Free Resume Templates
Stand out to recruiters with an AI-powered, ATS-friendly resume template shown to help increase response rates by around 42%‡. Customize, add ready-made content, & download on any device.
Choose from 433 ATS friendly templates
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How to Choose the Right Resume Format
Our collection of resume templates includes a variety of resume formats, each designed to match different career stages and highlight your most relevant qualifications.
Chronological resume format
Highlights your work history by listing jobs in reverse-chronological order, which is ideal for showcasing steady career growth.
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- You have consistent career progression in your current industry.
- You’ve built a professional career within a single field of expertise.
- You’re applying for a role that is similar to your current position.
Functional resume format
Balances your skills and work history to showcase diverse qualifications, making it an excellent format for career changers and freelancers.
- You’re changing to a new career path and need to highlight key skills.
- You have freelance or varied work experience that you want to showcase.
- You’re applying for a mid-level role that values diverse qualifications.
Combination resume format
Emphasizes skills and abilities over work history, making it an ideal format for recent graduates or job seekers with limited experience.
- You’re a recent graduate with limited professional experience to highlight.
- You have gaps in your work history and want to focus on other areas.
- You’re applying for an entry-level role that emphasizes skills over experience.
Resume Formatting Tips for Every Template
Our resume templates are professionally formatted, but you can customize them to match your style. Use these tips to personalize your template while keeping it polished and recruiter-ready.
Margins
Keep margins between 0.5 inches and 1 inch on all sides. This ensures your resume looks clean, fits on one page (or two for more experienced candidates), and is easy for ATS to parse.
Font size
Use a professional, easy-to-read font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Stick to 10–12 pt. font size for body text, 14–16 pt. for section headings, and 18–24 pt. for your name.
Bullet points
Use short, impactful bullet points to list achievements or responsibilities. Start each bullet with a strong action verb and maintain consistency in formatting and punctuation.
Spacing
Include enough spacing between sections and bullets to make your resume easy to scan. Avoid crowding text; use single spacing within sections and a line or two between them for clarity.
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Free Resume Templates
Professional designs for any industry
From creative resume designs to minimalistic and basic resume templates, we’ve got an ATS-friendly template for any job, industry, or career level.
Easy to customize for any experience level
You can quickly and easily customize your resume template to highlight your skills, experience, and education right from your mobile device or desktop.
Instant insights to improve your resume
With our ATS Resume Checker, you’ll get personalized insights and actionable tips to strengthen your resume, increase your score, and stand out to hiring managers.
Expert tools to do the heavy lifting for you
MyPerfectResume’s AI Resume Builder and templates help you create a standout resume with expert tools, AI-powered content, and easy customization on any device.
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Resume Examples
Easily tailor our resume examples using MyPerfectResume’s online Resume Builder.
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Cover Letter Examples
Our cover letter examples highlight the ideal tone and skills employers seek.
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CV Examples
Personalize our CV examples with MyPerfectResume’s free Resume Builder.
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FAQ
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Does MyPerfectResume have free resume templates?
Yes, MyPerfectResume offers resume templates free to download to your mobile device or desktop right from this page. You’ll find a variety of professional designs in our template grid, and the free ones are marked with a “Free” tag.
Simply choose the free template you like, open it in Google Docs or download it in PDF or Word format from any device, and personalize the content to reflect your experience.
What are the best resume templates?
The best resume template is one that is easy to read and tailored to your industry or skill level. Here are a few key features of standout resume templates:
- Professional design: A great resume template has a polished and professional design that catches the attention of employers or recruiters.
- Clean and uncluttered layout: A clean and uncluttered layout with well-organized sections helps focus attention on your core competencies and achievements.
- Customizable sections: Look for a template that allows you to easily customize and rearrange sections to highlight your most relevant skills, experience, and achievements.
- ATS formatting: Choose a template that follows applicant tracking system (ATS) guidelines to ensure your resume is parsed and scanned properly.
Select a resume template that complements your style and highlights your top qualities to recruiters. Then, you can customize it right from your desktop or mobile device.
Why should I use a resume template?
Using a resume template offers several advantages, especially if you want a polished resume without spending hours on formatting.
Here are some key reasons to consider using a resume template:
- Polished design: Templates provide clean, structured layouts that follow hiring standards, making your resume look polished and easy to read.
- Time-saving: With the design done for you, you can focus on adding your work experience and skills instead of worrying about layout.
- Consistent formatting: A template keeps fonts, headings, and spacing uniform, making your resume more organized and professional.
- ATS-friendly: Our templates are designed with ATS-friendly resume best practices in mind, improving your resume’s chances of passing automated screening.
- Fewer errors: By using a professional template, you avoid common formatting mistakes that can distract from your skills and qualifications.
Overall, a professional resume template is a powerful tool for improving your resume or creating a new one that stands out to employers.
Can I edit your resume templates on a mobile device?
Yes, our professional templates and Resume Builder are optimized for any device, so you can edit your resume directly from your mobile device or create a new one quickly and easily.
Each template is pre-formatted by professional designers and ready to use as-is. To personalize the design, you can adjust colors, fonts, spacing, and alignment with user-friendly editing tools designed for easy use on mobile devices.
You can tap to add pre-written content suggestions related to your experience target role, reducing time spent typing and finding the words to describe your key qualifications.
Easily switch between desktop and mobile devices to edit your resume at home and continue on the go. When you’re ready to download, you’ll get a clear, consistent preview of your finalized resume template on any device.
What is the best resume format?
The best resume format depends on your career stage, work history, and the type of job you’re applying for. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right one:
- Chronological format: This format is best if you have a strong, steady work history in the same field with clear career progression. It’s ideal for job seekers who want to showcase their experience in reverse-chronological order, emphasizing job titles and dates. This format is the most widely recognized by employers.
- Functional format: This is best for first-time job seekers writing a resume with no experience or those who have less traditional work experience. It focuses on skills and abilities rather than dates and job titles, allowing you to highlight your most relevant qualifications without drawing attention to a nonlinear job history.
- Combination (hybrid) format: This format works well if you have a mix of relevant skills and a solid work history. It’s ideal for career changers, freelancers, or anyone with diverse work experiences or employment gaps, because it highlights transferable skills alongside a varied but substantial job timeline.
Ultimately, the best resume format presents your qualifications in the most compelling way for the job you’re targeting. We offer resume templates in all three formats so you can choose the right one to showcase your skills and experience.
Do you have free Microsoft Word resume templates?
Yes, MyPerfectResume offers free Microsoft Word resume templates. You can click or tap on any of the templates with a “Free” tag on this page, select “Download Template,” and then “Download Word Doc” to download to your desktop or mobile device.
Here are a few tips for Microsoft Word resume templates:
- Use consistent formatting. Check that tabs, spaces, and paragraph breaks are used consistently. In Microsoft Word, click the paragraph icon on the “Home” tab to review formatting marks for your resume.
- Keep it simple. Use a straightforward layout with lines and bullet points, and avoid fancy graphics so both recruiters and ATS can read it easily. Aim to create an easy-to-read document by using ample white space between lines and sections.
- Include links. Link to portfolios or professional profiles like Bold.pro directly in your resume. In Microsoft Word, highlight the text and click “Insert Link” to add the URL.
- Focus on content. While a polished design is essential, what you put in your resume is just as important. Use the right resume format for your career profile and make sure each section addresses the employer’s needs. See How to Write a Resume for expert tips.
By following these tips when you download resume templates for Microsoft Word, you can create a professional, recruiter-ready resume quickly and easily.
Do you offer free PDF resume templates?
Yes, all of our free resume templates are available in PDF format. Select the free template you want to use and select “Download PDF.” Here are a few benefits of PDF templates:
- Widely accepted by employers: Most job portals and company career pages accept resumes in PDF format, making it a universal and preferred choice for submitting applications. It ensures smooth uploading and viewing without compatibility issues.
- Maintains consistent formatting: A PDF resume preserves the layout, fonts, spacing, and design as intended, regardless of the device or software used to view it. A PDF resume ensures that employers see your resume exactly as you designed it.
- Optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS): When formatted correctly, a PDF resume is readable by ATS software, which many companies use to screen applicants. To make an ATS-friendly resume, use simple formatting and avoid images or graphics.
- Prevents accidental edits: Since a PDF resume is a read-only file, recruiters and hiring managers cannot accidentally modify or alter its content. This ensures that your information remains intact and accurate.
- Easier to print: Since a PDF resume preserves layout and spacing, it prints exactly as seen on the screen. Recruiters or hiring managers who print candidate resumes will always get a clean, professional-looking document.
The best free resume templates in PDF format simplify creating a polished, ATS-friendly resume that stands out to recruiters.
Do employers prefer one-page resume templates?
Employers often spend just a few seconds scanning each resume, which makes a concise, one-page resume ideal if you can showcase your most important qualifications.
However, a two-page resume is perfectly acceptable for candidates with extensive experience, multiple roles, or a long list of accomplishments.
Our professionally designed templates make it easy to adjust formatting in our builder, so you can create a polished, recruiter-ready resume, whether you need one page or two.
Do you have matching cover letter templates?
Yes, we offer cover letter templates that match our resume templates to help you create a polished and cohesive job application.
Remember that your cover letter should complement your resume, not simply repeat it. Touch on these points in your cover letter:
- Explain why you’re interested in the job and think you’re a good fit.
- Give more details about an achievement or skill you have that’s relevant to the job.
- Communicate your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
See our article on How to Write a Cover Letter for step-by-step guidance on writing a compelling letter that impresses hiring managers.
Should I use a CV or a resume template?
The choice between a resume and a CV (curriculum vitae) depends on your industry, location, and the specific job you’re applying for.
Resumes are ideal for professional roles where a targeted, easy-to-read document is preferred. A CV is longer and provides a more detailed overview of your career.
Use a resume if you’re in the U.S. or Canada and applying for roles in most industries, such as business, technology, or creative fields.
You should use a CV when applying for academic, research, medical, or international positions that require a detailed overview of your education, publications, and professional achievements.
Explore our guide on CVs vs. Resumes for additional tips on selecting the right job application document for your career.