Creating a professional looking resume yourself is time consuming and difficult. Luckily, Microsoft Word has tons of free resume template options available that you can easily adjust and use to quickly write an impressive resume.
15 custom resume templates for Microsoft Word
The internet has plenty of available resume templates for Word, but not all of them are professional looking or easy to use. Here are 15 of our favorite free and simple resume templates vetted by our in-house team of career experts:
1. Simple
Looking for a classic, no-nonsense resume design? Then this Word resume template will help you get the job done. The simple, centered header draws the reader’s eye to your name, ensuring hiring managers remember you.
Because of its simplicity, this template is suitable for professionals in any industry, from finance to healthcare.
2. Executive
Made for managerial-level professionals, this resume template features a sleek, modern design that conveys the confidence you’ll need to excel in an executive role.
With its large work experience section, the Executive template gives you plenty of space to describe your career successes in detail.
3. Clean
This modern template focuses on clarity and readability.
The two-column design means you have more room to present your relevant experience, making it ideal for seasoned professionals with multiple job titles to list.
4. Current
Looking for something unique? Use the Current Word resume template to draw attention to your relevant qualifications while adding a touch of color to your resume.
The turquoise headers make each section pop, and the placement of the contact information section gives you plenty of space to elaborate on your skills.
5. Pretty
Need something that immediately sets you apart from other candidates? The Pretty template for MS Word grabs attention with its full-color background.
This template highlights your creativity, making it ideal if you’re applying for a job in fashion, graphic design, or television production.
6. Classic
The Classic resume template is perfect for professionals who prefer a simple design that lets their skills, experience, and qualifications speak for themselves.
If you’re applying for work in a more buttoned-up industry like finance, this traditional resume template is ideal for you because it presents your professional background in a formal, no-nonsense format.
7. Premium
With its bold header and simple design, the Premium template clearly communicates your experience and skills while giving your application an attractive, modern look.
8. Two column
Make a memorable impression on employers with this unique template.
The left side is dedicated to your work experience, while the right side contains your contact information, profile, skills, and education.
Additionally, there’s room to include a picture on your resume, making this template suitable for industries where photo resumes are common, such as acting or entertainment.
9. Tech
Featuring rounded icons and a sleek design, this highly modern-looking template for Word follows the design principles promoted by top tech companies like Google.
Apart from looking nice, this template also gives you space to emphasize your technical skills.
10. Aesthetic
The fresh, bold design of this Word resume template helps communicate that you’re an innovative candidate.
The Aesthetic template’s unique design makes it ideal for applying to jobs in industries where creativity is important, like advertising or design.
11. Corporate
Featuring a bold header and sidebar, the Corporate resume template for Microsoft Word conveys confidence.
With its simple but contemporary design, this is a strong choice if you’re applying for management-level positions in any industry.
12. White House
Simple and traditional, the White House template formats your qualifications in a basic, easy to read format.
If you’re applying for a job in a highly formal industry like law or politics, you can’t go wrong with this design.
13. Visual
This unique resume template uses graphics to communicate information about your skills and work experience.
While we wouldn’t recommend most people use an infographic resume like this one, it can be an eye-catching addition to your portfolio or job application.
14. Pastel
Featuring a visually pleasing background design and a sidebar for your additional information, this artistic template gives you space to highlight your experience without sacrificing creativity.
This template design effectively balances professionalism with artistic flair, making it ideal for applying to graphic design positions or any other creative job.
15. Cosmopolitan
This elegant template uses a subtle color palette to draw attention to your name and contact information.
Additionally, the skill bars on the side add some visual interest and give employers a clearer idea of your strengths as an employee.
How to select a Microsoft Word resume template
Here’s how to select a resume template in Microsoft Word:
1. Open Microsoft Word and click “File” at the top left corner of the screen
2. Click “New” on the menu that pops up
3. In the search bar at the top right of the screen, type in “resume”
4. You’ll be presented with all of the default resume templates available in MS Word. Scroll through and select the template you want to use by clicking on it
5. Click on the “Create” button at the bottom or double click on the template to start filling in your resume
We recommend also using the matching Microsoft Word cover letter template so your application has a cohesive look.
10 free resume templates available in Word
Prefer to get your templates directly from Microsoft Word directly?
Here are 10 more resume templates available exclusively in Microsoft Word:
1. Creative
The use of bright, bold colors in this template adds personality and helps important sections stand out.
Additionally, this template (as well as most of Microsoft’s default templates) provides a separate section for volunteer experience or leadership, making it a good choice if you’re writing a resume for a nonprofit job.
2. Crisp & Clean
This MS Word resume template takes a unique approach to formatting by separating the resume parts into boxes.
The design of this template makes it a good choice if you’re applying for work in a field that values creativity, like marketing or design.
3. Polished
Want your name to stand out when employers review your resume? Well, nothing stands out quite like bright red.
This template takes a bold approach, with its vibrant colors and thick section headers. However, the rest of the template’s design is pretty traditional, which makes it appropriate for a wide variety of jobs.
4. Basic
Like the name suggests, this resume template for Word is simple and to the point. Each section of your resume is clearly outlined with minimal distractions, making sure employers don’t miss a thing.
However, this design leaves a lot of white space in the margins, so if you have a lot of experience you need to pack onto the page you’re better off using a template that makes more efficient use of space.
5. Bold Modern
The Bold Modern template from Microsoft Word is a great choice if you’re looking to make a memorable impact on employers.
With its skill bars, headshot, and large header, this template is sure to help you stand out from other candidates.
6. Modern
This template for Word features a clean, minimalist design that emphasizes simplicity and clarity.
Notably, it provides equal space for your work experience and education , making it ideal if you’re a recent graduate or want to emphasize your educational background.
7. Playful
This colorful template for Microsoft Word is the perfect choice for anyone looking to inject some personality and originality into their resume.
The use of bright, bold colors throughout the template creates a fun and lively look, while the use of icons and graphics adds a touch of visual interest and breaks up the text.
This template is ideal if you’re looking for work in an industry where personality is key, like project management or sales.
8. Columns
This elegant template uses columns to make it easy for hiring managers to scan your resume. Additionally, the color-blocked headers make your resume attention-grabbing and easy to read.
The maximalist look of this resume makes it better suited for less formal jobs. For example, this would be a good template to use if you’re applying for work in sales or office management.
9. Minimalist
Featuring bold section headers and a large space for your name, this Word resume template conveys experience.
With separate sections for Communication and Leadership, this template is well suited for professionals who have experience in giving presentations and leading workshops, making it ideal for those in consulting or business management.
10. Swiss
A full-color background makes this design immediately stand out. With its bright color and simple, bold headers, the template pulls inspiration from modern Scandinavian design principles.
However, the actual layout of this resume is minimalist and traditional, making it more flexible than it looks at first glance. For example, you could safely use this resume template to apply for a job in marketing, tech, or design.
5 free situational resume templates for Word
Need a resume for your specific background? Whether you’re a student or just left the army, these five situational resume templates for Microsoft Word will help you highlight your achievements:
1. Harvard resume
Harvard University is one of the most competitive schools in the world. Whether you’re applying for a program at Harvard or just curious about what it takes to graduate from this prestigious school, you need a resume that can impress their discerning admissions counselors.
This Harvard resume template is designed specifically to help you do just that. Featuring a highly formal design and a similar shade of red found in the Harvard shield, this template is sure to impress even the most careful admissions counselors and hiring committees.
Alternatively, try our cleaner, more modern take on the classic Harvard resume template.
2. Military to civilian resume
Transitioning from a life in the military to a civilian career? This military-to-civilian resume template features helpful examples of how to communicate your experience for civilian hiring managers. Additionally, it features a neutral design that will help you land a job in a variety of professions.
3. Infographic resume
If you’re applying for a job that involves presenting information in creative ways, then an infographic resume like this one might be a good addition to your job application. While this isn’t a replacement for a traditional resume, it can be an interesting way to present yourself to employers and show off your design skills.
4. Curriculum Vitae (CV) for academia
If you’re applying for an academic or research position, you’ll need to write an academic CV that highlights your research experience, publications, and more.
This CV template for Microsoft Word is designed to be appropriately formal and already features dedicated sections for everything you need to impress academic hiring committees.
5. College resume
It can be tough to find a job as a current or recently graduated college student. This college resume template for Word makes things a little bit easier by providing extra space to highlight your academic achievements and college coursework.
More free resume templates for MS Word
If you’re looking for even more resume templates you can use in Microsoft Word, we provide one of the largest libraries of free resume templates on the internet.
We have any type of resume template you might want, including:
Simply find the template you want, then click “Download for Word” to download every color variation of that design.
If you’re on mobile or don’t have access to Microsoft Word, we also have hundreds of Google Docs resume templates available.
Microsoft Word Resume Templates
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