good resume templates word

Recommended For: Content Creators and Videographers

This resume will help content creators showcase their biggest projects and most notable accomplishments. It's great for showing how your scope of work has increased over the years, solidifying your expertise in that field.

18. Fresh Resume Template

The curriculum vitae-style resume below flips the typical two-column resume so the basic applicant information is listed across the right side, rather than the left.

Feel free to change the color of this sidebar in Microsoft Word if dark-red isn't your thing — the template can pull off any color you wish.

Recommended For: Graduate Candidates

If you are a graduate student entering the workforce, having a CV-style resume will demonstrate the depth of your knowledge first and showcase how your continued education will contribute to your future work environment.

20. Goldenrod Resume Template

What makes this resume unique is the space for references on the lower left-hand side. Does your field need others to vouch for your experience? This resume gives you room for three solid recommendations.

Recommended For: Brand Marketers or Personal Influencers

If you work in branding or have a large social media following, you can demonstrate your ability to create a cohesive message with this resume template. Feel free to change the color scheme to suit your brand.

22. Creative Resume Template

26. Blue Corporate Resume Template

Because of the color and image, it's pretty memorable. But, for those who prefer a more conservative resume look, this template is fairly simple.

Recommended For: Corporate Candidates

This template is great for accomplished candidates moving into a high-rank position. This layout allows you to fit plenty of accomplishments, and the conservative look organizes the fullness of your career neatly.

27. Concept Resume

This resume is perfect for displaying a clear timeline of your career history. It's ideal for a seasoned professional who may have a lot of experience and wants to display it on one to two pages.

The template also allows you to highlight your competency level in various areas, giving the recruiter an easy way to spot your expertise.

Recommended For: Candidates in the Tech Industry

This resume is great for people in the technical space because it adds a touch of color and feels more compact, which will allow you to get right to the point about your key skills, certifications, and work experiences.

How to Make a Resume in Word

• Open Microsoft Word on your computer.
• Select either Basic Resume or Bold Resume from the template menu.
• Fill in your name and contact information at the top.
• Draft a brief summary of your experience and goals.
• Enter your school and latest education.
• Describe each job you've held using the lines prompted on the template.
• List all relevant skills.
• Describe any relevant accolades and accomplishments.

1. Open Microsoft Word on your computer.

If you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, open the program and let it load for a moment. There will be a couple of helpful options waiting for you on the first screen, specifically for resume creation.

2. Select either "Basic Resume" or "Bold Resume" from the template menu.

Once you've launched MS Word, a window of templates will appear. Scroll down until you see the template options designed for resumes — there will be at least two of them. Double-click the one that suits your style and personal brand, but don't be too particular about design just yet ... you can customize these templates quite a bit.

3. Fill in your name and contact information at the top.

When your resume template opens, you'll see placeholder text for each line of your resume, starting with your first and last name at the top. Delete this header text and enter your name, as well as any contact information by which you want the recruiter to contact you.

4. Draft a brief summary of your experience and goals.

Use the first line below your name and contact info to describe who you are, what you do, and what you're looking for in your career.

5. Enter your school and latest education.

List any relevant degrees or certificates you received through schooling. You can safely exclude secondary education if you've graduated from an accredited college.

6. Describe each job you've held using the lines prompted on the template.

Your professional experience is frequently the most important section of your resume, so feel free to rank this section above your skills and education, depending on how many jobs you previously held.

7. List all relevant skills.

If you have experience in certain software, exercises, problem-solving, or management techniques, use them to populate your skills. Your resume's "Skills" section helps reveal what all of your previous jobs or related experiences have in common, based on what they taught you and what you provided them.

8. Describe any relevant accolades and accomplishments.

Finish out your resume with any personal accomplishments or accolades you think a hiring manager in your industry would appreciate. Although this section shouldn't include a Most Improved recognition from little league, for example, it should definitely include your Marketer of the Month award from your last position.

Next, let's cover how to format your brand-new resume in Word.

How To Format a Resume in Word

When formatting a resume in Word, it's important to know the right style. We'll go over it piece by piece.

Set the Right Margins and Font Size

Your resume should contain one-inch margins on all sides. Most documents will automatically have one-inch margins, but it's best to double-check or create them yourself. Here's how to create one-inch margins for your resume:

• Go to "Layout."
• Click "Margins."
• Click the "Normal" setting, where it states 1" on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the document.

Lastly, make sure your font size is 12-pt. This font size is standard for most resumes. However, if you have a particularly long CV, you could potentially get away with an 11-pt font size to fit it all on one page.

Create Headers

You should separate each section (i.e., education, work experience) with a header.

Create a header in Word by selecting "Styles". You can use "Header 1" for your first and last name at the top of the page. "Header 2" is great for the "Education" section, "Work Experience" section, and "Skills" section. Use "Header 3" for employer names and job titles, and use normal text to fill in the details of your accomplishments, skills, and educational background.

Create Dividers

If you want to visually divide your resume into different parts, you can create dividers to split up the information and make your resume more scannable. Here's how to add dividers:

Go to "Insert", select "Illustrations," and then click "Shapes". You can select "Lines" to draw a line in Word. Another shortcut to create dividers is pressing the "=", "_", or and "*" three times and hitting enter. These give a variation of dividers that can add dimension to your resume.

Create Bullet Points

The truth is, no hiring manager will read a paragraph of information, so we recommend using bullets instead to list your accomplishments and responsibilities underneath your job titles. When you open "Paragraph," you'll see a variation of bullet points you can use. Choose the one you like best.

Sometimes, you might not have time to create and format a resume from scratch. Plus, if you're already employed full-time, it's hard to find the time to apply to a new job opportunity, let alone update your resume to reflect your qualifications.

Luckily, there are numerous publishers out there who've created incredible resume templates for quick editing and formatting in Word.

You can also find resume templates directly in Word, which we'll go over next.

How to Find Resume Templates in Word

When you open Word, go to ‘New'. On the bar on the left, select the ‘New' option if it's not selected already. Scroll down and you will see the resume template options that Word provides. These templates are visually appealing and are ready-made to send with your job application.

To keep you from hunting the internet for resume templates that are both free and compatible with MS Word, we've listed some options below for you to customize with your own information right now.

Some of them come with variations so you can pick your favorite design. A few of them cater specifically to marketers.

How to Save Your Resume

Remember, once you've finished personalizing your resume, you're not ready to submit an application yet. To ensure your resume's format stays the same for everyone who receives it, save the document as a PDF. Best case scenario? Even the hiring manager won't believe your resume came from Word.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in May 2020 for comprehensiveness.

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Resume templates to create a killer resume for your job application.

15 Free Resume Templates (Word) Designed for 2023

• Word Resume Template Choices
• How to Make a Resume in Word

Make the Most with Word Resume Templates

Pick the resume template best for you.

If you’re ready to  give yourself the best chance of landing the job you’re after , you need an attractive, organized resume template. Our 15 new resume templates for Word are hot off the press for 2023. All you have to do is download them for free and start editing them in Microsoft Word.

Trouble customizing your Word resume template ? Working with ready-made templates can be challenging, so if you’re in a time crunch or over the frustration, make a resume with us and choose from one of BeamJobs’ professional resume template options—just like this modern template here.

Physical Therapist Resume

or download as PDF

Word Resume Template Choices for You

Academic Word Resume

Why this resume template works

• Share internship or work experience as well as project experience. Projects can be academic or personal. If you’re feeling stuck on what to include here, try thinking about your hobbies and interests .
• Show off academic achievements and awards in a dedicated section in the left sidebar. Need more room than that? Try using the projects section instead!

Easy Word Resume

• Recruiters won’t be quick to forget your name with this soft blue contact header that keeps your info neat and tidy.
• Resume templates like this one are good choices for job seekers looking to climb the ladder because it lays your work history out in reverse-chronological order.

High School Word Resume

• Think about school projects or extracurricular activities that keep you busy, and use that to populate your projects section. Try to answer how you contributed and left a positive impact.
• And hey, if you do have some traditional work experience, just add that to the projects section instead!

Music Word Resume

• Use your experience section to highlight where you shine, whether that be in the orchestra or in the classroom instructing.
• The green sidebar gives us nice pop of color to draw attention to your music honors and awards, where you can put the spotlight on competitions, the location, and the year.

Nursing Word Resume

• Small and unique design elements pull the eye in strategically to your objective , skills, and licenses, telling recruiters right away that you’re qualified for the role.
• Licenses and certifications are essential, which is why there are two sections dedicated to this at the bottom of your resume. List your nursing license in the left sidebar and list any other certifications and licenses you hold beneath your experience.

Teacher of the Year Resume Template

• Your teacher resume can demonstrate your professional ability to teach any age group from kindergarten to high school.
• Bold blue tones emphasize wisdom, confidence, intelligence, and imagination. This type of  resume formatting  contrasts nicely with strong black empty space. It makes for an eye-catching and appealing resume.

The Arts Word Resume Template

• Usually, we advise against including a photo in your  resume template , but we can make the case for one here. It shows personality and individuality, which are, of course, important traits for an artistic, creative job. 
• Job titles that will be especially suited to your arts resume include visual artist, musician, photographer, designer, and producer.

Pretty-in-Pink Word Resume Template

• This bold, creative resume template is best suited for those working in roles where a more colorful style would be acceptable or encouraged.
• This will include many jobs in the arts and creative industries, but it’s always best to judge based on the formality of the specific company to which you apply.

Royal Blue Word Resume Template

• The dark blue is particularly good at conveying a sense of knowledge, seriousness, and security, which are appealing qualities for hiring managers seeking an advanced professional like yourself. The light blue adds contrast and is associated with compassion, an essential characteristic of good management. 
• We think you could build a killer resume with this royal blue Word resume template for roles as an account manager , team lead, regional manager, operations manager , and executive assistant .

The Trades Word Resume Template

• Remember, this doesn’t mean your resume has to look boring. Keep it interesting with contrasting colors, fonts, and letter sizes. Choosing the perfect resume template is half the battle!
• Your trades resume is ideal if you’re working trades, such as plumbing, welding, carpentry, electrical work, or machinery. Your job keeps life orderly and functional, so it’s important to reflect that in your resume design.

Doctor’s Orders Word Resume Template

• Unique sections allow you to input and highlight residency, licenses, and conferences easily. Use tasteful colors in your resume to demonstrate your personality.
• Your qualifications and skills can speak for themselves, but only great doctors are both brilliant and personable with patients. Show that you  are  that doctor!

Executive Word Resume Template

• If you’re looking to advance in the corporate world, this resume template allows room to highlight your expertise and success in a  professional resume summary .  
• Having trouble figuring out where to start? Take a peek at our  resume examples  for insight into creating a resume that lands you interviews. 

Green Technicalities Word Resume Template

• It should be easy to differentiate your hard and soft skills  and certifications on your resume, which are incredibly important for technical jobs requiring niche skills. 
• While a lot of information can fit on your resume, clean lines and contrasting colors keep it from becoming overwhelming. 

Lawyer Up Word Resume Template

• The boxing around the resume title and contrasting fonts provide sophisticated interest.
• Note the use of professional and straightforward fonts but strong visual interest from the choice of bolding.

Modern Limelight Word Resume Template

• Your Modern resume works best if you’re applying to work at a startup. Exciting, bold ideas thrive in these environments, and your lime-colored resume fits the bill. 
• Students, don’t be afraid to use the work experience section for projects or even to showcase relevant hobbies and interests that help pitch why you should be hired. 

Remember,  if you’re having trouble customizing your resume template , make sure you check out our  job-specific resume samples . We also get that working with templates in Word can be tricky, so you can try one of our Google Docs resume templates or build a resume with us instead. How about this one here?

Experienced Medical Assistant Resume

How to Make a Resume in Word ?

The best thing about building a resume in Word is that Microsoft Word comes with many resume templates you can find within the program. If none of these preloaded formats do the trick, you can search for alternate templates on the internet (probably how you found these here).

Between the templates included in Word, the options available online, our free resume templates for Google Docs , or the templates you can use in our easy resume builder , you should have no trouble finding a design that works for you.

Find free Word resume templates

Accessing resume templates on Microsoft Word is a quick, easy way to structure your document. All you have to do is take the following steps:

• Click “File,” then “New.”
• Type “Resume” into the search box at the top of the window.
• Browse the templates and double-click the one you want.
• Delete the sample text and add your personal information.

Upload your outside templates into Word

While Microsoft Word offers some excellent resume templates within the program, you can find even more options on the internet, including our  professional resume examples .

Here’s how to find online templates and upload them into Word:

• Search Google for “resume templates,” or take advantage of our  free resume templates .
• Download the resume that fits your needs.
• Open a new Word document.
• Click on “Insert” at the top of the page.
• Select “Object” from the drop-down menu.
• Find the file for the resume template in the box that appears. It’s most likely under “Downloads.”
• Click on the file for the resume template.
• Click “Insert” at the bottom-right corner of the box.

*Note: This process will upload your template, but it may be distorted, requiring you to spend some time manipulating boxes, lines, and font, which is why we recommend uploading your resumes with our  free resume tool .

When it comes to creating a fantastic resume on Word, downloading the right template is only half the battle. From there, you need to do what it takes to fill the template with the right information.

There are two keys to making the most of your Word resume template: taking advantage of Word’s available features and practicing patience as you tweak and perfect the document.

Use Word’s available features

There’s a reason Word is so popular. It comes fully loaded with useful features, many of which will be a major help as you work on your next resume. Here are six features you should consider taking advantage of if you want your document to look its best:

• Word’s editor tool will check your resume for spelling and grammar. Don’t let recruiters doubt your professionalism.
• The Track Changes feature puts a red line through deleted text rather than eliminating it. Play around with the wording on your resume to weigh your options until you get it just right.
• Word’s Resume Assistant feature is specially designed for creating a new resume. Use this feature to see how others in your field have described their work experience, giving you the inspiration to overcome pesky writer’s block.
• Word’s line spacing feature lets you tighten up text, so there’s less blank space between lines. Say more on a single page.
• The margins adjustor on Word lets you cover more of the page with text. When you’re struggling to squeeze in important information, this extra space can prove vital.
• Word lets you convert your final resume to a PDF. This makes it easy to save your resume as a file you can send digitally.

Set aside ample time to build your Word resume

A resume on Word isn’t something you can polish off in five minutes even if you’ve uploaded a template. You need the document to come out looking fantastic, and that requires meticulous attention to detail.

While you work on your Word resume, consider the following:

• How to customize your filler text
• How to set the font size and color
• Which line spacing to use
• How to make an inflexible layout work for the information you need to include
• How to  format your resume  for ATS scanners

If all this sounds like too much of a hassle, just use our simple resume builder . By typing in your details and letting our tool take care of the rest, you’ll take the guesswork and stress out of the resume creation process.

There are countless resume templates in Word, and it’s up to you to find the option that best suits your industry and personality. No matter which template you choose, the most important thing is to represent yourself well. When it comes to  writing resumes , content wins over style every time.

While a  resume outline  and template will give your document the basic structure it needs, save yourself time and frustration by opting for a complete resume builder experience instead.

Whether you want to upload and  check a resume  with our AI-powered tips or start from scratch, our tools are convenient and effective. If you’ve got your information handy, then a stylish, professional resume is just a few clicks away.

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• Resume Help

25+ Free Resume Templates for Microsoft Word to Download

Stop struggling with your Word resume template. Get a beautiful resume in 5 minutes! See our list of the best resume and CV templates for Word that you can quickly modify & tweak.

As seen in:

You can stop looking for the best resume templates for Word right now. Why? You've just found them.  They’re right below. 

In fact, you've found so much more than you bargained for!

This guide will show you:

• A collection of the best free resume templates for Word.
• How to access  free resume templates for Microsoft Word from your computer.
• Where to download free resume templates you can use in Word.
• Tips on how and when to best use those free resume templates for Microsoft Word.

Save your time and have your resume template ready in 5 minutes. Our resume builder app will do all the formatting for you. You can download your resume as a Microsoft Word or PDF file format.

Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

Create your resume now

Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume examples here .

 Find more resume templates here: 

• Apple Pages Template
• Best Resume Template
• Blank Resume Template
• Cool Resume Template
• Google Docs Resume Template
• Simple Resume Template
• Word CV Templates
• 20+ Resume Layouts

If you are looking for some specific resume examples, see:

• American Resume Examples
• Academic Resume Examples
• Entry Level Resume Examples
• Entry Level Engineering Resume Examples
• Resume Examples for a First Job
• Student Resume Examples
• Teen Resume Examples

How to access Word resume templates from your computer?

Launch Micorsoft Word and start creating a new document. Under the text box, click on Resume and Cover Letter or type "resume" into the search bar. Select the Word resume template you like. Click Create and start editing the template in MS Word. Alternatively, you can visit Microsoft's templates and themes page and find one you like there!

Cubic is a professional resume template for Word that pairs traditional resume elements with a modern minimalist layout. It’s nicely divided into three sections each of which is of a different color.

How’s it even possible to achieve such results in MS Word without getting messy with the infographic resume elements and layout?

Here's how you do it:

Launch our builder, fill in the blank spaces, and the app will take care of all the formatting for you. Once you finish writing your resume , export the document as a Word resume template.

The result?

Great-looking, immaculately formatted, and… editable resume. If you notice any typo or would like to add or replace a word, you can do it quickly using MS Word. If you want to change font sizes, margins, colors, element spacing, etc.—use the builder. It will make sure that the formatting looks great no matter which part of your resume you decide to change the look of .

This Microsoft Word resume template incorporates a timeline that makes it easier for the reader to follow your professional experience.

Our builder allows you to download your resume as a DOC or PDF file. If you’re wondering which format is better, let me tell you one thing—

It depends.

Recruiters often prefer MS Word because they can make changes and leave notes (e.g., add the recruiter’s company letterhead or remove contact details so that you aren’t poached by the hiring company).

Most hiring managers, however, prefer PDFs because they’re very universal and there’s no need for special software. A PDF resume will work just fine on mobile devices, which is a blessing for bosses who are always on the go. Plus, you can rest assured that your resume formatting won’t get messed up in transit.

Crisp is one of our two-column resume templates for Word. Its elegant look will work great for both creative and more traditional roles.

Our resume builder is more than a collection of templates. What you get is a resume writing powerhouse full of expert-curated content available at a click of the button.

Pro Tip: When writing your resume, pay attention to its structure and the general look and feel. Studies show that recruiters spend only about 7 seconds scanning your resume initially, and if it looks cluttered or they can’t quickly find the information they’re looking for, they’re very likely to reject it.

This Word resume template is a good choice for a combination resume. The sections are clearly visible and skimmable.

Plus—

With our state-of-the-art  cover letter builder , you can easily create a powerful resume and cover letter set. Answer a couple of questions, and get a targeted cover letter in no time. Tweak it to make it yours and land your dream job in style.

Pro Tip: There are three most popular resume formats, and depending on your professional experience: chronological resume , functional resume , and combination resume . Each has its pros and cons. You can learn more about them from our dedicated guides.

It doesn’t matter if you’re working in a traditional or creative role, this is one of our resume templates for Microsoft Word that will work great in every imaginable scenario. The resume summary area placed at the very top will help the recruiter quickly learn what your stronger traits are.

This resume Word template is very easy to scan and, as such, it’s suitable for anyone pursuing a corporate position that attracts a large number of candidates. The resume header area which is easy on the eye will let the recruiters quickly see what a great hire you could be.

This modern-looking and elegant Microsoft Word resume template is a good choice for a managerial resume in more traditional industries.

This minimalistic resume template will be just as suitable for an academic CV as a more formal manager resume. It’s predominantly focused on the content, with a subtle addition of bar graphs to illustrate your proficiency in various skills.

This modern MS Word resume template includes graphical elements that make it stand out from the rest and don’t distract the reader from the document’s content. Thanks to its two-column layout it can hold quite a lot of information without looking cluttered.

Looking for less standard resume templates? Visit our gallery of 16+ Creative Resume Templates

What makes this Word template for a resume look different from the rest is the graphical element with your initials. The template also incorporates a skill grading scale and a set of icons to make your abilities and contact details clearly visible.

This resume template in Word blends professionalism and simplicity. The section titles are accentuated with small ribbon-shaped elements right next to them.

Nanica is one of our resume templates for Microsoft Word that’s perfect for a two-page resume or an academic CV. Thanks to its simple formatting, the resume sections can smoothly extend into page two and beyond if need be.

Pro Tip: There’s been a lot of debate recently as to the perfect length of a resume . It turns out there’s no such thing but in the vast majority of cases, a one-page resume will work great for candidates pursuing entry-level positions whereas more experienced job-seekers may consider making a two-page resume .

This Word .doc resume template has a two-column layout that lets you include all your relevant experience and key skills, and will still have plenty of room left for adding extra resume sections, such as software or languages, for instance.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Another one of our professional resume templates for Word that’s perfect for a longer document. It’s suitable for seasoned executives and distinguished academics alike.

Thanks to its two-column layout, this simple CV template for Word is perfect for experienced candidates who want to present their professional side on a single page.

Valera is a creative resume template for Word that combines youthful energy with pure professionalism. Also, it’s perfectly usable as a two-page resume template.

This resume template for Word mixes simplicity with modernity. The icons draw the recruiter’s eye right to the section titles. White space gives it an elegant professional look.

Cascade is a very universal resume template for Word. It’s suitable for entry-level candidates and executives alike. Its two-column layout will let you include a lot of information without cluttering the document.

Color Block Resume

This free resume template for Word is one of many templates accessible directly through MS Word’s own template gallery.

Click here to download it for free .

Here's how to make a resume on Word :

• Launch MS Word and start creating a new document. Under the text box, click on Resume and Cover Letter.

• Select the Word resume template you like.

• This is it. You can start editing your resume now.

But you need to realize one thing—

The templates you see in the MS Word gallery work best with the documents whose content is almost identical to what you can see in the original sample.

Unlike our builder, MS Word will not automatically adjust the template to the content you’re typing in. In other words, you’ll have to manually tweak everything (margins, spacing, line breaks, fonts, graphical elements, etc.) whenever you wish to add or replace something on the original template.

Here are some more examples from MS Word resume template gallery (and other places around the web):

Green Cube Resume

This two-column free Word resume template includes large section headings and bar charts to reflect your proficiency level.

Pro Tip: Some Word resume templates allow you to include a photo. However, adding pictures to resumes is rarely a good idea .

Creative Resume (Designed by MOO)

This free modern resume template for Word is a good option for entry-level candidates with not too much experience under the belt.

If you are looking for modern resume you can also check  Modern Resume Template

Subtle Creativity

This free resume template for Word will come in handy to fresh grads and experienced candidates alike. It’s universal enough to be used as a single- and multiple-page resume.

Crisp and Clean Resume (Designed by MOO)

This free creative resume template for Microsoft Word is suitable for less traditional industries that welcome originality and inventiveness.

You may like to look at some Eye Catching Resume as well.

Simple Chronological

Another free Microsoft Word resume template from Microsoft’s own repository. It’s simple and clean, suitable for all candidates who wish to just focus on the essence and have toned down embellishments.

You can also find some ideas other than Microsoft Word resume templates, for simple and clean resume designs here: Clean Resume

Simple and Modern

This free Word resume template is nicely divided into distinct resume parts. The skills section has a visual bar graph that reflects your levels of proficiency.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

This is it! How do you like our selection of resume / CV templates for Word? Would you like to share your opinion with us? Leave us a comment below! We’re always happy to hear from you.

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The Best Free Resume Templates for Word

Using a Word resume template is a great way to make your resume a highly editable and customizable document. Since Microsoft Word allows you to edit your document for each job you apply for, this is an appealing option for many job seekers. In addition, MS Word is a file format that is frequently requested by recruiters.

LiveCareer offers a selection of the best resume templates for Word. Available in an array of styles — Modern , Creative , Traditional , Simple , Basic and Professional — all can be downloaded in three different file formats , including Word.

Here, we will help you decide whether you should use a Microsoft resume template by explaining the pros and cons of choosing one of our premium or free resume templates for Word.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

When to use a Microsoft Word resume template

Free resume templates for word, premium resume templates for word, pros and cons of using a word resume template.

• More about resume templates for Word

Microsoft Word is a desirable format for many job seekers because of its user-friendly features, including the ability to track changes, move text around, create both numbered and bulleted lists within the document, and more. However, Microsoft resume templates aren’t for everyone.

When you are applying for work, you should download your resume templates in a Word document if:

• The job post explicitly asks for a resume in a Microsoft Word file format.
• You want the option of editing your resume.
• You plan to personalize a single resume for multiple roles.
• You’d like recruiters to have the ability to take notes on your resume.

If these scenarios don’t describe you, don’t fret. LiveCareer offers templates that can be downloaded as a PDF or in simple text, too, making it easy to choose the file format that best suits your needs. For job seekers who want the option of editing their resume after downloading it, download one of our word resume templates for free and customize your resume for every job to which you apply.

Downloading your resume format in Word is often a solid choice for job seekers. Microsoft Word is one of the preferred file formats for recruiters. Job seekers also like this  format because creating a resume in Word makes it easy to edit and personalize for other roles. However, some job seekers find that writing and formatting a resume in Word can be tricky.

For one, while Microsoft Word does offer resume templates, it does not have a resume builder, which means all of the writing is left up to the job seeker. Plus, when sharing a resume created in Word with a recruiter who uses a different version of the software, some formatting elements could be lost, or inadvertent changes could be made to the document.

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder offers the best of both worlds, making it simple to create professional resume templates in Word. Download your resume as a Word document, make the changes you want, and then save it as a PDF to create a “fixed” file format that will preserve the formatting and design of your resume and prevent accidental changes from being made.

Below, we outline the pros and cons of using a Microsoft Word resume template to create your next resume:

Microsoft Word resume templates are easy to edit, making them great for job seekers who plan to customize a basic resume for each job they apply to in their job search.

Using a resume builder to create a Microsoft Word resume template allows you all of the flexibility of MS Word without the hassle of designing a header and formatting your resume yourself.

When you choose a Word resume template, you have the option to choose whichever resume format is right for you. Just decide between the chronological, functional or combination formats and start writing.

Using one of LiveCareer’s Microsoft Word resume templates allows you to skip the headache of formatting altogether. Our templates manage it for you while giving you the freedom to customize your document by changing the font, colors and more.

Creating a resume in Word from scratch can be tedious and time-consuming.

Creating a resume in Microsoft Word can make it difficult to create functional or combination resume formats.

Formatting elements like font, margins and text alignment can be tricky when working in Microsoft Word. An eagle eye is required to maintain consistency throughout the document.

Resume Success Stories

Does microsoft word have free resume templates.

Yes. Microsoft Word does offer free templates. However, the company does not offer a resume builder, so all the writing has to be done from scratch. When you use LiveCareer’s premium and free resume templates for Word, you have access to our professional Resume Builder, which offers a variety of benefits, including:

• Step-by-step guidance on how to craft all five sections of your resume.
• Prewritten content suggestions, written by our team of professional resume writers, which you can use as-is or customize them to suit your needs.
• The ability to change fonts, colors and more to make your Microsoft resume template your own.
• An option to download your resume template in Word, Simple text or PDF file formats to meet the requirements of every employer.

Which format do most employers prefer for resumes?

While some employers may request a resume Word document, many prefer applicants use a PDF. The reason? If the recruiter has a different version of Word than the one you used to create your resume, some formatting or design elements could get skewed. This can make it difficult for hiring managers to decipher your credentials.

Using a PDF is the best way to avoid that possibility. A PDF is a “fixed” file format, which means that you can be assured that what you see on your screen is exactly what the recruiter will see on their end.

See more on our FAQ page

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Basic and Simple Resume Templates

Looking for a basic resume template to use and apply for jobs? We’ve got you covered. Each of our simple resume templates comes in six basic colors. Download them all for Word, or open in Google Docs to start customizing. Or, explore the rest of our free resume templates .

Classic Resume Templates

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Classic Black

Classic brick red, classic coral, classic dark blue, classic green, classic turquoise.

Chicago Resume Templates

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Simple resumes are better for certain fields like law, government, and higher education because these industries tend to operate more traditionally. Any of the classic resume templates on this page would be appropriate for a job application in a traditional field.

If you’re not sure what kind of resume template to use for a job, you can use the company’s website as a model. For example, if their website uses a simple, straightforward design, you can use a simple resume template for your application. If their website uses a flashy, modern design, you can feel free to choose a modern or creative resume template for your application.

How do I prepare a simple resume?

To prepare a simple resume, you can use a basic template and fill out each section with your information. This way, you won’t have to worry about whether you’re using the correct resume format and you’ll have a picture of what the final product will look like before you begin.

If you wish, you can use our resume builder to create a fully-formatted resume on the template of your choice, or you can also write your resume from scratch .

How many pages should a simple resume have?

A simple resume should have one page in most cases. Resumes are designed to give hiring managers an overview of your most important qualifications, so you should prioritize highly relevant achievements and leave out anything unrelated to the position you want. Some highly-experienced applicants can get away with longer than a one-page resume , but to justify it, you’d need at least 10 years of experience or lots of relevant qualifications and certifications.

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51 Free Microsoft Word Resume Templates That'll Land You the Job

Lily Herman

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When it comes to resumes, presentation is just as important as the skills and experience that the resume itself spells out. Trying to design a resume from scratch can be a challenge, especially with few design skills.

Need a little help? Check out these 51 free (yes, FREE!) Microsoft Word resume templates that you can easily download to your computer, edit to include your experience, and hand in with your next job application. No recruiter or hiring manager will be able to say no.

Can’t wait to view them one by one? We’ve put together a selection of the best free resume templates  in one easy download below.

Get your free resume templates

Professional templates perfect for any industry

Why use a resume template?

Resume templates are handy tools for job seekers for a number of reasons. Firstly, it allows you to spend more time polishing up the content instead of worrying about the layout and design.

Secondly, it gives first-time job applicants a better idea of how much to write and the sections to focus on. This also applies if you’ve been out of the job market for a while and haven’t had to edit your resume recently.

Before you sprint ahead to the templates, here are some resume dos and don’ts you should know.

Resume dos and don’ts

• Highlight your most relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments
• Include keywords from the job description in your resume where it fits organically
• Triple check your resume for grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Use data specific examples where possible (e.g. “increased sales by 30% by doing x”)
• Include non-academic and non-professional experiences, such as volunteer work or side projects
• Use powerful verbs to describe your work (e.g “amplified”, “executed”, “maximized”)
• Include your contact information
• Keep your bullet points to under two lines  
• Ask someone you trust to go over your resume with you
• Create a master resume. This will make it easier to tailor your resume to any job
• Include all your relevant credentials
• Save your resume file as something with your name on it. This will make it easier for managers and HR folk to locate your files
• Be consistent throughout your application. This means using the same fonts, styles, and naming conventions on your file.
• Showcase your soft skills
• Print out copies of your resume for interviews

Don’t

• Include obvious skills (e.g. gmail)
• Include irrelevant hobbies or interests. That space can be better utilized for highlighting your achievements and skills
• Include work experiences during high school unless you’re a recent graduate
• Use an objective sentence. These are widely considered to be outdated, and only relevant if you are changing careers
• Hide gaps in your resume. Be confident when explaining the gap and speak on the skills you learned during that time
• Use cliches or too much jargon. Oftentimes, the first person reading your resume will be from HR
• Write overly complex sentences. Keep it straightforward and easy to understand
• Use more than two fonts 
• Include photos (unless you’re applying for a role in the arts)
• Include your salary history. Save that for the negotiation process

How to optimize your resume for ATS

If you’re applying for a job, there is a very high chance that the resume will first be seen by some software before it makes its way to a pair of human eyes. This software is called an Applicant Tracking System and it sorts, scans, and ranks job applications that come through to a recruiter or employer .

ATS helps recruiters filter through candidates by scanning for relevant information and keywords in an application. Writing a resume that is ATS optimized is imperative, as you could potentially miss out on opportunities even if you’re qualified. 

Here are some ways to ensure your resume is ATS-friendly:

• Keep graphics to a minimum
• Incorporate keywords and phrases used in the job description. Don’t overdo this, as resumes with a high match can be flagged for gaming the system
• Save your resume as a PDF (you can easily export as PDF once you’ve edited your Word resume template)
• Some ATS software can’t read data in the header or footer. Ensure all your important information is in the body of your resume
• Avoid using too much formatting
• Make your resume easy to read, for robots and humans. This means avoiding overly wordy sentences and abbreviations where appropriate

Customizable Word resume templates

Turning a blank document into an attractive, well-designed resume is hard work, especially when you'd rather put that time to use in your job search. That's where these free Word resume templates come in. You can choose from a range of ready-made designs, whether you're looking for something classic, minimalist or colorful. All of the templates are easy to customize with your personal details, and you can even change the colors and themes if you're so inclined.

When you're done filling out your template, make sure to save your file as a Word .docx file (or .doc for older versions of the program), so you can always come back and make changes. When you're ready to send your resume, be sure to attach it in the requested format, for example PDF or .docx. To export as a PDF from Microsoft Word, go to the File menu --> Export --> Create PDF.

You can browse the free resume templates below, and get a selection of the best templates delivered straight to your inbox.

1. The basic resume template

Want a basic resume to get yourself started? This is a great one for inputting your objective statement, experience, and skills. Download

2. Skill-based resume template

What makes this resume template great is that it has a little color but it’s also perfect for any industry. Download

3. The chronological resume template

Want a resume that makes it easy to put your jobs in chronological order and send it off? This is the straightforward template you’re searching for. Download

4. Another traditional resume template

Want to spruce up your resume without changing too much of the formatting? Try putting either your headings or subheadings in a different font. Download

5. The black-and-white resume

6. Orange resume template

This resume layout is actually optimized for applicant tracking systems, so you’ll be able to pop in keywords for the position you’re applying for and get yourself to the next round. Download

7. Peach resume template

Adding in colorful lines to your subheadings or your personal logo can add special touches to your resume without taking away from the content. Download

8. Creative resume template

9. Formal resume template

If you’re working in a more formal industry, resumes like this one give you the ability to add color while still being professional. Download

10. Profile resume template

11. Colorful resume template

You can add a little color on your resume without making it the color of a highlighter. Download

12. Grey and white resume template

13. Newspaper resume template

14. Monogrammed resume template

15. Technical resume template

Technical resumes can be difficult to format, but they don’t have to be impossible. Download

16. Pink resume template

Elle Woods isn’t the only one with a pink resume; if you work in an industry where creativity and color can get you a long way, why not try it? Download

17. Visual resume template

You can use visuals to show your expertise, which might come in handy when you’re applying for jobs where you need to flaunt what you’ve got. Download

18. Creative peach resume template

Adding a few icons can be a nice touch to a resume, especially one for creative or design positions. Download

19. Minimal resume template

Want a more minimalistic resume design but don’t have a ton of experience to show? This template makes your resume look a little more chic. Download

Are you looking for the best free PowerPoint templates? Check them out here:

62 best free powerpoint templates to make your life easier, 20. light pink resume template.

Pastels are your thing? Then you’ve found your perfect resume. Download

21. Bold resume template

Feeling bold? Submit a black resume and see what happens. Download

22. Long profile resume template

Want to add a longer profile about yourself to your resume? This template lets you do it. Download

23. Plain, but trendy resume template

This resume is called “plain but trendy,” and it’ll make you look put together. Download

24. Green resume template

A little splash of bright green color can’t hurt, especially if you’re applying to more creative positions. Download

25. Light pink resume template

If you’re applying to jobs where showing off your personality more is an asset, this resume template could do the trick in landing you that perfect gig. Download

26. Colorful blue resume template

This resume is colorful, straightforward, and easy to read. What’s not to love? Download

27. Unconventional resume template

You’ll wake up a drowsy recruiter with this red and black template. Download

28. Fancy emerald resume template

Feeling blue? A hiring manager sure won’t after checking out this resume template. Download

29. Simple resume template

Don’t let this simplistic resume fool you; it can help you go far in your job search. Download

30. Splash of blue resume template

This template flips the typical resume setup on its head, which could work in your favor during the application process. Download

31. Creative resume template

The color’s a little unorthodox, but now’s not the time to bore recruiters. Download

32. Mint resume template

This resume is so cool, recruiters will be stunned with amaze-mint (get it?). Download

33. Purple resume template

Purple is an unconventional resume choice, but it may serve you well in some professions. Download

34. Yellow resume template

This resume’s surprise is the pop of color at the bottom. Download

35. Classic resume template

This design’s a little more classic than others but still has an interesting neutral color scheme. Download

Looking for PSD resume templates instead? We’ve got you covered:

10 free psd resume templates to help yours stand out, 36. simple pink resume template.

37. Creative profile resume template

38. Dark sidebar resume template

39. Light resume template

40. Colorblock resume template

41. Minimalist resume template

42. Bold Blue resume template

43. Appleseed resume template

44. Timeless resume template

45. Modern resume template

46. Colorful infographic resume template

47. Mint block resume template

48. UX resume template

49. Venn diagram resume template

This template features a unique way of presenting your professional skill set – a Venn diagram! It also comes with an accompanying portfolio and cover letter template. Download

50. Monochrome resume template

51. Organic shapes resume template

Download your free Word resume templates

Need a variety of resumes at your fingertips? We’ve put together a selection of the best free resume templates in one easy download below. And don't forget to check out our handy cover letter template too!

Get the skills you need to land the job

If you really want to impress employers, you need the right skills. GoSkills offers a range of bite-sized business courses taught by award-winning instructors to teach you the practical skills you need to thrive in today’s workplace.

Learn some of the most in-demand skills that many hiring managers expect to see on your resume with our on-demand online training. Master Microsoft Word , become an Excel ninja, start managing projects like a pro, or learn to code – the choice is yours.

If you're interested in building your resume using another Microsoft product, look no further than this Excel Resume builder . 

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Lily Herman is a New York-based writer and editor. Her work has been featured on Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Mashable, Fast Company, Teen Vogue, ELLE and more. Follow her on Twitter .

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10 Best Resume Templates in Word to Download Free

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If you are looking for a job, you will need to have resume templates in word to download free. A resume is a written record of your qualifications, education, and previous employment. It is important to make sure your resume looks good because employers will often judge you based on it.

That is why we have gathered the 10 best free resume templates in word to download free! These resume templates in word to download free are simple to use and have a polished appearance. You can download them for free and customize them to fit your needs. So don't wait any longer - download one of these templates today and start applying for jobs!

The following are the 10 best resume templates in word to download free that are available online:

1. White Minimalist Resume

White Minimalist Resume is a clean and modern template that provides plenty of space for highlighting accomplishments. It features a bold header, large font, and minimal graphics to draw attention to the important parts of your resume.

2. Simple Business Resume

This resume template in word to download free is an elegant yet straightforward design perfect for those looking to showcase their professional qualifications without sacrificing style. It has a subtle background image with simple headings and plenty of room for text.

3. Professional Engineer Resume

This resume template in word to download free is designed specifically for engineering professionals, featuring all the necessary details needed to impress potential employers. With its strong graphical elements, it showcases experience, skills, certifications and more in an easy-to-read format.

4. Red Simple Resume

Red Simple Resume offers bold colors combined with a light grey background, making it perfect for those who want to stand out while still maintaining a professional appearance. It includes clear headings and plenty of room for work experience and qualifications.

5. Black Simple Resume

This resume template in word to download free is a classic look with modern updates. It features dark text on a white background, allowing employers to easily read through your resume quickly. The well-defined sections make sure all relevant information is at the forefront.

6. Green Simple Resume

Green Simple Resume stands out from other resumes with its clean layout and bold green font that makes important details stand out against the white background. Its eye-catching design will help employers recognize you as a potential candidate when they are searching through stacks of resumes.

7. Deep Blue Resume

Deep Blue Resume features an elegant dark blue background, making it perfect for those looking for a sophisticated design. Its minimalistic style allows employers to quickly scan through the resume and take note of important qualifications and skills.

8. Simple Yellow Resume

Simple Yellow Resume stands out against other resumes with its bright yellow font that jumps off the page. This resume template in word to download free also features plenty of space for listing work experience, education, and awards in an organized manner.

9. Black Simple Resume

Black Simple Resume is a classic look with modern updates. It features dark text on a white background, allowing employers to easily read through your resume quickly. The well-defined sections make sure all relevant information is at the forefront.

10. Dark Blue Resume

This resume template in word to download free has an elegant dark blue background, making it perfect for those looking for a sophisticated design. Its minimalistic style allows employers to quickly scan through the resume and take note of important qualifications and skills.

In conclusion, these 10 best resume template in word to download free  are the perfect way to get your job-searching journey off to a great start! So don't wait any longer - download one of these templates in word doc today and start applying for jobs! Good luck!

For the best results, use WPS Office to customize and format your resume. Free Download our 7-day free trial now and unlock advanced features like PDF editing, cloud storage integration, and more! Good luck! If you are looking for more templates to use in WPS Writer, you can visit the WPS Template Store .

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Microsoft resume templates give you the edge you need to land the perfect job 

Free and premium CV templates and cover letter examples give you the ability to shine in any application process and relieve you of the stress of building a CV or cover letter from scratch. Whether you’re looking for a traditional or modern cover letter template or CV example, this collection of CV templates contains the right option for you.  With a traditional CV template format, you can leave the layout and design to Microsoft and focus on putting your best foot forward. If you’re looking for a way to bring your application to life, put a face to your name with a headshot CV template and cover letter combo. If that’s not your style, you can choose from hundreds of other fully customisable and printable CV templates.  All CV templates are professionally designed, so you can focus on getting the job and not worry about what font looks best. Just download your favourite template and fill in your information, and you’ll be ready to land your dream job.

20+ Free Word Resume Templates [Download Now]

Are you looking to create a new resume but don’t want to go through the painstaking process of creating one from scratch, section by section?

To save a lot of time, you can use a Microsoft Word resume template instead.

Why would you want to do that?

For one, MS-Word comes with a lot of pre-built resume templates that can have you up and running with a fully customized resume in a matter of minutes.

There’s quite a lot of variety as well. So, you can really pick a resume template that both you and the HR manager will love.

Are you a marketer or a designer? Pick a creative resume and show off your imagination!

Applying for a finance position in a bank ? One of the conservative, black & white word resume templates will work for you.

Word comes with a number of free templates, and there are other hand-crafted premium options available online.

Do you want a winning Word template that’ll have the HR manager glued to your beautiful resume?

Here’s what you need to know:

How to Use Word Resume Templates

10+ free word resume templates, 10+ premium word resume templates, how to make a resume the easy way.

There are two ways you can get your hands on a Word resume template.

You can either go with a pre-customized Word template that comes with the software, or you can use an external template made by designers and career experts for Word specifically.

Let’s start with the resume templates that come with the software.

In-Build Microsoft Word Resume Templates

To access these templates, here’s what you do:

• Open MS word
• Click file from the menu bar on top of the screen
• From there, you can select a number of different formats ( resumes, flyers, cards, cover letters , and more)

In this case, we’re focusing on resume templates , so you can type that in the search bar to see the different kinds of templates available.

As you can see, there’s plenty of choice here and a lot of different design options.

From there on, you find the one you like, and just fill it in to your liking!

Each of the templates come with a brief description as well, based on the theme and what kind of impression you want to leave with that specific template.

Here’s what you’d be getting with the free Pink floral resume :

Present your resume with this easily customizable template. Edit your experience and information with this and know that you’ll be making a statement with the design choice. This template also includes information on how to build an effective resume:

Not sure what to put on your resume? We feel you! Picking the right template is only the first step. Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume and you’ll be an expert in no time!. 

The best things in life are free, right?

Let’s see if the best free Word resume templates also stack up.

Functional Resume (Simple Design)

Who's it for: Any entry-level position

Creator: Microsoft

Where to find it: Microsoft Templates

Want something super simple for free?

Microsoft Word comes with a number of ready-to-go resume templates that are one click away. 

All you have to do is go to Microsoft Templates , where you’ll find a number of different templates for resumes, cover letter, newsletters, and more. 

There, you’ll find a number of good starting resume templates, like this functional resume by Microsoft.

When to Use This Template

Depending on your achievements and background, you’ll want to list your qualifications in a specific order. With this functional resume, you can list your objective, professional achievements , skills, and work history - in that specific order.

You can use this resume if you’re switching jobs to a different career , or as your no experience resume .

With just a bit of color to stand out and clear sections within the layout, you can’t go wrong with this template.

It’s a simple, and effective starting point for most job-seekers .

Though, the design might be all too common and easy to blend in with other candidates applying for the same job.

Modern Chronological Resume

Who's it for: Mid-level job-seekers

Most resume formats you find are going to be in chronological order. 

That is, starting from your most recent job experience, going down to your previous jobs.

You can’t go wrong with this format, and if you want something that’s professional, but also has a bit of flair to it, check out the Modern chronological resume by Microsoft:

The standard way to list your work experience is in chronological order. With this modern resume, you can start with your latest job experience to help the HR manager easily find what they’re looking for.  

This is a very straightforward approach, and it also has a color scheme and a design that can help you stand out from other candidates.

Just because it’s professional, doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Though, if you want to take a more creative approach with your resume, you could use the...

Infographic Word Resume

Who's it for: Marketers and social media experts

Are you applying for a marketing or a design job where you’ll be creating a lot of web content?

Then you can make your resume a part of your portfolio with the infographic resume.

Use this infographic resume to list your qualifications in a way that’s easy to follow. The icons highlight your skills and the sections follow a clear direction.

This is a good example of custom tailoring your resume to the job.

It goes without saying that the content inside the resume has to be up to par as well. 

But as far as standing out goes, this infographic resume is guaranteed to attract eyes from a stack of resumes.

FREE Resume Template by Fernando Báez

Who's it for: Graphic and web designers

Creator: Fernando Báez

Where to find it: Behance

What could be better than a free resume template that has already been tried and tested?

After using and getting a few jobs with the very same template as a freelance UI/UX designer, Fernando is now giving away his secrets in the form of a free template.

In the resume pack, you’ll find your resume template in .ai format (Adobe Illustrator), all resume fonts used in the design, and a free icon set by Brankic. In it, you can customize the infographics to help represent your specialties , knowledge , language skills , or hobbies .

(Need help with any of those sections? Read our guide on what to put on a resume .)

Whether or not you’re a designer, you can customize the above template to truly represent you and make it uniquely yours.

There’s nothing wrong with using a template - it’s not plagiarism .

It’s inside the resume what matters, which is going to be unique each time ( at least it should be ).

Bold Monogram Resume

Who's it for: Any general-level position

A resume objective is a short 1-2 sentence elevator pitch that provides an overview of your experience , skills , and motivations . 

In it, you explain why you’re the right person for the job.

With this Bold monogram resume, your resume objective is guaranteed to stand out and be one of the first things the HR manager will notice. 

Present your qualifications in a stylish way that’s also professional and guaranteed to stand out. This template includes an editable color scheme, and instructions on how to build an effective resume.

While the focus is definitely on the resume objective , the rest of the resume follows a smooth flow in an order that makes sense.

Need some inspiration on your resume objective? Check out our real-life resume objective examples guide.

Simple and Clean Resume Template 

Who's it for: Creative directors

Creator: ZokiDesign

Where to find it: ZokiDesign

This simple and minimalistic resume template has a clean aesthetic, is easy to format and covers a lot of sections. 

You can show off your work experience as well as your background (resume summary or objective), education , skills , and even your hobbies .

Though you can change the color scheme, the format and the layout makes this resume ideal for creative roles. 

With a clean and modern aesthetic, this resume is a great way to quickly sum up your qualifications and also stand out from other resumes with its design. It has a minimal look to it, and still contain a lot of information while staying under 1 page. If needed, it can also be converted into a cover letter.

In short, the above resume covers just about everything you’ll need in a template and more.

The best part about it, like with most Word templates, is its customizability.

So, if you’re applying to a more conservative job, you can change the colors into a calmer tone - like black and white .

Creative Resume, Designed by MOO

Who's it for: Anyone in a creative role

Created with a neutral color scheme, this creative resume template by MOO was made to show off your creativity.

Yet, it won’t distract the viewers from the actual content within it.

So, depending on the company you’re applying to and your experience, you can draw eyes with this template.

This accessible resume template is for job seekers who want to show off their creative side and stand out from other candidates. It has all the important sections you’ll need and an editable color scheme. 

If you don’t necessarily have a lot of work experience, you can go with a creative template approach to stand out from other candidates and stay memorable.

In that case, you have to make sure your resume objective , skills , and other sections clearly display your motivation for the role.

Fully Editable Creative Resume Template by Omer Korkmaz

Who's it for: Senior graphic, UI/UX Designers

Creator: Omer Korkmaz

If you’re a graphic designer and know you’re way around AI, this fully editable creative resume template by Omer Korkmaz might be for you.

This template has everything you’d need applying for a graphic design role:

• A place for your contact information
• Work experience (with plenty of space)
• Certifications  
• And some extra space for other optional sections

This resume template is fully editable, and ideal for graphic designers . The free download includes a PowerPoint and Adobe Illustrator format, and the Open Sans font - everything you’ll ever need .

Because of the format versions that come with the template, you can really fine-tune the resume to perfection. You can change the design, the color schemes, and any other detail within Adobe Illustrator.

So, if you’re applying for a senior UX/UI designer role, you can really make sure that your resume reflects your qualifications with this creative template.

Minimal Resume - Free by Sovon Halder

Who's it for: Web developers and designers

Creator: Sovon Halder

This minimal resume template has an interesting color scheme and a font system to it that can make you stand out easily.

It stays just under one page, with all the necessary sections intact.

The resume also comes with Adobe Photoshop , Illustrator and PDF formats .

So, formatting shouldn’t be a problem as you can just edit it and quickly send it to an employer .

Minimal design, A4 Size, print ready, and editable. The template focuses primarily on your work experience, and your soft and hard skills. And you can always edit it based on your qualifications. Once you’re done editing, the resume is already print ready, so, all you have to do is customize the resume based on the job you’re applying to.

Despite its minimalistic approach, there’s a lot going on in the resume and you can easily summarize yourself in one page.

There’s plenty of white space as well.

So, in short, it’s easy on the eyes and the readability within the layout is on point as well. Now, what matters is what actually goes within it.

Resume for Recent College Graduate

Who's it for: Recent college graduates

Finally, we’ve covered just about every type of resume scenarios, except this one.

This Word template for recent college graduates prioritizes your objective , education , skills , and ends with experience (which you can include if you have any).

The design and the layout is fairly simple, and most of the resume is already filled in with examples. All you have to do is modify it based on your background - 

This resume was made with college graduates in mind. If you don’t have a lot of work experience, you can use this template to prioritize other sections (e.g. your education, skills, abilities, experience).

It’s simple and straightforward. 

And sometimes, that’s what it takes to get your foot in the door when you’re a recent college grad with not a lot of experience.

Still confused on how to structure your resume when you don’t have a lot of experience?

See our full guide for student and graduate resumes for a detailed guide on what you can include.

Now, the other side of the coin is actually paying for your resume template.

You might be thinking - the reason I’m looking for a job in the first place is to make money, why would I pay for a resume template?

A couple of reasons.

First , most premium resume templates only go up to around $15-20 at most.

And if you do find one that too perfect to pass up on - $15 is a relatively small price to pay for investing in your future.

You can then customize and re-edit your template for any future jobs, too.

After all, if it worked once, it’s probably going to work again, right?

Another advantage premium resume templates offer is that they also tend to come with extra features and/or files within.

Let’s take a look at what that might look like:

Clean Resume Template by HalfCircle

Who’s it for: Graphic and web designers

Creator: HalfCircle

Where to find it: CreativeMarket

This clean resume template by HalfCircle comes with a DOCX MS Word file and an Adobe Photoshop File for easy customization.

It also includes three different color schemes , a cover letter , all the fonts used, and it’s also ready-to-print.

The resume includes a clean layout with an easy-to-read font choice. The colors, along with the rest of the resume, are customizable and you can edit everything in even more detail with the Photoshop PSD file. The cover letter section, meanwhile, includes plenty of space for your text and has a contact information section as well.

The best thing about this template is how clearly the sections are separated.

Nothing in it feels too close to each other and it’s just as easy for the HR manager to find or jump to any specific section they’re looking for.

There’s not much else to say about this resume other than that it’s very straightforward and simple - living up to its name clean resume template name.

Professional Resume / CV Template by Classic Design

Who’s it for: Web and graphic designers

Creator: Classic Design

Looking for something more professional?

The professional resume template by Classic Design might be what you’re looking for.

The colors aren’t as vibrant here but the colors and the typography suggest that it’s more for a senior job role in a more traditional working environment.

This professional resume template has a more faded gray color scheme to it, and a font style that’s easy to follow. The template comes with Word, Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator formats, and a cover letter - all of which are easy to customize.

Though the default resume text is suited for a design role, you can easily to your career field and it won’t be out of place due to its design.

The template has all the sections you’d ever need, for both a creative and a more traditional job, and the HR manager will have an easy time following it top to bottom.

Professional Resume Template

Who’s it for: Marketers and bloggers

Creator: Mukhlasur Rahman

Price: $8.47

Want your resume to be personally tailored to your personality and job role?

This professional resume template by Mukhlasur Rahman might be for you then.

The Word template follows a consistent color scheme and layout that’s been specifically designed for designers and bloggers .

This professional and creative resume template has been tailor made for designers and online bloggers. It includes a contact section, social media , education, skills, profile, work experience, and awards. The template also comes with a separate cover letter, a reference page , and a free icon set.

If you’re going to be working closely with social media and other relevant online channels, you might want to include a whole section for it on your resume.

In it, you can include the following sections, depending on how relevant they are to you:

• Personal site or blog
• Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

If the job requires you to be a social media expert, this might also be the perfect place to mention how you managed to grow your social media channel 0 to 10K.

Resume Template & Cover Letter by Opu;ent Studio

Who’s it for: Any senior role

Creator: Opu;’ent

If you’re applying for a more senior role this Word resume template & cover letter by Opu;ent Studio might be more up your alley.

The template is easy to edit in Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Word, and covers the following sections:

• Biography (though you can edit this for resume summary or objective)
• Work experience
• Technical Skills
• Contact information
• Cover letter

With a clean and unique look to the resume, this template is more suited for professionals and senior-level positions. There is a lot of space for work experience, and you can just as easily transform the biography section into a resume summary.

And if you think the template looks short, don’t worry. Everything you can’t mention in it goes in the cover letter .

Look at the cover letter as a one-page document that briefly summarizes your background.

A good cover letter is a supplement to your resume and can get the HR manager to call you back.

Wondering if you should also include your picture on the resume like in the above template? That may depend on your location.

Check out our guide to see if you should include a picture on your resume or CV .

Clean Resume/CV + Cover letter by Tamzid Hasan

Who’s it for: Web, IT developer

Creator: Tamzid Hasan

If you are indeed looking for a more professional resume, this clean resume/ CV combo by Tamzid Hasan might work great.

Clean one page resume that also comes with a cover letter and a reference template. It follows a professional black and white color scheme and a layout that focuses on work experience. Main features include:

• A4 & US Letter size
• Clean & professional design
• Microsoft Word (Docx) files
• CV/Resume + Cover Letter + References
• 1 & 2 page version
• Paragraph style

Of course, ideally, your resume should fit within one page . But if you have 5+ years of experience, you can break that rule and go with the two page version the template comes with.

If you are indeed going to go over the one page rule, since you’ll have more space in your overall resume, you can also include:

• Hard skills
• Soft skills
• Certifications

One page is ideal, but depending on the job role and your experience, you can also include some extra sections to back up your background.

Modern Resume Template for Microsoft Word by ResumeCoverPro

Who's it for: Any professional and creative role

Creator: ResumeCoverPro

Where to find it: Etsy

Looking for something that’s modern and professional?

Check out the professional resume package by ResumeCoverPro which includes - resume and cover letter templates , an icon pack , free fonts , effective customer support and more.

This template focuses on the main categories: education, profile, skills, work experience, and awards. You can edit each section to customize it but for the most part, it follows a very straightforward layout and color scheme. All you have to do is edit in the blanks and send it in.

This template wasn’t designed with any one specific job role in mind, so, it’s a great general-purpose approach with its design and layout.

As long as you have Word (or Google Docs), you can customize it to make it truly yours.

And if for some reason you need further help, the template comes with additional instructions and even customer support.

Optimized 1-page Edition Resume by TheResumeCoach

Who's it for: PR, Marketers

Creator: TheResumeCoach

This optimized 1-page edition resume is an attempt at perfecting the resume layout with the bare essentials.

For most jobs, regardless of the seniority level or the career field, this template will allow you to get all of your qualifications on paper, in a classic A4 one page format.

This template allows you to highlight your key skills and qualifications, all in one page. No need to worry about going overboard with this as this has been specifically designed for a 1-page approach.

This is a clear attempt at optimizing for the 1-page resume format.

If you’re looking for something that’s professional and you can use for multiple scenarios - the above template might be the way to go.

It’s easy-to-use and will look good for most people.

All you have to do is fill in the blanks and you’ll have a fully customized resume that’s guaranteed to stand out and attract eyes.

Elegant Resume by Horea Nicodin

Who's it for: Pretty much anyone

Creator: Horea Nicodin

Where to find it: Dribble

Everything about this elegant resume template screams fanciness and it’s guaranteed to get a second look from the HR manager - which is your chance to really draw them in.

If your background is half as good as how the resume looks, you’re guaranteed to get a call back (if not for an interview, just for them to compliment your resume).

This template is ideal if you want to leave a lasting impression. It’s functional as well as elegant - definitely the best of both worlds .

Fortunately, it doesn’t actually come with a cursive font, as that would just make the recruiter’s job harder.

Though, the resume template (and the cover letter) do come with any file format you’ll ever need - Word , Photoshop , Illustrator , and InDesign .

This one-page resume template is ideal for those who want to keep their resumes concise, with just the right amount of flair.

2-page Resume/CV Combo by Resume Templates

Who's it for: UX/UI Designers

Creator: ResumeTemplates

If you’re going to be breaking the 1-page resume rule, you better have a good reason for it (i.e. a lot of experience).

And if that’s the case, then you could use the 2-page resume/CV package by ResumeTemplates.

When to Use This Template 

Clean, modern and professional Resume with Letterhead design. Fully customizable, and easy to use and replace the color & text.

This 2-pager Word template also comes with a cover letter, 100% scalable files (Photoshop, Illustrator, Word), and is ready to print.

It follows a reverse-chronological order and even has a references section. 

So, if you’re going to be using this template, make sure you have enough experience to fill it in with.

Modern Resume Template Package by ResumeFoundry

Who's it for: Online marketers

Creator: ResumeFoundry

Last but not least, this is another take on the modern creative resume package by Resume Foundry.

The package follows an all-in-one approach and the feature of being able to customize it based on your experience.

This template comes with just about everything you’ll ever need, regardless of your experience level.This includes a 1-3 page template, a cover letter, references, instructions, and a ready-to-help customer support.

Everything you see on the template is editable, and you also have the freedom to continue over the 2nd page (if needed).

Though, if you’re going to take the one-page approach, you’ll find that it has all the sections you’d need for most jobs. And the design won’t be out of place for just about any career field either.

So, essentially, you’re getting everything you’d need for $15, all that’s left to do is edit them accordingly.

That’s a lot of choice for a Word resume template.

While they might look good on paper, one common issue with building your resume with Word is that it can be super hard to format.

What do we mean by this?

Well, essentially, if you wanted to edit one specific part of your template (e.g. margin, design), there’s a chance that the whole formatting might break and spill over onto the 2nd page.

Sounds familiar? It happens to the best of us.

The reason this happens is because while Word is a powerful software on its own, it will always move your sections to the next page if the formatting isn’t just right.

Details matter to Word, sometimes a bit too much.

Do you want to simplify your resume building process down to its core?

Novorésumé template builder allows you to work and format your resume without having to worry about space, margins and other tiny details.

Everything is formatted based on the layout you choose and you won’t have to worry about your sections seemingly disappearing like in Word.

All this and more - for FREE .

Key Takeaways

So, to recap, here’s everything you need to know about using Microsoft Word resume template:

• You can use preloaded templates in Word by clicking File from the menu bar on top of the screen, then New , and from there, search for a “ resume template ” from the prompted search bar.
• The templates Word comes with are free , and you can also use premium templates, which you can find online.
• Though the premium templates cost money, the difference is noticeable as in most cases, they’ve been designed by career experts and artists all over the world.
• Once you find an ideal template that fits your qualifications , you can simply download it and edit it within Word.
• Though, if you’re looking for a smoother experience, you can simply use a powerful online resume builder for free , to represent your skills and qualifications based on how you want it .

Discover More Resume Templates

• Google Docs Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
• High School Resume Templates

Suggested reading:

• How to Write a Resume & Land That Job [99+ Real-Life Examples]
• CV vs. Resume - What are the Differences & Definitions [+ Examples]
• 40+ Real-Life Resume Objective Examples [+How-to Guide]

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