Resume templates that are professional

Choose the resume template that lets the people hiring in your field read your experience at a glance. Looks matter only as far as they help a recruiter spot your job titles, employers and results in a quick first scan. So start with your field, then your experience, then try the design with your own details before you settle.

Which resume template style suits your field?

Each style sends a signal before anyone reads a word, so pick the one your target employers already expect.

• Law, finance, government and healthcare administration: a traditional design with black text and thin dividers matches what these employers usually expect.
• Tech, sales and most office roles: a modern design with one accent color looks current without pulling attention from your work.
• Marketing, hospitality and other creative work: a creative design shows some personality, as long as each section is still easy to find.
• Trades, warehouse and retail jobs: a plain design puts licenses, equipment and shift experience front and center.

Not sure which group you're in? Look at the employer's own careers page and job ads. A bank and a design studio present themselves very differently, and your resume can take the same cue.

What makes a resume template look professional?

Consistency, more than decoration. Before you commit to a professional resume template, check four things in the preview:

• Headings clearly larger than the body text, in no more than two typefaces.
• Job titles, employers and dates lined up the same way in every entry.
• Enough white space between sections that the page never looks crammed.
• Color used sparingly, on headings or a thin rule, never behind long blocks of text.

Which template works for a first resume or a long career?

For a first resume, pick a design with generous spacing and clear headings so a short history still feels complete, and move education or skills near the top. Still in school? Our high school resume templates come with a list of what to include. A long career calls for a compact design that fits more roles without crowding, with older jobs trimmed to a line or two.

Changing careers? Any style can work. Move your skills section up so the reader sees what transfers before reaching your job history.

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Do you need a template made for your job title?

Any clean template works for any role, so you can skip the hunt for a design built around your job title. What changes from one job to the next is the wording: a teacher and a welder can share a design, and their bullets are what set them apart. Borrow ideas from the lines we suggest for your work, such as those in the nurse resume example, and keep only the ones that are true for you.

How do you test a template with your real details?

Sample text makes every template look tidy, and your details won't be the same length. Judge a design only after your own information is in it:

1. Pick the design that looks closest to your field.
2. Add your contact details, latest job and education.
3. Switch to a second design and compare the two in the preview.
4. Keep the one where your strongest result is easiest to spot.

Once the look is settled, the wording does the heavy lifting. Our guide to writing each resume section walks through what to say, from the summary to the last bullet.