Resume templates are useful tools for anyone looking to get a new job because, as experts like career coach Rich Grant point out, they:
Save time.
Help job seekers fill out their resumes properly.
Provide the correct font type and sizes so job seekers don’t have to guess.
Suggest the best file type (e.g., Word document, Adobe PDF, plain text) to use.
The following guide explains what resume templates are, why they are helpful, and how to choose and best use them. Throughout, we provide templates to pick from based on your level of experience, the job you’re applying for and the industry you’re in.
Job-winning resume templates
Resume Now provides 30 customizable, attention-grabbing templates in four categories to help you create a well-organized, professionally formatted and beautifully designed resume — fast.
Popular
This template’s clean and simple layout works for just about any industry and job, from hospitality to education; grocery clerks to mechanics.
Professional
While this template can work for many different jobs, its classic, straightforward design is often used by job seekers who work in conventional fields such as law, medicine and finance.
Unique
Elegantly stylish, the Unique category of templates is ideal for anyone who wants to add a little flair to their resume. It’s the template of choice for job seekers whose industries rely on creativity.
Modern
Resume Now’s Modern templates are well-suited for applicants who want to portray a sleek and sophisticated vibe. Job seekers who work in fields such as technology, architecture and real estate lean toward this category.
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What a resume template IS
An expertly crafted resume template is a useful tool that:
Helps you put all the pieces of your professional story together.
Provides a resume’s design.
Organizes your professional experience within a polished framework.
Gives your resume a professional look that will get noticed.
Is a reliable blueprint for a successful resume.
What a resume template is NOT
While some resume templates can provide ideas for how to craft a resume, they are not the same as a resume format or a resume example. They are different because:
Resume formats provide the arrangement for your content based on several factors, such as whether or not you are changing industries and how long you have been working.
Your resume format will determine the template you use, so you should choose it first.
A resume example is a practical, real-world illustration that can provide inspiration for your resume or help you when you are stuck on how to fill out a template section.
Benefits of using a resume template
To get a job interview, your resume must first get past two obstacles: applicant tracking system (ATS) software — which screens and either rejects or accepts resumes based on keywords, formatting, organization and layout — and the discerning eyes of recruiters.
A well-designed resume goes a long way in getting you beyond these application barriers because:
Well-organized resumes with simple, scannable layouts — which templates provide — impress recruiters, according to job search giant Glassdoor.
Professionally created and tested resume templates are optimized for ATS software. According to JT O’Donnell, founder and CEO of WorkItDaily.com, only 3% of online applications make it past ATS bots and into the hands of recruiters. This is because issues such as improper placement of information, incorrect file formats, bad use of headers and footers, and improper fonts filter them out, regardless of your experience.
Templates provide all the useful details you might have otherwise forgotten — such as margins, alignment and appropriate colors — to create professional, polished resumes employers want to read. Once your resume makes it through an ATS, it has to grab the interest of a recruiter. As Erin Kennedy, Certified Master Resume Writer and president of Executive Resume Services, a Forbes’ Top 100 Career Website notes, “by creating a resume that employers and recruiters want to see, your chances of landing interviews skyrocket” and resumes that are professionally formatted get more positive attention than those that aren’t.
Templates organize resumes into easily scannable sections. Once it gets in front of a person, “your resume needs to be as easy to read as possible,” says Lily Zhang, manager of graduate student professional development at the MIT Media Lab.
Resume templates also help you to:
Focus on the content of your resume so you can customize your resume for each job you apply to and save precious time. How convenient!
Balance text and white space. Unless you’re confident in your ability to expertly make use of white space, you will want to use a template. O’Donnell notes that when white space is used correctly, it can visually highlight your accomplishments and skills to entice readers immediately.
Keep it short but functional. Recruiters don’t spend a lot of time reading the resumes that land in their inboxes. They only quickly scan resumes, so they need to find your most relevant details quickly. And the more concise your resume is, the better.
What to consider when choosing a resume template
There’s no one-size-fits-all style for a resume. How you structure your resume depends on where you are in your employment history, your industry and the job you want.
Take a moment to assess the following aspects of your career when choosing a resume template:
Your industry.
Hiring managers in the financial, legal and medical industries usually prefer a traditional template because they have a conventional layout and are easy to spot. A marketing associate applying for a job at a new creative agency, on the other hand, might choose a creative template that will imbue her resume with a distinctive flair.
Your employment journey.
If you are just starting out in the work world, a classic template will showcase your education and technical skills with a timeless look. But if you have many years of experience, an executive template will put the focus on your top achievements and soft skills, such as leadership.
Your desired job
Are you applying for the same type of job you’ve always had but at a different company? A professional template will get your strengths across with a clean, no-frills presentation. Maybe you are trying to move to a marketing job when you’ve always worked in accounting. In that case, a modern template will show off your accomplishments in a bold, clean way.
6 features to look for when choosing a resume template
Resume templates come in a range of forms and types, so it can be difficult to choose, even after you’ve narrowed them to a handful of options. Look for these features to get started.
A clean layout.
Ignore templates with heavy graphics, photo placeholders and a lot of colors. Your resume has to pass the ATS test and be easy for a recruiter or hiring manager to skim. Go for simple lines, fluid organization and standard fonts.
Ease of use.
What’s the point of using a resume template if it’s hard to use? A resume template should simplify the process of making an interview-winning resume. If it causes confusion or takes up extra time, skip it!
Ability to customize.
You should create a new resume for every job you apply to, but a customizable template helps you move quickly from one application to another.
Includes editing tools.
A template with editing tools can be a lifesaver when you want to make changes or need to correct any mistakes you find when proofreading your final resume.
Provides relevant text examples.
Sometimes you’re not sure which words to use or how to explain your achievements; look for a template that offers detailed sentence examples that inspire you for your resume.
Allows you to save your resume in multiple file formats.
As Alison Doyle, job search expert explains, the file you save your resume in can make a difference in how it is read by ATS software and recruiters or hiring managers. Some online job sites and employer websites will require a Word document while others request plain text (.txt) files. If you are emailing your resume, employers might ask you to send your resume as an Adobe PDF attachment. Choose a template that allows all of these formats.
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FAQ
Is it OK to use a resume template?
Yes! A resume's appearance plays a major role in the impression it makes. A clean, attractive and legible document is necessary if you want to land the job. Plus, issues such as bad alignment or excessive graphics can hinder an ATS program from scanning your resume correctly.
A high-quality, professional template lets you put in your content and make adjustments without worrying about spacing, tabs and other common issues. Resume Now’s instant builder offers a choice of templates appropriate for a wide variety of industries and companies.
How do I choose a resume template?
Consider your industry and employer. If you’re applying to a library or a medical clinic, for instance, opt for a subdued design; however, if you’re applying for a role in an art gallery then you might want to show off your creative side with a more colorful look.
Also, focus on selecting the template that works best with your content. For example, if you lack experience, choose a layout that plays up your skills and education while balancing out the extra white space, such as a simple resume template. Conversely, if you’ve got a lot of experience, pick a template that helps you showcase your achievements without a lot of extra text.
How do you set up a resume?
Select a suitable format, then use one of our industry-specific resume templates along with our free, easy-to-use resume builder to set up a professional, HR-approved document in no time.
What is the best resume template for students?
Students with little or no experience would do best with a simple, clean design, such as one of our popular templates, that excludes pictures, excessive font colors and other intricate formatting details. The template you choose should be organized in either a functional or a combination format because they emphasize education and skills over work history.
What's the best resume template?
No single template is best for every applicant. When you browse through our collection, choose an option that will draw attention to your strengths, keeping in mind your experience, industry and goals. All of our templates can be customized.
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