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Resume Templates

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Choose a [Free] Resume Template

Pick one of our professional resume templates to get started on your job application. Just fill out your favorite resume template to create a flawless, ATS-friendly resume in under 5 minutes. Try out one of our 8+ free resume templates to make an impressive resume and land your dream job in no time!

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Traditional

Professional

Why Novorésumé?

Free AND Premium

We offer both free and premium resume templates, so whatever your budget might be, you can still take advantage of our resume builder.

Creative & Professional Resume Templates

Whether you’re a creative advertiser looking for an outside-the-box creative resume template, or a banker seeking a more professional resume template, we’ve got a template for you!

NO Hidden Fees

If you’ve tried other resume builders, you’ve probably experienced this: You spend hours creating a resume, and when you click “download,” you get hit with a paywall asking you to subscribe.

At Novorésumé, we don’t do that . We have NO hidden fees - upgrade to Premium ONLY if you LOVE our resumes!

ATS Friendly

All Novorésumé resume templates are built with the most popular Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in mind. What this means for YOU is that whichever job you apply for, the CV filtering software they use will be able to read your resume (and NOT automatically discard it).

Expert Reviews

Oana Vintila

Career Counselor

For over 10 years now, I've been on both sides of the fence, career counseling, and recruitment, and let me tell you, the writer's block hits hard when it comes to drafting your resume.

Novorésumé not only offers you a smart and modern template for you to fill in, but their team has also crafted a winning combo of aesthetics and functionality that will inspire you to apply for the job you thought was out of your league. Give it a try!

Biron Clark

Former Executive Recruiter

Novorésumé is one of the few resume builders that I recommend online. Their resume templates are modern and eye-catching, and will grab an employer's attention. As a former Recruiter, if a candidate sent me a resume built with one of these templates, I would take notice and be impressed.

The software also makes it easy to enter your info and handles all of the formatting for you, so you can get your resume ready to send out as quickly as possible. I recommend these templates whether you're a recent graduate or experienced candidate.

Gabriela Tardea

Career Strategist, Coach & Trainer

When I consult people on resume writing, the most common question that I am asked it is about the content and what components to add or avoid, when they have less than 5 years of work experience.

On this platform, you not only have access to many options, but you get guidance on what to choose and why. When the work experience is less than 5 years, the other components such as languages, projects, volunteering experiences, hobbies etc, make a huge difference.

Resume Resources

What is a resume.

A resume is a brief summary of personal and professional experiences, skills, and education history. Its main purpose is to show off your best self to potential employers.

When applying for a job, you’re (in most cases) going to be asked for a resume accompanied by a cover letter.

If you manage to create a “good” resume, you’re going to 2x your chances of getting hired . Want to learn how? Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume .

How to Write a Resume With No Experience?

The process of writing a resume might seem super scary to you. After all, most resume examples you see on the web are 80% about work experience. So, what the heck can you include in your resume if you have none?

Well, here’s some good news. If you’re applying for an entry-level job or an internship, no one expects you to have ANY work experience.

Instead, you should focus on what you DO have: education, projects, volunteering experience, hobbies & interests.

For a complete guide on how to make a resume with no work experience stand out, check out our article.

What to Put on a Resume?

The most common sections on a resume are:

Contact information

Resume summary or objective

Work experience

If you want to personalize your resume a bit more, you can also include the following sections:

Volunteering experience

Hobbies & interests

For more information on how to place these sections on your resume, check out our article on what to put on a resume .

How to Format a Resume?

Here are the three most popular resume formats:

Reverse-Chronological Resume

Functional Resume

Combination Resume

In 99% of the cases, you’ll want to go with the reverse chronological resume format . That’s the format most resumes you’ve seen follow - its main focus is your work experience, written down in reverse-chronological order.

So, unless you’re a student with no professional experience or a career changer, we’d recommend sticking with this format.

If you want to learn more about three resume formats , check out our comparison guide.

How to Write a Resume For a Student?

A good student resume takes advantage of the education section to highlight the candidate’s skills and qualifications.

So, the first thing you should do is talk about all your academic achievements, including any classes you’ve taken that are relevant to the position.

As a student, hiring managers don’t expect you to have extensive professional experience, so you don’t have to worry about the work experience section missing from your resume. Instead, you can focus on highlighting your extracurricular activities , any volunteering you’ve done, and your awards or certifications.

This student resume guide has all the information you need to perfect your resume and land your first real job.

How to Write a Resume For My First Job?

If you’re applying for your first job, chances are you don’t have substantial work experience. That’s fine - hiring managers expect that from entry-level positions.

First things first, go for the reverse-chronological format. Instead of writing a resume summary, use a resume objective to highlight your skills and career aspirations. If you have any work experience, do include it on your resume.

If not, you should put more focus on the following sections:

Internships , where you should focus on what you learned and achieved

Extracurricular activities , where you should highlight your role, responsibilities, and achievements.

Volunteering experiences , where you should mention the organization name, and relevant tasks and achievements.

Projects , where you talk about any personal projects you’ve worked on (that are also somehow relevant to the job you’re applying for).

Check out this guide on writing a resume with no experience to learn more about the topic and get inspired by real-life examples.

How Long Should a Resume Be?

Short answer: one page. If you're a seasoned professional with a lot of work experience that's relevant to the position, you can create a 2-page long resume MAX.

Long answer: check out our guide on how long should a resume be .

P.S. all of our templates are one page long , so you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble sticking to the one-page limit!

How to Write a Resume Summary?

Your resume summary is a “hook” that goes on top of your resume. Think of it as an introduction to the rest of your resume. It should, in 2-4 sentences, explain what your background is, and why it’s relevant for the position you’re applying for.

To learn more about how to create a resume summary that stands out, check out our guide.

How to List Work Experience on a Resume?

Work experience on a resume is one of those things that’s easy to learn but hard to master.

Each work experience entry should contain the following information:

Company name/description/location

Achievements or responsibilities

Dates employed

Now, if you want to create a work experience section that stands out, you want to make your achievements quantifiable. What this means is, instead of creating a responsibility-focused entry, like:

“Carried out sales operations.”

You list your achievements:

“Hit and exceeded monthly sales KPIs for 5 months in a row.”

This shows the employer that you’re not just a random candidate, you’re an A-player! To learn more about how to list achievements in your work experience (and land the job), check out our article.

How to List Skills on a Resume?

Simply create a ”skills” section on your Novorésumé resume template, and list your top skills. We usually recommend going for a mix of hard and soft skills .

Not sure what skills to include in your resume? Check out these 101 essential skills for any resume .

How to Make a Cover Letter for a Resume?

You should always submit a cover letter along with your resume for any job you apply to. Here are some of our top cover letter tips on how to do this right:

Tailor your cover letter to the employer. The more personalized it is, the more likely it is for the recruiter to like you.

Outline your general background (work experience, profession, etc.) and mention your top 2-3 achievements to show off your skills.

If you really want to stand out, create a cover letter that matches your resume template. To do this, you can use one of our cover letter templates here .

If you want to learn more about how to write a convincing cover letter, check out our comprehensive guide.

What Is the Best Resume Template?

There’s no such thing as “the best resume template” - every recruiter/employer has their own personal preference. Our general recommendation is to do your research on the company and its values.

For example, if you’re applying for a position at a bank, you’d want a more traditional resume template. Or, if you want a job in a startup where they value innovation more, you could opt for a creative resume template .

Alternatively, if you want your experience and skills to do all the talking, you can pick one of these minimalist resume templates .

Finally, if you’re still not sure which type of template is right for the job you’re applying for, you can just use a simple resume template just to be safe.

Do I Need to Include a Photo on my Resume?

No, you don’t need to include your photo together with your other contact details. Companies hire based on merit, which means your physical appearance shouldn’t matter to the hiring manager.

Instead, in your contact information section, make sure to include the following:

Professional title

Valid phone number

Email address

Location/where you’re based

Link to website/ LinkedIn /online portfolio, etc.

What’s the Difference Between a Resume and a CV?

In most cases, when people are talking about a CV or a resume, they are referring to the same thing! The only difference is that it's called a resume in the US and a CV in Europe (and most other countries around the world).

Now, in the US, a CV is a very in-depth document that describes your career journey step-by-step, including all sorts of personal information . Depending on your amount of experience, a CV can range between 2 to 8 pages and it’s typically used when you’re applying for jobs in academia.

Check out our guide for a more comprehensive run-down of the differences between a CV and a resume .

6 Tips for Creating a US Resume (That’ll Land You the Job)

Looking to get hired in the US? Check out our tips for creating a US resume below!

Keep your resume between 1-3 pages . A one-page resume is preferable unless you’re a seasoned professional. In such a case, you can go for two or even three, if your experience is really relevant.

Use Standard American English . So, for example, write “color” instead of the UK version, which is “colour.”

Leave out personal information , such as marital status, birthday, gender, photo, number of children, age, religion, personal identification numbers, and ethnicity/country of origin. They can be grounds for discrimination.

Don’t include references , unless the employer specifically asks you to.

Don’t list English as a foreign language.

Don’t list your GPA, SAT, TOEFL, or ACT scores on your US resume unless otherwise stated. Hiring managers usually don’t care.

Check out this guide for the full list of resume tips and tricks !

Get Inspired with Our Resume Examples

Resume templates faq, how to make a resume with novorésumé.

Follow these simple steps:

Choose one of our top resume templates above

Follow the tips & tricks built-in our resume builder

Fill in your work history and other experiences

Hit download and start applying to jobs!

What If I Am a Student?

All of our resume samples are student-friendly! If you’re looking for something a bit more tailored, we’d recommend picking the “college resume template”

Or, if you want to learn how to create a convincing student resume , check out our guide.

Do I Really Need a Resume?

Yes, you definitely need a resume!

Practically every job out there requires that candidates submit a resume and a cover letter, so if you want your application to be considered by the hiring manager, you definitely need a resume .

Are These Resume Templates Free?

Yep, all of the templates listed above are free resume templates.

However, our resume builder comes with a ton of premium features. So if you want to personalize your resume and make it truly yours, you can upgrade!

Who Created These Resume Samples?

At Novorésumé, we put extensive care in creating each resume template.

We interviewed recruiters and analyzed applicant tracking systems to create resume samples that will maximize your chances of getting hired.

Then, our professional graphic designer worked his magic to make the resume samples compelling, well-designed, and easy to read!

Which Template Do Most Employers Prefer for Resumes?

Typically, employers prefer simple, professional-looking resume templates that follow the reverse-chronological format and don’t surpass two pages MAX in length.

All the Novoresume templates above meet these requirements, so rest assured hiring managers will dig whichever one you choose.

Are These Resume Templates ATS-Friendly?

Yes! All Novorésumé templates are ATS-friendly .

Keep in mind, though, that using the right template is step #1. You should also optimize your resume content for applicant tracking systems. For more on that, check out our guide to creating an ATS-friendly resume .

Do You Offer One-Page Resume Templates?

Yep. All the templates you see above are one-page resume templates. They are, however, pretty flexible, so if you decide to go for 2 pages, our templates will get the job done!

Should I Download My New Resume In PDF or Word?

You should always download and save your resume as a PDF .

Here’s why:

PDF formatting never gets messed up.

It’s compatible with practically any system or device.

PDF documents look cleaner and are overall more professional.

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Job-winning resume templates

Each resume template is designed to follow the exact rules you need to get hired faster. Use our resume templates and get free access to 18 more career tools!

Reviewed by the community. Trusted by professionals

Why use our free resume templates.

Resume.io’s resume templates are expertly designed to help you land your next great position. Whether you’re in a hurry to submit your application or simply don’t know where to start, our resume templates provide a strong foundation to make your experience and qualifications shine. 

Here are some of the advantages of our professional resume templates:

• Easy to use: We’re all about great design with no hassle. That's why our templates are intuitive and easy to use, saving you precious time when it comes to creating a great resume.
• ATS-friendly Resume Templates : Hiring managers aren’t the only ones who will be evaluating your resume. That’s why we’ve created our templates with automated resume scanners in mind and made sure our templates are easy to read for both humans and robots alike.
• AI-powered sample sentences: Our templates are powered by our intuitive resume builder that makes it easy to craft a job-winning resume with features like an AI-powered summary generator and sample sentences for hundreds of job titles.
• Highly customizable: Every applicant and every job is different, so we’ve created templates that can be easily adapted to your needs. Change the color scheme, add a photo, or adjust the line spacing in just a few clicks.
• Adaptable for all jobs and industries: Our collection of professionally designed templates range from simple and minimalistic to modern and professional to ensure there’s a layout for every job and industry.
• Free & premium options: Our trial and tiered pricing plans mean there’s an option for everyone. Try for free or subscribe to Resume.io to download as many versions as you’d like.
• Download as Docx or PDF format: Different employers require different formats for your job application, which is why we’ve created the option to download many of our templates as either PDF or Word Docx files.

Choosing the right resume template

Our resume templates are divided into four categories to help you quickly find the template that’s best for you.

Professional resume templates

Our collection of professional resume templates are classic styles with tried-and-true fonts and formatting. These templates exude a sense of expertise and seriousness about the position for which you’re applying. You can’t go wrong with a professional template if you work in law, business, education , healthcare , finance, accounting , or real estate .

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Lawyer resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

Creative resume templates

When you’ve got to go bold, look no further than our creative resume templates. This collection features larger-than-life font sizes, eye-catching headers, and fun color palettes with patterned backgrounds. These templates are perfect for creative professionals like artists, designers, photographers, actors, and anyone in this field.

A graphic designer brings color and style to the products we see every day, but is your resume doing the same for you? Read our guide on how to create a top-notch graphic designer resume that will get you noticed.

Modern resume templates

When you’re in need of a fresh look that’s still professional, our modern resume templates are the perfect choice. These innovative designs use minimalist headers and clean dividing lines to add a spark that makes your resume stand out. Check out these templates if you work in IT, engineering , marketing , administration, HR , and sales .

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Marketing resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

Simple resume templates

If you’re in need of a resume that’s attractive and gets the job done, our simple resume templates are here to help. These formats are easy to read and offer just the right amount of color and design accents. If you work in hospitality , retail , transportation , or are a student or intern , our simple resume templates are the right choice for you.

A proven job specific resume example + writing guide for landing your next job in 2024. You can edit this Hospitality and catering resume example to get a quick start and easily build a perfect resume in just a few minutes. Just fill in your details, download your new resume & start your job application today!

What makes the best resume template?

The best resume templates contain the right sections and formatting choices to make your experience jump off the page. Here’s what to look for in your next resume template.

• An attractive header: The resume header is arguably the most important part of the template because this is where most of the layout design will come into play. Always choose a template with a header that emphasizes your name and offers enough space for your contact details and links to your LinkedIn or professional portfolio.
• Readability: A good resume template should be easy to read. While readability is determined by a combination of factors, including font and color, one of the key things to look for is a balance of white space to text. Your resume should neither feel empty nor overly crammed with information.
• The right amount of space for your experience: When choosing a resume template, it’s important to consider the amount of experience you have, and so the amount of space you’ll need on the page. For mid and senior level applicants, look for templates that offer plenty of space in the employment history section. Students should look for page designs that can easily be filled with only two or three entries.
• Professional font styles, sizes, and colors: Your font style should be easy to read and somewhere between 10-12 points in size. Also, make sure to choose a professional color scheme that stands out while still painting you as a serious candidate.
• Customizable: A great resume template can be customized to your needs. Resume.io’s templates are all housed inside of our intuitive builder tool, making it easy to create and download different versions in a few clicks.
• The right file format : Make sure to check the job description carefully and download your resume in the version the employer is looking for. When in doubt, PDF is generally the best option for emailing, printing, and uploading to online application portals.

Resume template FAQs (frequently asked questions)

Is resume.io builder free.

Resume.io’s resume builder offers a free option, a seven-day trial option, and tiered pricing plans. Read more about using Resume.io for free here .

What are employers looking for in a resume in 2024?

Employers are looking for resumes that quickly get to the point and show why a candidate has the exact qualifications to fill a role at their company. Accomplish this by customizing your resume for each job you apply to. Learn more about customizing your resume here .

How many jobs should you list on a resume?

The general rule of thumb is to list as much relevant experience as you’ve obtained in the past 10 years . If you are a student or recent grand, we recommend including at least three jobs. As you progress in your career, make sure to remove less relevant positions to make room for more impressive roles.

How many pages should my resume be?

We recommend keeping your resume to one page in virtually all situations. However, exceptions may apply for executive level candidates, those with particularly impressive careers, or candidates applying in countries outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Which of the following should not be on your resume?

What to include on your resume header often depends on the country where you intend to work. In the U.S. and Canada, you should not include personal information such as date of birth, age, marital status, or religion. A headshot is also unnecessary except in certain industries where the candidate’s appearance is part of the job.

Should you put your address on your resume?

We do not recommend adding a street address to your resume, as an email address and phone number are generally considered sufficient contact information. You may choose to add a state or city if you wish.

How many bullets should you have on a resume?

Each employment history entry should contain 4-5 bullet points. We recommend a minimum of three entries on each resume for a total of at least 12-15 bullet points.

Do employers like resume templates?

Employers want to see resumes that are easy-to-read and quickly convey the information they are looking for. While resume templates are a useful tool for creating a professional application, recruiters will not favor copy-paste resumes that have not been customized for the job description.

How do I write a resume summary?

A great resume summary will contain a combination of positive adjectives describing your character, your most impressive accomplishments, and any qualifications or experience required for the role.

How do I list skills on a resume?

The skills section of your resume is generally formatted as a bullet point list containing both technical and job-specific skills ( hard skills ) and personality traits or character qualities ( soft skills ). Make sure to refer to the job description before listing skills on your resume to determine what the employer prioritizes in the role.

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Free Resume Templates

Download in Word, Google Docs, PDF 

Today is a great day to level up your resume.  Free resume templates in every style, format, and design you can imagine. 

Discover 180+ Resume Templates

Professional Resume Templates

Professional resume templates for job seekers with ample work experience. Showcase your skills and qualifications. Browse our best free resume templates to give your resume the glow-up it deserves. 

• Sleek, functional layout 
• “Sells” you as a strong candidate
• Suitable for all job titles 

Modern Resume Templates

Modern resume templates for Microsoft Word provide stylish, crisp, fresh design elements that will help you grab a recruiter’s attention in just six seconds. The right resume template for candidates in the tech and startup industry. 

• Chronological resume templates
• Made for readability and skimming
• Instant, free download

Simple and Basic Resume Templates

Uncluttered editable resume template with minimal styling. Choose a time-tested basic resume design to avoid any faux pas with employers or applicant screening software. 

• Editable and printable resume design 
• Easy customization in Word 
• Suitable for all resume formats

Creative Resume Templates

Don’t want a bland, blank resume template? These creative resume templates offer a perfectly balanced mix of personality, professionalism, and playfulness to make a strong first impression. 

• Free editable resume templates
• Unique personal branding
• Creative layout and formatting

Free CV Templates

Professional CV templates, perfectly suited for academic and federal jobs in the US and any type of job application in Europe. An impactful selection of the best CV templates with proper layout and formatting. 

• Full CV layout and formatting
• User-friendly design 
• Instant download CV templates 

ATS-Friendly Resume Templates

Clean and compelling resume design that sits well with applicant tracking software and hiring managers alike. Optimized fonts, clear formatting syntax, and optimal layout for readability.  

• Compatible with popular ATSs 
• One-column layout 
• Suitable for all experience levels 

Resume Templates With Photo

Put a face behind the name to make a memorable first impression. Resume templates with photos to land a dream job in acting, modeling, or creative professions. 

• Editable headshot space
• Optimized section layout 
• Brandable styles 

How to Choose The Best  Resume Template? 

Not sure which resume design works for your profession? Go with a professional resume template if you’re an experienced worker applying via email. Or download a basic resume template if the company uses an ATS — this way, your resume won’t get filtered out. 

Gunning up for a job in a creative industry or a hip startup? Try out one of the modern resume templates or a creative resume design to give your job application a unique, brandable flair. Resume templates with photos also work great! 

Or better yet, test-drive several free resume templates to see which one gets you the most positive responses! 

Resume Templates for Different File Formats

Get a free editable resume template in your preferred format — Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF, or Google Docs. 

Free Word Resume Templates 

The best resume templates for Microsoft Word. Our most downloaded and top-rated designs in .doc and .docx format are the ones you have seen on this page until here, so make sure to scroll back to the top if MS Word format is what you are looking for.

Google Docs Resume Templates 

Discover attention-grabbing resume templates for Google Docs. Download and edit your new resume design in the cloud, then share it with others with one click. 

Free Resume in PDF 

Use our free tool to make a resume online in PDF format. Write your resume faster with contextual tips and instantly generate a PDF copy for free. No account is required. 

Check our free resume builder

Resume Templates By Professions 

Get done with writing faster by downloading a pre-filled resume template for your position. Take advantage of the pointers and sample texts created by a professional team of resume writers.

Our remarkable set of role-based resume templates includes the optimal visual layout paired with text snippets you can use to model your own resume.

How to Use Your Free Editable Resume Template 

• Select a design you fancy and download a free copy to your computer. 
• Open the template in Microsoft Word or Google Docs to personalize. 
• Fill in the blanks using your personal details. Refer to relevant resume examples for ideas and tips. 
• Review and edit your resume. Include strong verbs and adjectives to add persuasion. 
• Save and name your document: Resume – First name and Surname. 
• Create a PDF resume version to send via email. PDFs help avoid formatting issues. 

How To Write A Resume

A resume template is the best cure for the blank page syndrome. You’re halfway done — all that’s left is to fill in the blanks in the resume template and hit save. 

Select The Right Resume Format 

The 3 most popular resume formats are chronological, functional, and combination resumes. 

• Chronological resume organizes the information like LinkedIn does – from the latest position to the first one, with education, interests, and additional info listed later. It’s the most popular resume format, preferred for recruiters. Go for it unless you’re entry-level or changing careers. 
• Functional resume keeps the focus on your skills and experience, rather than employment history. It’s the go-to choice for candidates with employment gaps and those without much hands-on work experience.
• Combination resume takes the best of both worlds and allows you to spice up your “dry” employment history with some juicy details about your skill set and achievements. Startups and edgier companies may prefer this. 

Create a Compelling Summary 

A resume summary is a two-sentence statement highlighting your key qualifications, skills, and value proposition for the role. It sits in the header area, right after your name and contact details. Think of it as a teaser to a movie — you should put your most marketable skills upfront to immediately capture the hiring manager’s attention and get them interested in reading the full copy. 

Add Work History 

List your employers in reverse chronological order. Each entry should include the employment date, job title, company name, key responsibilities, and achievements listed in bullet format . Include 3 to 5 bullet points for each position. Don’t get long-winded — your resume must fit into one page. 

Include Marketable Resume Skills 

With skills-based hiring on the rise, you must demonstrate specific competencies rather than just tenure and educational credentials. Showcase your best hard and soft skills in a featured sidebar section, plus your resume summary and work experience entries.

Check the following posts for ideas:

• Business acumen skills for resume
• Critical thinking skills for a resume 
• Conceptual skills for a resume
• Leadership skills for a resume 
• Organizational skills for a resume 
• Technical skills for a resume  
• Childcare skills for resume 
• Nursing skills for a resume 
• Transferable skills for a resume 
• Retail skills for a resume  

List Education 

Unless you are a recent graduate, don’t dwell on this section too much. Simply list all your degrees (highest to lowest), the name of your educational institution, and your graduation date. But if you’re still in college, you can also add your GPA , dean’s list , or research .  

Learn more from our ultimate guide to writing, styling, and formatting a resume . 

FAQs about Resume Templates 

Your popular Qs about our free resume templates answered. 

How can I format my resume for free?

Download a free pre-formatted resume template from Freesumes.com in your preferred format (Word or Google Docs). Open a copy in the word processing software and edit the blank sections with personal details. Click save, and you’ll have a professionally formatted resume in no time.

Is there a truly free resume builder?

Yes, Freesumes resume builder is 100% free to use. No account registration is required. Using our free generator, you can make a resume in PDF using one of the six free templates and contextual writing prompts created by expert writers.

What is the most popular resume template?

The most popular resume templates are chronological resume templates. You can find several dozen popular, professional resume templates on Freesumes in Word and Google Doc formats. Our templates have been downloaded over 4 million times! 

How to get a free resume template?

Head to freesumes.com and check our collection of 180+ fabulously free resume templates in different styles and formats. Select a design you like and click the download button to get an instant free copy in .docx format without any account registration. 

Do employers not like resume templates?

Employers don’t mind resume templates as long as they are professionally made and properly formatted. A sloppy or too vivid design, however, will make you look amateurish. Choose a simple, well-structured resume template in neutral colors, and you’ll always get a positive impression from a prospective employer. 

Is it better to make your own resume or use a template?

This totally depends on you. If you have an eye for design and know information architecture best practices, you can make a stellar resume on your own. Otherwise, you can save heaps of time by using a premade professional resume template to avoid any mishaps with layout or font selection.

Resume templates

Put your best qualities on display with professional, customizable resume and cv templates. no matter your line of work or length of professional history, you'll find resume and cv templates that'll help you get the gig..

Download free resume templates

Land your dream job with free, customizable resume templates. Showcase your potential to recruiters and stand out from other candidates with a professional template. Whether you're applying to corporate positions or creative roles, go with a sleek design or show your creativity with bold colors .

Resumes don't need to look boring—add flair to your professional experience with a creative resume template. There are plenty of resume designs to choose from, like simple resume templates and modern resume templates. Each resume template is fully customizable in Microsoft Word , so you can personalize each design element and add your own text. Using a template also makes it easier to customize your resume for each position you apply to.

Print out as many copies as you'd like or download the template for free to share digitally when applying online. These professional resume templates are perfect for any stage of life or career. Whether you're a high school student, actor, or seeking a career in nursing, you can find any format for any job type.

There are also a variety of free CV (Curriculum Vitae) templates to choose from. A CV is often longer than a resume and contains an in-depth look at your education and professional accomplishments. Like our resume templates, these CV templates are also customizable in Word.

Remember, your next job is only a template away! Once you've customized your resume, explore free cover letter templates to help you land the job.

Creative Resume Templates

When a creative resume is to your advantage, seize your opportunity and try to land the job interview with a stunning resume design!

Creative PDF Resume Templates

Thomas Earland

Charlotte Webb

Andrea Rowland

Harvey Ross

Georgia Fleck

Yellow Resume

Orange Resume

Golden Brown Resume

Venice Beach

Robert Grey

Sales and design resume

Creative resume & cover letter packs.

Mint Resume

Rose Resume

Three colors resume

Resume Blue

Purple Resume

Stolzl Resume

TT Firs Resume

Montserrat Resume

Red-Blue Resume

Muller Resume

Tomato-Purple

Bodoni Resume

TT Norms Resume

Grey Resume

Avenir Resume

Motive Resume

Creative templates.

A creative template is there for creatives in the creative sectors, were a positive impression of your work is necessary. What is a better way then to start off with showcasing a crafty resume? It serves the purpose of getting you  noticed  and not discarded before your resume is even being read.

Ideal for: 

• Creative positions in all area’s and industries
• Entertainment sectors
• Content creators

Black & White Resume

Classic to edgy or modern, we have a resume template for you. A great starting point towards your next dream job!

Our creative templates are easily downloaded and adjusted to your personal taste situation. Most of the PDF examples have been made with  Resume.io  (an easy tool to build your resume online in minutes that come with many designs), as the resume-make-tool uses creative elements, but keeps its designs neat and clean. Personal use only allowed. All designs are copyright protected and owned by Resumeviking.com.

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39 Creative Resume Examples & Templates (Creative CV Ideas)

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A creative resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is one document you can’t skimp on. This is true for everyone, but especially for designers and other creative professionals.

When applying for a job, the first impression you create is strong and longest-lasting. The same is true when making contact with a new potential client. That first impression has to help you stand out from your competitors.

That first impression is usually made via an online application, your website, an email, or even through social media. Hopefully, you already have a strong portfolio website , either a personal portfolio or your freelance business site. And hopefully, your social media presence continues your personal or business brand look and feel. But what about your resume?

Most job applications ask applicants to attach a CV or a resume. And after initial, brief research on your website or social media accounts, a prospective client will often ask for a resume if they don’t find the information they need or if they need to present a list of freelancers to their boss.

As such, no matter if you’re searching for a job or trying to land new clients, your resume design could be what differentiates you from a competitor with similar skills and level of experience. The right kind of creative resume truly reflects your character and experience in an expressive way.

The following are some excellent creative resume and CV examples to help get ideas flowing for your own resume design. Notice that some tend to remain more straightforward and business-like with a hint of creativity thrown in. Some go over the top in the creative aspect. And others strike a nice balance between the two extremes.

Designers have discovered new methods to showcase their skills and attributes in a bold way with creative CVs and resumes. You can come up with a highly creative resume idea, design it and then showcase your skills and abilities to the whole world.

You’ll need to make a calculated decision on your own resume design. If your brand look and style of work is highly artistic, then, by all means, go all out. If, however, you’re applying for a job in a less creative field, you may want to tone down tons of graphics and colors and stick with a more corporate look that still creatively reflects your personal brand.

Best Creative Resume Examples

We’ve searched to find the most creative resumes available. These creative resume examples and creative CV examples are sure to provide plenty of inspiration. And best of all, if you see a template you like, you can purchase it to save hours of your time.

Creative Resume by Jahangir Alam Jisan

Jisan’s creative CV uses icons, color, and bold banners to add creativity to his resume design. Plus, the unusual layout helps the information to stand out nicely while still maintaining a professional and organized look.

My Resume by Soumitra Saxena

This is another creative resume design that shows off the designer’s humor as well as his wide range of skills. Even with the creative illustration and extra information, the graphic design is still clean and organized, which says a lot about his engineering side as well.

Curriculum Vitae by Anton Yermolov

Both clean and colorful, Yermolov’s CV design stands out with neat columns and colorful icons. His illustrated self-portrait is a nice alternative to a photo and ensures it will look nice even if a client uses their own poor-quality printer to print a copy.

CV – Take a Look Inside by Amber Van Mieghem

Both the format and the fold of this CV design is fantastically creative. Amber does an excellent job of creating intrigue and keeping attention by leading to the next page with the fold.

Shameless Self-Promotion by Kyle Robertson

A personal logo is always a safe way to add some originality to a professional resume that needs to remain more on the corporate side. Robertson doesn’t stop there, though. His beautiful choice of fonts also adds to the appeal of his creative resume design.

My Resume by darthkix

Fitting a lot of information onto a single page is one of the more difficult parts of a resume, but darthkix solves this problem quite beautifully. The silhouette graphic on the background is a brilliant way to break up his information neatly but uniquely.

Resume by Yojna Shetty

I love how this creative resume organizes so much content so neatly onto a single page. At first glance, it is almost overwhelming, but the lines and other graphics help to draw the eye from one section to the next quite easily. It should not take very long for the viewer to go through it so each section and detail should be connected to the next one and everything should be displayed in a rather expressive and creative manner.

Self-Promotion by Syril Bobadilla

The bright colors in this original resume by Bobadilla are stunningly balanced out by the excellent, clean layout of content. Plus, the custom fonts add a very nice, original touch to the entire design.

Curriculum_Vitae by Francisco Hidalgo

I highly urge you to visit Hidalgo’s Behance page to view his curriculum vitae in full effect, as the images above do not do his gorgeous illustration justice. You can build on this idea and design similar creative resumes that are more than just a professional resume. Not only does his design show off his illustration skills, it also keeps his information easy to read and digest in a memorable viewing experience. Beautiful!

Curriculum Vitae by Camila Soto

Handwritten fonts and illustrations are a stunning touch in this creative CV and infographic resume by Soto. I love how each section is divided into boxes. Different calligraphic fonts have been put to use, few items have been sketched and you get a colorful resume for your work.

Resume by Roberta Cicerone

I really love how this website resume could also double as a poster-like print resume design. Roberta does an excellent job of keeping a visitor scrolling with uniquely phrased section headers and dotted lines. Different geometrical figures and calligraphic fonts have been displayed in quite a skeptical and playful way. Her illustrations and custom fonts are stunning!

Matthew Jhon Creative Resume Template

This modern template is perfect for a graphic designer or creative professional who wants a resume that makes a strong first impression on a hiring manager. You’ll have a place for your work experience highlights, as well as your education, skills, and contact info. The header and footer feature a stylish design. It comes as a Microsoft Word file (DOCX) and as a PDF.

This is one of the most creative and unique resume or CV templates you’ll find. It’s colorful and also includes a small illustration, as well as some shapes and icons. It comes in Ai, EPS, and PSD formats.

Alex Buell Template

If you want a resume or CV that stands out, this template is an excellent choice. It features a little bit of color and some subtle but stylish design elements to impress viewers. You can use the template in Word, Illustrator, or Photoshop. It comes in PDF and EPS format.

Colorful Resume Template

Who says resumes have to be boring? This template uses a lot of color, especially in the header, to really stand out. It comes in vector format (Ai and EPS file formats) and includes a template for a cover letter.

Charles Midleton Template

Here is another bright, colorful curriculum vitae template 100% guaranteed to stand out. It can be edited in Word, Photoshop, or Illustrator to quickly and easily create a beautiful resume. Shapes and colors make this design unique, but it also includes all the details needed to be effective.

Anthony Arlo

This colorful template features a large header with a photo and shapes that make a nice background for your bio and contact info. It also displays your relevant experience and skills attractively. Edit the template in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Word.

Lester Chandler

This package includes a two-page creative CV template and a cover letter template. This design features bold black & white, large photos, and a clean design. It’s perfect for creative professionals who want a great-looking resume showcasing their abilities.

Modern CV Resume Template

This template features a stylish design and a big header with a place for your photo. The skills section uses a creative way to display your most essential skills and your level of expertise. It also includes a nice cover letter template.

Darryl Philbin

This creative resume template and CV template is also professional. It’s exceptionally well designed with a lot of style to ensure you stand out. There’s a spot for a photo in the header, and the download even comes with a photo filter, so your photo will match the style shown in the preview above.

Mono Resume

We’ve looked at some examples of colorful resumes, but this one takes a different approach with a monochromatic color scheme. It’s perfect for creative professionals because the header is innovative and interesting, allowing you to enter a photo. It’s also got plenty of room for all the important details about your experience and accomplishments.

Alan Querin

Here is another black & white design that definitely stands out from the typical resume template or CV template. It uses typography and some well-designed content blocks to create a truly professional resume.

If you want a resume or CV that will stand out without taking extreme measures regarding an unusual design, this one is a good option. It uses color and some nice design elements, but still has a clean look and feel. It comes in PSD, Ai, and EPS formats.

Steven Gerard

This unique design includes a full-page photo with a greeting and a second page with a full resume or CV with a photo header. The full-page photo could be skipped if you want the simple one-page option. It’s a well-designed and colorful template that you’ll love.

Mauro Haskey Template

This template uses a beautiful design and layout that features a small photo and a brief profile in the sidebar. It includes all the necessary details like contact info, work experience, and education. The skills section at the bottom uses star ratings to display strengths in different areas creatively.

Juandha Whitney

This clean and elegant template makes creating a curriculum vitae with a professional look easy. You’ll be able to show off your strongest skills, education, and work experience.

Claire Ridley

Here is another very clean and professional CV template with a nice design. The header includes room for a photo and a brief bio before getting into the details of your experience and background.

Henry Silly Template

Present your qualifications in a clean and professional way with the help of this creative resume template. It comes in Illustrator format with five different color variations that you can choose from, and of course, you can also edit the colors if you’d like.

Pink Resume Template

Now, here is one that’s sure to be unique! The design uses a pink background, probably unlike any resume you’ve ever seen. It also includes all of the usual details, so it’s functional too.

This template uses some splashes of color for a creative CV design. It includes space for a headshot, a skills section that utilizes star ratings, and an additional template for a cover letter. The download includes the designs in Ai and EPS formats.

Two-Page Modern Resume Template

This unique resume template is not only creative in terms of design and style, but it’s also one of the few two-page templates you’ll see in this showcase. The first page includes details about you and your skills, and the second page is focused on work experience and education. The templates come in Word and InDesign formats.

Indah Kusuma

This CV template uses a colorful header with a photo. The rest of the design is fairly clean and simple. You’ll also get matching cover letter templates. The files can be edited in Word, Photoshop, or Illustrator.

The Peachy CV Resume Template

The Peachy template makes use of icons and content blocks to display your experience and qualifications in an attractive way. The header includes a spot for a small photo along with your name and contact info. This template is ideal for highlighting a few past jobs or specific experiences that you’ve gained.

Taylor Sheeran Template

This stylish design stands out from the typical resume template without being too unconventional. The dark header and footer add contrast and visual interest. The header includes space for a small photo. It also comes with a template for a matching cover letter, which is sure to come in handy.

Carol Holmes

This modern resume template’s layout is pretty unique and will make you stand out from other job applicants. It also comes with a cover letter template and can be edited easily in Microsoft Word.

Jim Halpert

Although it’s a fairly simple design, this CV is definitely unique. It makes excellent use of typography and gives you a solid template that could be used in many different industries.

Anthony Silver

With the help of this template, you can get a very professional CV in no time. There’s a sport for your photo in the head, and the resume layout is beautifully designed to show off your experience and skills. It is provided in InDesign file format.

Web Designer Resume Template

This template is a fun way for web designers to present their professional resume or CV. It includes a spot for a QR code at the top, which is a cool touch. Of course, there’s also a section to show off your experience, and the skills section at the bottom presents a way to display your specific skills visually.

Walter Smith

With this template, you can pack plenty of detail into your resume or CV without a cluttered look. You’ll have a place for your work experience, education, skills, contact info, references, and a brief profile and photo. It comes in four different color variations.

You Only Have a Few Seconds… A Creative Resume Will Help

Your creative resume can make a strong first impression on a potential employer or recruiter. How creative is your resume or CV design? Are you confident yours will stand out from the rest of the pile? If not, then you may want to use one of the creative resume examples above (or use a resume builder) to model your own design, but don’t forget to consider your audience. And have fun with it so that your creative passion shines through loud and clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

A creative CV or resume will show off your skills or experience in a way that sounds out from most text-based resumes during a job search. It may include color or a more unique visual design. If you’re in a creative industries, like designers, taking this approach as a job seeker may help you to get an interview.

The easiest way is to use one of the many templates showcased on this page. In just a few minutes, you can have a beautiful resume or CV that you can be proud of. Check the creative CV ideas in this article to find one you like.

If you’re in a creative industry, taking a more original approach to your resume can be effective and may help you to land your dream job. However, in other industries you may be better off with a more traditional resume.

It really depends on the person who is receiving and reviewing the resumes. Look at it this way, many job openings receive at least 100 resumes. The creative approach is sure to makes your stand out and be noticed. Will it help every time? No. But getting noticed is an important step if you want to get an interview, especially in a creative profession.

Tara Hornor enjoys writing about advertising, marketing, branding, web and graphic design, and more. As Senior Editor for Creative Content Experts, she has over 2,000 published articles on the web. Connect with @TaraHornor for more design and freelancing advice.

23 Creative Resume Examples for 2024

In This Guide:

Gisele henne creative resume shows results not responsibilities, pierre rogers’ creative resume showcases intense passion, jimmy moore’s resume shows out of the box thinking, emily bain shows how a creative resume can stand out.

Scott McDowell's creative resume is playful and inventive

Linda Nakanishi shows by doing

Deda's resume shows who she is as a person

Matteo Reggi's creative resume showcases style

Stuart Mayhew's resume is a conversation starter

Anton Yermolov has a simple and creative 1-page resume

An extraordinary korean style resume, magnus henriksen is nothing but himself, harrison carter watkins shows off his design philosophy.

Chris Rowe's personality doesn't get lost in the details

Pau Morgan gets the important information across

Jimmy raheriarisoa’s resume is bursting with personality.

Monica Gomes' resume pays tribute to classics

Navdeep Raj's resume divides and conquers

Pam Bailey's resume tells a story

Seth Adler's resume is tailor made for the job he wants

Jonathan Fischer's resume is like nothing you've ever seen

Victor Rodriguez creative resume thinks inside the box

Nick begley thinks way outside the box, should you use a creative resume, how do i make my resume creative (without going overboard).

Gone are the days when a resume was only about showing your work experience.

A great creative resume needs to stand out.

Whether it’s at a career fair or in an HR department, when recruiters have looked at 100s of resumes in a single day, they should remember yours.

But that’s easier said than done.

So we found 23 truly unique creative resume examples to show you just what’s possible.

While each has its strengths and weaknesses, they all have something to teach you about how to create a standout resume.

Here’s what you’ll learn today:

• Browse through unique resume examples and the tactics they use to highlight important info;
• When should you be creative on your resume (and when not);
• Practical tips on how to make your resume more visually appealing.

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

We designed most of Enhancv’s features with the applicant’s individuality in mind.

Sure, we could have made a sleuth of simpler, black-on-white resume designs, but for that you’ve already got MS Office.

Some features that make Enhancv a staple creative resume builder include My Time, the 1000s of font, colour and background combos and the ability to rename just about any section of the builder to your liking.

This gives you a starting point to unleash your creativity and do some wondrous things without going overboard:

• Spruce up your headline or any other section;
• Make use of a single page resume ;
• Describe your passions and professional resume story just like we did with Marissa Mayer’s resume .

For the 23 designers below, sending a resume in a black-on-white A4 doc file is a sacrilege.

And, while being creative on your resume has its time and place (read more about that at the end of the article), you can use some of the design choices below to your advantage.

Let’s dive in!

Gisele’s resume does a great job balancing eye-catching design with a strong focus on results. Right away you can’t miss the key metrics here: 20 corporate projects delivered, 40 books managed, 15 years of freelance experience. All that is valuable information you have to pass to the reader right away.

It’s best to focus on results and not responsibilities. This has been a resume writing best practice for years , but it can’t be emphasized enough. Still, what makes this resume stand out is the “creative process” section. It’s designed to get the reader to really understand Gisele’s way of thinking, something a traditional resume wouldn’t be able to convey.

Last but not least, the “Etc.” section is a very smart way to grab employers’ attention and showcase side activities that shaped Gisele as the person. Things like playing the piano and guitar since childhood may be left out of most resumes, but they show qualities like dedication and consistency.

Gisele didn’t play for a few years and then got bored, she stuck with it. Those are qualities employers look for.

Pierre Rogers has incorporated his passion for computer games into his resume. His completed missions are his achievements, his special attributes are his experience and his weapons are his software as a character artist. It’s clear he didn’t get into his field because he couldn’t think of anything better to do.

Showing your passion for your work speaks volumes to employers, making you more memorable and hireable. That’s a lesson Pierre has learned well.

Filmmakers and producers always need to be ready to think outside of the box. From having to reshoot a certain scene when an actor has a new hairstyle to creating a chase sequence on a shoestring budget. Jimmy‘s resume shows he has the mindset to tackle those tough problems by showcasing his creativity. True, it has far fewer career details, but those can always be available on request. What Jimmy has done here is make a strong first impression.

With both of the resumes she uses, Emily starts off with her top professional strengths. Putting them right beneath her name ensures any read will get the main points right off the bat. One resume then focuses on telling her story and giving important context to the rest of the resume while the other gets straight into her work history.

Scott McDowell's creative resume is playful and inventive

Scott’s resume gives you an immediate impression of who he is and how he thinks. What it sacrifices in details it makes up for in personality (plus by including a link to more information, the typical biographical details we expect to see on a resume are all readily available).

The inclusion of subtle background elements encourages readers to take some time to explore the resume, giving it more time to make an impression.

You may have read that recruiters spend 6 seconds on a resume . Well, it’s unfortunately true. Often the choice whoever gets an interview call comes down to who made a quick impression. Linda starts off with two sentences explaining who she is and what she does before breaking down her work and life skills.

The result is a resume that explains the essentials in advance before inviting you to explore more. You can check Linda’s website here .

Deda's resume shows who she is as a person

You have to see the full version of Deda’s remarkable resume ! In it she shares not only the obligatory things (skills, experience, etc.) but also her Design Theory, Life Essentials, Personal Lifestyle Preferences and the Statement of Purpose – things that reveal much more about her personality.

Personality is important enough that even Richard Branson admits that it’s the most important component when hiring. Why? Because tech skills can be learned with time, but being persistent, diligent, and communicative are rare gems in a sea of qualified applicants.

Matteo Reggi's creative resume showcases style

Matteo Reggi’s resume shows he has the mind of a designer. His mind works a bit differently and you may have to tilt your head a bit to get it all. But that’s how interesting and engaging design often works.

The resume may be unconventional, but so is Matteo. Instead of pretending to be something he’s not, he brings his whole self to his resume. If you ask us, it really shows. You can view his work here .

Stuart Mayhew's resume is a conversation starter

We simply love this resume! Stuart Mayhew has combined information regarding his knowledge and experience and has shaped it brilliantly with this design. It paints a picture of a full person, from various life and work experiences to generally how he thinks.

Combined with a powerhouse list of clients, there’s plenty here to make a recruiter want to strike up a conversation and learn more about Stuart. That’s where he can have the chance to make yet another good impression.

He’s produced hundreds of copies of his simple and contemporary 1 page resume to hand out. Besides the design, Anton’s resume stands out by including information that’s hardly typical. Travels, interests, and characteristics bring his personality and experience to the forefront.

A great idea is to change the name of your “tech skills” section to a more job-specific one like Creative Fields or Management Skills, so that it’s more relevant to the position you are applying for. Go & see his work !

Undoubtedly a unique design incorporating Korean elements, this resume actually stands out in more ways than one. The whole resume has a fantastic “My Favorite Things” section which really shows off their design skills. One small issue is using language like “Please contact me…” which can signal a lack of confidence. Otherwise, this resume is memorable.

Magnus Henriksen created this original resume that shows him both as a person and as a professional. It’s simple and straight-forward in a refreshing way while not sacrificing any personality or style. Having such a resume confirms your skills as a designer and makes you stand out. Elements of it may be a bit immature, but Magnus isn’t interested in being anything other than himself.

It’s for the best, as companies should always know what they’re getting when they hire. With Magnus, they’re getting a talented jokester. You can check out some of his work here .

Next up is Harrison Carter Watkins’ Creative Resume . “How I think” is a powerful section to include, especially the way he did it – separate it into two parts – “Thoughts & Method” and “Productivity & Speed” which add a layer of personality alongside the technical one.

Another thing that makes a great impression is the quote featured prominently in the center: “The details don’t make the design, they are the design.”

You get a strong feeling for Harrison’s philosophy of design alongside his work experience and other details. For more of his works check out his Behance profile .

Chris Rowe's personality doesn't get lost in the details

This resume is outstanding not only because of it’s visual appearance but because of the compelling manner Chris has described himself. Including sections like “Clearing the mind” or “The Intangibles” provide a lot of details about your true personality and are a much better way to express what kind of person you are.

Besides, dividing your skill set into 3 parts – Knowledge, Design and Management & Communication, enables the recruiter to immediately see what your main areas of expertise are and gives him an incentive to keep on reading. See all his amazing work here .

Here Pau has visualized his work experience in an easy-to-understand way so that a recruiter can process the information faster. He’s also included the section “Expositions” which, in his case, is pretty important and tells a lot about his abilities. Visit his personal website to enjoy more of his work.

3 things about Jimmy’s resume impressed us – it’s short and concise, extremely well-designed and it emphasizes on the most important information – his title, skills and awards. Plus, it’s bursting with personality. See all of his work here .

Monica Gomes' resume pays tribute to classics

Maybe one of the most stylish resumes we’ve came upon. From its homages to the original macintosh and classic telephones to the classy self portrait, Monica shows her skills and passions with style. Combining her motivation and professional goals into the footer also leaves the reader with an excellent final impression. See her amazing work here .

Navdeep Raj's resume divides and conquers

Navdeep has done an amazing job visually breaking up the different sections in his creative resume . He begins with a simple, straight-forward line about who he is: “I love to design great looking, usable interfaces.”

The other thing we appreciated is that he highlights the fact that he has worked with top companies using a simple “Clients” section. We strongly encourage you to include that information, especially if you have worked for companies like Apple, Disney, MTV or SAP.

Last but not least the way Navdeep divided his skills so that they can be easier to process is very effective – “Practice Areas” and “Technologies”. You can check his work here .

Pam Bailey's resume tells a story

Pam is a professional storyteller whose resume does just what it should: tells her story. Hagan Blount has done a great job turning her resume into a real masterpiece.

Positioning her awards and professional achievements in the middle of her resume is a great idea, especially if you have some numbers and medals to show as she does. They tell the reader that you’re goal-oriented.

The other unique element here is the “Testimonials” section at the bottom.

Seth Adler's resume is tailor made for the job he wants

This is a great example of a performance-based resume by the same person who created Pam Bailey’s resume: Hagan Blount.

Again the content is based on results, not responsibilities, and the design highlights them well. The best part is that the resume is personalized for the VP of Sales position Seth is applying for. For that reason, he’s split his experience into three different categories – Business Development & Strategic Planning, Sales, and Marketing.

That way he stresses the fact that he has what it takes to succeed in that role. Personalizing your resume is one of the best things you could do to raise your chances of getting an interview.

Jonathan Fischer's resume is like nothing you've ever seen

Sometimes a resume just breaks the mold. Jonathan Wakuda Fischer’s is one such example. His resume takes the form of an identity booklet, old Russian style.

Everyone likes seeing absolutely unexpected things and if you read his resume carefully you will realise that Jonathan has gone far beyond the design of his resume and has created a real masterpiece.

Recruiters aren’t going to forget him. Check out his website here .

Victor Rodriguez is clearly being a bit cheeky with his “thinking inside the box” resume . You should never forget that the main goal of your resume is to make a great first impression to the person reading it, no matter whether it’s a word document, infographic, powerpoint presentation or a cereal box.

I can barely think of a better way to grab someone’s attention, especially if this pops up on your table! You can explore Viktor’s creative work here .

We have saved the dessert for last – Nick Begley is the bold man whose resume is a candy bar. When we said these were creative resume ideas, we weren’t kidding.

If you are in a creative industry you already know better as to whether or not sending a creative resume is the right way to go.

How about the rest of us, the non-designers who still want to stand out?

We have to take into consideration the public enemy #1 of creative resumes out there – the Applicant Tracking System, or ATS, for short.

It’s a computer software that is designed to read simple text on resumes and match skills, experiences and keywords to the job description.

This is why it will have a hard time if you encode your key information into graphics and images.

With that being said, the above designers don’t have to pay attention to ATS at all.

They send resumes directly to employers. Which can be the case for many of us.

Small and medium-sized companies aren’t likely to use ATS, either.

Whereas even if you’re applying for a position in a big corporation, you can still incorporate a dash of creativity, as long as you maintain a professional tone.

Here’s a thought – you don’t have to make a cereal box resume to impress recruiters.

Frankly speaking, nobody is expecting you to be creative.

So, if you make a few adjustments here and there, it will come as an added bonus.

Use creative tactics, such as two-colour combinations, adjusted font size, easy-to-read font family, proper resume margin and skimmable layout. ( Enhancv’s resume builder takes care for the lot of it.)

Designers made their infographic resumes to highlight key information in a creative manner. You too can incorporate their tactics described above, albeit in a more down-to-earth way.

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Creative Resume Ideas with Examples

We’ve got three crucial questions for you. When was the last time you updated your resume? Did you enjoy doing it? Do you think someone would enjoy reading it? You may be in need of a more creative resume.

Chances are, if you don’t have fun making something, it probably won’t be any fun reading it either.

Let’s guess what you’re thinking right now: “But resumes aren’t supposed to be fun or enjoyable .” 

Our answer? “Why on earth not?” Of course, how creative or interesting you can make your resume depends a lot on the kind of job you’re applying for. That being said, if you were an HR recruiter tasked with looking through potentially hundreds of resumes, wouldn’t you appreciate seeing something a little interesting now and then? 

More importantly, don’t you think that an engaging resume would stick out in your mind compared to the rest of the hundreds? Studies show that recruiters spend an average of six seconds on each resume before moving on to the next. Just a little bit of creativity can go a long way to standing out. 

Let’s dive into what resumes should, shouldn’t, and could be like.

What Information Should Go on a Resume?

Let’s look a bit at the basic information, whether or not we’re talking about creative resume format . Note that what’s expected on a resume today is different than even a decade ago. According to Business Insider , you should have the following components on your resume: 

• Contact information
• Professional title
• Keywords from the job posting
• Relevant accomplishments and achievements
• Career narrative
• Certifications and credentials
• Relevant URLs
• Action verbs

Other details you’ll want to add are your main resume/career objective, employment history, education, both soft skills and technical skills, relevant certifications, and testimonials. When planning what good skills to put on a resume, consider some of the following options:

• Leadership experience
• Computer proficiency
• Communication skills
• Collaboration and team work skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Critical thinking skills

Notice how we say relevant a few times here. Law office recruiters probably don’t care that you worked at McDonalds while you were in highschool. They also probably don’t need to know that you’re proficient in Mario Kart. However, they probably would like to know that you’re an Eagle Scout, multilingual, or volunteer at a youth center. If you only have six seconds to impress your hiring manager and a lot of information to communicate, you have to understand who your audience is and make sure you stick to details that are relevant to the job you’re applying to. 

How Often Should You Update Your Resume? 

You should update your resume every time you apply to a job, even if you don’t have anything new job experience to add. It may be tedious, but it’s worth it. 

Customize Your Resume for Every Application

The best resumes are ones that have been tweaked to specifically fit the position and company you’re applying for. Back in the list of information to add to your resume, we recommended “keywords from the job posting.” You don’t want to copy the job posting word-for-word because that is too obvious. However, you do want to sprinkle those keywords into your resume, since you know that is specifically what recruiters are looking for. Be honest, but also be smart. 

Check out these two employment history examples:

Notice how the first version of this resume example emphasizes content marketing experience, while the second one puts social media experience at the forefront.

We’d order the information like the first example if the job position was titled “Content Marketing Specialist” whereas we’d use the second example for a job position titled “Social Media Manager”.

Talent-Position Fit

Nowadays, the job space is more competitive than ever. Education is no longer a guarantee for a job. Unless you are applying for particular technical skills that require a high academic background, recruiters are more focused on talent, learning skills, and soft skills. 

The new recruiting motto over startups and corporations is “hire for talent, train for skill.”

Said this, your resume content should clearly state your talents and the fit for the position. The Talent-Position Fit concept means the main set of skills you master (being technical, soft or attitude) which are requested, required or implicit for the job.

For example, imagine there is a job posting for an international commodities trading company, which is looking for an international trader. 

You can create a narrative about your talents around the following list.

• International commodities commerce knowledge (backed by education-wise)
• International commodities  commerce experience (backed by previous jobs experience)
• Negotiation (backed by experience and achievements)
• Adaptability (backed by a particular experience)
• Problem Solving approach.

So before updating your resume, make sure you understand the talents being requested. Sometimes, talents required for the job are hidden in the culture description, like “fast-paced”, “objectives-oriented”, “data-driven”. It is important to tailor your resume to the defined talents and implicit talents.

What’s the Difference Between Traditional and Creative Resumes?

Now that you’re sure you have the right information ready for your resume, let’s talk about creative resume formats. 

Pro Tip: If you are looking to save time preparing your resume, you can rely on our 100% editable resume templates for PowerPoint & Google Slides.

Traditional Resume Design

Traditional resumes are usually built on a Word document with black text and a white background. Resumes can be two pages or one, though one page resumes are becoming more and more popular and requested by recruiters. People list their information in some variation of this order: contact information, mission statement, education, employment history, and skills. Most recent information is listed first, making it easy for recruiters to get the gist of your recent activities at a glance. It’s common to use bullet points and maybe columns, but the traditional resume doesn’t go much more creative than that. 

We want to be clear. We’re not bashing the traditional resume. There are many situations in which a simple resume design or format is necessary, like for that law office job we mentioned before. We just want to show you that there are more options to consider. In fact, some of these ideas may help enhance what will essentially remain a traditional resume. 

Creative Resume Design Format

The creative resume often uses color, icons, infographics, and even photographs. On the extreme side, the creative resume format might not even look like a resume at a glance. We’ve seen resumes that look like social media profiles, menus, and magazines. There’s even people who print their resume out on chocolate bar wrappers . The sky’s the limit. Just carefully consider what’s best for the job you’re applying to first. See the resume example below to get that idea.

Creative Resumes for LinkedIn

Another reason to create a creative resume is when publishing it to LinkedIn. Since your LinkedIn profile has a built-in resume function, it can be quite repetitive to upload a resume document that looks almost exactly like your profile. Take advantage of the opportunity to present your employment history in both simple text and a more creative way. 

This is especially relevant because so many hiring managers are relying on LinkedIn to find job candidates. Not only do you normally have to upload a resume, but you have to share your profile, hence avoiding the repetition. 

Many job postings on LinkedIn get hundreds or even thousands of applications. Putting extra creativity into both your resume and your LinkedIn profile can help you stand out from the masses. You can keep your LinkedIn profile updated and be used as a resume for recruiters, but also upload a PDF to be shown in your LinkedIn profile. Furthermore, another option would be to export your LinkedIn profile as a resume or CV format, in PDF. One caveat here is that you need to keep one of the sources as the single source of truth, which will be easier in the future to keep your data accurate and up to date.

What Do Hiring Managers Say About Creative Resumes?

Generally speaking, recruiters aren’t opposed to the idea of spicing up your resume. However, you want to avoid making it too hard for your recruiter to get the information they need from it. Basically, be creative, but keep it functional. Catch their attention with a little color, but avoid making it look like a unicorn blew up all over the page…unless you’re applying to be a clown at a kid’s center, perhaps! 

Our best advice is to try to stick to the general format of a traditional resume, mostly so recruiters know where to look during their six second analysis. However, feel free to add in some unique features, as long as they are enhancing the overall message and not distracting from it. Check our Resume Template Free Download

5 Ideas for Making Your Resume More Creative

This is the fun part: thinking outside the box, or rather, the Word document with black text and simple lists. For each of these creative resume format ideas, you can go conservative or extreme. We’ll help you with creative ideas for both.

Idea 1. Incorporate color into your resume

Not only is color generally pleasing, it is a tool you can use to subtly indicate to hiring managers where to focus on your resume. If you want recruiters to notice your prestigious education or impressive accomplishments, then add color to those areas, either in the title, as a box around the section, or shading behind the section.

Want recruiters to notice your plethora of skills over your lack of formal job experience? Leave the job experience part as a more traditional list and add colorful graphs and diagrams to your skills section. However you use it, color will always draw the eye, especially when in contrast to the rest of the document. Where are your eyes drawn to first in this creative resume sample?

Idea 2. Add icons to lists

Icons are great ways to liven up what would normally be a simple list. They can also make a resume more skimmable, since hiring managers can easily see what each point in the list is about, just by looking at the icon. Check out the following example. Even if the recruiter doesn’t want to read about each interest, they can get a quick idea just from the icons.

Idea 3. Demonstrate skills and interests with illustrations and/or infographics

As they say in storytelling, showing is often better than telling. This translates to creative resumes in the form of infographics that show what you’re good at or what you’re interested in, instead of just listing it out. The nice thing about infographics is, while they may seem intimidating to make, there are a lot of infographic templates out there where all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your details.

Idea 4. Change up the format of your resume

Here is where you can go really crazy…or not. It’s up to you. Would it be cool to format your resume on an image of an iceberg in order to express what’s below the surface of your title? Yes. That’s actually pretty cool! Would recruiters for a creative position like it? They very well might! Would the hiring manager at that law firm? Maybe not.

Idea 5. Change your font, but keep it readable

99% of traditional resumes are written in Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. There’s a reason for that: those fonts are some of the most easily readable options out there. That gives you an opportunity to boost your resume’s creativity with one easy change: the font. There are thousands of fonts out there that are both unique and still readable. Play around with it and choose the one that best fits your personality. Just make sure you don’t choose Comic Sans.

When preparing your resume, you not only need to think of the target audience (the recruiting team), but also in the screening algorithms and technology that will process the resume before it reaches the recruiter. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS), for example, is a software using by hiring managers and recruiters to manage candidates applying for open positions. For this purpose, optimizing your resume for ATS systems can help toward passing the AI resume matching algorithms that will screen your resume the first time. A good ATS-friendly resume Template can help toward this goal. In the list below, we present some of the best resume templates for ATS.

Looking for more ideas? Checkout How to  Build a Resume Website With Pixpa

Free Resume Template in Google Docs

Use this editable Free Resume Template to create a personalized and professional resume. You can download it in .docx, PDF and Google Docs formats.

Where to find Free Resume Templates in Google Docs?

Google Drive gives us access to a large number of editable Free Resume Templates.

• Log in to your Google Drive account .
• Click “New” – “Google Docs” – “From a template.”
• Go to “Resumes.”

16 Creative Resume Examples for PowerPoint and Google Slides

1. free simple resume powerpoint template.

Use This Template

2. Curriculum Vitae Template for PowerPoint

3. Member Profile PowerPoint Template

4. Modern Resume Presentation Template

5. Creative Resume Slide Template for PowerPoint

6. Resume Template Presentation Design

7. Simple User Profile PowerPoint Template

8. Creative Self Introduction Slide Template for PowerPoint

9. Personal Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

10. Presentation Resume PowerPoint Template

11. Modern 1-Page Resume Template for PowerPoint

12. Multi-Slide Resume PowerPoint Template

13. Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

14. Professional Resume PowerPoint Template

15. Professional Curriculum Vitae PowerPoint Template

16. Resume Template for PowerPoint

Our Conclusion on Creative Resume Ideas

There’s a story of a job applicant submitting a resume formatted to look like an Instagram profile. During the interview presentation for the job , the HR manager specifically mentioned how refreshing it was to see a creative resume or CV like that. It made her want to meet the person who made it. 

Will a creative resume get you your dream job? Probably not. You still have to have the skills, experience, and personality to back your resume up. However, your creative resume may be just the thing to get your foot in the door and an interview on the calendar. And finally, by making your resume more unique, you may just find yourself having more fun updating it than before. At least, it’s worth a try.

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Candidates, Employee Engagement, Hiring Manager, Job Interview, Job Seeker, Resume, Talent Management Filed under Design

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