Absolutely free resume templates?!
Yes. Yes indeed.
We’ve done the hard work for you and selected 20 of the best free resume templates online.
You’re about to discover a carefully curated collection of simple resume templates that are professional, eye-catching and best of all available to download for free.
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These are some of the best sources for a free resume template in 2023:
- Microsoft Word templates
- Google Docs
- Canva
- LaTex
- Behance
Here you are going to see our top selections from these resume templates available for free downloading. Plus some tips for how to match a free resume template to your industry and career level.
1. Free Resume Templates for MS Word
Did you know that Microsoft Word always offers some of the best resume templates to use for free?
From the countless options, we’ve chosen a few of the best. However, if none of these catches your eye, then you can explore the full range of their repository here.
1. Blue Spheres
This is a template that helps your job application stand out from all the other black and white queues of resumes waiting to be noticed. Choose this template carefully if you are applying for a job in a more traditional and conservative company. This type of template is appropriate for companies with a more relaxed culture.
2. Contemporary
A modern, well-designed template that’s simple and geometric. The two-column layout gives you enough space to add extra details. Plus, there is a bar chart that shows your proficiency in the skills you include in your resume. If you are a candidate in the IT or tech fields, this is a good resume template for you. Also, it is recommended for entry-level job-seekers and freshers.
3. Green Cube
In colour psychology, green represents balance and harmony. This is another modern resume template. As you can see, it uses a range of green shades and has a great resume layout that allows you to include all the information a recruiter needs. The two-column format gives you plenty of room to write an impactful personal statement.
4. Mellow Yellow
From green cube to sunny yellow. Isn’t it nice? This free resume template for Word is another colourful option that is bound to stand out from the pile. Also, everything is neatly boxed up for a clean look and an easy read. It has a fresh and youthful feel that’d be perfect for a student or fresher resume.
5. Basic
This free basic resume template offers a traditional layout with a subtle grey accent. It’s a very clean, conservative look that would be a great choice for a job application for traditional corporate roles.
Before you choose one of these, though, let’s consider the advantages and disadvantages of free Word resume templates:
Pros of Free Word Resume Templates:
- Good range of choices for resume and cover letter.
- Widely used file format.
Cons of Free Word Resume Templates:
- Keeping the layout well-formatted can be difficult, especially if you try to make big changes to the original content. For instance, making longer sections will often throw everything out of sync and create a total mess.
Bear these in mind when writing your resume in Word. If you want to have your resume ready faster and with less work, you might want to check out Zety's resume builder.
Next, a selection from Microsoft’s biggest rival in the office suite game.
You know it, Google Docs!
2. Free Resume Templates for Google Docs
According to Google's stats, more than 5 million paying businesses are using G Suite. Google Docs are becoming increasingly popular, and so are free Google Docs resume templates!
To use the free resume templates on this list, you need to have a Google account. If you don’t have an account yet, it’s easy to set one up.
Free Google Doc resume templates are all accessible here under the Resumes section. Below you’ll find our top picks:
1. Spearmint
Stylish, simple, and fresh… just like a good mojito. With a simple and readable design and modern colour highlights, this free resume template will be perfect for any kind of job application. This template is available on Google Docs template gallery. You'll find it there right away. If not, just search for "spearmint" and enjoy making your new resume.
2. Swiss
This template bears the mysterious name Swiss. A solid, well laid out resume template that can win the game. The large amount of white space and clearly separated sections make it easy to read. Plus, it's a safe choice for almost any job or career.
Pro tip: Some Google resume templates have corresponding cover letter templates, so if you’re writing a cover letter, you can use a matching layout.
3. Coral
The third template we introduce from the Google Docs template gallery is an attractively simple design that can definitely impress recruiters. What makes it stand out is the use of font pairing, with the tasteful use of cursive script in the experience and education sections. Also, you can easily adjust it to your needs.
4. Serif
This one is named according to the choice of font. Another clean and simple design from Google's gallery. It would be a suitable choice of a free resume template for freshers, especially if you make your education appear first on the page.
5. Modern Writer
The Google Docs gallery doesn't have that many free resume templates, but they are all famous for having a simple and clean design. This one is no exception. Modern Writer is a good choice of a free creative resume template with good readability. The only issue to consider here is that the body text font is a bit too small. So, make it easier to read by bumping it up to 11 or 12 points.
Just like with MS Word, using Google Docs free resume templates has its own strengths and weakness too:
Free Google Docs CV Template Pros
- Don’t need access to Microsoft Office, just a free Google account.
- Templates are simple and easy to edit based on your needs.
- And again, it costs nothing.
Free Google Docs CV Template Cons
- Small choice of templates with not enough variety.
Still haven’t really found what you’re looking for? The good news is that there are more options available for you to find your desired free resume template.
Free resume templates for Word and Google Docs aren’t perfect. Sure, they’re easy to access, but they can be really frustrating to work with, and hey—looking for a job is stressful enough without having to do battle with word processors. Take the pressure off with our builder. Here’s why you’ll love it.
- There are no problems with your resume layout. You just enter your details and the builder does the rest, keeping everything neat and tidy.
- All of our templates are ATS compatible, and you can choose different colours and a range of professional resume fonts.
- Best of all, you’ll get expert advice while you’re writing to craft the best resume template you’ve ever written.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
3. More Free Resume Templates
Remember—
Google’s gallery and MS Word aren’t the only places where you can find free resume templates. Although Microsoft Office and Google Docs offer some excellent resume templates for free, there are other options you can consider using to get your resume done. Among them, Canva is an amazing source of free creative resume templates.
Let’s take a look at some modern resume templates you can find there:
1. Navy-Blue Orange
Here is the first of our collection of Canva’s free resume templates. The colours make this design incredibly eye-catching, yet the sensible choice of font and geometric shapes keep it professional. Plus, there is enough empty space to make it easy to read.
Use this template for free here.
2. Black and Blue
The combination of Black and Blue looks modern, right? This design is suitable for candidates applying to companies with a relaxed and casual culture, and it’s a good free resume template for freshers. If you are writing a resume with not much experience to show, this can be a good choice, as the graphics take up a lot of space on the page.
Use this template for free here.
3. Eye-Popping Colour
Because of the eye-popping colours, this template is worthy of mention. Fiery red and lemon-yellow combined with a two-column format create a design that no one can ignore. Probably the best choice for professions where visual flair is key. So if you are a graphic designer, game developer, or videographer, go for it.
Use this template for free here.
4. Pink and Dark Blue Icons
Another free template from Canva. Here you see much gentler use of colour. It has an attractive and well-designed infographic section for adding your skills. This one is also a good choice for visually creative fields.
Use this template for free here.
5. Grey Simple Minimalist
This stylish monochrome design is a great choice for you if you don't like using colours in your resume. Toned and calm, this free resume template stands out without being garish. Also, the two-column layout gives you the chance to add more details to your resume.
Use this template for free here.
Canva has various impressive and modern free resume templates. No doubt on that. Still, they have their advantages and disadvantages:
Canva resume Template Pros
- Canva is a user-friendly platform and editing its templates is fast and simple.
- It gives you the option to download your resume in PDF format to preserve the layout.
Canva resume Template Pros
- Many of the templates aren’t scannable by ATS systems. It means your resume may be rejected right away.
Pro tip: Adding critical information as a graphical element or image is risky, as your resume won't be ATS scannable. If you’ve any doubts, save your resume as a plain-text file and check the results. If there’s missing info, incorrectly rendered characters, or your section order is scrambled, then it’s likely the resume will fail the ATS readability test.
The last set of free resume templates comes from a few sources.
6. Marvellous Mind Map
Let’s start with this unique format. It is similar to those free-flowing mind maps that you may have seen on whiteboards during business brainstorming sessions. But be careful: this one is definitely just for creative professionals applying to companies with a much-relaxed culture. It’s available free to download in Word format from Smash Resume.
Download this free template here.
7. Dark
The Dark resume template is a great fit for candidates seeking creative positions. It’s available in several popular file formats, including versions of this resume template in PSD and DOC.
Download this free template here.
8. Paint it Black
This template combines style and simplicity in a package that proves black and white doesn’t need to be boring. An attractive design that would also look great printed in the high-quality print. It’s available in PSD, Word and AI format and was created by Good-Resume.
Download this free template here.
9. Cold as Ice
A modern resume template that comes courtesy of Freesume and is available for free download for Word format. It's subtle and calming due to the light colour tones. And as you see, it has some unique formatting in the experience and education section.
Download this free template here.
10. Timo
For our last free resume template, we’ve chosen this one. In contrast to the previous free resume templates, this one is more traditional. But it doesn’t mean it’s devoid of elements that give it a unique character. It will work well for candidates who want to write a classic resume.
Download this free template here.
There are more downloadable free resume templates available on the web. Above is our selection. If you’re not sure a free resume template is what you’ve been looking for, how about taking a look at what our resume builder has to offer?
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:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
And that’s our complete round-up of free resume templates. What do you think about our gallery? Did you have any favourites? Give me a shout-out in the comments below, if you’ve got any resources to share or questions to ask!
