The 17 Best Resume Templates for Every Type of Professional

While an eye-catching resume alone probably won’t land you your dream gig, it doesn’t hurt to put a little extra effort into how you present yourself on paper.

The right resume design speaks to your individual skills and personality, and can propel your application to the top of the stack. But finding a cool design that also fits your professional identity can be a major hassle — and applying for jobs is already hard enough.

We’ve scoured the web for some of the best resume templates to help you stand out in a sea of Times New Roman and crowded copy.

You’ll want to steal each and every one of these creative resume templates — and the good news is: You can! These generous designers have made their work available for free download. Read on to check them out and find a great fit for your next job application.

Download a free, editable resume template.

We’ve organized them by the type of candidate they’re best for.

Best for Creatives

These templates emphasize the design, color, and typography skills that creatives need to show from the get-go.

1. Resume Template with a Photo Background

This template from Polish designer Patryk Korycki is perfect for photographers, graphic designers, and other creatives looking to showcase a sample of their best work. The template can be downloaded here for free.

2. Monochromatic and Retro Resume Template

This design from freelancer Fay Zodiac is a whimsical take on traditional resumes. The retro typography adds a playful element, while the boxy layout keeps everything from looking too busy or crowded. You can download this resume design here for free.

3. Vibrant and Visual Resume Template

Alessia Curcio, a Copenhagen-based designer, gives us a perfect example of how to incorporate kaleidoscopic color without going over the top. Infographic-inspired elements help clearly display work experience and skills with minimal text. Download Curcio’s free template here.

4. Infographic Style Resume Template

Created by digital art director and freelance designer Fernando Báez, this unique, infographic-inspired resume template helps you organize your work experience and skills into a minimal visual layout. Báez has made the template available for free download here.

Best for Freelancers

These templates emphasize the headshot photo for freelancers who might not meet their employers in person, and need substantial text space and a visual to offer something memorable.

5. Resume Template with a Simple Color Accent

Adding color to a resume might seem intimidating at first — especially if you’re applying to a more traditional workplace — but a few sophisticated pops of color can add some interest without compromising on professionalism.

This template from designer Eduardo Ogawa uses bright accents to spice up the traditional layout. You can download it for free here.

6. Bold Classic Resume Template

If you’re looking for a more traditional resume template that still makes a bold impression, check out this creation from Finish designer Mats-Peter Forss. The template includes space for a headshot, and is available for free download here.

7. Resume Template with Pops of Primary Colors

Proof that color can be professional, this template boasts a compact, sophisticated layout and bright, colorful accents. It also has room for a substantial summary. Designer David Gómez actually uses this resume template himself, and he’s been generous enough to share it for free download here.

Best for Recent Graduates

These templates make great use of empty space — perfect for students who are still building experience — through eye-catching designs that help these candidates make a splash in their industry.

8. Graphic and Adventurous Resume Template

This is not a resume template for wallflowers. The folks at Createer whipped up this daring design as part of a free resume template pack, which you can check out here.

9. Resume Template with an Unexpected Format

If you want to really stand out in a crowded applicant pool, then this resume is definitely for you. Graphic designer and freelance photographer Paolo Pettigiani created this bold template for his own professional use, but has made it available for free download here.

10. Center-Aligned Resume Template

If you want to mix up your resume format without going too crazy, try a center-aligned layout, like this clean, modern design by Zohan Habib. The custom icons and colored border add a nice creative touch. This template is available for free download here.

Best for Executive/Upper-Level Professionals

These templates offer ample real estate for candidates to express their deep experience in the plain but formal manner that many employers expect.

11. Black and White Resume Template

Running low on colored ink? Check out this minimal black and white template from editorial designer Bro Luthfi. The simple design is anything but boring, and includes a set of custom icons to add some visual interest. You can download the free template here.

12. Clean and Modern Resume Template

Your resume is really your first impression with a potential employer, and this template design from the team at GoaShape is modern without being too edgy.

The template pack includes a two-page resume layout and cover letter design, and can be downloaded for free here.

13. Resume Template with Subtle Color Scheme

Beirut-based designer Wassim Awadallah serves up a simple, two-page resume template for more advanced professionals.

Displaying the headshot and contact information on the cover leaves plenty of room on the second page to document all your career highlights and accomplishments. Download the template for free here.

Best for People Changing Careers

These templates help those who are changing industries organize their experience by skill, rather than employer. Sections can be customized to the candidate who needs to show how his/her background can transfer.

14. Resume Template with an Organized Use of Space

When you’re trying to crunch years of work experience and a laundry list of skills onto a single sheet of paper, things tend to get crowded quickly. This template from designer Tina Von Helsinki invites you to simplify.

The distinct sections highlight different aspects of your qualifications — eliminating anything extraneous and putting the focus on what matters to your potential employers the most. Download the template here.

15. Playful and Professional Resume Template

Italian designer Martina Cavalieri created this resume template with a set of 16 custom icons to highlight your interests and skills. The modern layout is anchored by a bold two-toned border: just enough color to help your resume stand out in the pile. Cavalieri offers this template for free download here.

Best for Hardcore Marketers

We couldn’t help ourselves. Although every template in this blog post can work for marketers, the templates below are perfect for those who love to brand themselves.

16. Heavy Header Resume Template

“Hey, you!” That’s what I think of when I see this flashy yet classy template. Made by designer Mike Bradshaw, the resume features a variety of sections without seeming too cluttered.

Long first or last names might look overwhelming with this header, but it certainly does a good job conveying a breadth of information. Download it for free here.

17. Profile Style Resume Template

This last resume was actually designed by the company, Hloom, and is rather plain. But there’s something so familiar about it: The resume header looks like a Facebook profile!

While Hloom suggests the lengthy skills section could make this template appealing to the IT industry, we think it is equally perfect for digital marketers — especially those who work in social media. Download it for free here.

Didn’t find the design you were looking for? We bet you’ll find an awesome template in this free resume template pack.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October, 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Originally published Aug 7, 2020 3:13:00 PM, updated August 07 2020