Whether you’re just starting out in the workforce or you’ve been at it for years, Resume Now has a resume template for you.
Our extensive collection of resume designs come in various styles to cover most industries and job titles. Choose from popular, unique, modern, classic, professional, simple, basic and classic resume templates to match your goals, then customize it for the job you want.
Our resume templates can help you put your best foot forward because they:
- Save you time.
- Are professionally designed.
- Are made to get past applicant tracking systems (ATS).
- Ensure you use the correct formatting and file types.
- Provide appropriate font types and sizes.
- Offer professionally written text examples and optimal keywords.
- Organize your information into easy-to-read sections.
Best resume templates for every type of job
Create a well-organized, professional resume in minutes with Resume Now’s customizable Resume Builder templates and our free resume templates! All of our designs work with all three resume formats — chronological, functional and combination. We have several styles to choose from, including free resume templates for you to download.
Free Popular Resume templates
These clean and simple layouts work well for just about any industry and job title. No wonder they’re popular.
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Free Unique resume templates
Elegantly stylish, the Unique category of templates is the top choice of job seekers in such fields as social media, entertainment, cosmetology, entertainment and fitness.
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Free Modern resume templates
Architects, real estate brokers and IT professionals often lean toward our sleek and sophisticated Modern resume designs.
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Free Classic resume templates
Our Classic templates’ timeless and straightforward look appeals to job applicants in various fields — from retail, child care and marketing, to banking, health care and law.
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Free Creative resume templates
Candidates going into fields such as art, design, photography, film and media choose our Creative designs because of their versatility and eye-catching color.
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Free Professional resume templates
Our clean but colorful Professional templates work well for social workers, financial analysts, librarians, medical assistants, teachers and legal aides.
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Free Simple resume templates
Our Simple designs are far from boring! We designed them to be easy to scan, and they come in many colorful layouts. They are great for cooks, retail associates and fitness instructors.
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Free Basic resume templates
Construction workers, software engineers, nurses, office managers and child care workers prefer the practicality of our Basic templates.
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Best resume templates by industry
Key differences between templates, resume formats and resume examples
They all have their own purpose for job seekers, but they work best when used together.
Here’s a closer look at each:
Resume Templates
Templates organize your job qualifications into a professionally designed framework using appropriate fonts and formatting.
Resume Formats
There are three standard resume formats. The one you use will determine how your professional information will come together within the template you choose.
Resume Examples
These are practical, real-world illustrations that can provide inspiration, and guidance on how to write a resume when you are ready to fill out your template of choice.
Resume templates and applicant tracking systems (ATS)
Before it gets to an employer, your resume must get past applicant tracking system (ATS) software, which screens and either rejects or accepts resumes based on keywords, formatting, fonts, organization and layout. Well-designed templates go a long way in getting beyond this job application barrier because:
- Experts create and test them to ensure proper information placement, correct file formats, acceptable use of headers and footers and appropriate fonts.
- They provide necessary details such as acceptable margins, spacing and alignment.
- They organize information into sections that are easy for the software to parse and scan.
- They provide scannable layouts and professional designs that ATS software is programmed to scan.
10 tips for choosing a resume template
There’s no one-size-fits-all style for a resume. How you structure yours depends on where you are in your employment history, your industry and the job you want. The following tips should help you choose a template that works best for you:
Make sure your resume template is aligned with your industry.
For example, hiring managers in the financial, legal and medical sectors usually prefer Classic and Professional templates because of their conventional layouts. However, a design associate applying for a job at a new creative agency might choose the Unique or Creative resume template for their distinctive flair.Consider your employment journey.
If you’re applying for your first job, our Popular templates can showcase your education and transferable skills to help you stand out. But if you have many years of experience, then our Modern or Classic designs will spotlight your key accomplishments and soft skills, such as leadership.Make sure your resume template is appropriate for the position.
Are you applying for the same type of job you’ve always had but at a different company? If so, then our Simple or Basic designs will get your strengths across with a clean, no-frills presentation. Maybe you are trying to move to a marketing role when you’ve always worked in accounting. In that case, the Modern template will show off your achievements in a bold but professional way.Start with a clean layout.
Ignore templates with heavy graphics, a crazy arrangement, and a lot of different colors. Your resume has to pass the ATS and be easy for a recruiter or hiring manager to read. Go for simple lines, fluid organization and standard fonts.Fill out each section.
Sometimes it’s not easy to choose the best words to describe professional qualifications to explain achievements. Use a resume example for inspiration and then fill out the clearly defined sections of the template with your professional details.Customize it.
You must create a new resume for every job application. A customizable template helps you move quickly from one application to another.Use the editing tools provided.
A resume template with editing tools can be a lifesaver when you want to make changes on the fly or if you need to correct any mistakes you find when proofreading your final document. Taking the time to make sure your resume is polished can make the difference in getting the job.Save your finished document.
You must save your resume in the appropriate file format. An excellent way to know which one to use is to check the job description: Some employers specify which file type they prefer, but others leave it open. PDF is the most common file type for resumes because it is the safest and most computer systems can read it. Our resume templates will help you choose the correct file type if you’re uncertain.Save a second copy in Microsoft Word.
No matter what file type you use for the employer, save a second copy as a Word document (.doc) that you can tailor multiple times for other jobs (just remember to save it with a new file name each time!).Use Resume Now’s Resume Builder to put it all together. Want to save even more time?
Our Resume Builder will use your chosen template to create a professional resume that gets results. You’ll be interview-ready in just a few clicks and 15 minutes!
More resume resources
Check out our rich library of free articles to learn how to create resumes that wow employers.
Resume-writing articles:
FAQ
Is it OK to use a resume template?
Yes! A resume’s appearance plays a significant role in impressing an employer. A clean, attractive and legible document is necessary if you want to land a job. Plus, poor 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 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 a design 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 resume format, then use one of our industry-specific 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 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 or download one of our free resume templates, choose an option that will draw attention to your strengths, keeping your experience, industry and goals in mind. All of our templates are customizable.
Create a Professional Resume in Minutes!
Get noticed
Choose from more than a dozen eye-catching professional design templates that will help you create a unique resume employers will notice.
Find the right words
Writing your resume is a snap — just use our pre-written text bullet points to showcase your skills and accomplishments.
Get step-by-step advice
We’re there for you, every step of the way. Our professional resume tips and guidance will save you time and help your resume stand out from the competition!
Format your finished resume
Our simple editing tools make it easy to get exactly the resume you want. Download in your choice of formats, then print and send as many copies as you need.