Ask any hiring manager and they’ll agree: there’s an endless supply of bland resumes out there.
To make a great resume, it’s crucial to get the basics right: choose a clean, professional layout with clear and readable text. We wanted to make it super easy, so we created this collection of our top free resume designs for 2024.
Each of the resume templates below is professionally designed and free to download in Word (or Google Docs).
Our free-to-use resume builder can make you a resume in as little as 5 minutes. Pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.
1. Chicago resume template
The Chicago resume template is our most popular resume design because it draws attention to your experience without sacrificing visual appeal.
The subtle, minimal lines break up space in a way that’s both efficient and pleasing to the eye, while the single-column layout makes this resume really easy to scan.
Using a minimalist resume design is a great way to ensure that your job application will be eye-catching and easy to read for the hiring manager.
2. Windsor resume template
Playful but elegant, the Windsor resume template is an example of how to balance professionalism with personality. Bold headings highlight each section and help guide the reader toward the most critical points of your experience.
Not only that, but the extra-large header packs a visual punch and guarantees that — if nothing else — the hiring manager will remember your name long after reading your resume.
If you work in the arts or graphic design, having a resume that stands out is especially important. Get noticed and save time with one of our expertly designed creative resume templates.
3. Tech resume template
The Tech resume template is a confident, modern, and unabashedly creative visual resume. A large, colorful header immediately draws attention to your name and adds a sense of balance to its vertically split resume layout.
Additionally, the splashes of color in the headings, icons, and skill bars add visual consistency, quickly guiding the reader toward each section.
Although several of the resume designs we include below feature headshots, we caution against including a photo on your resume if you live in the US or Canada, where employers are likely to disqualify resumes with pictures because of laws around fair hiring practices.
4. Corporate resume template
Featuring a bold header and no-nonsense layout, our Corporate resume template is the perfect example of a confident and modern resume design.
The use of a shaded sidebar organizes your contact information, so that your experience can take the spotlight. Meanwhile, the wide header adds a bit of color and gives your name and title the impact they deserve.
This design is ideal for those working in business and anyone aiming to upgrade their career.
5. Original professional resume template
Bold and sophisticated — this well-designed professional template makes an impression and showcases your years of experience.
With solid bars framing the resume and clear dividing lines between each section, this template is a pleasure to look at and easy to scan.
6. Photo resume template
With the option of several playful colors to highlight your work experience and skills, the Photo resume template feels contemporary, sleek, and professional.
But what we really love about this design is its use of a creative timeline that demonstrates your career progression, showing employers what you’re capable of and helping them visualize where you’re headed next.
While it makes a daring break from tradition in use of color and layout, the Photo resume template uses a simple and professional layout that keeps the focus on your qualifications.
The photo on this template is easily removable for job seekers in the US and Canada.
7. Advanced resume template
Titled the Advanced resume template, this design places the skills section toward the top of the page and highlights each skill in a colored bubble.
Your contact information also immediately stands out in a colorful bar, helping to make your name stick in the hiring manager’s mind.
This design trick — plus a professional, space-efficient design — makes this the perfect format for those working in a more technical industry, as well as any professional who needs to highlight their skill set.
8. Millennial resume template
The Millennial resume template is a good example of a bold and creative resume design. It incorporates detailed skill charts and bright colors, helping you highlight a range of skills and show employers how proficient you are in each. This is particularly useful for displaying a more technical skill set.
If adding a photo to your resume is okay in your location, this design will make you stand out.
If you work in a creative field and want to add even more design elements, an infographic resume might be a good option for you.
This resume template also includes a bold sidebar that draws attention to your profile and contact information. Three columns help to organize the additional resume sections, keeping the design clean and aesthetically pleasing.
9. Quick resume template
This Quick resume template creates a strong impression with its use of contrast. The juxtaposition of the white font, dividing lines, and icons against the black and dark gray background clearly separates each resume section and draws the hiring manager’s eye to your important information.
If you want to be even bolder, this template comes in a variety of striking colors, and its design is sure to make a lasting impression on any hiring manager.
Don’t want to add a photo on your resume? Simply delete it from the document.
10. Fresh resume template
This Fresh resume template features a unique header design that immediately draws attention to the candidate’s name and professional title. It’s simple yet effective, creating visual appeal without sacrificing any professionalism. Plus, you can easily remove the photo and left-align the text if you’re in the US or Canada.
This design is well-organized with a simple structure, which hiring managers always appreciate. From the header, the hiring manager’s eyes naturally follow the flow of the two columns, making your information very easy to navigate and skim.
11. Standard resume template
The Standard resume template is one of our most visually striking resume designs – featuring a large, colorful header, a career timeline in the work experience section, and skill bars you can use to highlight your proficiencies.
With a modern, two-column layout, this design is perfect for job seekers applying to work in creative and cutting-edge industries like tech, marketing, or design.
12. Two-column resume template
Choosing a good color for your resume and adding some simple design features will make your resume stand out from the rest. This Two-Column resume template organizes the candidate’s contents neatly on the page, and uses color to highlight important information in each section.
The template also includes color features on opposing corners of the page, which adds some visual flair and frames the candidate’s resume.
If you’re working in a creative industry like graphic design, using a resume that has extra visual elements can help give employers an idea of your personal style.
We recommend removing the photo from your resume if you’re applying for jobs in North America.
13. Unique resume template
This Unique resume template elevates your application with its visually appealing header and sophisticated design created specifically for your initials. It gives the impression of a strong personal brand – without you actually having to create one – so you can make an impressive first impression.
With clearly organized sections, the template excels in presenting your qualifications with precision. The strategic use of white space throughout ensures your qualifications remain in the spotlight.
A sleek design like this is ideal for anyone writing an executive resume.
14. Aesthetic resume template
Professionals in creative fields will benefit from a resume design that showcases their artistry, making this aesthetic template the perfect choice.
What sets this design apart is the eye-catching gradient header, which sends the message that you’re a creative and innovative thinker, and you’re not afraid to do something a little different.
15. Fun resume template
This Fun resume template effectively conveys your skills and achievements to employers. The clean lines separating the different sections are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, adding visual interest to the page while keeping the content organized.
Additionally, with your work experience front-and-center, potential employers get an easy overview of your professional background even if they’re skimming your resume. With several fun colors to choose from, this resume design is an excellent choice for any job seeker.
Located in the US or Canada? This resume template will look just as good without the headshot.
16. Cute resume template
This design doesn’t just follow trends, it sets them. If you’re looking to make a statement, there’s no better way than to use our Cute template.
The bold but tasteful use of color creates a contrast that immediately attracts the eye while enhancing the readability of key information, making your job titles and education pop.
Although not suitable for all industries, if innovation and originality are encouraged in your field, this is the design for you. Just make sure it’s okay to add a picture to your resume before sending it off.
17. Executive resume template
The Executive resume template is a business-forward design that uses bold visual elements while keeping your resume traditional and frill-free.
With an eye-catching header and a timeline in the professional experience section, this template is designed to get you noticed and to highlight all the roles that have prepared you for your next.
18. Milano resume template
The Milano resume template uses a single-column layout to keep your resume as straightforward and accessible as possible while still organizing your information in a visually pleasing way.
If you’re applying for work in more traditional fields or looking to stick with a basic resume format, the Milano design is an excellent choice that’s sure to make a professional first impression.
19. Connery resume template
The Connery resume template is designed to follow traditional resume structure and be as easy to edit as possible. Clear horizontal lines elegantly frame each section and make it a breeze for hiring managers to skim.
With several colors to choose from, you can quickly add a bit of personality to your resume without using an over-the-top design.
20. Top resume template
The Top resume template features a large header with a colorful background to make sure hiring managers don’t miss your name, job title, or contact information. Plus, if you live somewhere it’s acceptable to add a photo to your resume, the large headshot on this template ensures you’ll be remembered.
Below the header, a sleek two-column layout keeps the focus on your professional accomplishments while effectively highlighting your profile, education, and skills.
This resume design comes in several bright colors that’ll show employers you’ve got the personality to match your qualifications, making it a great choice for modern and progressive companies.
How to design the perfect resume
Knowing where to start when designing your resume can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a background in design.
Whether you’re making your resume yourself in Microsoft Word or using a resume generator, here are three tips to get you started and help you nail down the fundamentals of resume design.
1. Choose your font
It may not seem like it, but it can be tough to choose the best font for your resume.
To make the best choice, note the level of formality expected of a professional in the field you’re applying to. Then, use a font that is appropriate for that level of formality.
Don’t know what’s expected of professionals in your field? Check out our full list of resume samples for inspiration.
For example, for the vast majority of jobs, fonts like Garamond, Helvetica, Cambria, and Georgia are acceptable. Fonts like Impact, Courier, and (of course) Comic Sans are not.
2. Hit the perfect length
With all this talk of design, you may be wondering: how long should a resume be, anyway?
If you’re an entry-level or early career candidate, one page is enough space to summarize your relevant professional experience, without going on for so long that you bore the hiring manager.
However, if you have a wealth of experience, or your particular career requires a longer resume format (academia, government, etc.), then your resume can be two pages or more.
3. Use graphics sparingly
It might be tempting to use bold graphics to make your resume more eye-catching. However, this won’t necessarily put you at an advantage.
In fact, a resume with too many graphics can end up looking unprofessional and draw attention away from your qualifications.
While it’s a bonus if your resume design goes beyond the standard black-and-white resume, it’s your accomplishments that will compel hiring managers to extend an interview invitation.
4. Make your header stand out
The most visually impactful part of your resume design should be your header. Use design elements such as lines, fonts, and icons strategically to help your name stick in employers’ minds.
Adding a touch of color to your header is another effective way to emphasize your name. Just make sure that the color you choose is appropriate for the industry you’re targeting.
Corissa Peterson
Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) & Content Editor
A dedicated member of the Resume Genius team with a passion for the career space, Corissa is always looking for ways to create useful resources for job seekers, from writing job-specific resume samples to crafting in-depth articles on how to ace interviews. Corissa graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Philosophy and a certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies. Corissa’s articles have been published on Diversity Jobs, Recruiter.com, Teachstone, and Jobillico, among others, and her career advice has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, GOBankingRates, and UpJourney. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
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