Free, print-friendly resume templates to fill-in and download
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Every resume template you see on these pages is free to use, fill in your details, and download until your seven-day free trial ends. Most of the functionalities are free, including:
- Two resumes and cover letters
- All resume templates
- Basic resume sections
- Enhancv branding
- Maximum 15 section items
- Access to all design tools
With Enhancv’s Pro Plans (split into monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual tiers), you’ve got additional access to:
- Unlimited resumes and cover letters
- Real-time content suggestions, including AI features
- ATS check (for the Applicant Tracking Systems)
- All resume sections
- Turn off the branding
- Unlimited section items
Should you use our free resume templates?
Using Enhancv's templates offers a variety of benefits that make crafting a standout resume simpler and more effective. Here’s why you might consider choosing Enhancv for your next resume overhaul:
- Easy to use: Enhancv's templates prioritize great design without the hassle. The drag-and-drop resume builder allows you to assemble your resume easily, letting you focus more on the content than on figuring out the layout.
- Parsable by ATS: all our important sections, such as experience, skills, contact information, summary, and education are all parsable by ATS. This ensures your resume does not end up at the bottom of the pile.
- AI-powered assistance: Enhancv's templates include an AI resume helper that not only suggests powerful language and phrases but also helps craft personalized summaries and cover letters. This tool enhances your creativity rather than replacing it, ensuring your resume reflects your unique professional profile.
- Highly customizable: Every job seeker is unique, and so is every job. Our templates can be easily adjusted to meet individual needs. Modify colors, add photos, or change line spacing with just a few clicks to tailor your resume to the specific job you're targeting.
- Adaptable across all industries: With a wide range of designs from minimalistic to modern and professional, there’s a template suitable for every industry and job level.
- Flexible format options: While Enhancv focuses on providing PDF and TXT downloads, these formats ensure high compatibility and preservation of layout across different platforms and devices.
- Free & premium options: Start with a free 7-day trial to explore the features without any commitment. If you find it suits your needs, you can choose from several pricing plans to continue accessing full features.
Creative resume templates by Enhancv
Our creative resume templates can be particularly impactful in industries where innovation, design, and visual communication play a significant role. Here's a brief overview of why and where a creative approach might enhance your resume, along with tips on how to use these templates effectively:
Benefits of creative resume templates
- Showcase your creativity: A well-designed resume can demonstrate your creativity and eye for design right from the start.
- Stand out: In competitive fields, a unique, visually appealing resume can help you stand out from other candidates.
- Highlight design skills: For roles in design and multimedia, your resume itself can serve as a portfolio piece.
- Express personality: Creative resumes allow you to inject personality into your application, making it more engaging and memorable.
Tips for using creative resume templates
- Balance creativity with clarity: Ensure your resume is still easy to read and navigate. Avoid overly complex designs that can distract from the content.
- Consistent branding: Use colors, fonts, and design elements that reflect your personal brand and the industry you are applying to.
- Focus on readability: Even with a creative design, the text should be clear and legible. Use contrasting colors and clean fonts.
- Tailor to the role: Align the style of your resume with the job and company. A highly creative resume might be perfect for a design studio but less suitable for a corporate environment.
- Keep it professional: While creative, your resume should still look polished and professional. Avoid using too many gimmicks or overly playful elements.
Suitable job titles for creative resume templates
- Graphic designer
- Marketing specialist
- Web designer
- Art director
- Content creator
- Animator
- Fashion designer
- Photographer
Considerations for creative resume templates
- Industry expectations: Some fields appreciate creativity more than others. Always consider the norms of the industry you’re applying to.
- Cultural sensitivity: Ensure your creative approach aligns with cultural expectations if applying internationally.
- Tailored approach: Customize your resume template to the specific job and company, making sure it aligns with their brand and values.
Traditional resume templates by Enhancv
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Our traditional resume templates can be particularly effective in industries where clarity, professionalism, and straightforward presentation of skills and experience are valued. Here's a brief overview of why and where a traditional approach might enhance your resume, along with tips on how to use these templates effectively:
Benefits of traditional resume templates
- Professional appearance: A traditional format presents your information in a clean, professional manner, making it suitable for most industries.
- Easy to read: Simple layouts with clear sections make it easy for employers to quickly find key information.
- Widely accepted: Traditional resumes are widely accepted across various fields, making them versatile and reliable.
- ATS-friendly: Many applicant tracking systems (ATS) prefer traditional formats, increasing the chances of your resume being seen by hiring managers.
Tips for using traditional resume templates
- Focus on structure: Use clearly defined sections like Contact Information, Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Skills.
- Consistency: Ensure fonts, spacing, and formatting are consistent throughout the document.
- Bullet points: Use bullet points to list achievements and responsibilities, making it easy to scan.
- Simple design: Avoid overly complex designs and graphics; keep it simple and professional.
- Keywords: Incorporate industry-specific keywords to help your resume get noticed by ATS.
Suitable job titles for traditional resume templates
- Accountant
- Administrative assistant
- Engineer
- Teacher
- Human resources manager
- Healthcare
- Financial analyst
- Project manager
Considerations for traditional resume templates
- Industry standards: Ensure the resume format aligns with industry standards and expectations.
- Tailored content: Customize the content to the specific job you are applying for, even within a traditional format.
- Professional tone: Maintain a professional tone throughout the resume, avoiding casual language or personal anecdotes.
- Updated information: Keep your resume updated with your latest experience, skills, and achievements.
How to use a resume template
Using a resume template can streamline the process of creating a polished and professional curriculum vitae. Here’s a simple guide to help you effectively utilize a resume template:
- Choose the right template: Select a resume template that suits your industry and professional level. Look for a layout that is clean, professional, and aligns with the job you are applying for.
- Customize your information: Replace the placeholder information in the template with your own details. Be thorough in updating sections such as Contact Information, Work Experience, Education, and Skills.
- Tailor your content: Adapt the content to highlight your most relevant experiences and skills that match the job description. This might involve rearranging sections or adding specific keywords found in the job posting.
- Edit and proofread: Carefully review your resume for any typos or grammatical errors. Accuracy is crucial, as mistakes can detract from your professionalism.
- Format properly: Ensure that the formatting is consistent throughout the document. This includes font sizes, styles, and spacing. Keep the layout clean and organized to make a good visual impression.
- Save in multiple formats: Save your resume in various file formats as required by the application process. PDF is typically preferred to preserve the formatting, but some applications might require Word files.
What's the best resume layout?
According to eye-tracking studies, recruiters spend on resumes like these around 6 seconds.
On average day recruiters scan and filter through dozens and hundreds of generic resumes.
Until they stumble upon a resume layout like this:
Use This Example
The combination of formatting, clever white space usage, and section order encourages recruiters to study critical parts of your resume in the order you need.
A job-winning resume layout has three main qualities:
- The job-winning resume layout is easy to read. No one enjoys reading a wall of text, especially recruiters. On the other hand, if your resume is enjoyable to read, there’s a higher chance that recruiters will spend more of their time learning about you and your qualities. At the end of this section, we’ll share a checklist with 7 tips to boost the readability of your resume and increase the chance that recruiters will like you.
- The job-winning layout is easy to scan. When recruiters scan your resume, it’s important to control where their eyes will go first. Every job is unique — depending on whether it’s an executive resume or a tech resume, recruiters will be looking for different things. Check the “Examples” section of this guide where we share the best performing resume layout examples for every job type.
- The job-winning layout is easy to remember. When recruiters like you, that’s great. But when they remember you, that’s a whole different level of appreciation. Most resume layouts are too similar to be remembered, so even a slight adjustment in section orders may pique the recruiter’s interest. Don’t go for an overkill though. We’ll share the most common resume formats and how you can use them to your advantage in the next section.
Readability and scannability checklist for best resume layout
- #1. Check your margins. Make sure there’s at least a 1-inch margin on all sides to ensure your resume looks good in PDF or when printed.
- #2. Use white space. The proper use of white space on your resume can increase the reader’s comprehension by as much as 20%. Make sure there’s enough space between sections and text blocks.
- #3. Utilize bullet points. Presenting your experience and skills in bullet points improves both the scannability and readability of your resume.
- #4. Create headers. Headers help organize your resume sections into a clear hierarchy.
- #5. Use colors. Colors add visual interest to your resume and let the recruiter’s eyes rest from the all-black text. The more creative your job the more colors you might use.
- #6. Check your font size. For the best readability pick a serif or sans-serif font. The size should be between 10.5 and 12 points to ensure you pass ATS scanners.
- #7. Add icons when you can. Icons both add visual interest to your resume and indicate a critical section of your resume. Check out the “Examples” section.
Last, but not least, is #8: Section Order. What sections should come first on your resume? Which ones recruiters are paying the most attention to?
It depends on your resume format and job specialty.
Resume template sections
In today's job market, your resume needs to be both impressive and ATS-friendly to help you stand out. Here are the essential sections you should include:
- Contact information: Include your full name, phone number, and professional email address.
- Professional summary: Offer a brief overview of your skills and career goals.
- Work experience: List your previous jobs, including your role, the company name, and dates of employment.
- Education: Detail your highest degree, the institution's name, and graduation year.
- Skills: Highlight relevant skills that match the job description.
You can also add a few extra sections to provide more insight into your qualifications:
- Certifications: If applicable, list any professional certifications that are relevant to the job.
- Volunteer work: Show any unpaid work that might demonstrate your commitment and skills.
What's the difference between resume sections and a resume outline?
Almost all articles on the topic get the part of an outline and resume sections wrong.
Likewise, you, the reader, get confused.
The difference between resume sections and an outline is that you use, reorder, and match different sections to create an outline.
(Side Note: We’ve made an extensive guide on resume sections so you know how to optimize them and maximize your chances of getting hired. If you haven’t already, feel free to check it out!)
How to choose the right resume format?
Usually, resumes are structured by following one of three formats:
- Reverse Chronological Resume Format
- Functional Resume Format
- Hybrid Resume Format
All three have their purpose when it comes to building a resume that stands out. Whichever format you decide to use should be based on your background, experience, and objective.
So, let’s go a bit more granular.
Reverse chronological order format
This is by far the most popular resume format out there.
One of the biggest advantages of the reverse chronological resume format is that it allows you to spotlight key achievements on a single page. It also provides a clear narrative for your work experience.
The biggest drawback, however, is the fact that gaps in your career are more noticeable.
Functional format
The functional resume format makes your skills the main highlight of your application.
You should still list any professional experience you have, but the format itself focuses on what you’re good at. This type of resume format is best for people who are looking to change careers. Focusing on your skills is specifically valuable for the new position you’re applying to.
Hybrid format
A hybrid resume format is exactly what it sounds like – a combination of both a functional and chronological resume.
It highlights both your skills and your most recent work experience. It’s for people who’d like to play it safe and avoid going all-in on a less popular format like the functional one.
