Job skills are traits and abilities that make a person good at a particular job. Everyone has their own unique set of skills. Some, such as writing, must be learned and others, such as creative thinking, are innate qualities. There are three categories of skills: Transferable: These are skills you can apply across job titles and industries. Examples include problem-solving, listening and verbal communication. Soft skills : These are personal traits that indicate how you might function in the workplace; many of them are transferable. They include adaptability, critical thinking and dependability. Hard skills: These are skills and knowledge we acquire through work, education and life experiences. They include job-relevant skills like management, software proficiency and budget planning.

What looks good on a simple resume?

In two words: relevant information. The best thing you can put on your resume is work experience, skills, education and achievements that apply to the position. To make this information stand out when you write your resume, use impactful words like: led , created or increased . Prove your successes with numbers, such as “Awarded Teacher of the Month four months in a row.” Also, describe your experience in terms of achievements rather than duties: “Resolved 50 customer complaints per week” rather than “Responsible for handling customer complaints.” Numerical data gives your achievements a more concrete impact and proves that you understand the scope of your work.

20+ Simple & Basic Resume Templates for 2024 [Free Download]

Q: When using a resume template, should I use a more simple one?

Whether you opt for a simple resume or not should be based on a couple of factors: The job you are applying for Your style preferences If you work in automotive, logistics or construction, employers will expect to see a simple design — the most common template type in those industries. But these aren’t the only contexts where a simple resume template makes sense. In fact, simple resume templates are versatile because they are so minimal, meaning that they can be a great fit for almost any career. The important thing is that you choose a resume template that you like and that you feel tells your story in the best possible way — while also aligning to the role and industry expectations.

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When choosing a resume design, sometimes the best thing to do is go back to basics. Simple resume templates get straight to the point by presenting job applicants’ work experience, skills and education in a clean and uncluttered design.

Basic resume template types are the most popular because they can save you time and help you organize your qualifications in a way that makes hiring managers want to hire you.

Ready to build a resume? A simple resume is best for job applicants who want to:

Keep the focus on their qualifications.
Take a bare-bones approach to their resume designs.
Work in industries like construction, automotive, logistics and transportation.
Build a resume on an ATS-friendly template.

Keep reading to find a simple resume format that works for you.

Top simple resume templates

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Free basic resume templates

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If simple resume designs aren’t for you, check out our other styles:

Creative Modern Minimalist ATS-friendly Microsoft Word

5 reasons to choose a simple resume template

When faced with so many resume template options, why choose something basic? Simple resume templates are ideal if:

You’re aiming for clarity
Basic resume templates embrace a clean and uncluttered design. This allows your qualifications and job history to stand out without the distractions of elaborate styling.
You’re targeting a traditional or corporate role
For industries that value straightforward professionalism — like finance, law or healthcare — a basic design conveys seriousness and adherence to industry norms.
You appreciate ease of customization
With a simple resume template, customizing becomes effortless. You can quickly adapt your resume to different job applications, altering headers and the resume’s layout without dealing with complex design elements that can become formatting nightmares.
You need to beat the applicant tracking system (ATS)
Like all our resume templates, simple designs are optimized for passing through ATS. These systems often struggle with parsing overly designed resumes, so a basic template ensures your resume can be read easily by both machines and humans.
You prefer a hassle-free approach
Our basic resume templates are already formatted and ready to use. They maintain their professional appearance no matter how much content you add or modify, saving you from the frustration of constant reformatting.

Basic resume FAQ

Last Updated: June 20, 2024

You write a simple resume by including the five basic resume sections, which are:

Header with your contact info.
Professional summary or resume objective.
Work experience.
Skills section — make sure to represent your hard and soft skills.
Education, including listing your degrees.

You can go one step further by adding the most relevant optional sections, like language proficiency or volunteer work.

Ultimately, simple resumes are effective in highlighting your key qualifications without overwhelming the reader. Keeping your resume concise and focused helps potential employers quickly understand your strengths.

For more detailed advice, see our guide on how to write a resume.

The basic resume format is a chronological resume. Chronological resumes emphasize work history by listing your previous roles, starting with the most recent and working backward. This format is great for showcasing a stable work history and highlighting career progression. If you have at least a year or two of experience, the basic format is probably right for you.

Whether you opt for a simple resume template or not should be based on a couple of factors:

The job you are applying for.
Your style preferences.

If you work in automotive, logistics or construction, employers will expect to see a simple design — the most common template type in those industries.

But these aren’t the only contexts where a simple resume template makes sense. In fact, simple resume templates are versatile because they are so minimal, meaning that they can be a great fit for almost any career.

The important thing is that you choose a resume template that you like and that tells your story in the best possible way, while also aligning to the role and industry expectations.

Simple resumes are basic and pared down. They don’t have fancy design elements or elaborate graphics. This is good because oftentimes, the applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by employers can’t process certain visual features. We recommend keeping your resume clean and straightforward to ensure it passes through these systems effectively.

Unless the job description tells you not to add a cover letter, you always need a cover letter with your resume.

A simple cover letter will help you explain career changes, resume gaps and short-term jobs. It gives you the space to expand on your experience and demonstrate precisely how you can use your skills to help the employer.

Your cover letter is a vital opportunity to showcase your personality and discuss the aspects of the job that excite you the most. That’s why you’ll want to be smart about choosing a cover letter template that is formatted correctly. Don’t forget to look at plenty of cover letter examples before you write one.

When you’re ready, our Cover Letter Builder will help you create the perfect cover letter to accompany your resume.

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