Microsoft Word Resume Templates & Examples: Free Download
Ready to start or update your resume? The next step of your career begins with a Microsoft Word resume template! Our resume templates for Word are designed by professionals graphic designers to showcase your skills & experience in an organized document.
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Featured Microsoft Word resume templates
Our Microsoft Word resume templates are professionally designed to highlight your career qualifications and guide the reader’s eyes to your strongest skills. Plus, they are easy to use and customizable, with our Resume Builder providing pre-written content suggestions tailored to your industry.
Professional
This all-purpose Word resume layout works for almost any job, with clean lines and elegant fonts contributing to its polished appearance
Emphasized
This Word resume template provides a streamlined look, topped with an attention-grabbing color header. The two-column resume layout gives you plenty of space to expand on your work history and skills.
Impactful
Present yourself as a proactive, strong candidate using this Microsoft resume template, featuring bold fonts and a colorful two-column design.
Standout
“Connect the dots” of your career using this Word resume design’s unique dot graphics. Section headings are arranged on the left for quick navigation.
Structured
This Microsoft Word resume classy layout arranges sections in a tab layout for easy access, with subtle but striking fonts and colors.
Original
This eye-catching design is laid out in quadrants, with your summary statement getting prominent placement in your Word resume template.
Charismatic
As the name suggests, this Microsoft Word resume template presents you as an attractive candidate, thanks to its dual-color combination and streamlined layout.
Distinguished
You can’t get much more polished than this Word resume template, which presents your qualifications in an uncluttered style.
Managerial
Section headings are highlighted using box graphics, while the monogram design for the header adds a unique touch to this Word resume template.
Download free resume templates for Word
Start writing your professional document using one of these free to download Word resume templates.
Blue Grey Word Resume Template
- Visually striking
- Organized two-column layout
- Unusual presentation may not fit every job
- Limited space to present work history and skills
- Photo of job seeker may be inappropriate for many job applications
Modern Chronological Word Resume Template
- Streamlined layout
- Strong header with job seeker’s name prominently displayed
- Easy to get cluttered if you have a lot of information to present
- Looks a little plain compared to other layouts
Polished Word Resume Template
- Bold section headings make for quick navigation
- Color header makes for a strong statement
- Icons at bottom are a unique graphic element, but leave less room for the rest of your resume
- Black font against the header’s red background may be difficult for some to read
Columns Word Resume Template
- Unusual “homemade” look
- Each section neatly organized
- Might not be appropriate for more professional jobs
- Large header cuts down on space to feature your qualifications
Color Block Word Resume Template
- Colors jump off the page
- Summary and contact information prominently displayed
- Not much room to feature skills and work experience
- Color combination might not work for everyone
Clean Elegant Word Resume Template
- Color background helps your resume stand out
- Creative layout
- Layout lacks room for summary and complete skills section
- Using “skill level bars” may throw off readers and ATS
Minimalist Word Resume Template
- Intriguing “centered” layout
- Highlights important skills
- Unorthodox sections may confuse recruiters
- Outdated references section
Geometric Word Resume Template
- Attractive minimalist design
- Subtle but effective graphic elements
- Limited space to present your credentials
- Packing in information can lead to “unbalanced” look
Swiss Design Word Resume Template
- Streamlined layout
- Highlights the summary statement
- Contact info can be difficult to find
- Skills section is deemphasized
Contemporary Word Resume Template
- Striking visual design
- Plenty of space for work experience
- Employers and ATS may be confused by “About Me” section
- Skill “ratings” may not appeal to everyone
How to create a Microsoft Word resume using our templates
Creating a resume using our Resume Builder takes only a few minutes. Just follow these steps:
Select your professionally designed template.
Open our Resume Builder and choose a template from our library to fit your personality and industry. You’ll be able to save as a resume template in Microsoft Word format.
Build or update your resume with AI help.
Start a new resume or elevate your current one with our suggestions tailored to the latest trends in your industry. You’ll have the flexibility to add your own information or edit our suggestions to create a custom, professional resume that highlights your unique strengths and experiences.
Save and download your finished resume
Complete the process — don’t forget to proofread!— and save your optimized resume. Download it as a Word document and you’re done!
See What Job Seekers are Saying About Our Excellent Builder
5 Tips for your Microsoft Word resume
1. Make sure your formatting is consistent.
The easy way to check your Word template resume layout is to display all the formatting marks for your resume. Just go to the “home” tab of your Microsoft Word screen and click the paragraph icon.
Now you’ll see how tabs, spaces and paragraph returns are used in your document. Make sure your formatting is consistent throughout, and when you’re ready to save the document, click the paragraph icon again to return to normal view.
2. Stick with a straightforward layout.
You might be tempted to use special graphic elements in your Word resume template to gussy it up, but employers (and the applicant tracking systems (ATS) they use to scan resumes) will find it easier to read your resume if you use simple lines and bullet points.
3. Give yourself some space.
What’s not in your resume can be just as important as what’s in your resume — aim to create an easy-to-read document by using white space in a smart way. Don’t clutter up your Word resume template with too much text; use peppy bullet points and phrases, and use margins that are at least 1 inch from the edges of the document. To see how experts in your field space their resume, visit out resume examples page.
4. Links can be handy.
If you want to point employers towards a job network profile (e.g., LinkedIn) or a professional portfolio site, be sure to link the text of your Word resume. Highlight the URL you want to link to, go to the “Insert” tab on your Word screen, and click on the “Links” icon. Then enter the link to the URL.
5. Focus on the content.
While putting together a resume that looks its best is important, what you put in your resume is just as important. Make sure you have the right format for your Word resume template, with the help of our resume formats guide, and make sure each section of the resume addresses exactly what the employer needs — our handy guide on how to write a resume will give you all the tips you need.
Microsoft Word Resume Template FAQ
Does Microsoft Word have free resume templates?
Yes, Microsoft Word provides templates to create a resume, as featured on this page. You can also use our own Microsoft Word-friendly resume templates to create your resume. Just follow the instructions above for constructing your resume using our Builder.
How do you get resume templates on Microsoft Word?
To create a resume using a Microsoft Word resume template, follow these steps:
Choose your template in Word. To create your resume from scratch, click “File” in your Microsoft Word menu (you can also hit Alt+F on a PC or Command+F on a Mac). Click “More templates” to see a selection of Word resume template layouts. You’ll notice that the following screen also has a “Resumes and Cover Letters” option — click it to see a complete set of resumes. You can also enter “resume” in the “Search for online templates” box.
Create your resume. Once you’ve picked a Word resume template, click it. You should see this screen. Click “Create” to continue.
Fill out your resume. Add your information to the Word resume template.
Save your resume. Hit Ctrl+S (or Command+S on a Mac) to save your document. If you need to save your resume in a file format other than Word, click “More options …” On the next screen, you can choose to export your resume in PDF format by clicking “Export” or save it in a different file format (e.g., RTF).
Which Word template is best for a resume?
The best Word resume template for your resume is ATS-friendly, easy to read, visually appealing, and highlights the individual experience as well as hard skills and soft skills.
If you’re applying in a traditional industry, go for a resume template that has a neat, streamlined appearance. For a more creative job, look into using a template with a bit more color and flair. Our Word resume templates are designed to showcase your career and style. You can choose the one that catches your eye, and it’ll get the job done. For more tips about putting together the perfect resume, visit our resume-writing resources section.
How to add work experience in a Word resume template?
Our Word resume templates have a dedicated section for your work experience. Simply replace the filler text with your information. Use the job description to create a targeted resume for your Word template and combine action verbs with your quantifiable achievements to build a powerful document.
Is it bad to use Word resume templates?
Not at all. Most employers prefer to have resumes sent to them as a Microsoft Word file. Just remember to review your resume before you send it in. Make sure your information is up to date, contains skills and work experience information that addresses what the job requires, and is neatly organized. The easy way to make sure your resume looks its best is to print it out — as long as it looks good in print form, it should look fine when you submit it electronically.
What is the best free resume template?
For free templates, visit our templates section — you’ll find a host of free templates of all types you can download and use to create your own resume. Our templates are ready-made to be downloaded in Microsoft Word or other formats such as PDF or plain text.
How do I know if my Word resume template is ATS-friendly?
Use our ATS Resume Checker to get rid of the guesswork. Upload your finished Word resume template and our ATS Resume Checker will provide it a score out of 100, suggestions on what to fix and what areas to improve. The closer you can get to 100, the higher the chance your resume will make it past the application tracking system and into a hiring manager’s hands.
Just three easy steps
- Select a template from our library of professional designs
- Build your resume with our industry-specific bullet points
- Download your resume and send!
Congratulations!
You've taken a big leap forward in your job search by choosing a resume template from MyPerfectResume.
