Best Resume Layout Examples for 2025 [Free Downloads]

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Want to know what separates a forgettable resume from one that lands interviews? Often, it’s not just what you say — it’s how you present it.

A resume layout refers to the structure and format of a resume, including how information is organized and visually presented. It includes the arrangement of sections like contact details, work experience, education, and skills to ensure easy readability.

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Here are four different resume layout ideas with free downloadable resume templates you can fill in with your own information:

Simple resume layout

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This simple resume layout is ideal for creating a clean, professional application. Its classic font, dark color scheme, and minimalist design make it well-suited for formal industries like finance and law.

Professional resume layout

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With its blue header and clean font choice, this resume layout embodies professionalism.

Additionally, a sidebar for contact details and skills makes this layout highly space efficient — perfect for candidates with a lot of work experience.

Creative resume layout

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Colorful and well-spaced, this layout is perfect for any candidate that wants to stand out and show off their sense of style. If you work in a creative industry, this format will work well for you.

Modern resume layout

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Featuring a two-column format and a striking black header, this layout balances stylish modernism with traditional formality. The skills bar also offers a great visual of your abilities.

This layout is great for anyone who wants to give their resume a sleek, contemporary look.

The best resume layout for most job seekers

Here’s a basic layout of a resume that’s good for most job seekers, no matter how many years of experience you have.

This resume layout breaks down each part of a resume and explains exactly what details you need to include and where. Simply copy and paste the text into Google Docs or Microsoft Word, and fill it in with your information for a standard yet effective resume.

1. Resume Heading

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: youremail@gmail.com | Phone: 895 555 555 | Address: 4397 Aaron Smith Drive Harrisburg, PA 17101 | Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/yourproﬁle

2. Resume Introduction

Passionate [industry] professional with [# of years] years of experience. Seeking to leverage my expertise in [relevant skills] to fill the [position name] position at [Company’s Name]. A dedicated professional looking to further my career in [industry] and help contribute to [Company’s Name]’s goals as soon as possible.

3. Work or Relevant Experience

Most Recent Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Date – End Date

Include a bulleted list of your accomplishments and responsibilities
Unless this is the only job you’ve held, use five bullet points or fewer
Add numbers (such as percentages or dollar amounts) to these bullet points to showcase your specific achievements

Earlier Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Date – End Date

List relevant accomplishments or responsibilities from an earlier job
If you no longer hold this job, use past tense verbs to describe your achievements

4. Education

Degree Name / Major
University, Location | Start Date – End Date

5. Skills and Certifications

List your relevant professional skills
Include a range of hard skills and soft skills
Be as specific as possible and mention the names of software or tools you can use

6. Additional Resume Section

Here’s where you can add any other helpful information to your resume
For example, this section could be for any of the following: awards, languages, volunteer experience, or even hobbies

How to choose the right layout for your resume

While the resume layout above might be great for the majority of job seekers, it’s not the only way to set up your resume.

With that in mind, there are three different resume layouts commonly used by job seekers:

Each layout is designed to emphasize different sections of your resume with the goal of highlighting your professional strengths.

An infographic explaining the differences between chronological resumes, functional resumes, and hybrid resumes.

Chronological resume layout

The chronological resume is the most common resume layout, and is appropriate for people at any stage in their career. It lists your work history with the most recent job at the top.

In most cases, the chronological resume layout is the clearest way to organize your qualifications because your work experience section is generally what they care about most when reviewing your resume.

Here’s an example of a resume using a chronological layout:

An example of a chronological resume layout on a simple template with blue header text.

Functional resume layout

The functional resume layout (also called a skills-based resume) focuses primarily on your relevant skills rather than each job you’ve held and when you held it.

The biggest difference between a functional resume and a chronological resume is that a functional resume features a detailed skills section and groups your experience under skill categories instead of job titles. Under each category, bullet points are used to highlight examples of how you used your skills to accomplish something in the workplace.

This makes the functional resume layout ideal for candidates who have gaps in their work history or are in the process of changing careers.

Here’s an example of a resume that uses a functional layout:

An example of a functional resume layout on a simple template with dark purple header text.

Combination resume layout

Combination resumes (also called hybrid resumes) blend parts of both chronological and functional resume layouts by leading with a detailed skills section, and ending with a strong work experience section.

This makes the combination resume an ideal choice for highly qualified candidates with years of experience, because it allows them to include a high volume of information about their qualifications and skills.

Here’s an example of a resume with a combination layout:

An example of a resume using a combination layout on a simple template with brick red header text.

How to make a professional resume layout

Now that you know the best layout to use for your own resume, here are some basic formatting rules to help you make yours look professional.

Alternatively, you can save time by using an online resume builder that sets up your resume layout for you.

Set your margins to .5″ to 1″

The ideal margins for a resume are between 0.5 and 1 inch. This way, you can include all the information you need while still ensuring your resume is easy to read.

Use a professional font

The best fonts for your resume are easy to read and formal. In most cases, it’s best to stick to classics like Times New Roman, Arial, or Georgia. Whichever font you choose, just make sure it’s not overly stylized so employers can scan your resume easily.

Additionally, the body font on your resume should be no smaller than 10 points and no larger than 12. The section headers can be roughly 13-14 points. Your name in the header can be larger, and go up to 27-30 points.

Left-align your content

You should keep everything in your resume layout left-aligned. The only exception is your header, which can be center-aligned if you prefer. Left-aligning the majority of your content ensures that it’s easy for hiring managers to read.

Keep your resume to one page

A one page resume is enough space to communicate all your relevant qualifications without making your resume too lengthy. Employers generally prefer single page resumes because they’re easier to scan.

However, if you have more than 10 years of relevant work experience, then a two page resume (or sometimes longer) might be necessary to showcase all your work experience and achievements.

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Emily Crowley

Career Advisor & Senior Content Writer

Emily Crowley loves helping job seekers overcome obstacles to advance their careers. She graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Foreign Language and Culture and relocated to Taipei shortly after. As a writer and career advisor, she takes a particular interest in empowering young professionals through practical knowledge and advice on topics like resume writing, interviewing, and navigating career changes. Emily’s career advice has been featured in online publications such as Global Trade Magazine and Parade. For media-related queries, she can be reached at emily [at] resumegenius [dot] com.

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