To land the job you want, you’ll need to make a great first impression. To this end, your first consideration should be the resume design you choose. Using a professional resume template sends the message that you are the right person for the role.
Plus, using one of our premium or free professional resume templates makes it easy to build a resume you can be proud of sending to recruiters. Using one of our layouts saves you time and allows you to apply with the confidence that your job-related information is organized correctly, is ATS-friendly and industry appropriate.
A professional resume design is best for job applicants who:
Work in conventional fields such as law, medicine and finance.
Have traditional job titles, such as legal aid, emergency medicine paramedic, nurse practitioner or financial planner.
Want to project a put-together, buttoned-up image.
Read on to learn whether a professional resume template is right for you and how using one of our designs can help you get noticed.
Top professional resume templates
We offer a wide selection of resume templates to fit every individual’s taste and style. Here is a selection of some of our best professional resume layout examples:
Premium professional resume templates
Free professional resume templates
If you’ve decided that a professional resume template isn’t right for you, you can choose one of our other template styles. Choose from among the best resume layouts available in creative, simple and modern styles for a resume that will help you land the job you want.
If simple resume designs aren’t for you, check out our other styles:
How to choose the right resume design
As you learn how to write a resume, you’ll discover that there is more to a resume layout than just the font and colors in the header. Another critical factor in learning how to format your resume is to understand the three basic resume formats.
Resume formats are essential for organizing your career profile in a way that shows off your strengths. If you don’t know what a resume format is, begin by looking through our resume examples to see the different ways of presenting your job qualifications. Then, decide which format is suitable for your level of experience. Here is a quick tutorial on how to choose a professional resume format:
The chronological resume format displays applicants’ employment history in reverse order, starting with your most recent job. This format is perfect for those with significant experience in their field, making it best for mid to senior-level applicants.
Functional resumes highlight an applicant's skills and educational background over their work experience. This resume format is excellent for those with little to no work experience, recent grads or applicants making a significant career transition.
Sometimes called the hybrid resume format, this type of resume combines features of the chronological and functional formats to allow job seekers to emphasize both their top skills and their relevant employment history, making it an excellent choice for midcareer professionals.
FAQ
The beauty of a professional resume design is that it is a highly versatile template that works for almost every industry. Whether you are applying for a restaurant manager or a lawyer role, these are among the best resume designs. Better yet, we offer a selection of free professional resume templates in addition to our premium templates, making them accessible to everyone. To complete your application documents, use our Cover Letter Builder to create a matching professional cover letter from our selection of templates.
A professional resume must include the following:
Contact details: Include your name, mailing address, email address, phone number and LinkedIn profile if you have one.
Professional summary or resume objective statement: A professional summary or an objective statement tells employers right away what you can do for them while setting the stage for the rest of your resume.
Work history: Since most recruiters and hiring managers skim resumes, you want to ensure they see the most relevant information arranged in the appropriate resume format. If you lack work experience, include volunteer service, internships, or relevant school and personal projects.
Skills: The more skills you have, the more attractive you will look to recruiters or hiring managers. But don’t go overboard! Add a variety of soft, hard and transferable skills relevant to the position that you are confident you can use for the company’s benefit should they hire you.
Education: Not every job requires formal studies, but many require a basic education. The information you place here depends on your job title and industry and the amount of work experience you have. If your education is relevant to the job or includes pertinent training or certifications, it can help you stand out.
Yes, you can! You must proofread your resume as you build it and again when you finish writing it. Resume Now’s fast and easy Resume Builder has all the tools you need for making changes to your resume on the fly and when you’re ready to proofread it.
Our builder gives you the option to save your resume as a Word, PDF or plain-text file.
