Free Resume Templates for Download - Tips and Examples

Create the right resume for the job you want with our free resume templates. Our resume templates are free to download and customize however you need.

Start a new resume

Free Resume Templates

No payment required! You can create a resume by simply downloading these predesigned free templates and updating the content with your unique career-related information.

Cashmere

This free resume template is a great option for the job seeker who wants to balance modernism and professionalism.

Felicity

This sleek design presents your powerful summary, skills, and experience in an easy-to-read format.

Pristine

The two-column design places the focus on your resume objective and skills, demanding attention from the hiring manager.

Elegance

The stylish design of this free resume template provides extra flair to your professional resume while organizing your most impressive qualifications.

Zenith

With a pop of color, this design adds visual interest with a unique top banner that makes your name and resume summary jump off the page.

Aurora

If you need to give your skills, work experience and certifications equal focus, the generous two-column layout of this free resume template download will do the trick.

We have more industry-specific designs that you can use with our Resume Builder. Visit our resume templates page to see all the options we offer.

5 tips for using these free resume templates

Getting resume templates free is a great start, but how to best use them? Here’s five key tips from our experts for putting together a strong resume:

1. Use a template that fits the job you want.

When it comes to choosing the best template, there is no “one size fits all.” If you’re in a more creative or cutting-edge industry, consider our Zenith free resume template that offers pops of color or a modern layout like our Pristine template. For more traditional industries, a simple, straightforward layout like the Elegance template is the best solution. If you’re unsure, stick to a simple resume template like Cashmere. You don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons.

2. Keep your layout simple

Consider a resume template as your personal guide for laying out your resume. It takes the guesswork out of deciding what the resume sections should look like in addition to ensuring you don’t leave out any critical information. A template forces you to follow some simple, yet important layout rules.

Here are some quick layout tips:

Choose a simple font like Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial, Helvetica or Calibri, and set the font size from 10 to 12 pt.
Be consistent with the font you select throughout your resume.
Set your margins to at least one inch on all sides of the document so there is adequate white space.
While the ideal resume length is one page, those with more career experience might be better served by a two-page resume that provides more details on job history. How many pages will be determined by your experience level.

Our ResumeHelp experts have lots of resume design tips that will be very helpful, so be sure to take advantage of your resume templates free download today.

3. Organize your resume to show off your best qualifications.

Are you an experienced employee who has plenty of career achievements you can present? Or do your strengths lie with your skills and training rather than experience? How you organize your sections (and which sections you emphasize) will go a long way towards creating an effective resume.

These are 3 popular resume formats:

The primary focus of the reverse chronological resume format is your work experience, starting with your most current job and ending with the oldest job position. This format applies to most job seekers as it works well to highlight two or more job roles within the same industry.

The functional resume is ideal for job candidates looking for a career change or recent graduates applying for their first job. This format emphasizes your abilities and qualifications to show how you provide value to the prospective employer.

The combination resume combines the features of the reverse chronological resume and functional resume to share the focus of work experience with qualifications and skills.

ResumeHelp resume writing experts have gathered important information about these resume formats. Before you begin writing your resume, get your resume templates free on this page.

4. Customize your resume to the job you want

Each section of your resume allows you to present your best qualifications for the job you’re applying to. A resume template guides you through this process by allowing you to effectively add your information to each resume section. Think big. You want to stand out from the crowd. Make the hiring manager say, “wow.”

Use these quick customization tips:

In your resume summary, write two to four sentences that act as a “hook” to “grab” the reader’s attention at the top of the resume (below your contact information.)
List 8-10 skills, a mixture of your hard skills (abilities learned) and soft skills (personality traits) using bullet points.
Allow your work history section to focus on major, quantifiable achievements rather than listing routine tasks that all job candidates will possess.

EXPERT NOTE: Be sure to match “keywords” (major skills and requirements of the job) taken from the job description so you demonstrate to the hiring manager that you’re qualified. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) will scan those specific resume keywords and flag you as a qualified candidate. Pay close attention to the job requirements, qualifications and necessary skills in the job post to ensure the ATS moves your application to the next level in the hiring process.

In addition to getting resume templates free, ResumeHelp offers you a ton of free resume writing tips and guidance to help you stand out from the competition. Also, be sure to look at resume samples for your industry and job title. Our job-specific examples will make writing your professional resume so much easier.

5. Review your resume before you submit it.

Avoid an immediate job rejection because of typos or grammatical errors in your resume. Before you submit your job application, take a few moments to proofread your resume for typos and mistakes. Also, take a good look at your resume format. When you download your resume in the requested file format, will the formatting stay intact or create an unnecessary page break? You want to ensure, whether you submit in PDF or Microsoft Word, that your resume will appear legible and professional to the hiring managers, recruiters or prospective employers when received.

More templates and resume-building help

When you use our resume builder, you will discover even more templates to create a polished resume. Our resume builder tool was designed so you can make a better resume, and fast! Our builder offers you a wide range of templates, easily customizable, with expert wording suggestions for specific jobs to help fill out your resume and know exactly what to say.

Our goal is for our free templates, resume builder and expert tips to help job seekers land their dream jobs. Here’s additional resources to help job candidates like you during your job search:

Resume Templates – Choose from our 6 free resume templates or 17 premium templates designed to give you a base to create the best resume that you’ve ever written.

Resume Examples – Find resume examples for hundreds of jobs—specific industries and job titles—that you can adapt for your own resume.

Modern Resume Templates – See how a modern resume template gives your resume more of a cutting-edge design.

Simple Resume Templates – These layouts can help you present your information in a clean, straightforward manner.

Traditional Resume Templates – Learn how to create a powerful traditional resume that will get you noticed for the right reasons.

Be sure to check out our extensive job search resources and take advantage of your free resume templates download today!

Free resume templates to copy and use

Paste the template below into your favorite writing software (like Microsoft Word) and fill it with your experience following our resume writing tips.

[FIRST AND LAST NAME]

[Your email address] | [Your phone number] | [Your city and state]

Optional: [LinkedIn, personal website or other relevant links]

Resume Summary

Driven [industry job title] with [X] years of experience in [industry/niche that relates to the job description]. Highly proficient in [top skill/experience relevant to the job #1], [top skill/experience relevant to the job #2] and [top skill/experience relevant to the job #3]. Capable of [relevant skill/experience #4] and [relevant skill/experience #5] to meet business objectives.

Work Experience

Most Recent Job Title | Start Date – End Date/Current

Company Name | City, State

Include three to five bullet points per job title
Highlight up to 10 years of relevant work experience
Focus on key accomplishments with positive results instead of daily tasks
Add numbers or metrics to your accomplishments to make them stronger
If you’re currently working at this job, start your sentences in present tense (e.g., “Collaborate with…,” “Create…” or “Manage…”)

Previous Job Title | Start Date – End Date

Company Name | City, State

Use action words at the beginning of each sentence to make them more impactful
Past roles should be written in past tense (e.g., “Collaborated with…,” “Created…” or “Managed…”)
Make the bullet points concise and straightforward
If you’re writing a resume with no work experience, include relevant internships, volunteer work or extracurricular activities

Skills

List 8-10 resume skills using bullet points
Tailor the skills to the job description
Combine a good mixture of hard skills (like languages, Microsoft Excel or Adobe Creative Suite etc.) and soft skills (like communication skills, interpersonal skills or problem-solving skills)

Education

Degree Name, Major University, Location | Start Date – End Date

Include honors if they’re relevant to the job and add value to your job application
Only include your GPA if it’s 3.6 or higher
List relevant coursework if you don’t have enough work experience
If you graduated more than 10 years ago, you don’t have to include the graduation date
Job seekers with higher education don’t need to include their high school diploma

Certifications/Awards/Honors

You can create additional sections to list relevant certifications, awards or honors you have received
Make sure that this additional information relates to the job

Why use free resume templates?

Download Free MS Word Template Open Free Template in Google Docs

The days of writing resumes from a blank piece of paper are long gone! Templates are the best way to create your next resume because:

These templates are free to download and use—you can’t beat free during a job search.
Our templates can be saved in the file formats employers are most familiar with, including PDF and Microsoft Word.
Save yourself time and effort with these free resume templates, as they provide a base to work from. Focus on what matters most: filling out the template with your impressive abilities and qualifications.
These layouts are built to pass ATS (applicant tracking systems) which employers use to screen resumes for qualified candidates. Our professional designs feature easy-to-read fonts with standardized section headings.
Using these templates, you can create as many resumes as you want for different job opportunities.

See what our customers say about us

FAQ: Free Resume Templates

Where can I download resume templates for free?

You can download all of the resume templates on this page for free. Our free templates allow you to add your information and create all of the versions you will need for different job applications. Remember, you should never submit the same resume for every job you apply to. Read the job description carefully and customize each resume to show your qualifications for that specific job. Our resume templates free download is a great way to begin making a resume.

What is the best free resume template?

The best resume template depends on the type of resume that your chosen industry and job title would benefit from. If you’re applying for a creative job, you’ll want to select a more modern template, one that offers pops of color for a creative resume. If you’re applying for a role as a teacher, you’ll want to select a traditional template. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a simple, straightforward template. You can get resume templates free on this page—just pick the one that best suits you.

Does Microsoft Word have free resume templates?

While Microsoft Word does offer free resume template downloads, they tend to be relatively simplistic in layout. ResumeHelp’s proven successful templates offer the job seeker an opportunity to download expert-designed templates as Word files. Take advantage of your free resume templates download or use our Resume Builder to create your perfect resume today. You will be one step closer to landing your dream job.

Move your resume to the top of the yes pile!

Build my resume

Smiling woman and her resume created with our resume templates.