;
• emphasize essential information.

The white space of your simple resume should be used to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, timeless, and professional design.

Focus on short and quantifiable sentences for your experience sentence

Have you heard of the KISS principle: keep it short and simple?

Apply KISS when listing the experience bullets within your resume.

Curate short sentences that include:

• action verbs - to better pace your resume;
• hard skills - competency using particular software;
• soft skills - to display personal skills;
• results of your efforts.

Whenever possible, use numbers to show the more tangible outcomes of your success.

Choose simple fonts

Clean and timeless fonts sustain your simple resume's readability and order.

Generally, hiring managers have high regard for these professional fonts:

• Times New Roman

A simple font could help you accent what makes your experience unique.

Use the right colors

An effective, simple resume format presents your qualifications using subtle and consistent colors .

Some popular color combinations for your basic resume template include a white background with

• navy blue, dark red velvet, or dark green text - to create a sense of sophistication;
• text in earth tones - adding a sustainable twist to your resume;
• black text combined with a pop of color - use a lively, energetic color (e.g. orange or pink) to highlight key elements;
• text in the monochromatic color scheme - different shades of the same color (e.g. red) to emphasize important resume sections.

When in doubt if colors would shift the focus away from your experience, stick with the grayscale palette.

The classic, timeless black text on a white background provides a clean and professional look.

Meanwhile, having gray text on a white background is a subtle and elegant design.

This simple, elegant one-column design provides hiring managers with the right amount of information to better understand the teacher's experience.

The top one-third of the resume includes all mandatory information:

• all relevant, professional contact details in the headline ;
• industry keywords and an array of soft skills listed in the summary .

The focus is then shifted to the teacher's experience . Each role offers an overview of the key skills and results achieved, e.g.:

• interdisciplinary collaboration - higher student engagement;
• data-driven interventions - improved student proficiency;
• personalized approach - increased performance.

If recruiters are looking for the unique value this professional offers, they need to look no further than strengths.

This resume section clearly pinpoints the areas in which the individual excels.

Other relevant sections are used to showcase the teacher's academic background ( education and language skills ).

Finally, hiring managers can discover even more relevant skills, listed at the bottom of the resume. They are included as keywords to ensure that all job requirements are covered.

This new grad resume shows what you could do if you don't have much professional experience .

The basic resume uses bright colors to accent key information (headline, roles) and design elements (icons).

After the resume musts (headline and summary), the candidate curates the following information to fill in the lack of experience:

• strengths - what is the unique value of working with this newly graduate person;
• internship - to highlight relevant industry know-how;
• education and languages - to showcase how the candidate has grown professionally in the last few years.

The skills section is built on technical ones that are relevant to the industry.

Achievements are added for a more personalized element to the application.

A single-column, grayscale colors, not a single graphic in sight. The basic candidate resume's main superstar is the professional narrative or experience.

Within the example, we find industry buzzwords within the headline, followed by the candidate's life philosophy. This approach is to help the customer service representative show more personality.

The resume summary offers a quick snapshot of experience, achievements, and skills.

If you want to further highlight your skill set, the strengths section could be subsequent. The candidate uses it to spotlight industry skills (e.g. communication, problem-solving, and organization).

Note how each experience bullet is formatted with active language to demonstrate success.

Languages and soft skills play a vital role in the customer service world. They should thus have a prominent role in your simple resume.

Achievements (e.g. promotions, awards, and higher education degrees) feature more noteworthy information to support the candidate's application.

This accountant resume is another excellent example of the basic resume template design. The candidate has listed all information with colors in the grayscale, while section names stand out in blue.

The top one-third of the resume may be short but offers insights on candidate certifications , skills, niche areas of expertise, and success.

The quote is a bit more outside-the-box approach, giving a bit more character to the candidate's resume.

This simple resume is split into two columns , curating specific information to answer why employers should hire this candidate.

Within the left-hand column, they'd find listed:

• experience - short bullets that demonstrate achievements;
• education - all relevant higher education degrees;
• language proficiencies - to show a breadth of communication skills;
• awards - as proof of work success.

The simple resume right-hand column lists:

• strengths - focusing on key soft skills that boost the candidate's performance;
• skills - both hard and soft skills to match the job requirements;
• achievements - tangible results, proven with numbers.

Who says you have to go all out with your resume design if you're applying for a role within a creative field?

The design of this basic content writer resume features:

• headline, icons , companies, and institutions highlighted in electric blue;
• key resume sections organized in a double-column format;
• plenty of white space to ensure the resume's readability .

Notice how the strengths, skills, and achievements sections are curated. In the left-hand column, you'll discover a snapshot of the candidate profile with tangible outcomes and industry keywords.

Moving on to the experience bullets - the resume uses a "skill + results" formula to create a further sense of credibility. If the candidate lists “wrote 300 articles” - this won't provide context to anyone assessing the resume.

Finally, the two awards listed in the resume celebrate the candidate's success within the industry.

The basic resume colors are in a monochromatic scheme with:

• dark purple highlighting key information (name, skills, past roles);
• lighter purple is used for secondary elements (headline, quote, company names, institutions, icons).

After assessing the initial information, at the top of the resume, recruiters' attention is immediately drawn to the strengths and experience sections.

Both are formatted to feature skills and perceptible achievements - vital for organizational success and/or professional growth.

This double-column simple resume goes on to spotlight other relevant sections like

The candidate's achievements are once more backed up with tangible results.

The simple resume ultimately reveals the unique value of working with this candidate and her professional interests.

There's nothing better than a quick summary that gets to the point in two sentences. The simple resume allows recruiters to have a quick overview and understand if the candidate's profile aligns with the job requirements.

What is more, the legal assistant builds up her case by investing in different resume sections like:

• strengths - hinting at success within a particular skill;
• experience - proving niche, industry knowledge into how a legal firm works;
• skills - including other job requirements as listed in the advert;
• languages - showing an ability to communicate internationally.

The resume achievements section can be a nice feature of how you go above and beyond in your day-to-day work.

Finally, let's talk about the design. Its key elements include legibility, one-column formatting, and vital elements (skills and company names) in pink. This minimalistic approach helps the candidate stand out .

This simple pharmaceutical sales expert resume has a clean and orderly approach to presenting the candidate profile.

It kicks off with the headline, summary, and life philosophy - which align industry buzzwords with the candidate's mindset.

What is more, the double-column resume offers recruiters insights into the candidates':

• specific skill set - most prominent in the experience and strengths sections;
• academic background - listing relevant higher education degrees and languages;
• career highlights - achievements and awards spotlight the candidate's soft skills and professional bests.

The basic resume format achieves the perfect balance in the design, with ample white space to highlight key career moments.

The resume helps specific information stand out in an ocean blue color while sticking with the timeless black-and-white combination for the rest of the text.

Frequently asked questions about simple resume templates

How do i make a simple and attractive resume, how do i format a basic resume template, how to download a free simple resume template.

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Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)

Your resume is arguably the most valuable piece of paper for your career. But this document can be daunting for many. Maybe you’re not sure how to fit in all your information onto one page. Maybe you’re not sure about the right way to format and write your resume. Maybe you don’t even know what the heck a resume is!

Whatever your concern, we’ll break down everything you need to know about making the perfect resume, from scratch.

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

• Pick Your Format
• Start With Your Basic Information
• Add in Your Work Experience
• Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience
• Don’t Forget Your Education
• Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests
• Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)
• Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)
• Edit and Refine It

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

A resume is a summary of your career, whether yours is just getting started or has been going on for years. Coming in at around one page in length (two only under specific circumstances), it showcases the jobs you’ve held and currently hold, the responsibilities you’ve taken on, the skills you’ve developed, and the qualities you bring to the table as an employee. Together, those things make it super easy for any hiring manager to see your qualifications and fit for a role.

For all the work you may put into writing one, hiring managers actually spend very little time—mere seconds in many cases—looking at your resume. But despite this sad fact, it’s safe to say that creating a great resume (rather than hastily throwing one together) still matters.

“If you miss the mark, your resume may never be read. Even worse, you might be removed from the applicant pool by a computer before a human even knows you exist,” says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky , founder of Shatter & Shine. So you want to get it right because, as she explains, isn’t the goal to “spend less time looking for a job and more time in a role you love?”

You might be wondering if you can lean on your LinkedIn profile instead of writing a resume. The answer, sadly, is no. Most hiring managers still expect you to submit a resume, even if they also look at your LinkedIn. Even if you don’t need a resume for a job you’re applying for now, you’re going to need one at some point in your career—they’re not anywhere close to going out of style. So it’s best to always have one at the ready should an opportunity pop up.

And although LinkedIn has plenty of benefits, a resume has one clear advantage: While your LinkedIn is usually a broader picture of your career trajectory, your resume gives you the opportunity to tailor your career story to a specific role or company (more on that later).

Oh, and you’ve probably heard of something called a CV? It’s slightly different from a resume , and usually more common with academics and job seekers outside the U.S.

Hiring managers look for three things on your resume, “What did you do? Why did you do it? And what was the result?” says Muse career coach Martin McGovern , owner of Career Therapy. “If you can answer all three of these questions in...your resume bullet points, you’re going to be on the right track.”

Clear, easy-to-understand language is key. “The truth is that most resumes make no sense. They are stuffed with jargon, they are too technical, and they are filled with redundancies. Try to read a resume that isn’t yours and you will quickly realize that it feels like an alien wrote it,” McGovern adds. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who has no idea how your role works—how can you make your resume accessible to them?

The hiring manager also cares about more than just you and you alone—they care about you in relation to them. “Hiring managers want to see if a candidate matches the requirements” of the role they’re hiring for, Yurovsky explains. “Your resume should paint this picture so the hiring manager not only knows what day-to-day responsibilities you can handle, but why you, above other[s], bring value to their organization.”

How Do You Write a Resume?

Whether you’re someone who’s never written a resume in your life, or you need a nice, thorough refresher on the process of creating one, follow these steps to go from a blank page to a complete—and dare I say beautiful—document.

Related: This Free Worksheet Makes It Easy to Create (or Update) Your Resume

1. Pick Your Format

Before you start typing one single thing, you have to decide what you want the overall resume to look like.

Resume builders can be helpful for this step—they’ll take all your basic information and organize it for you, eliminating some of the legwork. You can also use a pre-made outline, such as one of these free Google Docs templates .

But it’s often safest to start with a clean slate all on your own and eventually upgrade to a more advanced layout. (If you'd still like a place to write all the relevant information before you get started, check out our resume outline .) This allows you to course correct, edit and re-edit, and choose a resume format that best fits your particular situation (after all, not everyone has a career trajectory that’s easy to compartmentalize).

In general, you’re most likely to cover and/or include sections on the following:

• Your work experience
• Your non-work experience, including professional organizations, community involvement, or side projects
• Your education and certifications
• Your skills (specifically hard skills) and interests

So how do you format and organize all of that information?

By far the most common (and safest, if you’re not sure which route to take) option is reverse chronological order . This means you organize your experiences from most recent to least recent. So your work experiences would go above your education, and your current role would go above previous roles you’ve held. This of course has its exceptions—maybe you went back to grad school between jobs, or your most recent role is irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. So the whole page may not be exactly in reverse chronological order depending on your situation. It’s just a guideline.

There’s also something called a functional or skills-based resume . This is used pretty rarely, mainly with career changers and those with limited or complicated work histories. It gets its name because it’s primarily about listing your skills rather than experiences, and showcases them above your work history and education.

You can also opt for a combination resume , which is a mix between a reverse chronological resume and skills-based resume. It highlights your skills at the top, but allows just as much room below to cover your job and school experience.

Use caution when choosing these two formats: “Combo and skills-based [resumes] can be hard to follow, because [they force] the reader to hunt for connections between your skills and experience, and [don’t] provide the full context of your work,” says Muse Career Coach Angela Smith , founder of Loft Consulting. “I’ve also heard a lot of recruiters say that they automatically discount skill-based resumes because they feel the candidate is trying to hide something. I don’t necessarily believe that, but I think it’s important for job-seekers to know that perception is out there.”

2. Start With Your Basic Information

Your contact information should always go at the top of your resume. In this header you’ll want to include anything that could be helpful for a recruiter to get in touch with you. Usually, this means adding in:

• Your full name (preferably the name you use across the web)
• Your phone number
• Your personal email address

You might also choose to include other basic information, such as your LinkedIn or personal website URL, your GitHub (for technical roles), your social media profiles (if relevant to the job), or your address. If you’re looking to move for a job, you may choose to leave out your address or write “open to relocating” to better your chances of getting an interview.

The key is to make this part as clear as possible. If a hiring manager can’t reach you, there’s no point in perfecting the rest of your resume.

3. Add in Your Work Experience

This section will most likely be the bulk of your resume. Even if you’re changing careers, employers still want to see where you’ve worked, what you’ve done, and the impact of that work to get a sense of your background and expertise.

Your “Work Experience” might be one entire category, or you might choose to break it up into “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience” to highlight the jobs that are most important for hiring managers to focus on. Either way, you’ll almost always want to have your most recent experience at the top and your older experience down below.

Within your work experience, you’ll want to include each official job title, the company (and possibly its location), and the years you worked there. Below that, you’ll add in two to four bullet points explaining what you did in that job, the skills you built and exercised, the tools you used, and the results of what you did. If you accomplished a lot during your time there, focus on the responsibilities that made the most impact or you’re the most proud of, as well as the ones that best align you with the job you’re applying for (more on that in the following sections). It’s key here to list, if relevant, quantitative as well as qualitative accomplishments.

For example, you might write:

Associate Accountant, Finances and Co., Ann Arbor, MI September 2017 – Present

• Manage billing and invoicing for more than 50 clients, ensuring the deadlines and needs of our enterprise partners, including Big Company and Super Star Org, are met
• Collaborate closely with sales, account management, and project management teams on project setup, maintenance, and invoice management
• Assist in the streamlining of invoicing guidelines and procedures through documentation and the implementation of new software, resulting in an average two-week decrease in total time spent per client

Your resume bullets should be in past tense if you’re referring to past jobs and present tense if you’re talking about your current roles. In addition, your bullets should always start with a strong action verb that best describes what you did. And if you have examples of your work, consider hyperlinking them here as well.

If you have a ton of experience and this category is starting to run long (read: over one page), consider kicking out your oldest jobs unless they’re super relevant to the job you’re applying for, or extra impressive for your field.

Not sure where to start? “It’s helpful to do a brain dump and create a document that has everything and anything you consider as experience or an achievement,” says Yurovsky. From there, she explains, you can start to whittle down what is and isn’t important. And you can refer to this document later if you ever decide to update your resume for a specific role.

Need more specific advice on listing your work experience on your resume? Check out these additional resources:

• When you’ve held multiple jobs at the same company: 2 Jobs, 1 Company: How to Show Multiple Positions on Your Resume
• When you’re not sure what your accomplishments are or how to explain them: Resume Revamp: How to Turn Your Duties Into Accomplishments
• When you want to spruce up a boring or insignificant job: How to Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting on Your Resume
• When you’re considering fudging a job title: The Answer to “Can I Change My Job Title on My Resume to Make It More Accurate?”
• When you’ve had a bunch of short-term gigs: How to List Temporary Jobs on Your Resume

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

Anything you’ve done that’s not work experience—your side gig, volunteer work, special projects—can be hosted under clearly-labeled sections (“Volunteer Experience” or “Activities,” for example). Depending on how robust your work experience is, these things may be worth including, particularly if they’ve helped you level up your skill set or better align you with your dream job. Plus, they make you look that much more well-rounded, passionate, and hardworking.

If you’re a recent grad, you might also build out a section for on-campus activities, such as clubs, organizations, or leadership experience. This can be a great supplement if you’re lacking in the jobs department. You can frame these just as you would professional jobs—including your title, the organization’s name, and bullets describing what your role was and what you accomplished.

Read More: This Is Exactly How to List Volunteer Work on Your Resume

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

If you’re still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree. Brand-new grads might also write in their GPA, honors and awards, study abroad, thesis, or other notable achievements. But keep this section super simple, as you don’t want it to take up too much space over your work experience.

It’s possible you have unique education experience, such as taking an online course or certification. If you did this specifically as a way to boost yourself within your industry, definitely include it. Again, list everything more or less reverse chronologically—so a grad school degree would go above an undergrad degree, and a more recent relevant online course would go above that.

Learn more about the ins and outs of listing your education on your resume:

• How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume
• How to List Online Courses on Your Resume the Right Way (Because Yes, There Is a Wrong Way)

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

The skills section of a resume gets a bad rap, but it’s just as important as the rest of the stuff you include. It’s a quick list a recruiter can scan to see if your skill set aligns with what they’re hiring for. And it’s super ATS-friendly (ATS stands for “applicant tracking system,” the robot that in some cases reads your resume before a human does) because it allows you to add in keywords the machine is scanning for.

Usually this section goes at the bottom of your resume, but in special cases—such as a skills-based resume or when someone’s switching fields—you may place it further up.

What exactly do you throw in here? You’ll want to list any hard skills and applications you’re familiar with (Photoshop, SEO, JavaScript, to name a few examples), and, if relevant, your level of expertise. Avoid including soft skills here, like time management or public speaking—save those for your bullet points instead.

Be strategic when filling in your skills. Don’t list things you actually couldn’t do at a high competence level (I’m looking at those of you who say you’re “great” at Excel), and maybe nix skills that are completely irrelevant to the job you want. For example, you may not even need to include Excel if you’re applying for say, a design position, unless it’s listed as a job requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking, I’m a really good volleyball player, but that’s not a “skill,” right? No, it’s not, but it is a hobby. Adding in a hobby section at the bottom of your resume is underrated, and frequently a smart choice. It can be a great conversation starter with a hiring manager, and it can show that you’re a good culture fit—or a culture add—for the company. Also, it’s just a nice way to add in some of your personality. So tack on a bullet point listing out some of your interests, such as hiking, rowing, or crafting (no more than five to seven work-appropriate verbs), and you’re all set here.

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

You may have heard of a resume summary statement . They’re not super common, but they can be useful to include near the top of your resume if you’re looking to add clarity or context to your resume. If you’re a career changer, you might find a summary statement helpful in explaining your leap and tying your experience to your new path. Or if you’re a more experienced professional, you can use a summary statement to highlight a theme that brings your career trajectory together.

Overall, you probably won’t need a summary statement if your career is pretty linear and your bullet points do a great job of emphasizing what you have to offer in terms of skills and experience. But if you think it makes sense to include one, “Take the time to think about what the person reading your summary wants to know before you write it,” says McGovern. “Good summaries explain why you do what you do and how it can help. For instance: Merging a background in ABC, I help companies improve XYZ through 123. Summaries shouldn’t be any more complicated than that.”

So, taking McGovern’s example, you might say:

Merging a background in social media marketing and PR with seven years in the consumer tech space, I help companies improve their internal and external communication and brand awareness through data-driven, quality content and strategies that align with the modern trends of the space.

Yurovsky adds that “you don’t want your summary statement to be a dense paragraph with too much information. You want it to be easy to read, concise, and memorable. Almost like a tagline.”

Read More: 3 Resume Summary Examples That’ll Make Writing Your Own Easier

8. Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)

Once you have your resume written out—you’ve broken down your work experience, tagged on some activities and additional experiences, and listed out your skills—it’s important to go back to the job description (or multiple job descriptions, if you’re applying to several similar jobs) and make sure that what your resume says matches up with the kind of candidate the employers are looking for. In other words, tailor it .

Let’s explain further. You’ll want to begin by tackling the ATS . This means combing the job description to see if individual words and phrases line up. What skills are they asking for, and have you listed them (so long as you actually have them)? What words are they using to describe their ideal hire, and do you use similar language in your resume?

Next, take a bird’s-eye view. If you were the hiring manager for the role, where on your resume would your eyes be drawn to? And what would you be looking for? Whatever you think will be most important for the recruiter, make sure it’s near the top of your resume, or otherwise emphasized.

Finally, dig into the role and responsibilities of the job. Does your resume reflect similar experience? If not, is there a way you can spin it so that it’s clear you’re capable of doing the job (and doing it well)?

These articles can help you if the word “tailoring” makes you start to sweat:

• What It Really Means to “Tailor Your Resume”
• Your Guide to Making Unrelated Experience Look Relevant on Your Resume
• A Cool Trick: How to Spin 1 Resume Bullet 5 Different Ways

9. Edit and Refine It

Please, please don’t just write your resume and shoot it out without giving it a second glance. Hiring managers may not spend hours browsing it, but if there’s one thing that sticks out more than anything else it’s a glaring typo.

The best approach? Write a rough draft, then leave and come back to it later with fresh eyes to give it an edit.

Cover the basics: Is your contact information correct and updated? Are you using the right verb tenses? Does everything look consistent and accurate in terms of spelling and grammar?

Then do some cutting if your resume’s quite long. It’s no longer a hard-and-fast rule that all resumes must be only one page—but consider it a smart guideline for most applicants, especially if you've got less than 10 years work experience. The exception is if you’re very senior or very established in your career; in this scenario, a two-page resume isn’t completely out of the question. Everyone else, read this article for advice on how to cut your resume down.

Formatting-wise, it’s key to consider a couple things. First, what font are you using , and is it legible (for a human and a robot)? When in doubt, go with one of these simple, but sleek, options: Arial, Arial Narrow, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Helvetica.

Second, are you going to save it as a Word document or PDF ? Neither option is wrong, although a PDF helps ensure that your formatting is maintained, no matter what type of computer the hiring manager uses to open the document.

Third, is your resume formatted in a way that it’s skimmable? If it’s feeling crowded or overrun with words, read this: 12 Tiny Changes That Make Your Resume Easy for Recruiters to Skim .

Once you’ve given it a few good looks, it may be worth sending it to a friend or colleague (or even a career coach ) to get a second opinion. Don’t just have them edit it for spelling and grammar—they should dig into your bullets and offer feedback on whether or not your resume is showing you in the best possible light (it’s smart to also send them the job description for something to compare it to).

Here’s the thing: Your resume won’t ever look exactly like someone else’s, nor should it. How you choose to format it, organize your information, and talk about specific experiences depends not just on your career path, but on your field, the job you’re applying for, the company that job is at, and more.

So there isn’t a universal way to do a resume. But there are common themes. To give you some context as to how yours might turn out, here are three examples of different kinds of resumes.

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

As previously mentioned, a reverse chronological resume is preferred by many coaches and HR experts, mainly because it’s super readable. When everything’s in a clear order, it’s easy to skim and even easier to draw lines between experiences.

Who it’s good for: Just about everyone—from students applying to internships all the way up to senior-level executives (with an optional resume summary statement)

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

Rather than listing out your experience in reverse chronological order, a functional or skills-based resume has bullet points that reflect how each of your skills is demonstrated by the work you’ve done over the course of your career. At the bottom, you’ll include everything else, such as your education, job history, professional achievements, community involvement, and other technical skills. This is a good option if you have a somewhat all-over-the-place work history and want to tie everything together neatly.

Who it’s good for: Career changers whose work experiences may not appear to be relevant and people with an abundance of temporary jobs or gaps in their work histories.

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

This resume type is characterized by how it’s formatted visually. You may choose a reverse chronological order or skills-based style to organize your information, but also use graphics, colors, unique fonts, and even multimedia elements to help that information pop. Keep in mind that any creative resume is still likely subject to an ATS—and certain elements may be unreadable by a robot. So consider going this route only if you know a human will be reading your resume (and that said human might enjoy it).

Who it’s good for: People applying to creative roles (designers, editors, writers, marketers, video producers, for example), startups, or fun companies, or to jobs where a creative resume is encouraged, if not required.

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

Not a designer but want your resume to look just as pretty as this example? Check out these articles:

• 5 Sites to Create an Awesome Infographic Resume (Even if You’re the Least Creative Person Ever)
• How to Build a Resume Website That Will Impress Every Hiring Manager Who Sees It
• 5 Digital Tools That Will Make Your Resume Infinitely More Beautiful

Your resume is a living, breathing document. So while you won’t go through this whole process every time you apply for a job, you should be thinking about all these things as you go to update your resume for your next career step. You might decide later on to switch up the order, or remove or add things, or even get creative and try out a whole new format. If you’re not getting the calls back you expect, you may decide to scrap it and start over —and that’s totally OK.

Regardless of where this piece of paper goes and how it grows, when you give it the care and attention it deserves, you set yourself up for success. And you’ll make it that much more likely that you’ll land an interview and get the chance to prove to the hiring manager—over the phone or in person—what you’ve got to offer.

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Job-winning resume templates

Each resume template is designed to follow the exact rules you need to get hired faster. Use our resume templates and get free access to 18 more career tools!

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Why use our free resume templates.

Resume.io’s resume templates are expertly designed to help you land your next great position. Whether you’re in a hurry to submit your application or simply don’t know where to start, our resume templates provide a strong foundation to make your experience and qualifications shine. 

Here are some of the advantages of our professional resume templates:

• Easy to use: We’re all about great design with no hassle. That's why our templates are intuitive and easy to use, saving you precious time when it comes to creating a great resume.
• ATS-friendly Resume Templates : Hiring managers aren’t the only ones who will be evaluating your resume. That’s why we’ve created our templates with automated resume scanners in mind and made sure our templates are easy to read for both humans and robots alike.
• AI-powered sample sentences: Our templates are powered by our intuitive resume builder that makes it easy to craft a job-winning resume with features like an AI-powered summary generator and sample sentences for hundreds of job titles.
• Highly customizable: Every applicant and every job is different, so we’ve created templates that can be easily adapted to your needs. Change the color scheme, add a photo, or adjust the line spacing in just a few clicks.
• Adaptable for all jobs and industries: Our collection of professionally designed templates range from simple and minimalistic to modern and professional to ensure there’s a layout for every job and industry.
• Free & premium options: Our trial and tiered pricing plans mean there’s an option for everyone. Try for free or subscribe to Resume.io to download as many versions as you’d like.
• Download as Docx or PDF format: Different employers require different formats for your job application, which is why we’ve created the option to download many of our templates as either PDF or Word Docx files.

Choosing the right resume template

Our resume templates are divided into four categories to help you quickly find the template that’s best for you.

Professional resume templates

Our collection of professional resume templates are classic styles with tried-and-true fonts and formatting. These templates exude a sense of expertise and seriousness about the position for which you’re applying. You can’t go wrong with a professional template if you work in law, business, education , healthcare , finance, accounting , or real estate .

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Lawyer resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

Creative resume templates

When you’ve got to go bold, look no further than our creative resume templates. This collection features larger-than-life font sizes, eye-catching headers, and fun color palettes with patterned backgrounds. These templates are perfect for creative professionals like artists, designers, photographers, actors, and anyone in this field.

A graphic designer brings color and style to the products we see every day, but is your resume doing the same for you? Read our guide on how to create a top-notch graphic designer resume that will get you noticed.

Modern resume templates

When you’re in need of a fresh look that’s still professional, our modern resume templates are the perfect choice. These innovative designs use minimalist headers and clean dividing lines to add a spark that makes your resume stand out. Check out these templates if you work in IT, engineering , marketing , administration, HR , and sales .

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Marketing resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

Simple resume templates

If you’re in need of a resume that’s attractive and gets the job done, our simple resume templates are here to help. These formats are easy to read and offer just the right amount of color and design accents. If you work in hospitality , retail , transportation , or are a student or intern , our simple resume templates are the right choice for you.

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Hospitality and catering resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

What makes the best resume template?

The best resume templates contain the right sections and formatting choices to make your experience jump off the page. Here’s what to look for in your next resume template.

• An attractive header: The resume header is arguably the most important part of the template because this is where most of the layout design will come into play. Always choose a template with a header that emphasizes your name and offers enough space for your contact details and links to your LinkedIn or professional portfolio.
• Readability: A good resume template should be easy to read. While readability is determined by a combination of factors, including font and color, one of the key things to look for is a balance of white space to text. Your resume should neither feel empty nor overly crammed with information.
• The right amount of space for your experience: When choosing a resume template, it’s important to consider the amount of experience you have, and so the amount of space you’ll need on the page. For mid and senior level applicants, look for templates that offer plenty of space in the employment history section. Students should look for page designs that can easily be filled with only two or three entries.
• Professional font styles, sizes, and colors: Your font style should be easy to read and somewhere between 10-12 points in size. Also, make sure to choose a professional color scheme that stands out while still painting you as a serious candidate.
• Customizable: A great resume template can be customized to your needs. Resume.io’s templates are all housed inside of our intuitive builder tool, making it easy to create and download different versions in a few clicks.
• The right file format : Make sure to check the job description carefully and download your resume in the version the employer is looking for. When in doubt, PDF is generally the best option for emailing, printing, and uploading to online application portals.

Resume template FAQs (frequently asked questions)

Is resume.io builder free.

Resume.io’s resume builder offers a free option, a seven-day trial option, and tiered pricing plans. Read more about using Resume.io for free here .

What are employers looking for in a resume in 2024?

Employers are looking for resumes that quickly get to the point and show why a candidate has the exact qualifications to fill a role at their company. Accomplish this by customizing your resume for each job you apply to. Learn more about customizing your resume here .

How many jobs should you list on a resume?

The general rule of thumb is to list as much relevant experience as you’ve obtained in the past 10 years . If you are a student or recent grand, we recommend including at least three jobs. As you progress in your career, make sure to remove less relevant positions to make room for more impressive roles.

How many pages should my resume be?

We recommend keeping your resume to one page in virtually all situations. However, exceptions may apply for executive level candidates, those with particularly impressive careers, or candidates applying in countries outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Which of the following should not be on your resume?

What to include on your resume header often depends on the country where you intend to work. In the U.S. and Canada, you should not include personal information such as date of birth, age, marital status, or religion. A headshot is also unnecessary except in certain industries where the candidate’s appearance is part of the job.

Should you put your address on your resume?

We do not recommend adding a street address to your resume, as an email address and phone number are generally considered sufficient contact information. You may choose to add a state or city if you wish.

How many bullets should you have on a resume?

Each employment history entry should contain 4-5 bullet points. We recommend a minimum of three entries on each resume for a total of at least 12-15 bullet points.

Do employers like resume templates?

Employers want to see resumes that are easy-to-read and quickly convey the information they are looking for. While resume templates are a useful tool for creating a professional application, recruiters will not favor copy-paste resumes that have not been customized for the job description.

How do I write a resume summary?

A great resume summary will contain a combination of positive adjectives describing your character, your most impressive accomplishments, and any qualifications or experience required for the role.

How do I list skills on a resume?

The skills section of your resume is generally formatted as a bullet point list containing both technical and job-specific skills ( hard skills ) and personality traits or character qualities ( soft skills ). Make sure to refer to the job description before listing skills on your resume to determine what the employer prioritizes in the role.

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Free Resume Templates

Download in Word, Google Docs, PDF 

Today is a great day to level up your resume.  Free resume templates in every style, format, and design you can imagine. 

Discover 180+ Resume Templates

Professional Resume Templates

Professional resume templates for job seekers with ample work experience. Showcase your skills and qualifications. Browse our best free resume templates to give your resume the glow-up it deserves. 

• Sleek, functional layout 
• “Sells” you as a strong candidate
• Suitable for all job titles 

Modern Resume Templates

Modern resume templates for Microsoft Word provide stylish, crisp, fresh design elements that will help you grab a recruiter’s attention in just six seconds. The right resume template for candidates in the tech and startup industry. 

• Chronological resume templates
• Made for readability and skimming
• Instant, free download

Simple and Basic Resume Templates

Uncluttered editable resume template with minimal styling. Choose a time-tested basic resume design to avoid any faux pas with employers or applicant screening software. 

• Editable and printable resume design 
• Easy customization in Word 
• Suitable for all resume formats

Creative Resume Templates

Don’t want a bland, blank resume template? These creative resume templates offer a perfectly balanced mix of personality, professionalism, and playfulness to make a strong first impression. 

• Free editable resume templates
• Unique personal branding
• Creative layout and formatting

Free CV Templates

Professional CV templates, perfectly suited for academic and federal jobs in the US and any type of job application in Europe. An impactful selection of the best CV templates with proper layout and formatting. 

• Full CV layout and formatting
• User-friendly design 
• Instant download CV templates 

ATS-Friendly Resume Templates

Clean and compelling resume design that sits well with applicant tracking software and hiring managers alike. Optimized fonts, clear formatting syntax, and optimal layout for readability.  

• Compatible with popular ATSs 
• One-column layout 
• Suitable for all experience levels 

Resume Templates With Photo

Put a face behind the name to make a memorable first impression. Resume templates with photos to land a dream job in acting, modeling, or creative professions. 

• Editable headshot space
• Optimized section layout 
• Brandable styles 

How to Choose The Best  Resume Template? 

Not sure which resume design works for your profession? Go with a professional resume template if you’re an experienced worker applying via email. Or download a basic resume template if the company uses an ATS — this way, your resume won’t get filtered out. 

Gunning up for a job in a creative industry or a hip startup? Try out one of the modern resume templates or a creative resume design to give your job application a unique, brandable flair. Resume templates with photos also work great! 

Or better yet, test-drive several free resume templates to see which one gets you the most positive responses! 

Resume Templates for Different File Formats

Get a free editable resume template in your preferred format — Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF, or Google Docs. 

Free Word Resume Templates 

The best resume templates for Microsoft Word. Our most downloaded and top-rated designs in .doc and .docx format are the ones you have seen on this page until here, so make sure to scroll back to the top if MS Word format is what you are looking for.

Google Docs Resume Templates 

Discover attention-grabbing resume templates for Google Docs. Download and edit your new resume design in the cloud, then share it with others with one click. 

Free Resume in PDF 

Use our free tool to make a resume online in PDF format. Write your resume faster with contextual tips and instantly generate a PDF copy for free. No account is required. 

Check our free resume builder

Resume Templates By Professions 

Get done with writing faster by downloading a pre-filled resume template for your position. Take advantage of the pointers and sample texts created by a professional team of resume writers.

Our remarkable set of role-based resume templates includes the optimal visual layout paired with text snippets you can use to model your own resume.

How to Use Your Free Editable Resume Template 

• Select a design you fancy and download a free copy to your computer. 
• Open the template in Microsoft Word or Google Docs to personalize. 
• Fill in the blanks using your personal details. Refer to relevant resume examples for ideas and tips. 
• Review and edit your resume. Include strong verbs and adjectives to add persuasion. 
• Save and name your document: Resume – First name and Surname. 
• Create a PDF resume version to send via email. PDFs help avoid formatting issues. 

How To Write A Resume

A resume template is the best cure for the blank page syndrome. You’re halfway done — all that’s left is to fill in the blanks in the resume template and hit save. 

Select The Right Resume Format 

The 3 most popular resume formats are chronological, functional, and combination resumes. 

• Chronological resume organizes the information like LinkedIn does – from the latest position to the first one, with education, interests, and additional info listed later. It’s the most popular resume format, preferred for recruiters. Go for it unless you’re entry-level or changing careers. 
• Functional resume keeps the focus on your skills and experience, rather than employment history. It’s the go-to choice for candidates with employment gaps and those without much hands-on work experience.
• Combination resume takes the best of both worlds and allows you to spice up your “dry” employment history with some juicy details about your skill set and achievements. Startups and edgier companies may prefer this. 

Create a Compelling Summary 

A resume summary is a two-sentence statement highlighting your key qualifications, skills, and value proposition for the role. It sits in the header area, right after your name and contact details. Think of it as a teaser to a movie — you should put your most marketable skills upfront to immediately capture the hiring manager’s attention and get them interested in reading the full copy. 

Add Work History 

List your employers in reverse chronological order. Each entry should include the employment date, job title, company name, key responsibilities, and achievements listed in bullet format . Include 3 to 5 bullet points for each position. Don’t get long-winded — your resume must fit into one page. 

Include Marketable Resume Skills 

With skills-based hiring on the rise, you must demonstrate specific competencies rather than just tenure and educational credentials. Showcase your best hard and soft skills in a featured sidebar section, plus your resume summary and work experience entries.

Check the following posts for ideas:

• Business acumen skills for resume
• Critical thinking skills for a resume 
• Conceptual skills for a resume
• Leadership skills for a resume 
• Organizational skills for a resume 
• Technical skills for a resume  
• Childcare skills for resume 
• Nursing skills for a resume 
• Transferable skills for a resume 
• Retail skills for a resume  

List Education 

Unless you are a recent graduate, don’t dwell on this section too much. Simply list all your degrees (highest to lowest), the name of your educational institution, and your graduation date. But if you’re still in college, you can also add your GPA , dean’s list , or research .  

Learn more from our ultimate guide to writing, styling, and formatting a resume . 

FAQs about Resume Templates 

Your popular Qs about our free resume templates answered. 

How can I format my resume for free?

Download a free pre-formatted resume template from Freesumes.com in your preferred format (Word or Google Docs). Open a copy in the word processing software and edit the blank sections with personal details. Click save, and you’ll have a professionally formatted resume in no time.

Is there a truly free resume builder?

Yes, Freesumes resume builder is 100% free to use. No account registration is required. Using our free generator, you can make a resume in PDF using one of the six free templates and contextual writing prompts created by expert writers.

What is the most popular resume template?

The most popular resume templates are chronological resume templates. You can find several dozen popular, professional resume templates on Freesumes in Word and Google Doc formats. Our templates have been downloaded over 4 million times! 

How to get a free resume template?

Head to freesumes.com and check our collection of 180+ fabulously free resume templates in different styles and formats. Select a design you like and click the download button to get an instant free copy in .docx format without any account registration. 

Do employers not like resume templates?

Employers don’t mind resume templates as long as they are professionally made and properly formatted. A sloppy or too vivid design, however, will make you look amateurish. Choose a simple, well-structured resume template in neutral colors, and you’ll always get a positive impression from a prospective employer. 

Is it better to make your own resume or use a template?

This totally depends on you. If you have an eye for design and know information architecture best practices, you can make a stellar resume on your own. Otherwise, you can save heaps of time by using a premade professional resume template to avoid any mishaps with layout or font selection.

3 Best Resume Formats for 2024 [W/ 5+ Professional Templates]

How you format your resume matters . 

When reviewing your resume, the first thing hiring managers notice is how your resume looks , not what it contains .

And if the first thing they see is a messy, cluttered, crowded resume, chances are you won’t make a great first impression.

So, this begs the question: what are the best resume formats, and which one should YOU use? 

That’s exactly what we’re here to explain! In this article, we’re going to cover:

• Resume Formatting Guidelines
• 5+ Resume Templates (You Can Steal)
• 3 Main Resume Formats (With Examples)
• Resume Format Pros and Cons
• How to Choose a Resume Format
• 7 Other Resume Resources 

Let’s dive right in! 

Resume Formatting Guidelines 

If you’re formatting your resume from scratch, you’ll first want to pay attention to the layout.  

That involves setting the margins, picking the font size, and determining your resume’s length. 

To create a professional-looking resume, follow these general formatting guidelines: 

• Don’t make your resume longer than one page . Unless you have 5+ years of relevant work experience, there’s no reason for your resume to be two or three pages long. 
• Pick an 11 or 12-pt font size and stick with it throughout your resume.
• Pick an attention-grabbing (but professional) font . We recommend Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass.  
• Use standard and legible resume sections . For example, your work experience should be called just that “Work Experience” and not “work history” or something else. 
• Leverage bullet points to list information such as work achievements and responsibilities, academic details , etc. They help make the resume much more reader-friendly. 
• Be consistent with resume formatting (e.g. use the same date format everywhere, instead of using 11.2018 in one place and November 2018 in another). 
• Have good line spacing. You don’t want the information on your resume to look all cramped up. 
• Always save your resume as a PDF file . It’s the safest choice, as it guarantees your resume layout will stay intact no matter what device opens it. Only save your resume as MS Word if the job you’re applying for specifically requires you to and never, ever, submit a JPEG or PNG of your resume.

New to resume-making? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

6 Free Resume Templates (You Can Start Usign Now!) 

Formatting a resume from start to finish can be a time and energy-consuming process.

 If you’re building your resume with Word, for example, you’ll have to spend at least an hour tweaking the margins, making the headers and body text uniform, picking a font, and so on. You’ll spend an hour or two before you can even start filling in the resume contents!

And if all of that wasn’t enough, one misplaced sentence here or a wrong click there, and your resume layout starts spilling over to page 2!

Want to skip all the hassle of resume formatting? Check out some of our free, tried-and-tested resume templates , pick out your favorite, and fill it in as you go: 

#1. Basic Resume Template

Good for conservative, traditional industries. 

If you want to focus on your resume’s contents rather than its design, then the Basic template is for you. With a concise and well-organized layout, this resume format highlights everything the hiring manager wants to see. 

#2. College Resume Template

Good for university students, recent graduates, and entry-level professionals.

If you’re applying for internships or entry-level jobs, you’ll want to show off your skills, academic achievements, and whatever work experience you have. Well, that’s exactly what this template does! 

Not to mention, its contemporary style is perfect for younger candidates who want their resume to be as visually appealing as it is professional. 

#3. Executive Resume Template

Good for senior executives who may be applying in creative or green industries . While very professionally formatted, it also shows off a tinge of personality with its blue color scheme. 

#4. Modern Resume Template

Good for professionals in the business world or IT industries. 

Square brackets, bullet lists, infographics, and icons work together in this template to attract the hiring manager’s attention and get them to go over your work experience and achievements in depth. 

#5. Creative Resume Template

Good for anyone applying to creative industries such as marketing , design, publishing, and entry-level professionals. 

If you’re looking to stand out visually as much as through your skills and achievements, this is the template for you. Creative is designed to be a stylish resume that makes a stunning first impression while remaining professional. 

#6. Simple Resume Template

Good for senior professionals with a lot of work experience who are in conservative industries such as law or banking. 

The well-organized and professional formatting in this resume template is visually modest, allowing your achievements to do the talking. 

What Are the 3 Main Resume Formats? 

Now that we covered all the basics, let’s talk about resume formats in detail . 

The first thing you want to know is that there are three main resume formats out there, namely:

• The reverse-chronological resume format. This is the most common and practical resume format in 2024.
• The functional resume format is also known as the skills-based resume format.
• The combination resume format , or hybrid resume format, is a combination of the other two formats.

At this point, you’re probably asking yourself how these 3 formats are different from each other. 

Well, the main difference is that they focus on different parts of an applicant’s experience by listing sections in different orders.

Here is what we mean by that: 

So, in a nutshell: 

• The reverse-chronological resume format focuses on your work experience , listing them from most to least recent.
• The functional resume format focuses on your skills that are relevant to the job.
• The combination resume format focuses on your experience and skills by aiming to prove that you possess the skills you list through your work achievements.

What’s the Best Resume Format For Me? 

So far so good - you now know all about the three main resume formats and how they’re different from each other. 

Now, you probably want to know what the optimal format is for YOUR resume. 

Well, mainly, that depends on what point you’re at in your career. Meaning: 

• If you’re a seasoned professional or if you’re looking to get hired in an industry where you have tons of experience, you should pick the reverse-chronological format.
• If you’re applying in a creative industry or for a position that prioritizes your skillset instead of your work history, then you can go for the functional resume format.
• If you’re looking to get hired in a position that requires both experienced and skilled applicants, then the combination format is your best bet.

And now, let’s go over each resume format to see how you can use them to your advantage, based on some real-life examples: 

#1. Reverse Chronological Resume Format

As we mentioned before, the reverse-chronological resume format is the most popular format in 2024.

It usually looks like this:

The main thing about this resume format is that it’s useful for practically every job-seeker.

The reverse-chronological format has a very simple structure, it’s easy to skim, and overall, it’s the most popular format around the globe.

For this reason alone, we typically recommend using this format to most people  - even if using one of the other formats also makes sense. 

Here’s what you’d include in a reverse-chronological resume:

• Contact Information - Your name, phone number, location, and email address. In some cases, you can include useful links such as a LinkedIn or GitHub profile. 
• Resume Summary or Objective - A brief 2-4 sentence summary of your work experience, or your objective for applying for a given position.
• Professional Title - Your title. This should mirror the exact position you’re applying for.
• Work Experience - Your work experience in reverse-chronological order. When possible, talk about achievements over responsibilities.
• Skills Section - Skills relevant to the position you’re applying for.
• Education - Your educational history. Pro tip - if you have a B.A., feel free to skip your high school education.
• Optional Sections - Sections like volunteering, projects, portfolio, hobbies , etc. While they’re not a game-changer, they can help fill up some space on your resume.

As we already mentioned, this resume format primarily focuses on the one part that’s relevant to most hiring managers - your work history . 

As such, the key to making the most out of this resume format is nailing the work experience section. To do that, here’s how you should structure it: 

• Start with your most recent job and go backward from there. 
• Tailor the section to the job description. This means that you shouldn’t list every job you ever worked - only the ones that are relevant for this one. 
• For each job that you list, include your job title , the name of the company, the location, and the time period you worked there. 
• Below, add four to five bullet points for recent jobs and two to three bullet points for earlier jobs. 
• Focus on your achievements instead of your responsibilities. Hiring managers already know the basic responsibilities of the jobs they’re hiring for. So, rather than your responsibilities, they want to learn about your achievements. 
• Whenever possible, quantify your achievements. Facts and numbers are more convincing than words. 
• Use action verbs and power words . (E.g. “created” instead of “was responsible for creating” ). 

Reverse-Chronological Format Example

As we already mentioned, the best thing about the reverse-chronological format is that it’s a great choice whether you’re an entry-level worker or a seasoned professional. 

Any relevant experience you’ve got, the chronological experience will highlight effectively. 

For example, here’s a digital marketer’s resume work experience section created using the reverse-chronological format:

Digital Marketing Manager

Wonderfull Agency Inc. 

06/2017 - Present 

• Created a new format for reporting and presenting the sales, customer engagement and Google Ads reports that decreased the number of meetings by 24% in the last three quarters.
• Updated and monitored the Bid Strategy in Google Ads and Bing Ads which resulted in a CTR increase of 3.2% in the first month.
• Redesigned the webpage UX, decreasing customer turnover by 25% within a period of two months. 
• Conducted keyword research for updating the product pages on the online shop, increasing the organic keywords in the Top 100 by 5.600 and in the Top 10 by 315 for high-volume searches. 

Digital Marketing Specialist 

Company X  

02/2015 - 05/2017 

• Collaborated with a copywriter and designer to update landing pages based on search intent, increasing conversion rates by 20% on average for select clients. 
• Worked directly with company clients, handling their Google Ads accounts. 
• Managed a total of $40,000 in ad spend per month. 
• Achieved an average of 200% ROAS overall ad accounts. 

Reverse Chronological Resume Format Pros & Cons

Still not sure if the reverse-chronological resume format is the right choice for you? See our pros and cons below!

• Recruiters and HR managers prefer this format.
• It will definitely “beat” Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software.
• Provides a reader-friendly chronological history of your work experience.
• The most popular resume format in 2024.
• You need to make your work achievements stand out to catch the recruiter’s attention. 
• Hard to fill in for a recent graduate with no work experience. 
• Makes career gaps very obvious. If you’re a career changer, you need to explain those employment gaps on your resume.

#2. Functional Resume Format 

As we already mentioned, the functional resume format is also known as the skills-based resume format. Here’s an example of what it looks like: 

As the name suggests, the functional resume format focuses on your skills and your key strengths. 

In a nutshell, this resume format takes the spotlight away from your work experience by highlighting what you’re good at instead. 

As such, this resume format is perfect for recent graduates or career changers who have little-to-no experience in a particular field. 

Here’s what to include in a functional resume:

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary or Objective
• Professional Title
• Skills Summary
• Additional Skills
• Work Experience

As you can see, the main difference from the reverse-chronological format is that the focus of the functional resume is the skills summary and the resume objective that’s placed right at the top of the resume. 

Here is exactly how you should write them to impress the hiring manager: 

• Use your resume objective to state your career intent and explain what makes you the ideal candidate for the job. 
• Start off your resume objective by mentioning a skill, education, or certification relevant to the job, mention the responsibilities you could handle, and include your motivation for working that particular job. 
• In the skills summary, include four or five skills that are most relevant to the position. 
• Instead of just listing your skills, be descriptive. In bullet points or in plain paragraphs, give examples of how you applied these skills in practice and try to make them as quantifiable as possible. 

Functional Format Example

Let’s assume that you’re an entry-level journalist. 

Since you graduated, you’ve worked as a part-time intern at a magazine and published a dozen articles online and in print. You also run a blog that has a modest but loyal readership. 

Now, you want to apply for an actual journalism position at a recently founded newspaper. So, you’re using the functional resume format. 

Here’s why it’s the right choice: 

• It highlights your skills. In this case, you don’t have the experience to apply for the job, but you may have all the right skills. 
• It allows you to prove your skills. There’s ample space to show exactly how you can put your skills to use for the upcoming job. 

Now let’s see what your resume objective and skills summary (or areas of strength) would look like in this case: 

Resume Objective

Driven and hardworking journalism graduate looking to get hired as a reporter in The Daily Prophet. I interned at Who Magazine for six months, where I gained hands-on experience in research, fact-checking, and interviewing. Passionate blogger at Fake Blog Website, which is currently followed by over two thousand readers. 

Skills Summary 

Research & Fact checking

• Able to systematically look for information, resources, data, etc. through a variety of sources, such as books, online directories, or social media. 
• Careful to always ensure that every claim and data that gets published is accurate and legitimate. 

Interviewing

• Full knowledge of journalism ethics and standards that are required to conduct successful and dignified interviews. 
• Skilled at connecting with interviewees on a deeper level to ensure comprehensive and detailed interviews. 
• Excel at several types of journalistic writing, including news, feature writing, columns, and reviews.
• Have published over 15 articles in different newspapers and magazines since graduating. 

Considering that the functional resume focuses solely on a candidate’s skills, the only groups of candidates who should consider using it are: 

• Freelancers with impressive portfolios 
• Professionals in creative industries
• Career changers 
• Recent graduates, and entry-level professionals
• Military veterans passing into civilian roles

So, to sum it all up: 

Functional Resume Format Pros & Cons

• Good for highlighting specific skills.
• Useful if you’re switching careers since you can explain how your skills transfer to the new job.
• Useful if you’re a recent graduate with practical skills but not much work experience.
• The functional resume format is not very popular in 2024, and most recruiters and hiring managers aren’t familiar with it, so using this format carries a bit of a risk.
• Since the functional resume has less focus on work experience, recruiters might think you’re trying to hide something.
• Applicant tracking systems (ATS) have difficulties reading functional resumes.

#3. Combination Resume Format

The combination resume format , also known as the “hybrid,” is a mixture of the functional and the reverse-chronological format.

This resume format gives equal attention to an applicant’s skills section and work experience. As such, you end up including both the Skill Summary and the Work Experience sections:

• Skill Summary

The focal point here is the skills summary. Placed right after the contact information section, this is where you list the skills that are required for the job and then prove that you have them through your professional experience and achievements. 

Here is exactly how you should write it: 

• List the skills that are required for the position you’re applying for and that you actually possess. 
• Add up to 4 professional achievements underneath each skill to prove that you possess it. 
• Make your achievements as descriptive and quantifiable as possible. 

Combination Format Example

Say you’re a senior program manager with over a decade of experience in your field. 

You can plan, execute, evaluate programs and projects across diverse industries, and inspire your team to do great work. 

Recently, someone told you about an opening for a program director in an international company. To apply, you’re putting together a hybrid resume format. 

Here’s what makes it the best choice: 

• Saves space. For highly competitive positions, you want your resume to be able to cut through the noise. The hybrid format allows you to do that by bringing into focus your most relevant achievements right from the start.
• Combines the best parts of the other two resume formats, which is perfect for senior professionals or executives that have plenty to show for both experience and skills. 

For example, some of the skills required for the program director gig mentioned above may include interpersonal skills , budget management, and project management. 

Here’s what the skills summary in your hybrid resume would look like in practice: 

Interpersonal Skills

• Initiated formal and informal coaching and mentorship to 50+ team members regarding project charter development, resource planning, best practices of project management, and appropriate delivery of project outcomes. 
• Coordinated all project inputs with several functional/technical directors, managers, and project core teams, to formulate appropriate project tools and methodologies. 

Budget Management 

• Oversaw the implementation of the enterprise’s multi-year, multi-million dollar research system software that benefited employees company-wide. 
• Analysis of financial and statistical data reduced operational costs by 12%.
• Strategically supervised the project execution teams to ensure the timely and cost-effective completion of projects, saving the company $250K in project costs. 

Project Management

• Provided strategic direction, leadership, and project governance for a multimillion-dollar application project portfolio, which successfully supported a population of 60K+ end-users across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Streamlined project management methodologies and communication in the IT division, which increased efficiency by 90%. 
• Accurately report on project status throughout its life cycle to 20+ project teams, stakeholders, and sponsors, encompassing budget estimation, scheduling, and resource planning.

Combination Resume Format Pros and Cons 

• Allows you to show off more of your experience and skills using less space.
• Useful for very senior professionals or executives who need to highlight more than just their work experience.
• Good for applicants who may have a noticeable employment gap but plenty of work experience nonetheless.
• As with the functional resume format, applicant tracking systems have difficulties reading combination resumes.
• If you’re a recent graduate or don’t have much work experience, this resume format is not very useful.
• As is the case with the functional resume, most hiring managers aren’t very familiar with this format, which might cause some confusion in the process.

The Verdict: What Is the Best Resume Format?  

Now that we’ve covered all 3 of the common resume formats, you’re probably wondering which one's best resume format out there .

Here’s our verdict:

In 90%+ of the cases, we’d recommend going with a reverse-chronological resume format.

In 2024, it’s the most common and useful format:

• Applicant tracking systems can read it without any problems.
• All recruiters and hiring managers are familiar with this format.
• Whether you’re a recent graduate or a senior professional, it’s the easiest format to work with.

So, even if you’re a career changer, a highly-qualified professional, or a college student, it’s risky to choose one of the other two formats over the reverse-chronological one.

There’s a good chance that the applicant tracking system won’t be able to read your resume and automatically discard it - after all the time you put into creating the resume!

At the same time, recruiters might just not be familiar with these resume formats, or think that you’re just trying to hide the fact that you’re not experienced, and disqualify you based on that.

So, the rule of thumb - when in doubt, go for the reverse-chronological resume.

Looking for CV writing tips instead? Here's our full guide on how to write a CV !

How to Beat the ATS Software

Did you know that 75% of resumes don’t even make it to the hiring manager ? 

Instead, they get scanned by ATS software, which evaluates your resume and decides whether it’s relevant enough for the hiring manager to give it a look.

At first, ATS software was used by larger companies that receive thousands of applications daily as a way to filter out irrelevant applicants. Today, though, studies show that most companies use ATS to evaluate applicants. 

As worrying as this thought may be, you’ll be glad to know there is a way to beat ATS and get your resume on top of the hiring manager’s desk:

Creating an ATS-friendly resume ! 

Here is a handy list of our top tips for making a resume that beats applicant tracking systems: 

• Place your contact information at the top of your resume. 
• Sprinkle specific keywords from the job description throughout your resume. 
• Avoid using graphics or charts as part of your resume. 
• Save your resume in PDF format. 

7 Other Resume Resources

Picking the right resume format is just the first step in creating a convincing resume.

Want to learn how to make a resume that lands you the job?

Check out some of our best career resources!

• Job Search Masterclass - This one’s our flagship e-book. It covers literally everything you need to know about job-search: how to make a resume, how to write a cover letter, how to apply for jobs effectively, what are the most common job interview questions, and a LOT more. The book is jam-packed with value, and illustrated, making it an extremely easy read.
• How to Make a Resume - Our comprehensive guide on how to make a resume from A to Z.
• Interview Questions And Answers - Have a hard time with job interviews? This guide features ALL the most common job interview questions that you might encounter.
• How to Write a Cover Letter - Our ultimate guide on writing a cover letter (free templates included!)
• 50+ Resume Examples - Need some inspiration with your resume? Check out our resume examples for 50+ different positions and fields.
• 43+ Resume Tips - A complete list of all our resume tips, ordered by importance.
• 26+ Interview Mistakes - Whatever you do, avoid making these common interview mistakes.

And of course, for more industry-leading job-search advice, make sure to follow our career blog !

FAQ on Resume Formats

Do you still have some questions about resume formatting? We’ll get them answered here!

1. What’s the best resume format in 2024?  

For the majority of job-seekers, the best resume format in 2024 is the reverse-chronological resume format. This resume format involves listing your resume information (e.g. your work experience and your education) starting with the most recent one and going backward through relevant jobs, degrees, or qualifications. 

Here’s why the reverse chronological resume format is the best choice: 

• It’s easy to read and skim through
• Hiring managers are familiar with it because it’s the most commonly used one
• It’s ATS-friendly, which means Applicant Tracking Systems can scan it with ease
• It brings your career progression and professional achievements into the spotlight

2. What is the correct format for a college student resume? 

The best resume format for a college student resume is the reverse-chronological format .

While it is true that a functional resume can help you emphasize your skills more than work experience, it comes with two serious problems:

• Recruiters aren’t familiar with it, and they might think you’re trying to hide the fact that you don’t have work experience.
• Applicant tracking systems have trouble reading this resume format. 

So, unless you have absolutely no experience to show for it (meaning, not even unpaid internships, or even college projects with relevant responsibilities for the job you’re applying for), then you should still choose the reverse-chronological resume format over the skills-based one. 

If you’re worried about your lack of work experience , don’t. For most entry-level positions and internships, you’re not required to have work experience. 

3. What is the best resume format for a job seeker with experience? 

The best resume format for a job-seeker with plenty of experience in the industry they’re applying for is the reverse-chronological format. 

Here’s what makes the reverse-chronological format the best choice: 

• It puts emphasis on your strengths as an applicant, namely your professional experience. 
• It shows recruiters exactly what they’re looking for (your achievements and qualifications) from the get-go. 

4. Is resume format important? 

Yes, the resume format you choose is important. Basically, the resume format involves the type of information listed on the resume and the way this information is organized and presented. 

When they’re evaluating your resume, hiring managers expect to see information that will help them assess whether you’re the right person for the job (i.e. your experience, skills, and qualifications, among others). If, for example, you have five years of work experience but your resume format focuses on your education, the hiring manager may have trouble realizing that you’re the right person for the job. 

At the same time, hiring managers want to spend as little time as possible reading your resume. This means that a disorganized, chaotic resume may get them to throw your resume in the “rejected” pile without giving it a second thought. 

That’s why it’s super important to choose the right resume format that highlights your strengths and that recruiters know and like. 

5. What is an ATS-friendly resume format?

Applicant Tracking System software is software that companies use to sort through the countless applications they receive daily. 

What ATS does is scan resumes for specific keywords mentioned in the job description (e.g. necessary skills for the job), and filter out those applications it deems irrelevant. 

As such, an ATS-friendly resume format is the kind of format that lists information in plain text and organizes it in clear sections, making it easier to be read by applicant tracking systems.

This is important because ATS software is typically unable to read text within images or scan infographics.  

6. What resume format is most ATS-friendly?

The most ATS-friendly resume format is the reverse-chronological format. 

That’s because it allows you to use ATS-specific keywords in your skills section and doesn’t use too many visuals such as graphs, infographics, etc.

7. Are hand-written resumes still used?

No, hand-written resumes are barely used in 2024. As such, you should not submit a handwritten resume when you’re applying for jobs. 

Here are some of the most important reasons why: 

• ATS software is unable to scan hand-written resumes. This means that if the company to which you’re applying uses an ATS, your resume will get disqualified.
• Your handwriting might be difficult to understand. Not just that, but you’ll have trouble differentiating one section from the other and keeping everything uniform, which means your resume will be the opposite of reader-friendly.
• We’re technically living online now. Gone are the days when you’d look up job openings in a newspaper or apply by mail. Everything has moved online, so it only makes sense for your resume to do the same.

8. Is the resume format the same as the resume template?

No, a resume format is not the same thing as a resume template. 

Resume format refers to the layout of the resume, namely, the kind of information, its order, and the way it's organized on the resume. Basic document settings, such as line spacing, fonts, and margins, are also part of resume formatting. 

A resume template, on the other hand, is a pre-designed, blank document that you can fill in as you go. Using a resume template to create your resume is a much easier and less time-consuming process than formatting your resume from scratch. 

9. What is the easiest way to build my resume?

The easiest, most efficient way to create a resume is through a resume builder .

If you use a text editor, you could spend hours trying to format your resume, but the moment you make a tiny design change, the whole resume layout gets completely messed up!

Using a resume builder, on the other hand, comes with a ton of benefits:

• Recruiter-friendly layout. All of our resume templates are created with recruiters in mind - they’re extremely easy to read and skim.
• Easy to build. Our resume builder is extremely easy to use. All YOU have to do is fill in the content - we take care of all the resume formatting.
• ATS-friendly . Applicant tracking systems can read our resumes perfectly fine, ensuring that you don’t get automatically disqualified when applying for positions.
• Free (with premium features). Our base builder is completely free without any hidden paywalls! If you’re looking to upgrade the resume design, though, or get access to several awesome features, you can always upgrade to Premium.

10. What are the 7 resume types?

The 7 types of resume formats include the reverse-chronological resume, the combination resume, the resume with profile, the non-traditional resume, the infographic resume, the functional resume, and the targeted resume.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap on resume formats! 

By now, you should know everything there is to know about the most popular resume formats and regarding what the best resume format is for YOU. 

Before you go, let’s do a recap of the most important points covered in this article: 

• There are 3 common resume formats - reverse-chronological, functional, and combination (also known as the hybrid).
• The reverse-chronological format is the most popular one in 2024, and we always recommend you go with that one.
• A functional resume focuses more on skills rather than work experience and is usually used by career changers or students.
• A combination resume is a mix of functional and reverse-chronological formats and puts equal emphasis on work experience and skill set.
• Both functional and combination resumes are not too popular, and applicant tracking systems have trouble reading them.

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