When it comes to the job search process, a rock-solid resume can mean the difference between securing an interview or getting tossed in the “hard pass” pile.
The most important part of your resume is its substance, but the right format makes it easy for your reader to quickly glean your skills and experience and decide whether you're right for an interview.
Luckily, you don’t have to tap into a perhaps non-existent set of graphic design skills in order to craft the perfect resume—here are 16 sites that offer free, simple-to-use resume templates and builders made to impress your potential future employers.
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1. Canva
Canva is a simplified graphic design platform, perfect for easily designing things like posters and social media graphics. It’s this focus on graphic design that makes it such a useful tool in resume crafting. The site offers more than 1,000 resume templates labeled by style, from creative to modern to professional. Canva has plenty of free resume templates, plus premium options for a small fee.
2. Indeed
The popular job search site site also offers a variety of free resume templates. There are only a handful of templates to choose from—in styles like clean, minimalist, and executive—but each is simple, sleek, and to-the-point. If you’re looking for something seamless, user-friendly, and straight-forward, the Indeed resume templates are a great option.
3. Adobe Spark
You’ll need an Adobe account to use these resume templates, but they’re likely some of the most attractive options you’ll find. It’s relatively simple to enter your info into each, and since they’re made using Adobe software, they’re the epitome of modern and eye-catching. Plus, there’s a ton of variability in the options available.
4. Resume Genius
Resume Genius does all the work is done for you. Pick a template from a list of a few dozen, then simply fill out your education, work experience, and skills. You don’t have to worry about any of the formatting—the tool handles all of that. It makes tweaking and editing a little tough, but it’s an otherwise simple process. Plus, you can find examples of resumes for a variety of industries on the site.
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5. Novorésumé
While Novorésumé does have a premium paid option, the basic option includes access to most of their single-page resume templates for free, as well as the option to test premium features, like changing the layout, colors, and fonts before you buy. The content optimizer section of the resume builder offers tips that break down each section of the resume, as well as suggestions on what to include or improve. The site itself is filled with tons of tips on not only resume writing, but also cover letters and CVs.
6. Microsoft Templates from Go Skills
Microsoft Word resume templates are some of the most popular options you’ll find. This list of 50 free resume templates from Go Skills isn’t quite as flashy as the ones offered by other sites, but if you’re looking for a black-and-white, strictly professional resume, these are solid options.
7. Live Career
Live Career offers more than one hundred resume templates, including formats like professional, modern, creative, and traditional. The site also includes a guide that details the strength of each resume category, made to help you decide which format is best for your career goals.
8. Google Docs
Google Docs offers several resume options to choose from. Although each is relatively simple, they’re still fairly attractive and it's easy to input your information. It’s a no-fuss way to create your resume.
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9. My Perfect Resume
Browse more than 20 resume templates, each with a unique design and easily customizable format. Added bonus: you’ll find that the site has pre-picked options based on your specific industry.
10. Hloom
Hloom is full of resume templates, including downloadable options for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and more. If you’d prefer, you can use the site’s step-by-step resume builder option, which offers fewer customizations but a more seamless approach, then download the final product.
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11. Behance
Behance is a site made for graphic designers to share and promote their latest projects, some of which include seriously stunning resume templates. While you’ll have to do a little digging to find all of your options, there are plenty of downloadable designs that are eye-catching and add an extra level of personality to your resume.
12. Kickresume
One thing that sets Kickresume apart from other resume template offerings? The site uses resume examples that real people used to land their dream job s, so it’s a great guide for first-time resume creators or those making a resume for a job outside of their field for the first time. There’s more than 50 options to choose from, although the free plan only allows you to access three basic templates. You can import your info from LinkedIn to get started, so less work for you!
13. VisualCV
Create an account and choose from over 20 different template designs, most of which are categorized by industry. The site also offers over three million examples of resumes used by professionals from all around the world to secure their jobs.
Read more:What in the World Is a CV? Should I Be Using One?
14. Freesumes
Freesumes has 150+ free resume templates, classified by the usual professional, modern, creative, and simple categories that many other sites also use. Each template is downloadable through Microsoft Word, and they even update their offerings every now and then to stay current.
15. Cultivated Culture
Simple, customizable, sleek—the resume templates offered by Cultivated Culture are among the best. While there are only a few templates to choose from, you can alter the colors, fonts, margins, formatting and more, making the end product something that’s 100 percent yours and 100 percent easy to create.
16. Zety
With more customization options that most other resume template builders on this list, Zety not only makes it possible to personalize your resume, but also makes it easy to do so. You can change everything from the color scheme to line spacing, or you can stick with the pre-built templates and simply input your information. While you can’t download the final product for free, you can access the link to the resume for free.
