Traditional Resume Template [5+ Classic Resume Examples]
Traditional Resume Template [5+ Classic Resume Examples]
Not sure what kind of resume will boost your chances of landing an interview? Go for a traditional resume template. It’s much more than timelessly elegant.
The Internet is abundant in all sorts of newfangled resume ideas.
But the truth is—
A traditional resume is always your safest bet.
Why?
Read on to find out, and explore a gallery of classic resume templates.
This guide will show you:
How to define a traditional resume in this day and age.
The advantages of using a classic resume template.
Examples of traditional resume templates.
Resume writing and formatting tips.
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Let’s come up with a traditional resume definition:
A traditional (or classic) resume is a business document outlining your work experience, key achievements, skills, as well as educational background. Apart from this, it includes your contact details and additional information on your qualifications, such as certifications, awards, or membership in professional organizations.
You can create such a resume with word-processing software or using a traditional resume template in a resume builder.
A traditional resume would be printed out and delivered to the employer via traditional postal services.
However—
This is no longer the case.
In this day and age, a traditional resume is delivered via email.
Also, a traditional resume layout is rather simple and devoid of flashy graphical elements. It's readability and scannability that count.
In contrast—
A non-traditional resume can take on many different forms.
Once your resume is finished, you can download your traditional resume as a PDF or MS Word file that can be printed out or sent as an email attachment.
So—
Why go for a traditional resume?
First off, a classic-looking resume is something every recruiter will be able to read quickly.
With only 7 seconds of the recruiter’s initial attention, you really want your document to be easy to scan.
Second—
A simple, traditional resume will surely pass any ATS (Applicant Tracking System) scan.
This traditional resume layout adds a simple diamond-themed timeline to make the document super-easy to navigate.
All the sections characteristic of a classic resume format are clearly visible. The recruiter’s eye is guided down from experience to education to skills and software to certifications on your resume.
Enfold is yet another traditional resume layout with a modern twist in the form of a sidebar.
The sidebar offers you extra real estate to fit in additional resume sections without giving the entire document a cluttered look.
The main resume space on the left is a perfect location for traditional resume sections, such as professional objective or resume summary, work experience, or education.
It's a very spacious traditional resume template that lets you include quite a lot of information.
Thanks to its two-column layout and the resume profile section stretching from margin to margin, you have a lot of room to display your work history and achievements.
The customizable icons make navigating through the document buttery smooth.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.
What makes Cascade so appealing is the two-column layout that can hold a lot of information, contrasting colors, and high readability.
This classic resume template works great as a traditional chronological resume, but you can also adapt it for other traditional resume layouts (i.e. functional or combination resume).
Plus—
The unobtrusive visuals let you grade your skills using a bar chart.
This traditional resume template is possibly one of the best if you consider printing out your resume, and a great choice for a classic executive resume.
Plus—
It’s very easy to scan, with plenty of white space and clearly visible sections.
Bonus: Formatting Tips for a Traditional Resume
Traditional or non-traditional, resumes are business documents whose formatting is as important content.
Start with setting the right resume margins. One inch on each side is the standard.
Make sure your font is large enough for comfortable reading. 11-12 pt should do the job.
Place a resume header at the top of the document. This is where your contact details go.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
Here’s all you need to know about traditional resumes:
Traditional resumes used to be printed out and delivered by mail.
Nowadays, a “traditional resume” mostly refers to the document’s layout and structure to differentiate it from less orthodox new kinds of resume, such as infographic resumes or resume websites for example.
A traditional resume is usually a PDF or MS Word file attached to an email message.
The main advantage of a traditional resume lies in its scannability, both for the recruiter and the ATS software.
To make the most of your traditional resume you must format it properly and avoid a cluttered look.
Do you have any other questions about traditional resumes? Would you like to share your experience making a classic resume? Give us a shout out in the comments below. Always happy to help!
Maciej is a career expert with a solid background in the education management industry. He's worked with people at all stages of their career paths: from interns to directors to C-suite members, he now helps you find your dream job.
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