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Easy Steps & Tricks to Make a Resume on Google Docs

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,321 times.

Did you know Google Docs has built-in resume templates? This wikiHow article will teach you how to make a resume in Google Docs manually or by using a template. It will also give you tips for creating an effective resume.

Things You Should Know

• Google Docs has 5 built-in resume templates that are quick and easy to use.
• Resumes usually include your name, contact information, summary/objective, education, personal history, and list of relevant skills.
• Personalize your resume for every job to include different keywords that might catch the eye of a hiring manager.

Using a Template

• Choose the one that most closely represents the information in your resume.
• For example, Coral might be the most simple-looking template, but it makes skimming your resume easier for recruiters especially if you have a lot of skills or experience.
• Modern writer looks like an assortment of fonts that could be on a typewriter, so this resume is probably good for any writing jobs.
• Spearmint is purely professional and is an excellent choice for showing off your previous work history.
• Swiss is very scannable and may catch the eye of a hiring manager or recruiter faster than the others.
• If none of these templates are what you are looking for, you can download additional templates from the web. Be sure the templates are from a trusted source before downloading.

• You shouldn't have to worry about formatting since all relevant formatting options are saved in the template.

Manually Making a Google Doc Resume

• To break your skills into two columns and save space, highlight your skills after you've written them out, then go to Format > Columns and then select the number of columns you want for that section.
• While this is a very basic resume, you can change the font sizes, colors, and style to suit your needs. You can also change the formatting of the page or the alignments of the sections to change how your resume looks.

Tips & Tricks

• To share your document, click Share in the top right corner of the page.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://support.google.com/docs/answer/148833?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en&oco=1z

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8+ Best Google Docs Resume Templates—and How to Use Them

I remember the first time I had to write a resume . I was 16 and applying to a role at American Eagle (yes, I made a resume in high school; no, I did not need one to get an after-school job; yes, I was very extra). Having zero context for what one should look like, I took my older brother’s resume and copy-and-pasted my own experience into his template.

Maybe that’s your go-to strategy: Find someone with a great resume and make it your own. I won’t deny it worked well for me—and I still use that same template to this day.

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse to maximize your chances »

But if you’ve never made a resume and don’t have someone else’s to work off of, you may be in need of a template. We’ve collected eight of our favorite Google Docs resume templates that are fun and cheap (if not free!)—as well as some tips for using them to your advantage.

What makes a good resume template?

Best built-in google docs resume templates, other google docs resume templates, bonus tips for using your google docs resume template.

You want to pick one that’s visually appealing, easy to use, and allows you to include all the necessary resume sections. But you should also choose a resume template that can be easily “read” by an applicant tracking system (ATS) . 

ATSs are software that most employers use to store, file, and search candidate resumes to help them stay organized and find the applicants that meet the most qualifications. These programs are pretty advanced, but they’re far from perfect, and certain types of formatting may make it difficult or impossible for an ATS to accurately parse your resume.

To give yourself the best chance of getting to the next round of hiring, you want to make sure  the Google Docs resume template you choose doesn’t include any of these formatting elements:

• Images , including photos ( in the U.S. ), logos, graphics, graphs, other visuals, or text contained in any of these elements
• Headers and footers
• Less common fonts
• Columns: ATSs are programmed to read left to right, so they’ll often read columns straight across rather than reading each column from top to bottom. If this doesn’t change the experience of reading your resume, columns may be OK.

Want to make creating a resume in Google Docs super easy on yourself? Choose one of Google’s premade resume templates. If you’re on docs.google.com, just click on “Template gallery” near the top right of the page and scroll down to see your resume options. If you’re already in a Google Doc, you’ll want to click “File”> “New” > “From template gallery” to see all of your options.

While Google has five built-in templates, we only recommend three of them for getting through any ATS you might encounter.

1.  Google Docs Coral resume template

Need something super simple? Look no further than this resume created right in Google Docs. With just a pop of color and clear direction as to what goes where and how to best organize your information, you can’t go wrong with this template. To make sure the ATS doesn’t get confused, you’ll want to just delete the “Hello” and “I’m” from the top of the page. Then it’s your choice whether you want your name in black or coral.

2. Google Docs Spearmint resume template

What we like most about this resume template is that the skills section goes first, which makes it perfect for career changers .

Why, you ask? Listing your skills at the top allows you to emphasize what you bring to the table (a.k.a., your transferable skills ), especially to a hiring manager who may not be able to tell how your past experiences apply to their job posting. (This resume format , where your skills are listed above your work history, is called the hybrid or combination resume .)

If you’re using this template as a career changer, make sure to keep it relevant to the job you want. This may mean removing certain jobs and skills that don’t add to your qualifications for the role you’re applying for, and possibly renaming the “Experience” section, “Relevant Experience.”

And don’t forget to tailor your bullets to apply to the job’s requirements.

3. Google Docs Modern Writer Modern Writer resume template

This is the third and final of Google’s default resume templates that we recommend. Like the “Spearmint” template above, the skills are at the top of the page, but remember that you can always tweak the order of a resume template to suit your situation (just copy and paste to move a section up or down if needed!).

Here are a few more templates from around the internet that can be opened as Google Docs files.

4. The Muse’s Resume Template

Yes, we made a resume template on Google Docs! It’s free, easy to plug your own information into, and explains where everything should go and how, from what your bullets should look like to what skills you should list.

Just click “File” > “Make a copy” to create your own copy.

5. Career Reload’s Mindy resume template

This Google doc template from Career Reload makes it easy for anyone reading your resume to spot the section they’re looking for. Just swap the outdated resume objective for a resume summary and you’re good to go.

6. Career Reload’s Josh resume template

Here’s another option from Career Reload that uses white space to change up the visual look of your resume. This is a great choice if you’re earlier in your career or want to focus on just a few experiences—since the formatting makes for less text space overall. 

You’ll notice that the section headings in this template are in columns, but this is an example of ATS-friendly columns—since reading the text from left to right still makes sense.

7. ResuStudio’s Google Docs resume template

If you want to up your game (and are willing to pay a bit extra to do so), this template looks that extra level of sleek and professional without being too much for the hiring manager (or ATS) to parse through. 

If you’re a bit further into your career, this template also has a two-page version. But make sure to remove the “References available upon request” bit from whichever version you use—it’s just wasting valuable space. When employers want your references, they know they can request them.

Cost: $9.26 (with frequent changes)

8.  BestResumes’ Google Doc resume template

For a very reasonable price, this template gives you color, ATS-friendly design, and several ways to emphasize your most important qualifications. Plus with the purchase, you’ll also get a two-page template, a cover letter template , and a reference sheet template to match your resume design.

Cost: $5.96 (with frequent changes)

9. Any ATS-friendly resume template you’d like

None of these templates doing it for you? That’s OK—you’ve got options. Etsy has many more paid resume templates made by designers and you can search for ATS-compatible ones.

You can also use almost any Microsoft Word or other resume template you find in Google Docs with a few easy steps:

• Download the template.
• Go to docs.google.com and click the folder icon to open the file picker.
• Choose “Upload” along the top of the box that appears and pick the file.
• Save the file as a Google Doc.

Or if you’re already in a blank Google doc, click “File”>”Open” and follow steps three and four above.

Some formatting won’t translate well between programs, so be sure to double check that the template still looks good in Google Docs.

Not to sound too obvious, but using these templates is about more than just plugging your skills and experience in and calling it a day. You’ll need to follow a few steps:

• Replace everything in the template with your own information , otherwise the hiring manager is going to wonder why it says “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” under your education. This means giving your resume several looks over, and then having a friend or two check it for errors, too.
• Make the template your own , whatever that means for you. If you don’t like the color of the headings, change them. If you think your name is too big and it’s taking away space you could use for your bullet points, go ahead and decrease the font size. If you want to add your own section, whether for “ Certifications ” or “ Projects ” or some other category that’s relevant to the job description, feel free to convert an existing section you don’t need or otherwise tweak the template to fit it in. Templates are meant to be personalized, not followed to a T.
• Focus on the content . Pretty resumes are great, but if what they say isn’t tailored to the job, thoroughly proofread, or at least somewhat interesting to read, you’re not going to land that interview. So make sure you’re writing stellar resume bullets and following these important resume tips .

How does all that sound? Great, now get out there and make your resume shine! Teenage Alyse would be so proud.

Regina Borsellino contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

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How to Make a Professional Resume in Google Docs

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The internet is full of resume templates , ranging from free to professional templates with both ugly and great ones in each category. While there are also templates for Google Docs available, there is no better feeling than creating something from scratch and on your own.

Regardless of what you may have heard, Google Docs has plenty of features to make beautiful, modern documents with. It's the perfect too to use to build your next resume with. 

In this tutorial, I'll show you how make a resume in Google Docs with a professional design. We'll make a great looking resume from scratch, and cover an easy to follow workflow from start to finish. Before we begin, you can  preview the final resume design  that we'll be creating. 

Do note that since Google Docs is a web app, you'll need to be online in any modern browser—I'd recommend Google Chrome —to complete this tutorial.

1. Start Your Google Docs Resume With a Header

To create a resume with Google Docs, first open your internet browser and go to https://docs.google.com . If you do not have a Google account, you will need to create one—it's free, and will just take a few seconds to signup.

Once you're signed in, open Google Docs and start with a new blank document ( File > New > Document ). If you plan to print this document later, it may be a good idea to select File > Page Setup and set the paper size to A4 or Letter depending on your location. The difference in the actual size is quite minor, but it can cause problems when printing. You can keep the margins default to 1 inch on every side.

When designing this Google Docs resume, we will go from the top to the bottom of the page, which means that the first thing will be the header. It will include your name and the address (and optionally other contacts such as email, your personal website, or social media profiles like Twitter). 

We want to have the name and the address next to each other,  Google Docs supports up to three columns in a document, but for this resume project we need more. Just like in the good old days of early web design, we will use tables to accomplish this task

Select menu Insert > Table and select table size 2x1 as shown on the screenshot below.

Right after inserting a table, grab the middle divider between the cells and move it more to the right to make the second column much smaller. The actual size is not that important as we will most likely tweak it later.

Type the name into the first cell, and the address into the second one. Select both cells and change the font to Droid Sans from the font drop-down menu.

It would be great to have your name in some more distinctive font, but the default list is intended for body text. To gain access to more fonts, open the font dropdown menu again and select the  More fonts  option.

On the drop-down menu that opens, the list of available fonts is much larger. Select, for example, the  Arvo font, and click OK to add it into the font drop-down menu. 

With so many nice-looking fonts, you may want to add more than just one, but remember that it is better to keep the font count to a minimum. For our resume, two fonts will be enough—one for the heading and one for the body text. We can still use different sizes, colors, and bold or italic variants.

Change the font for the name to the Arvo and increase the size to 30 pt from the font size drop-down menu.

To make the second line more visible, set the font to Arvo as well and make it Bold . Now both lines have almost the same width, which looks nice. Note: You can tweak the font size to get it perfect for your name and title though.

Since we already have text in a second cell, we can change its size so that the right edge of the text is aligned with the right side of the page. This will create a visual guideline even when we get rid of the table borders later.

Now select the whole table, and then select Table > Table properties .

In the dialog box, set the Tableborder to 0 pt , to make the borders invisible.

Here is how our Google Docs resume looks so far. We have two columns of text:

Let's continue with  how to make a resume on Google Docs, moving on to design additional sections of your resume.

2. Insert a Horizontal Line Divider Below the Header

To visually separate the header from the rest of the page, we'll now add a divider. We can simply select Insert > Horizontal line , but there is no way to customize this line. We have to use a different method instead.

Here's another method of how to make a horizontal line in Google Docs. Instead we'll select Insert > Special characters , and select Geometric Shapes . 

This section contains a lot of characters for creating tables which we will use later, together with lines in various widths. Select symbol Lower One Eight Block , click Insert , and copy paste this character using the  Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V shortcuts to fill the entire line.

Once you have enough symbols, select them and change the font color to Light Cornflower Blue 1 from the color drop-down menu. Try to remember this colors name, as we will use the very same color for the more elements later.

3. Insert Your Google Docs Resume Body

Now we'll move onto the next step of how to make a resume in Google Docs and focus on the body. For the body of your resume, we also need two columns. The technique is still the same—select Insert > Table and set it to 2x1 size.

We do not want the table to affect the margins. Select Table > Table properties , and in the dialog, set the Cell padding to 0 . This way we still get two columns, but no extra space around from the inside.

4. How to Add a Work Experience Section

Keep the text cursor in the first cell of the newly created table, and add another table inside this table. This table will be used to display your work experience. Select Insert > Table , and this time, set the size to 3x4 cells. Why this size? 

The three columns will be used for each work experience to display year, helper graphics and an actual text. We need four rows for four different jobs. You may create more or less rows depending on your needs.

As you can see below, we have a smaller table inside a larger one. Before adjusting this small table, it may be a good idea to add a caption. Simply type the word “ Experience ”, and change the font to Arvo , sized 14 pt .

If you already have your resume text prepared, you can copy and paste it into this table. If not, it may be a good time to think about what to include in your Google Docs resume. From resume design templates to step-by-step guides of what to include on your resume— our Envato Tuts+ series on creating resumes has plenty of tutorials to help.

In some rare cases, you may have your old resume printed without the source file available. In that case, be sure to check the tutorial:

When typing or copying the text, the first column should contain the time period and the third column should be filled with the description of the work.The middle column should stay empty for now.

As usual, select the whole table, then  Table > Table properties , and set the Cell padding to 0 . This way there will be no extra space inside, but we still have three columns of text.

Drag the borders in between the cells to make the right column as big as possible, to make sure we keep the whole table only on the first page. The middle column can be quite small, as shown on the picture below:

Now it's a perfect time to look at the middle column more closely. We want to have a timeline, with a marker for each date. The timeline should be made of lines, where the markers could be big plus symbols.

Google Docs allows you to insert a drawing, but we would have to update it for each cell, since they have different heights. A much better solution would be to use special symbols. Select Insert > Special characters .

In the dialog box, select Geometric Shapes , and locate the line and cross symbols. Insert them into the middle column—if you look closely at the screenshot below, the text cursor is in the middle cell.

Keep only one instance of the cross symbol, but copy and paste the line multiple times until this middle cell is larger than the right one. To have the lines without any additional spacing and next to each other, select  Line Spacing and set it to Single .

If you have very small gaps between the lines, they are caused by the different font renderings. They will not be presented in a final PDF file. However, they do not look good in here. One way to solve this issue is to select those symbols and set them to Bold .

As mentioned above, keep in mind that the visual appearance of the final PDF file may look slightly different than what you see on the screen. Those tiny gaps between the lines are a perfect example. 

If you want to be sure the resume output file will look perfect, you can quickly export a .pdf file using File > Download as > PDF Document and check the visual appearance during the creation. What's great about a PDF file is that it will look exactly the same on any device, using any viewer application.

Our timeline looks good, but it's maybe too visible. We can select all the line symbols, and change the color to light gray, using the text color drop-down menu.

Once we are satisfied with the result, we can copy and paste those symbols into all cells in the middle column. Using a menu on the top, set a Center align for the middle column, and a Right align for the left column.

For the first line of each work experience, we can change the font to Bold Droid Sans and set the same blue color as we have used for the divider on the top of the page.

Here is how our Google Docs resume looks so far. We keep the borders of the tables visible to make the editing easier, but once we're done, make them invisible just like we did for the header.

5. Insert a Right Column For Your Education and Profile

It looks like we still a bit of work ahead, but the right side will be much quicker, as we'll reuse some parts already created. Now select the whole left part of the table and copy it into the clipboard using the Ctrl-C  (Command C on a Mac) shortcut.

Move the cursor into the right cell, and paste it using the Ctrl-V shortcut.

Change the label above the table to “ Education ”, and insert or type in the appropriate data. In our example, I have used only the first two rows. For that reason, I have selected the content of the other two rows, and deleted the text using the Delete key. However, the cells are still there.

Keep the rows selected, and select the  Table > Delete row function.

Finally, we can copy and paste the caption above the table one more time, change it to “ Profile ” and add some plain text as shown below:

6. Add a Space in Between the Columns

For this step in how to make a resume in Google Docs we'll add another section and fix a spacing issue.

Looking at the Google Docs resume preview above, you may realize that the space between the work experience table and profile text is very small. It would be great to know this right from the beginning, but even now, the update should not take a long time.

Place the cursor somewhere over the “ Experience ” label, and select Table > Insert column right . Warning: do not be scared, this will temporarily ruin the layout, as we'll cover how to fix that.

We indeed have three columns, but the middle one is too big and the other two are too small.

Drag the borders on each side of the middle column to make it smaller, just like shown in the picture below (now everything looks perfect.):  

Select the work experience table, and select Table > Table properties . In here, set the Table border to 0 pt to make it invisible. Repeat the process for both the education table and the main table.

7. Add a Divider on the Bottom of the Page

The very last touch is to add a thicker divider on the bottom of the page. This time we'll use a different method.

Select Insert > Table and select table sized 1x1 cells.

Open the table properties, set the Table border to 0 pt , Cell background color to blue and Cell padding to 0 .

To change the table height, simply adjust the font size inside this table. Make it as small as possible, which is 6 pt . You may have to type 6 into the font box, since the drop-down menu options start at 8.

And that´s it! Zoom out your document to see the whole page and double check everything:

8. How to Export the Document as a PDF File

Once you are satisfied with your result, name your document. Then, select File > Download as > PDF Document , and save the file to your computer.

Or, if you'd rather export in other formats, check out our tutorial:

If you do save the resume in another format, though, be sure to open it on your computer to make sure it looks the same as it did in Google Docs. To discover which resume format is best, review the Tuts+ article:

The second option is to directly share the file which you have created. For more information about this topic, be sure to check the tutorial:

With a professional resume design in hand, now all that's left is to send it off to the employer of your dreams. Good luck on landing the new position you apply to. 

Now that we've explained how to make a resume in Google Docs, you're ready to go.

The tutorial ends here, but you should not. Try to experiment a little bit. What about using a different font, colors  or dot symbol instead of the cross? Those changes can make your resume unique looking, and they are very easy to do. Go for it and be sure to post your creations in the comments!

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in 2014. It has been comprehensively revised to make current, accurate, and up to date by our staff—with special assistance from Laura Spencer .

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Creating Your Resume With Google Docs: Career Coach's Playbook

Do’s and don’t of creating a resume with Google Docs, common pitfalls to avoid, and tips to help you get your resume past ATS.

7 months ago   •   5 min read

Since your resume is your first impression on potential employers, you’ll want to make sure it’s a good one. Google Docs provides user-friendly resume templates to help you land more interviews.

With an ATS-friendly resume template, you can use Google Docs to edit and curate your resume to showcase your skills, experience, and accomplishments.

In this article, we will give you a breakdown of how that’s done, including:

• Getting started on Google Drive
• Choosing an ATS-friendly template

Tips to customize your resume template on Google Docs

Sharing and saving your resume on google docs.

• How to avoid common resume pitfalls on Google Docs

So let’s dive in.

Getting start ed on Google Drive

Many of us are on Google Drive already, but if you don’t have an account, it’s super easy to get one. Just go to workspace.google.com , click ‘Get Started’ and enter the required information.

Choosing a resume template

Once you’re in Google Drive, click the ‘New’ button in the top left corner, select ‘Google Doc,’ and then ‘from a template.’ Here’s what that looks like:

What template should I use?

Choose a resume template that is ATS-ready.

Before looking at resumes with human eyes, many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan resumes for relevant keywords and qualifications.

With the wrong template, your resume could get lost in the ‘pile.’

Download one of our Google Docs Resume Templates to get started. You’ll have the option of opening it in Google Docs.

What makes a resume ATS-friendly?

An ATS-friendly resume is simple, clear, and easy to read. Images and graphics, and inconsistent formatting make it harder for Applicant Tracking Systems to find the keywords employers are looking for.

For more, check out our recent post How to Beat Applicant Tracking Systems .

• Highlight your relevant skills and experience and incorporate them in multiple areas— Summary , Skills , and Experience . Doing so will help ATS find them better.
• Organize the information on your resume so that it isn’t hard for hiring managers and ATS to find your relevant skills and experience.
• Only add current and relevant skills and experience to the job you’re applying for.
• Search for keywords from the job application to get a sense of what the company is looking for.
• Ensure the formatting you use in your resume is clear, professional, easy to read, and consistent, with the same font and size throughout the resume.
• Use bold or italics to highlight important information, rather than lines and graphics. Also, break it up sections with white space to make the resume easy to read.

Here’s an example of how our Clean resume template can be customized to showcase the candidate’s skills and experience:

And here’s an example of how our Concise with Summary resume template can be customized to suit your experience:

Once your resume is done and ready to be circulated, it’s important to save it in a secure location.

To save your resume using Google Docs:

• Click ‘File’ in the top left corner.
• Click ‘Download’ from the dropdown menu.
• Select the file type you want your resume to be in (typically .docx or PDF).

Your hiring managers will most likely request a PDF version of your resume. But if you’d like to share it through Google Docs, click Share in the top right corner.

A menu will pop up in the middle of the screen allowing you to share it with friends or potential employers. Input their email address to share the Doc.

How to avoid resume pitfalls on Google Docs

Google Docs’ resume templates are extremely user-friendly. Still, there are guidelines to keep in mind to avoid some of the most common resume pitfalls:

• Do not use an unprofessional email address (e.g. your first and last name, rather than the name of your cat).
• Do not use any colors, images, or graphics unless absolutely necessary.

If you’re applying for a job that demands creative, artistic, and graphic design skills, however, it may be useful to add one or two examples of your work.

• Do not add information that doesn’t apply to the job you’re applying for.

ATS looks for specific keywords. If you’re having trouble choosing the right language, check out our Targeted Resume tool.

• Do not rely on Spellcheck to proofread your resume. The technology won’t find every single grammar error or poor word choice. So before sending it off, ask a friend to do a final proofread to check for any spelling and grammar errors you may have missed.
• Do not use a template that is incompatible with ATS.

Here’s an example of a resume template that is not ATS-friendly:

And here’s how to clean it up for ATS:

See the difference? Google Docs is a user-friendly way to create a well-polished resume using a template. It is, however, only a starting point.

It is crucial to choose an ATS-friendly resume template and then customize it to highlight relevant skills and experience. Keep your formatting consistent. Proofread, and then proofread some more!

As a final step, check out our free Score My Resume tool to get instant feedback.

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How to use the Google Docs résumé template to create and edit a professional document for job applications

• Google Docs offers five résumé templates, making it simple to personalize a résumé while using a standard, professional layout.
• To get started, open Google Docs and click Template gallery, then click the template you want to use as the basis for your résumé.
• You can choose a template and create a résumé using the Google Docs mobile app as well. 

There are a lot of resources at your disposal when you need to create a résumé . You can use the templates that accompany Microsoft Word, for example, or try one of the many free or paid résumé builders online.

If you frequently use Google Docs, though, the simplest solution might simply be to make your résumé there. Google includes five résumé templates in Google Docs — here's how to use them.

There are five résumé templates in Google Docs offering a broad variety of résumé styles. Here is how to choose a résumé template and make a résumé in Google Docs.

How to use the Google Docs résumé template on a computer

1. Open Google Docs in a web browser and make sure you are logged into your Google account.

2. On the Google Docs home page, click Template gallery in the top-right corner, to the right of Start a new document . 

3. Browse for the row marked Resumes . Here you'll find five résumé formats. You can see what each one likes in thumbnail form. To get a closer look at the résumé (or just start working), click the résumé.

When you select a résumé template, Google Docs makes a copy of the template and opens it as a new document titled Resume. You can now personalize it by editing the document as you would edit any document. Be careful to keep the template's formatting intact, though.The easiest way to do that is to work on one small block of text at a time — you can select a small block of text and replace it with your own personalized copy. If you accidentally select too much text and wipe out some of the template's unique formatting, just click the Undo button in the toolbar. 

How to use the Google Docs résumé template on a mobile device

It's a lot more convenient to create a résumé on a computer — the screen is bigger and it's easier to enter a lot of text. But if you want or need to work on a mobile device, Google makes that easy to do. 

1. Start the Google Docs app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap the New Document button (it looks like a plus sign).

3. In the pop-up, tap Choose template .

4. Browse for the row marked Resumes . Here you'll find the same five résumé formats that are available in a browser on the computer. When you find the one you want, tap it.  

Google Docs makes a copy of the résumé template and opens it as a new document titled Resume. You can now start editing and personalizing it. 

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How to Make a Resume in Google Docs

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Ready to start a new career? Simply looking to create an updated resume? Making a job resume is super simple when using a tool like Google Docs.

Here, we'll guide you through the elements you need for your resume and how to make a simple resume inside Google Docs.

How to Make a Resume: The Elements You Need

Google Docs is an easy-to-use word processing tool you can use to make a simple yet clean resume. However, although the resume you'll create here is simple and quick, there's always room for you to make it your own.

No matter how you design your resume , here are the basic elements it should have:

• Name and contact info: You'll want to include your full name as well as your contact info, including phone number, address, and email address.
• Summary: This is a short description (2-3 sentences) that explains how you're the right choice for the type of positions you're applying for. It should quickly highlight your skills and experience.
• Education: You'll want to highlight your educational background, including the schools you've attended and when (a year range will work just fine).
• Work experience: In this section, you'll explain your work experience, including the positions you've held, each employer (if applicable), and your responsibilities in each role.
• Skills: You should highlight your skills on your resume that apply to the types of roles you're applying for. These may include anything from typing skills to languages spoken.

Ready to get started? First, you'll need to open a new Google document. Then, follow these steps to start creating your new resume.

1. Add Your Name & Contact Info

First, we're going to add your name and contact info to the top of the resume. There are many ways to do this, but we're going to keep it simple.

Start by typing your name and then hit enter (or return). Then, type your phone number, address, and email address, each separated by two spaces and a forward slash.

Then, center align your text. You'll want to change the size of the font of your name to make it stand out. A font size of 20 is a great place to be.

To make sure everything fits on one page, you can change the line spacing to single. Simply select Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Single .

2. Write Your Summary

Underneath your name and contact info is the perfect place for your summary. Simply go down a couple of lines and add it in. For this example, keep your summary center aligned.

If you're struggling to write your summary, remember to keep it simple. Focus on your top strength. A couple of lines is all you need, so don't overthink it.

3. Create an Education Section

Next, you'll want to add in your education. Go down a few lines and create an “Education” header. The Header 2 size inside Google Docs works great.

Underneath that, type out the name of the school, your degree (if applicable), and the years you attended. How you format this is completely up to you.

Keep creating new lines until you add in all of your education.

4. Create a Work Experience Section

For this section, you'll want to create a new header just you did before. However, for the following text, left align for cleaner formatting.

Start a new line, left-aligned, and add in your most recent job title or role. Bold that role, add a comma, and then add in the employer or company name.

Underneath that, add in the years you spent in that position. Go down a couple of lines and start a bulleted list. Here, you'll explain your key responsibilities in the role.

We recommend keeping this to 2-3 bullets, so you have plenty of space for additional experience.

5. Finish With Your Skills

Add a header just like you did in the other steps, a couple of lines under your experience. Then, center align and add in your skills.

If you want to make this look a bit more polished and save space, you can cut your skills into columns. To do so, highlight your list of skills and select Format > Columns . Then, select two or three columns, depending on how many skills you have listed.

That's it! Now you have a simple resume that's ready to share. Of course, you can make edits and play around with the formatting until you're happy with the result.

Most employers will appreciate a PDF version of your resume during review. Luckily, Google Docs makes it easy to download your resume as a PDF. Simply select File > Download > PDF Document .

Try a Resume Template

If you want to avoid making a new resume from scratch, you can do so by using a Google Docs template. On your Google Docs home screen under Templates, you'll find several built right in.

Simply select one and get to creating. If you want something else, do a quick search for “Google Docs resume templates” in Google. You'll find hundreds you can download and use.

Take Your Resume to the Next Level

Want to deliver a showstopping resume to our potential employer? All you need are a few more tips. Luckily, we have more insights to share to ensure you stand out from the crowd of applicants.

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38 Free Google Docs Resume Templates Built for 2024

Google Docs Resume Templates to Use

• How to Make Your Resume in Google Docs

Leverage a Google Docs Resume Template

Choose the resume template right for you.

• Google Docs Resume Templates FAQs

With more companies releasing salary information thanks to new pay transparency laws , there’s no time like the present to search for a job. But once you’ve found your dream job, do you know how to write an effective resume ?

Luckily, there are many places you can go for resume tips , and that’s why we’ve designed 38 resume templates for Google Docs that you can download and edit for free.

After picking your favorite template for Google, stick around for our guide on a closer peek at how to get the most out of your Google Docs resume templates.

Creative Google Docs Resume Template

Why this resume template works

• Graphics, tasteful color, and unique header fonts make it one of the most fun resume templates you can pick.
• Consider this resume template if your desired job encourages artistry or individuality, e.g., art teachers, photographers, graphic designers, web developers, and many more.
• Fill in the resume with your information, and check out our  resume examples  if you’re having trouble with the content of your resume.

Two-Column Google Docs Resume Template

Why this resume works

• This two column Google Docs resume puts the spotlight on your education, skills, certifications, and awards, a great way to catch the attention—and hold it—of hiring managers thumbing through a stack of applications.

Software Engineer Google Docs Resume Template

• Put a bow on your job application with a custom cover letter for the best chance at callbacks for interviews.

Academic Google Docs Resume Template

• Look no further than this one-page resume that puts the spotlight on your awards, academic projects, and work experience—whether inside or outside your university.

College Application Google Docs Resume Template

• Don’t sweat it! The fair you volunteered to help run last fall? The debate club you presided over for two years on campus? Or what about your position on the volleyball team? Those will make superb additions to your college application Google Docs resume template.

Nursing Google Docs Resume Template

• With a light lavender sidebar to highlight your education and background, the rest of this nursing Google Docs resume leaves plenty of room to expound on your work history.

Federal Google Docs Resume Template

• No matter your GS level, your federal Google Docs resume will never look better with this template.

Teacher Google Docs Resume Template

• This teacher Google Docs resume template gives you a creative flair with enough space to show principals and administrators all the gifts, talents, and certifications you bring to the table.
• And if you should run out of room on your resume, including those extra details about your work with students in the classroom is the key to writing a great cover letter .

Theatre Google Docs Resume Template

• Every section you need (and more!) is available for you to put to good use. From accents to special skills, you can be sure your resume will stand out and attest to your abilities.

High School Google Docs Resume Template

• Every high school student wonders what in the world to put on their resume. Whether your teacher assigned you to write a resume or you’re actively applying for work, this high school Google Docs resume template shows you exactly where to start.

Harvard Google Docs Resume Template

• Study abroad experience? Check. Courses? Check. Leadership opportunities and activities? Check check.

Acting Google Docs Resume Template

• All that’s left is for you to attach your headshot to the back of this resume!

ATS-Friendly Google Docs Resume Template

• Try our ATS-friendly Google Docs resume if you’re worried that fancy icons or images may get in the way of getting a callback for an interview.

Functional Google Docs Resume Template

• But what if you’re short on job experience? Consider this functional Google Docs resume template that emphasizes your skills in action over traditional work history.

Professional Google Docs Resume Template

• Just because you’re in a more formal field doesn’t mean you have to be plain or boring. This template incorporates tasteful color choices, minimalistic graphics, and complimentary fonts to be timeless without looking old-fashioned.
• The blue elements convey a sense of loyalty, stability, and confidence while the icons make it more fun while drawing attention to each section.

Simple Google Docs Resume Template

• If the company you’re applying to is more old school, or if you’re unsure about how they might feel about self-expression on your resume, then keep it safe with this template that will tick all the essential boxes without risking offending a hiring manager.
• However, if your hobbies aren’t relevant, delete this section or use it for something else.

Bold Google Docs Resume Template

• If there’s a lot of competition applying to the job of your dreams, use this template to stand apart and convey confidence, balance, and growth to hiring managers.
• This particular resume template uses Google Drawings, so you’ll just need to double-click on the main text to start editing.

Classy Google Docs Resume Template

• The tasteful color choice and contrasting font colors create an eye-pleasing resume that encourages recruiters to read it thoughtfully!
• We recommend this resume format if you’re applying for a job in a traditional career field where customs and conventions may be more appealing to hiring managers.

Modern Google Docs Resume Template

• A modern resume is a breath of fresh air for recruiters, so use this modern Google Docs resume template if you’re applying for a company that values fresh, new ideas over tradition.
• Have a look at the job listing to see how the company positions itself. Does it tend to follow the status quo or challenge it? If the latter, this resume template is for you.
• Once you’ve made your own copy, double-click inside the main text to edit because this template uses Google Drawings.

Elegant Google Docs Resume Template

• This is especially well-suited for individuals in high-end photography, design, fashion, interior design, luxury real estate, or similar professions.
• Dignified colors like black and tan demonstrate your sophisticated eye, and the addition of a logo reminds employers that you’re a pro.

Minimalist Google Docs Resume Template

• Bonus: this template isn’t job-specific. You can use it for a wide variety of applications!
• This resume template will help you get key information across without distracting hiring managers. It also gives you plenty of room to  write your resume summary  or career objective, which is helpful if you’re in a senior or entry-level role, respectively.

Technical Google Docs Resume Template

• With this resume template, you can leverage a ranking system to evaluate your own hard and soft skills, like CRM, ORACLE, and Communication. Of course, be sure to write in the skills relevant to your background and desired role. 
• We recommend this template if you work in marketing, customer service, software development, graphics, copywriting, or any other technical field.

Student Google Docs Resume Template

• This template provides room to input volunteer experiences and projects that can provide employers insight into your work ethic and skills.
• Limited experience also comes with less certifications, so consider replacing the certifications/licenses section with “Relevant Coursework” to highlight relevant classes.
• Replace icons with ones from Google’s library of special characters (or create your own!).

Basic Google Docs Resume Template

• Bold black lines differentiate sections while still allowing white space, which makes this an eye-grabbing resume template that’s unlikely to offend any hiring manager. 
• By including very specific, relevant hard skills, you can increase the likelihood that you match keywords with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and get an interview. 

Best Google Docs Resume Template

• Because of its classic design, this resume template is great for most any role, but if you have more than three jobs you want to highlight, adjust your spacing to add room.
• If you’re just starting out, don’t neglect your resume’s objective section . This section is to help anyone with less than two years of work experience to share their skills and abilities quickly.
• Remember to check out our  resume examples  if you’re having trouble coming up with your content.

College Google Docs Resume Template

• Adding color can help you stand out from the crowd and show personality; however, if you’re applying for a job at a traditional company, consider using muted colors.
• That’s why this resume template includes bold section headers to differentiate sections.

Blue Bubble Google Docs Resume Template

• This template includes all the essential sections, but it’s up to you to decide if your resume’s objective and certifications sections are necessary. Read the job description to get a feel for the company’s requirements and values.
• Keep in mind that “easy” doesn’t mean boring. Though this template isn’t “extra,” it still highlights your stylistic side with professional blue highlights and section headers.

Timeline Google Docs Resume Template

• Busy professionals will likely find this professional, organized template appealing. Giving a hiring manager an overview of your career without overwhelming them.

Traditional Google Docs Resume Template

Sorority Google Docs Resume Template

Plain Google Docs Resume Template

Pet Google Docs Resume Template

Google Analytics Google Docs Resume Template

Entry-Level Google Docs Resume Template

Education Google Docs Resume Template

Dance Google Docs Resume Template

Chronological Google Docs Resume Template

Business Google Docs Resume Template

If you’re having trouble customizing these resume templates, try looking at job-specific resume examples to get an idea of what to include (or leave out). We know working with a template is challenging, so if you need an easier process, click on the resume below to access your free resume builder and download .

Coffee Shop Worker Resume

Need a resume template that’s easy and quick to edit?

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How Do You Make Your Resume in Google Docs ?

Making a resume in Google Docs is easier than you think. You just need to know how to access pre-existing templates or upload your own!

If you want to use one of Google’s official Google Docs templates , there are two options to access them:

Once you’re on the templates page, make sure you’re looking at the templates in the “Resumes” section. If you’re using a business account with Google, select the “General” tab at the top to be able to view templates.

Now you need to choose a resume template from these five options:

• Modern Writer

After you’ve chosen, don’t forget to save it! Make sure you title the resume with something like “ First name—Last Name—Position—2023 “. This makes it easy for you (and the hiring manager) to see your resume!

Now that you’ve chosen and saved your template, it’s time to customize it to fit your content. Here are some options for customization:

• Change the heading font/color
• Alter the spacing
• Rearrange the columns
• Adjust font size and type

When you have finished your resume, simply select the large blue “Share” button at the top right of the document. Before you input your employer’s email, change the permissions to “Anyone with the link” and “Viewer.” That way, no one can accidentally edit your document.

Upload your outside templates into Google Drive

If Google Docs templates aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, you may want to upload your own resume templates through Google Drive. This option is quick and easy if you don’t love any of Google’s templates.

From here, you can jump to step three in the above section.

A word of warning, though : outside templates often don’t translate well into Google Docs, so you’ll likely need to adjust things until it looks just right. To spare you frustration, you can also upload your resume into our free resume builder tool to avoid the hassle altogether.

It’s possible to build a professional and effective resume for free through your Google account. The following guide should help you master making and customizing your next Google Docs resume template.

Take advantage of Google’s built-in features

Google Docs is a powerful tool that offers many useful features, some of which can also help with resumes. Try some of these features to upgrade your resume writing process :

Be patient when working with your Google Docs resume template

Whenever you’re dealing with a template, it’s important to practice patience . Formatting your resume properly is essential, and you want to make sure your content is error-free, so take the time to thoroughly edit each section.

Start by deleting any filler text or the Lorem ipsum text that Google enters. Then choose appropriate fonts, colors, spacing, and font sizes. Just know, these templates can have inflexible layouts, so make sure your edits are appearing properly.

When you’re formatting your resume , don’t forget to keep the ATS in mind. The ATS (also known as an applicant tracking system) scans your resume to see if you fit the job requirements.

As with any computer, the ATS isn’t perfect, which means your resume needs to be formatted a certain way so it’s readable.

An ATS-friendly resume meets certain standards as explained below:

• Body font type : Georgia, Cambria, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, Garamond
• Header font size : 14–16
• Body font size : 11–12
• Margins : one-half to one-inch

It might seem like there’s little room for customization with the ATS, but we promise, you can do a lot with a little! You’ll see there’s a lot more you can do than you think.

Google Docs can help you craft a fantastic resume, but it takes a bit of practice getting it right. So doing your research is well worth it!

What to Consider when picking a Google Docs resume template

• The amount of space available for work experience
• Whether you need a “projects” section
• Like for certifications, licenses, or hobbies
• If the colors are appropriate for your desired job
• Objectives are for entry-level candidates
• Summaries are for candidates with 10+ years of experience

Our advice: make sure you choose a template that matches the job to which you’re applying .

Not loving Google Docs? Try using some other free resume templates or go a different route and use a resume template for Microsoft Word .

Or, if templates aren’t your thing, upload a pre-existing resume or build fast with our free online resume builder . You’ve got loads of options to make a resume that gets you the job of your dreams!

To start, you’ll want to find the right template. Google Docs has several under the “From a template” section when you go to create a new doc, or you can find and download templates online that would be accessed in Google Docs by going to File > Open > Upload > Select a File From Your Device. Once the template is set, you can adjust fonts, colors, sizing, spacing, and columns to your liking. Some best practices are keeping the resume to one page, using 12-14 point fonts, and limiting the use of bright colors to headings or important sections.

Reverse-chronological formatting usually works best. It lists experiences in order of recency, which helps showcase career growth and how your skills align with current industry needs. For example, it could help you emphasize essential skills in today’s virtual business environment, like running Zoom meetings or managing remote employees. In some cases, those with less experience or applying to highly technical roles may benefit from functional or hybrid resumes that list skills and relevant accomplishments before employment history.

To find a basic template from Google Docs, navigate to the Google Drive homepage, go to New > Google Docs > From a Template, and scroll down to Resumes, where you’ll see a few options. You can also upload an external template by starting with a blank Google Doc, going to File > Open > Upload > Select a File From Your Device, and opening the template you downloaded. Some external templates can have formatting errors, so prepare to adjust fonts, spacing, and margins until they look right.

The most professional way to email your Google Docs resume will be to send it in PDF format. First, save it under a file name that’ll help the hiring manager know what position you’re applying for, such as “First Name–Last Name–Position–2024.” Then, to download it as a PDF, go to File > Download > PDF Document. To email it, you’d compose your email—in Gmail, Yahoo, or whoever your email provider is—click on attach files, and choose the PDF file you downloaded.

Listing the exact job title at the top and some key skills exactly as they’re written in the job description will help the ATS detect relevant keywords. Also, ensure your Google Docs resume is formatted correctly using basic fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman and the standard round bullet points to help the ATS easily scan your document. Lastly, avoid using strange characters, such as check marks or arrows from the Google Docs “Special Characters” section, that might not register appropriately.

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Take me to my Software Engineer Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Two-Column Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my College Application Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Academic Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Simple Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Creative Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Nursing Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Federal Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Teacher Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Theatre Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my High School Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Harvard Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Acting Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my ATS-Friendly Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Functional Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Professional Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Bold Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Classy Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Modern Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Elegant Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Minimalist Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Technical Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Student Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Basic Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Best Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my College Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Blue Bubble Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Timeline Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Google Analytics Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Traditional Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Sorority Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Plain Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Pet Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Entry-Level Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Education Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Dance Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Chronological Google Docs Resume Template .

Take me to my Business Google Docs Resume Template .

Create a Resume in Google Docs

Design, write, and format a professional resume that stands out.

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Time to complete

access_time 45—90 minutes

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How To Make a Resume in Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the free Google Workspace, and it is a popular tool for creating resumes. You can either use one of the five templates provided by Google Docs, download or purchase a template from another source, or create your resume without using a template.

This article will cover whether you should use Google Docs to create your resume, how to do so with a template or by creating your resume from scratch, and some tips for creating the best possible resume.

Should You Create a Resume in Google Docs?

There are pros and cons to using Google Docs to create a resume. As far as pros, it’s free, easy to use, has built-in templates, and you can access your resume from any computer with internet since all documents are stored on Google Drive. You can also play around with fonts , colors, columns, and so forth quite easily.

However, the free template options within Google Docs are limited, so it can be difficult to create a truly unique resume unless you significantly customize your resume. Also, the program is technically a word processor that isn’t strictly designed for the purpose of resume creation. One other limiting factor is that you can only create columns of equal width, so you would not be able to make a resume that has one narrow column and one wide column, unless you use one of the pre-made templates .

Google Docs also doesn’t necessarily generate resumes that are ATS -optimized, and it can take a lot of time to switch between templates (since you’ll need to re-enter your information into each template).

As an alternative to Google Docs, Jobseeker offers a resume builder tool that includes a library of polished, ATS-optimized templates that are easily customizable. It’s simple to swap between layouts and templates with a single click, and you can download your professional resume instantly when you are happy with it.

However, if you prefer to stick with Google Docs, you can definitely still create a strong resume. Here’s how:

How To Use a Google Docs Resume Template

You can either use a native Google Docs template or import one:

Step 1: Choose a Template

To use a Google Docs template, log in to your Google account, open Google Drive, and click ‘new.’ Then mouse over the arrow next to ‘Google Docs’ and click ‘From a Template.’ You can then select one of the five built-in resume templates: Coral, Modern Writer, Spearmint, Serif, or Swiss. Select the one that you like the best and remember that if you want to change templates later, you will need to re-enter all of your data in the new template.

You can also download or purchase a Google Docs resume template from the internet, and follow the instructions that come with the template to get it imported into Google Docs.

Step 2: Fill In Your Resume Header

Once you’ve decided on your resume template, you can begin entering your information. Start with your header, which should contain your full name, your email address and phone number, and LinkedIn URL. You can also include your mailing address or general location information as well as links to other social media and/or an online portfolio if applicable.

Most templates will have these fields built in, but if you want to include multiple links you may need to adjust the formatting.

Step 3: Write Your Resume Summary or Resume Objective

Next, add your job title and your resume summary or resume objective , depending on your situation. A resume summary is best if you have at least some professional experience, while a resume objective is suitable for recent graduates, students, or those otherwise entering the professional workforce for the first time.

Your resume summary or objective should serve to capture a hiring manager’s interest and persuade them to continue reading the rest of your resume.

Step 4: Enter Your Work Experience, Education, and Skills

Then, enter in all of your work experience , education details, and skills into their respective resume sections. Most of this will simply be filling in the blanks, but you can make these sections as interesting and powerful as possible by including bullet points under each entry.

For your work experience bullet points, focus on your achievements in those positions rather than listing your job duties. Potential employers likely already know what your job duties were from your job title, so it’s more in your interest to use your valuable resume real estate describing how you succeeded in those roles. Wherever possible, use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments.

Step 5: Add Optional Resume Sections

If you still have space left over on your resume after adding all the essential information, you can then consider adding optional resume sections. Your resume should be no more than a single page if you have less than 10 years of experience and no more than two pages if you have more experience than that.

If you still have room, consider adding sections like languages , volunteer experience, internships , hobbies and interests, extracurricular activities (if you are a student), awards and achievements , publications , certifications , etc.

However, be sure that everything you add to your resume is relevant to the job that you are applying for or gives a potential employer insight into your qualifications and/or personality - avoid adding sections solely to fill space.

How To Create a Resume in Google Docs Without a Template

If you decide not to use a template, it may take you longer to set up your resume, but you can be sure that it’s original and unique. Include all of the same information outlined above, and be sure to clearly label each section with a header.

You can play with various text styles and emphasis such as bolding or italicizing text to create visual interest. Google Docs also has several pre-made heading settings or you can set your own Heading 1 (H1), Heading 2 (H2), and normal text parameters. Whatever text style you decide to use for your headings, subheadings, and body text, be sure that it’s consistent throughout.

Tips for Creating Your Google Docs Resume

Finally, here are some tips for how to create a successful resume in Google Docs:

Keep the Format and Style Clean and Simple

Select a resume format that best suits your situation - for most people, this will be a reverse chronological resume format, although you can also use a functional or combination resume format. Use no more than two columns and be sure to use headers and bullet points to break up the text.

While you can play around with interesting fonts (especially if you are making a creative resume), it’s generally best to stick with one or two professional fonts, such as:

• Trebuchet MS

You can also change the color of your text, but be sure to keep your resume professional and easy to read. Keep your body text black or dark gray, and if you decide to use a color for your name and headings, select something that’s not overly loud or garish. Ensure that any colors you choose will look good both on a screen and when printed out.

Tailor It To Each Position

Your job application will likely be far more successful if you tailor your resume to each job opening rather than use a general resume for all of your applications. Use a resume template to ease this process. Be sure to mention the company and the position that you are applying for by name in your resume summary or objective, and identify and use keywords from the job description. Make it clear in your resume that you are the best candidate for the job by addressing as many of the employer’s requirements, qualifications, and desired characteristics as possible in your resume.

Proofread Your Resume Carefully

Before submitting your resume, be sure to carefully edit and proofread it. Don’t simply rely on Google Docs’ spell check function - read through your resume carefully yourself or enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member to check it over for you.

Create a Matching Cover Letter

Google Docs also has cover letter templates available that match the Spearmint, Swiss, and Modern Writer resume templates, so you can easily create a coordinating cover letter . If you decide to create your own resume, use the same fonts and color scheme to create a unified personal brand for your entire application.

Download Your Google Docs Resume as a PDF

You can submit your resume as either a .docx or PDF document, and Google Docs allows you to download your completed resume as either file type. However, a PDF will preserve your careful formatting and ensure that your resume looks the same to anyone who opens it. When you save your resume as a .docx file, the fonts, colors, and formatting can get scrambled, leaving your resume untidy or even illegible.

Save your resume PDF with a professional file name, such as ‘JohnSmithResume’ or something similar. That way, it’s immediately clear to the hiring manager what document they are looking at and it helps prevent any mixups.

Key Takeaways

Google Docs provides a free, relatively easy way to create a resume either from a template or from scratch. While a Google Docs resume might not be the most polished or unique document, it is a great place to start for those who are new to the workforce or who are not ready to invest in a more professional resume just yet.

Get ahead of the competition

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Building a resume from scratch takes a lot of time. Instead of using your energy formatting and aligning your experience, skills, and education, why not start with a template ? Here are several Google Docs resume templates to get you started.

Google Docs does offer free resume options in its Template Gallery. However, you'll only find a handful. For additional options, we've included some third-party templates you can download to Docs or Drive and use for free.

If you want to look at the offerings in Google Docs before venturing to a third party, you can pick from five resume templates.

Visit Google Docs and select "Template Gallery" at the top. If you changed your settings to hide recent templates, hover your cursor over the plus sign on the bottom right and click "Choose Template."

Scroll down to the Resumes section to see the options. You can pick from Swiss, Serif, Coral, Spearmint, and Modern Writer.

Choose any template to open it in Google Docs. Give it a name on the top left like any other Google Doc and then simply replace the placeholder text in each section with your own.

Related: 7 Time-Saving Google Docs Features You Need to Know

If you have a lot of details to include in your resume but aren't sure of the best format, the Canvas resume template is ideal. It offers clearly divided sections making it easy for potential employers to read and find what they need.

To obtain the template, visit Resume Genius and scroll to the Canvas Resume Template. Select "Create a Copy of This Resume" below the image.

Then, pick "Make a Copy" on the subsequent screen.

When the template opens, just name the resume and swap out the details with your own.

Another option from Resume Genius is this Windsor resume template. It offers a splash of color with a single shade of blue. This is a good option if you have one educational item to include which is highlighted right at the top with the professional profile. The section for work experience is nice and big with a spot for additional skills at the bottom.

To get the template, visit Resume Genius and scroll to the Windows Resume Template. Select "This Free Resume Template" below the image and then like the template above, click "Make a Copy" to get started.

Give your resume a name and replace the information with your own.

Related: How to Insert a PDF Into a Google Doc

If you work in the creative field, you may want a resume that offers some pizzazz. This Creative resume template does just that while remaining professional and useful. You have a designated spot at the top for a summary statement which a great introduction to the rest of your resume details .

To use the template, visit Beam Jobs and scroll to the Creative template. Click "Creative" to open the template in Google Docs.

Once in Docs, select File > Make a Copy to copy the template for your own use. Give it a name and pick "Make a Copy."

When the template appears, swap out the placeholder text with your own.

If it's your skills that you want to highlight rather than your job experience, check out the Glimmer resume template for Google Docs. You have contact details and a summary at the top. Then, the skills area lets you use a star system to display your expertise and experience for each skill. Finish it up with your work history at the bottom.

To obtain this template, visit Hloom and click "Download Template" on the Glimmer option.

Once the file downloads, head to Google Docs to upload and open it like any other file. You can also upload the resume template to Google Drive and then open it in Docs. Give it a name and replace the sample details with your own.

Related: How to Create a PDF from a Google Docs Document

One more resume template for Google Docs you'll want to look at is the Golder template. With a subtle gray background, the template uses pops of gold color for the experience, education, and a skill star system.

To use the template, visit Zety and scroll down to the Golder option. Select "Copy" beneath the image and then "Make a Copy" on the subsequent screen.

Give your template a name, replace the sample text with your own, and you're set.

Gathering your details, wording them attractively, and finalizing your resume is a job in itself. You don't do it all from scratch with a Google Docs resume template to help.

For more, look at how to use the LinkedIn Resume Assistant if you use Word in addition to Docs.

• Google Docs

20+ Google Docs Resume Templates for 2024 [Download Now]

Writing your first resume can be scary and intimidating.

Sometimes you need a touch of something familiar , effortless, and trustworthy like Google.

Through Google Docs, they also give an easy solution to your resume writing problem by introducing resume templates , which come in handy if you have no clue where to start.

These things are extremely easy to use since some of them are inbuilt in Google, you can fill them out online , and most of them are free .

And the best part? Unlike Word resume templates , the whole thing doesn’t get messed up the moment you make a single change to it.

In this guide, we’ll lay out the details for you and show you:

How to Make a Resume on Google Docs

10+ free google docs resume templates, 10+ premium google docs resume templates.

• Possible Issues with Google Doc Resumes (& What Else to Consider)

First and foremost, you would want to be at the correct place.

How do you use Google Docs ?

You first need a Google account to access these templates or to create a new Google Doc. 

It could be the same account you use for your Gmail.

If you don’t have one, sign up by creating a new account ! 

Now that we’re both on the same page, let’s rock and roll!

We’ll get to the best templates in the next section, but for now, I’m going to pick one from Google Doc’s template gallery to demonstrate how it’s done.

I’ll pick “Serif” for the sake of the example. 

Here’s how that template looks like in its “Lorem ipsum” form:

Notice also how all the changes you make are saved online, in real-time in your Google Drive, where you can find the file to re-edit at a later time.

You can go ahead and rename your file by clicking on the name of the template at the top left:

You can see that they’ve listed the major components of a resume : Contact Information , Experience , Education , and Skills . 

Projects, Awards, and Languages are, of course, optional, depending on where you’re at so far.

Here’s how you insert your information in a Google Doc resume template:

You delete the sample text and replace it with your own text.

For example:

If there is a section that does not apply to you or there are more entries than you actually need, you can just delete them.

The Google Docs resume template works like a table, so anytime you delete one or more of the entries...nothing else moves!

Let’s say Frank only has one work experience and one education entry to fill out. He also has 3-4 skills under his belt and can speak two languages.

Frank inputs all of that in the Google Doc resume and now it looks something like this:

Yay! Isn’t she a beaut?

After you’ve done completing all the information you think is appropriate, you have to download your resume, which is now ready for submission.

Find the Download button under File → Download:

Before rushing your way towards submitting as instant gratification for a job well done, check out if your employer has a preferred format for your resume.

If not, we always suggest downloading your Google Docs resume as a PDF document to avoid system conversion issues or unneeded clutter due to incompatibilities.

Check your Downloads or designated folder, and there you have it!

Not entirely sure what to put on your resume ? You can check out our complete guide on how to write a resume . 

In this section, we lay out some of the best Google Docs resume templates which you don’t have to pay a single cent for.

Whoever said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” has obviously never read this article.

Swiss Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Someone with a lot of experience, Senior positions, Bank

Creator: Google Docs

Where to find it: Templates Gallery

Price: Free

Swiss is one of our favorite Google Doc templates because of its simplicity . It’s best suited if you have some experience under your belt and are not fresh from school. Swiss is the best choice for you if your experience has been fairly regular since such an amount of space is devoted to the main categories of Skills, Experience, and Education. Swiss keeps it simple but still adds personality with a pop of orange in its resume design . It says: I am professional, but not boring.

Serif Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Computer Scientist , Data analyzer , Senior positions, Banking

You might remember this template from our tutorial in the previous section. Using the colors black and blue to show utmost professionalism , this template makes a neat first impression. If you have projects, presentations, and awards you are proud of, this is the template for you! It also saves a sweet spot for Languages and uses two columns to spread out the information. This would be ideal for you if you’re a computer science or senior business person that is seasoned in their field.

Traditional Elegance Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Recent graduates

Creator: Hloom

Where to find it: Hloom’s website

Are you a recent graduate without a lot of work experience under your belt? This might be the perfect Google Doc resume template for you. It’s extremely simple and emphasizes education more than experience, so feel free to highlight all your college classes and extra-curricular. It also allows for freedom in the Profile section, where you can write a resume objective or give a lengthier pitch to get the job to make up for the lack of experience .

Coral Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Fashion blogger, influencer, culinary arts, creative industry

This one-column resume is perfect if you’re in the fashion , influencer, culinary , or arts, and creative industry. The coral color and cursive fonts give it a very feminine touch, and the template oozes with personality . Coral certainly does not fit a business, serious, professional type. Although the template is fairly simple, the change in fonts and a bit of color makes it playful . It’s a great match if you have a lot of experience and skills but not a big educational background.

Spearmint Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Industrial engineer, energy and sustainability professional

Spearmint might resemble Coral because of its one-column layout and the same type of content entries. However, the feel and atmosphere it creates in its simplicity and the use of the green color tells a whole other story. This is the perfect template if you’re an industrialist or someone in the sustainability or green business. The template itself is not too creative but it does highlight skills first, which might also be great if you are ready to switch careers .

Modern Writer Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: copywriter, editor, script-writer, librarian

This absolutely unique template goes by the name of Modern Writer for a reason: it’s made for the modern writer. This is the perfect template if the main focus of your resume is writing skills or if you are applying for a job that is related to writing and books: copywriter, content writer, editor, librarian, screenwriter, etc. Its unique style and the juxtaposition with the pink letter coloring makes it one of my favorites. If you’re applying for a business job though, I would steer clear of this quirky template.

Blue Side Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Management and marketing professionals

This template is a play on the blue and black , but its accent color gives it a more polished look. What’s interesting and different about it is the way the years are listed, which resembles a CV but has the length and purpose of a resume. This is a great two-toned template for professionals with a lot of work experience under their belt going for that extra carrier push. This template takes you to the finish line.

All the Information Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: a professional switching careers

This is the perfect resume template if you are planning to switch careers after a long time of following a certain professional path. In this case, you want a resume that highlights your greatest skills and emphasizes your career objective in a professional and lengthy manner. If you have more quality than quantity in your work experience and education and want extra room to properly describe how much value you added to each organization you were part of, All the information helps you list...well... all the information!

Goldfish Bowl Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: the overachiever with plenty of awards

Goldfish Bowl is a template for the loyal overachiever . Education comes last in this template because it is overshadowed by the work history, awards & certificates , and skills. Just like All the Information , it fits best if your contribution to your jobs can’t be summed up in bullet points, but you still have to stick to the one-page golden rule of resumes . Golden Fish says a lot in a very concise way.

Border Design Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: High school and college graduates

Creator: Techie’s Guide

Where to find it: In this direct link to the Google Doc

Are you a high school or college graduate with plenty of volunteer experience but not that much of real industry experience? This is the template for you. It’s fun, it’s got personality , and has various links to social media sites so that the employer can find you more easily. The border also adds an extra layer of originality without making it tacky.

Although there’s plenty of free resumes to go around, there’s nothing like the touch of something premium to make you stand out from the crowd.

Get out your credit cards, we’re counting all our favorite premium Google Docs resume templates. There’s something for everyone on this list!

Alice Wilson Creative Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior professional in creative industries

Creator: NewLondonStudio

Where to find it: Etsy

Price: $7.97(including a cover letter and a reference page template)

There’s nothing like a well-organized , visually appealing template to showcase all your experience. Alice Wilson is extremely tasteful and professional. It provides a lot of room for long descriptions and focuses primarily on your experience. So if you are a senior professional with a long track record in the creative industry and are looking for something with professional but with a subtle personality, this is the template for you!

Mariah Carey Manager Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior professional in Marketing , Advertising, Human Resources

Price: $9.29 (including a cover letter and a reference page template)

Are you a marketing director, HR manager, or have substantial expertise in advertising? Basically, if you consider yourself the Mariah Carey of your profession (regardless of gender), this is the resume for you. Mariah Carey has a similar layout to Alice Wilson , but is more conservative and professional . Icons are eliminated and the resume has been stripped down to its most delightful, minimalistic form.

Melinda Gates Student Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Students and recent graduates 

Creator: DesignStudioTeti

Price: $7.14 (including a cover letter template)

You can’t find a Google Doc template that lists the appropriate amount of information for you? Well, we might have found the perfect resume template for students and/or recent graduates. It’s a wonderful fit because it lists education first , and also offers room for sections such as research projects and different scholarships or volunteer experience. The colors are also accented and pleasing to the eye, and the calligraphy-based name adds a personal touch.

Noah Webster Teacher Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Teachers  

Price: $8.57 (including a cover letter template)

One of the most valuable members of society are teachers, but the work they do always seems to be undermined or underpaid. Not on this list! If you’re a teacher looking for a professional , yet stylish , easily-editable Google Docs resume template, replace your name with Noah Webster’s and start entering your achievements in the template. This resume has a special section for teaching certifications and career highlights. The cherry on top is the minimalistic font, subtle color, and focus on your professional teaching experience.

Jennifer Aniston Intern Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Creative Interns

This resume most probably has the most unique resume header I’ve ever seen. I’m sure your first reaction was like: “Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this!”, then you get the point. The hiring manager of your internship has never seen anyone like you either. This Google Doc resume template is unique and caters specifically to interns who want to stand out and be creative .

John Stockholm Photographer Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Photographers, Bloggers, Visual Artists

Creator: ModernTasteDesigns

Price: $8.75

Looking for something swimming in modern, enticing visuals ? If you’re a creative guy/gal and do work in photography, blogging, or any type of visual medium that requires a portfolio , this is a great template to set you apart from the competition. The resume header is customizable , and you can add your own artwork. Pick something nice that makes a statement and shows the hiring manager a glimpse into your creative world. 

Proxima Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior Executives

Creator: UpResume

Where to find it: UpResume’s site

Price: $14.95 (including cover letter)

Proxima is not a resume template to be taken lightly. It’s classy, sophisticated , elegant, and spans up to two pages if you have enough entries to contribute with. It’s perfect if you are a senior executive, a chief officer , or have had a long, respectable career. It has its own separate section on references and comes with two columns. The emphasis is put on your profile , skills, and work experience. The aesthetic is sleek and it also comes with a customizable cover letter of the same design theme.

Jane Hancock Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Young professionals in any industry.

Creator: MioDocs

Where to find it: MioDocs' Site

Price: $8.00 (including cover letter & reference page)

If you have not found yourself in any of the categories described so far, then jackpot: this might be the resume for you. The touch of green color makes it more interesting and visually appealing to the eye and thus improves your chances of getting noticed. The design does not dwell on quirky or too creative, however: it’s the right blend of professionalism office jobs are looking for and young creative energy . If you’re a young professional with one or two jobs under your belt and are on the hunt for the next step, this might just be the template for you.

Night Mode Web Design Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Web designers, app developers

Creator: ModernTasteDesign

Price: $8.75 

How awesome is this template? It feels like you’re reading on night mode on Kindle. Classy, elegant , modern, and high tech : this resume template is a bold, non-conventional choice that works best for web designers and app developers . The use of dark background and white text will make your application immediately pop up amidst others and makes it easy on the eye. This template is really minimalistic and focuses on experience and skills mostly. If those are your best assets to get the job, then Night Mode is a great fit!

Florence Nightingale Nurse Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Nurses , paramedics, doctors

Price: $8.57 (including cover letter and reference templates)

This crisply clean resume reminds us of the clear hospital beds: which makes it perfect not only for nurses but for all medical professions. The simple black and white is minimalistic and professional and showcases your best abilities and experiences. The education section has been replaced by Licenses & Certifications . This resume also comes with an Expertise section , so it’s simple to edit in your own information without trying to change the structure of the Google Doc resume template and creating a whole mess!

Google Docs Resume Templates Simply Not Cutting it? Try a Free Resume Builder

Even though Google Docs resume templates look awesome and are easy to work with, they don’t offer much flexibility in layout. You make a small change to a section, and the whole thing gets messed up!

If you’re looking for a better resume experience, you mustn’t look very far.

A resume builder, unlike Google Docs resume templates, allows you to rearrange and optimize the layout of your resume and gives you real-time feedback on how to improve its content.

Novorésumé comes with all sorts of designs , from professional to creative, and guarantees you to stand out among all the resumes in the application file.

And to put the icing on the cake? You get twice the value from a free Novoresume template than from a paid Google Docs resume template.

But don’t take out word for it!

Give Novorésumé templates a try and see what all the hype is about!

Key Takeaways

So let’s sum up everything we have learned so far:

• Writing a resume using Google Docs is extremely easy and is a great first step when you don’t know where to start. The resume gets saved online automatically as you edit, and then you just have to download it and upload it or print it.
• There are hundreds of ready Google Docs templates you can use. We listed the ten best free and ten best premium Google Docs resume templates you can choose from.
• Google Docs resume templates are a great first step but are highly inconvenient and sometimes generic. Using a resume builder like Novorésumé makes your resume-writing experience easier and the resume end product much more unique and professional .

Discover More Resume Templates

• Creative Resume Templates
• Functional Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• High School Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates

Suggested readings:

• How to Pick the Best Resume Formats in 2024
• CV vs. Resume - What are the Differences & Definitions?
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume

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How to Make a Resume on Google Docs

• Last updated November 16, 2023

Looking for a job? Wondering how to make a resume on Google Docs? You may have struggled to make your document stand out in the past – but not anymore! 

With the right CV template in Google Docs, you can create them quickly. Just open the Google Docs template library, pick the outline that suits your needs, and enter all of the corresponding information. 

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through how to make a resume on Google Docs in just a few minutes. I’ve also included free resume templates made by our Spreadsheet Point experts! 

Table of Contents

What Are the Basics to Include on My Resume? 

Clear, concise, and well-researched resumes improve your chances of a hiring manager calling you back. Only include details that are relevant to the job description. Focus on – and highlight – your relevant skills, experience, accomplishments, and strengths. 

At its most basic, a resume should include the following: 

1. Contact Information

Add your full name, email address, phone number, and LinkedIn account (if available). Though adding your mailing address is unnecessary, you might want to add your city if the position is location-dependent. 

2. Introduction

An introduction can be in the form of a resume objective or summary. This should include your qualifications, previous roles, and professional background.

Note : In some parts of the world, resumes include photos . In the United States, it is advisable to avoid using them. 

3. Education

Here, include the name of your schools and your highest degrees (e.g., major, minor). Additionally, you can add relevant certifications and coursework if they relate to your desired position or if you’re applying for an entry-level position.

4. Work Experience

In this section, add your relevant experiences in the specific field . Include the job title, the organization you worked for, and the period of time you worked there. A bullet point list may be optimal to provide an overview of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

5. Skills Section

Add the hard and soft skills , qualifications, and accomplishments that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. The purpose is to illustrate that you are a well-rounded candidate. 

Looking to Take Your Skills to the Next Level? 

Google Suite is an essential part of most workplaces. To add proficiency to your resume, consider taking a comprehensive GSuite course on Udemy!

What Is an Applicant Tracking System? 

When making a resume in Google Drive, choose a template that’s visually appealing and readable by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) .

Employers use ATS software for storing, filing, and searching candidates’ resumes. By scanning for specific keywords, ATS helps organize (and locate) the best job candidates. ATS software is advanced, but it’s certainly not perfect. Any formatting issues can make it hard for the software to read the resume.

When you’re creating a resume on Google Docs, exclude these elements:

• Images (e.g., photos, graphics, graphs, logos)
• Less Common Fonts

How to Optimize Your Resume for an ATS

If you want your resume to pass through the automatic sorting process used by most applicant-tracking systems, include keywords associated with the specific position you’re applying to. That might mean making several versions of a resume in Google Docs. 

Here are a few considerations when building an ATS-friendly resume:

• Include all relevant credentials
• Use industry-specific keywords
• Include specific job titles and work experience
• Type out the full name of certifications

With these additions, you’ll be more likely to appear at the top of the applicant pool. Some hiring managers sort resumes by keyword, so make sure you include the full name of your certifications, programming languages, or other industry-specific skills.

If you don’t wish to create your resume from scratch, there are a few resume outlines for Google Docs that you can use. Here’s how to use Google Docs resume formats from the template gallery:

• Open your Google Docs account and click on the template gallery button .

• Scroll down to the Resumes section. Click the CV template in Google Docs that appeals to you. For this example, we’re using the ‘Modern Writer Resume Template.”

• You can also print the resume template by clicking on File > Print .

A Note About Resume File Formatting

If you download the file, we suggest using the PDF Document (.pdf) format. This will lock the file and prevent further edits. You can, however, convert the PDF back to other file types later. If you want to allow future edits, most word processors widely support Microsoft Word (.docx).

The Best Free Resume Templates from Google Docs

Google Docs has several CV templates – and all of them are supported by ATS software.

Coral Resume

One of the best resume formats on Google Docs is Coral. This general resume template uses color to differentiate various sections. Most major categories (e.g., skills, experience, education, awards) are highlighted by a coral color. The start of the resume allows you to add contact details like address, phone number, and email.

Note : Be sure to delete the “Hello” and “I’m” at the top!

Spearmint Resume

The Spearmint template is suitable for people already working in a specific field. It features the contact details at the top and the typical categories further down the page. 

This Google Docs resume template is compatible with ATS software. However, when filling out this resume template, format the Experience category with proper bullet points.

Modern Writer Resume

This free Google Docs resume template has a modern aesthetic, with colors emphasizing the names and locations. 

While the skills are added to the top part of the page, you can change the order or remove/add new ones, depending on your requirements.

Free Custom CV Templates from Spreadsheet Point

General resume template.

Access Template

This Google Docs resume template is simple to use and easy to understand. In the left column, add contact information, education, skills, and other interests. In the right column, add your profile and job experience. 

This template is best suited for people with plenty of work experience.

Streamlined Resume Template

Sometimes, it’s best to keep things simple. With this streamlined template, recruiters will be able to find the section they want instantly. It features key sections, such as summary, experience, education, and relevant skills.

Tip : For a more custom experience, change the text color, font size, and border width.

Modern Resume Template

If you’re looking for a more modern look, this template might be perfect for you. Featuring all the sections you require (e.g., skills, contact information, languages, experiences, education), it’s divided into two separate columns.

How to Create a Google Docs Resume Template from Scratch

Making a new resume can be a time-consuming process, but we recommend it if you need a highly customized option.

What Types of Resumes Exist?

There are three commonly used resume formats. 

1. Chronological Resume

Here, your work history is listed in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. You’ll emphasize your employment with clear job titles and work history dates. 

Note : Exercise caution if you have substantial employment gaps or are entering the workforce for the first time. 

2. Functional Resume

A functional resume might be good for you if you’re new to – or reentering – the workforce. Also called a skills-based resume, it emphasizes your areas of expertise without a chronological work history. 

Note : Some recruiters don’t prioritize these types of resumes.  

3. Combination Resume

As the name suggests, combination resumes blend the qualities of chronological and functional resumes. It’s recommended for showcasing substantial employment history, past experience, and skills that were honed over time. 

Tips for Using a Google Docs Resume Template

Are Google resumes good? Absolutely! But Google Docs resume templates require more than just copy-pasting your information into a file: You need to personalize it!

Enter the Correct Information

Review all the content before finalizing it. I usually take a break for a few hours (or days) before finalizing my files. Otherwise, I occasionally ask a friend to proofread them. 

Personalize Your Layout

Even though you’re starting with a CV template, your resume doesn’t need to look like everyone else’s. 

• Change the colors of the headings
• Use different fonts
• Include various heading and font sizes
• Add the proper bullet point formatting
• Increase or decrease the font to fit the content better on the page.
• Remove or add sections to fit the job description.

Example : Updated Swiss Resume

Strike a Balance

When I add my skills and experiences to any Google Docs resume template, I keep it brief and succinct. If you add too many details, the reader will probably ignore it. However, if you add too few details, the reader might not glean enough from your CV. 

Keep It Short

Whenever possible, it’s ideal to keep your resume on one page . This requires a lot of close reading, formatting, and editing, but you want recruiters to spot your achievements and skills immediately. 

Include Social Media

When used correctly, your social media presence can have a major impact on recruitment. If you have any questionable publications, I’d recommend scrubbing them! 

Show Results with Numbers

If you can provide specific numerical examples of your accomplishments, use them. Metrics are always a great way to measure success. 

Optimize Text

Look through the job description and highlight words or phrases that stand out. Identify the most frequently used terms and be sure to insert them (without looking too obvious). 

Check Your Grammar

Many employers will ignore your resume if they spot incorrect grammar or typos. Run your CV through spellcheck! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between resumes and cover letters .

The sole purpose of your resume (or CV) is to show recruiters that you’re qualified for the advertised position. In a nutshell, it’s an advertisement for yourself.   

Also known as a motivation letter, a cover letter i s often paired with a resume. This single-page document is really just a resume summary, showing potential employers how your skills and abilities will benefit their company. A customized motivation letter also demonstrates that you’ve spent time researching the position being offered. 

Related : Check out These Cover Letter Templates

Do Google Docs Have Free Resume Templates?

Absolutely! Google Docs free resume templates. Go to the main Google Docs landing page and click on the Template Gallery button in the upper-right corner. 

Is It Better to Create a Resume on Google Docs or Word?

Google Docs resumes are great, but they’re also commonly used. That means they aren’t always the best if you’re looking to highlight your professionalism. Docs and Word have similar features, so there isn’t much difference when using one or the other for creating a resume.

What Is the Best Resume Format on Google Docs?

Google Docs offers several resume templates, including Coral, Spearmint, and Modern Writer. All of these resume templates are great for building a CV. Plus, they’re all readable by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

How Do I Make My Resume Fit on One Page in Google Docs?

If the content in your template nearly fits on one page, go to File > Page setup . Reduce the left and right margins to fit more content on the page. Play around with font size, paragraph spacing, and the white space around headings.

Wrapping Up

Now you know how to make a resume on Google Docs! Whether you use one of our templates, Google Docs’ templates, or you build one “from scratch,” your next job application couldn’t be easier! 

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How to Make a Resume on Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a resume might seem daunting, but with Google Docs, it’s a breeze! Google Docs is a free, web-based application where you can create, edit, and store documents and spreadsheets. You can access it from any computer with an internet connection and a web browser. In just a few steps, you can have a professional-looking resume ready to impress potential employers.

Step by Step Tutorial: Making a Resume on Google Docs

Before we dive into the steps, remember that making a resume on Google Docs will require you to have a Google account. Once you have that set up and you’re logged in, you’ll be creating a new document, choosing a template, and filling in your information.

Step 1: Open Google Docs

Go to docs.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

When you arrive at Google Docs, you’ll see a blank page or the option to choose a template. If it’s your first time, you might want to take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout. The menu bar at the top gives you access to all the tools you’ll need.

Step 2: Choose a Resume Template

Click on ‘Template Gallery’ and scroll down to the ‘Resumes’ section.

Google provides several resume templates, and you can pick one that suits your style and the job you’re applying for. Take your time to preview a few options before you decide. Remember, the content of your resume is what matters most, but a good design can help it stand out.

Step 3: Fill In Your Information

Replace the placeholder text with your personal and professional information.

This step is where you get to talk about how awesome you are! Be sure to include your contact information, work experience, education, skills, and any awards or recognitions you’ve received. Keep it concise and relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Step 4: Customize Your Resume

Adjust the fonts, colors, and layout to your preference.

Google Docs allows you to personalize your resume to reflect your personality. However, don’t get too carried away. Professionalism is key, so stick to clean fonts and colors that are easy on the eyes.

Step 5: Proofread and Save

Double-check for any spelling or grammatical errors, then save your document by clicking ‘File’ > ‘Download’ > ‘PDF’.

This might be the most important step. Typos and mistakes can be a turnoff for employers, so review your resume multiple times. Once you’re confident it’s error-free, save it as a PDF to preserve the formatting.

After completing these steps, you’ll have a sleek, professional resume ready to send out to potential employers. Remember, the content of your resume is what will really sell your skills and experience, so make sure it’s strong and compelling.

Tips for Making a Resume on Google Docs

• Keep your resume to one page, especially if you’re new to the job market.
• Use bullet points to make your experience and accomplishments easy to read.
• Include keywords from the job description in your resume to get past automated screening tools.
• Make sure your contact information is up to date and professional—no silly email addresses!
• Ask a friend or mentor to review your resume for feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i find the resume templates in google docs.

Go to the Template Gallery, and you’ll find resume templates listed under the ‘Resumes’ section.

Can I edit my resume on different devices?

Yes, Google Docs saves your documents in the cloud, so you can access and edit your resume on any device with internet access.

Is Google Docs the best tool for making a resume?

Google Docs is a great tool because it’s free and easy to use. There are other options out there, but for most people, Google Docs will do the trick.

Can I share my resume directly from Google Docs?

Absolutely! You can share it by email or with a shareable link right from Google Docs.

What if I need help with my resume content?

There are plenty of online resources and services that offer resume writing and review assistance.

• Open Google Docs
• Choose a Resume Template
• Fill In Your Information
• Customize Your Resume
• Proofread and Save

There you have it, a straightforward guide on how to make a resume on Google Docs. Remember, crafting a resume is all about presenting the best version of yourself on paper. It’s your one-page opportunity to showcase why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. While Google Docs offers a convenient and user-friendly platform, it’s the content that you add which makes the difference. So, take your time to tailor your resume for each application, highlight your achievements, and always proofread before sending it off. With a little effort and creativity, you’ll be landing your dream job in no time!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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A Guide to Posting Your Resume Online With Google Docs

So you’ve researched, prepped, streamlined and finalized your resume.  You’re now ready to start sending your work of professional art out into the career space to let it reap the rewards of a job offer.  When it comes to submitting your resume to potential employers, modern job-seekers have a wealth of options beyond the traditional envelope stuffing of yesteryear.

And sure, you’re more than welcome to send your resume off as an attachment to a potential employer, but that approach is far less advanced and convenient than modern sharing platforms, like Google Docs.

Posting your resume on Google Docs can yield a variety of benefits:

• Easily send a link to your resume rather than bulk digital attachments
• Collaborate with professional colleagues for resume review
• Create a permanent, easily editable home for your resume for future additions and editing

Posting and sharing your resume via Google Docs is easier than you’d think.  All you’ll need is a Gmail email address and a little bit of know how. Don’t let any lack of knowledge of the Google platforms scare you away.  Read below for our step by step guide to posting your resume online.

Instructions:

•  Head on over to the Google Docs main page ( http://docs.google.com/ ).  Here you’ll be prompted to either create an account or sign up for a new one.  Don’t have a Google account already? Never fear, we’ve got the handy link for Google sign up here.
•  After you’re logged in, you’ll see the main Google docs page.  If you’ve recently created your account, you won’t see any specific items.  Now it’s time to get to creating and filling this space up. Click on the handy red circular plus sign to create a new doc.  Your default choice will be the word processor. Google Docs also has a wide selection of handy templates, including resumes.  You can also add existing files by selecting the file picker option and browsing your computer for your resume.
•  Spend some time exploring the navigation bar located above the live typing area.  Here you’ll find plenty of plain sense formatting options as well as print and download features.  Google docs allows you to download your completed resume in a variety of popular formats, including Microsoft Word.
• Once you’ve finished your edits, it’s time to choose the privacy options for your document.  Click on the “Share” button in the upper right corner of the page. Here is where you will be able to select who can view and/or edit your resume.  Here we break out the most common sharing options:
• Private: Only yourself and people you have specifically invited can view the document.  If you’re in the drafting stages, this may be the best bet until your resume is shiny and polished.
• You can enter email addresses directly for people who you’d like to receive the link to your document.  You can also create a custom link to our document which can be easily pasted into an email or message.
• Anyone with Link Can: Use this to decide what people who have the link to your resume can do with it.  Can they view, edit, or only comment? Be sure to check out the advanced options for fine tuning your document privacy.
•  When you’re ready to share your resume, simply ensure you have the correct sharing settings and copy the URL.  Your recipient will be able to easily access your document from any computer and most mobile devices.

See, that wasn’t so hard now, was it.  Now that you’re a Google Docs pro, get to sharing that resume!

Article Updated from the Original on April 19, 2018

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• How to Make a Resume:...

How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples

30 min read · Updated on May 22, 2024

Your dream job is one resume away!

Your resume is arguably the most important financial document you'll ever own. And before you think, “Yeah – right” let's consider for a moment. Without a resume, you don't get the job, so you can't pay bills, support a family, go to the big game, have that weekend trip, or plan for retirement. Your resume is the doorway to your future, so let's make sure it's perfect.

Part of making it perfect is remembering that it's a targeted career marketing document – not a chronicle of your life. So, how do you write a resume? In this beginner's writing guide, we'll show you how to make a resume and provide examples of what each section should look like. 

Grab a cup of coffee and strap in, because you're about to learn everything you need to know about how to make a new resume!

Table of contents:

The purpose of a resume

Avoid rejection by the ATS

What is your career target?

Build your personal brand, what should your resume look like, how to make a resume – the layout.

How long does it take to put together a resume?

A major resume no-no: typos

How to make your resume more professional

Theory in practice – resume examples

The most basic purpose of a resume is to sell your skills , achievements , and qualifications to prospective employers. This one document can financially make or break you. Let's take a quick look at what being unemployed costs you per day (assuming a five-day workweek):

If you make $40,000 per year, you lose about $155 every day that you're out of work

If you make $50,000 per year, you lose about $190 every day that you're out of work

If you make $75,000 per year, you lose about $288 every day that you're out of work

If you make $100,000 per year, you lose about $385 every day that you're out of work

Clearly, finding out how to make a resume for a job is critical so that you can properly sell your skills, qualifications, experiences, and achievements to prospective employers. 

The job market is tough and highly competitive; you have to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates by creating a compelling narrative that tells a story of value, keeping in mind that your resume is supposed to do a few things for you:

Introduce you to a new company

Underscore how your experiences and education are relevant

Showcase how your skills and competencies will benefit the new company's team

Win interviews

Avoid rejection by the ATS 

What do you know about applicant tracking systems? Job seeking can be compared to throwing your resume into a black hole. You can go through 100 listings on any job search website and complete the online application with zero results. 

Ever had that happen? It's okay, it happens to everyone at some point or another! 

The problem is that you're probably not putting the correct keywords into your resume. When you hit “Submit” on an online application, it isn't magically emailed to the hiring manager. 

Oh, no! 

It goes through a computer system that scans your resume for specific keywords that can be found in the job description posted by the company. And, just so you know, approximately 90% of companies use ATS scans , including everything from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies. 

The companies use these programs because they just don't have time for a human to go through all the resumes they receive. Depending on the job opening, a company can get between  250 and 500 applicants . Can you imagine being the person who has to sift through all those resumes? 

Here is where the ATS steps in. It's designed to weed through candidates to narrow the applicant pool, so that the human hiring manager has a more reasonable resume load to go through. It ranks the remaining candidates in order based on how much of a match they are for the position that's open. 

Being overlooked by the ATS is one of the number one reasons job seekers get ghosted by companies.

Once your resume makes it through the ATS and gets into the hands of a hiring manager, don't think they're going to sit down and read each one. Who has that kind of time? You should expect that the first round of resume sorting will consist of them flipping through the stack to pick the ones that stand out within about 6 seconds of glancing at them. 

PRO TIP: Put your resume on a table, stand up, and look at it from a little distance. Is it eye-catching? Can you tell the position you're seeking just by glancing at it? Set a timer if you have to, but no more than 10 seconds.

Speaking of eye-catching, don't make the same mistake as a lot of your rival job seekers by being too generic with your resume. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being non-specific will open doors to more opportunities. The problem is that the hiring manager won't be able to tell exactly where you'll fit within their organization. 

The first step in winning an interview is being sure that your resume actually makes it into the hands of a human being at the company you apply to. Start by defining what you want to do.

So the first, and most important, step in crafting the perfect resume is to narrow down your target career path. The more specific you are with this first step, the more response you'll receive from hiring managers because they'll be able to tell exactly how you fit within their organization. There are four areas to focus on as you begin to chart your career path:

Industry: Do you want to work in private sector, nonprofit, government, or public roles?

Geography: This one is more in-depth than choosing rural vs urban. It also includes whether you want to work in a dynamic or static environment.

Company size: You may not think it, but having an idea about whether you want to work in a small company or one with thousands of employees is important. 

Role: Saving the best for last, you have to know what position you want.

On the surface, it may seem like these things are only important for the job search aspect of landing a new position, but you have to know what voice to write your resume in, too. Part of that is knowing your audience. When you understand your audience, you can build a personal brand that resonates with what they're looking for in a new staff member.

Now that you've gotten your target career path nailed down, the next step is to brand you. Think of yourself as a product and your resume is the packaging. Companies spend a lot of time on their branding and packaging - you have to do the same thing.

The best place to start is with a  career assessment . Taking one of these tests can help you to identify your strengths, what sets you apart from others, and key themes of your professional identity. Just like Nike and Coca-Cola have timeless taglines and catchphrases that succinctly define what they have to offer to consumers, your personal brand has to tell a concise, yet compelling, story. This is where your resume comes in.

Your resume isn't just a piece of paper you give to a hiring manager or upload to a website that says, “I'm interested in this job.” Your resume is a personal marketing tool. You shape that tool with words that describe your experiences and achievements, to impress and grab the attention of the hiring manager. 

Unlike Nike's “Just Do It” phrase, your personal brand isn't something you build and forget. It is fluid and should be revisited and refined as you gain new skills, experiences, and achievements. Weave the elements of your brand into every section of your resume.

There is a common misconception that entry-level resumes look different than executive resumes. The reality is that the only difference is how much content is available to write about. 

Obviously, someone who has little to no experience will have a  short resume  – generally one page. 

When you start to get up to 10 years of experience, then you've earned the second page, so go ahead and use it. 

It's not incremental though

Just because you have 20 years of experience doesn't mean you can have a three-page resume. As you work through how to make a resume, remember that a three-page resume should be avoided, unless you have a lot of career extras like publications, research, patents, publications, or public speaking engagements to talk about. 

Other than the number of pages, your resume should use the same format and layout no matter if you're applying to a job as someone fresh out of college or seeking to be the CEO of a company. 

Chronological resume 

The  reverse-chronological  is the most popular, traditional, and well-known resume format. Its focus is placed on achievements from your career history and is defined by listing your work history starting with your current or most recent job and working backward 10-15 years. 

Employers like this type of resume because it tells them what, when, and where you worked. It's best to use this if your work history is steady and shows growth and development. If you're looking to make a career change, have had frequent job changes, or if you're seeking your first job, this may not be the best format to use.

Pro Tip: You could also get lost in the ATS if your  resume is over-designed . Many resume writers will tell you that you need to stand out in the sea of sameness by adding some personality to your resume through design. While that's true, you need to avoid heavily formatted resumes which are often rejected by computer scanners as being illegible.

Functional resume 

This resume type focuses more on skills and experiences rather than on your work history. It's more of a “what you know and how you apply that knowledge” than a simple list of where you got the knowledge. It plays down gaps in work history and makes frequent job changes less noticeable. If it isn't done properly, though, it can be confusing for the hiring manager to read and understand. There's also a bit of a stigma behind it, because employers know that job seekers use this style to downplay job-hopping. So, the first thing they do when they get a functional resume is check employment dates. If you can avoid using this style, it's best to do so.

Combination resume 

There is another resume format that focuses on skills first and then experience last. It's the combination resume, which is sometimes called a hybrid resume. This is the most complex resume type and the best resume for mid-career professionals who are transitioning into another career or for people who have special skills and a strong track record of accomplishments. These types of resumes do take a long time to read and some hiring managers won't take the time unless they're looking to fill a hard-to-fill position.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin and means “course of life.” It's a little different from a resume, but some positions require a CV over a resume. The first thing you would notice is that a CV is significantly longer than a resume.  A resume is a self-branding document meant to portray your experience and achievements in a concise and easy-to-read format. A CV goes much further into the depth of your education and accomplishments (think publications, awards, and honors) and even has a section for you to include "Areas of Interest."

The best way to describe a CV is that it's a career biography. The biggest significant difference is that a CV is arranged chronologically in a way that gives a complete overview of your full working career. It also doesn't change based on the career or position for which you're applying.

Layout 

To make things easier for the hiring manager to digest the content of your resume, it should be laid out in a specific way to ensure that the right information is in the right place. 

Hiring managers don't  READ  resumes. They skim through until they find something that piques their interest and then they stop to read

Contact information

Title 

Professional summary , core competencies, experience , education and credentials , awards, certificates, and volunteer work .

Since the reverse-chronological resume is the one that the majority of people will use to apply for jobs, and because it's the format that hiring managers want to see, we'll focus this article on showing you how to make a resume using that style. 

Current contact information 

Location | Phone | Email | LinkedIn | Portfolio (if applicable)

You can be creative and use bold font in your  contact information  and even put a border under it to separate it from the body of your resume. 

• Name: Be sure to list your name the same across all professional documents (e.g., resume, cover letter, thank you note, LinkedIn profile). Don't get hung up with whether to use your legal name (i.e. the name on your birth certificate or driver's license). Write your name in the manner you want people to address you. Also, if you use any abbreviated credentials after your name (e.g. Jane Smith, MD), remember to include them on all professional documents.  You can also include any shortened versions of your name in quotations (e.g. Christopher "Chris" Smith). Just make sure to list it the same way everywhere you put your name.
• Address: It is no longer customary to include your full address on your resume. There have been instances of discrimination against job seekers based on their address. As far as your address is concerned, all you need is the City, State, and Zip Code. A lot of people leave off the Zip Code; however, hiring managers can query the ATS for all resumes within a radius of a Zip Code. If you exclude the Zip Code or put something like, "Greater New York Metro Area," your resume won't be included in the query.
• Phone and email: Put the telephone number and email address where you can easily be reached. Also, be sure that your email address is professional. Using something like [email protected] just won't cut it. The best idea is to use some form of your name. If you're paranoid about having your name in your email address, then you can use some form of the type of position you seek, like [email protected].
• LinkedIn URL: You don't have to spell out the entire URL on the contact line. You can put the words “LinkedIn URL” and hyperlink those words. Before you include your LinkedIn URL, be sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized for the career you want - because you can bet if they have access to it, the hiring manager will look at it. 
• Portfolio: If you're applying for a position like Graphic Designer or Software Designer, you may have a portfolio of work that you want to make available to someone reviewing your application for employment. Include a hyperlink to the portfolio in your contact information. 
• Headshot / photo: There is no reason to include a  headshot on your resume . Actually, it's seen as taboo and could be the thing that gets your resume rejected, because the hiring manager might assume you think you can get the job based on your looks. However, there are some exceptions, like if you're applying to be a model or actor. 

Do you want a hiring manager to be able to tell immediately what type of candidate you are? Put a title at the top of your resume. Center the text on the line, put it in bold font, and put a blank space above and below. The white space and the small amount of words will help it to jump off the page and immediately be noticed. It will also be the first step in helping you stand out in the sea of sameness.

Also, be sure the title on your resume mirrors the title on the job description that you're applying to, but add a bit of panache to it so that it's not too boring. For example, instead of writing “Financial Services Associate,” write “Client-Centric Financial Services Associate Dedicated to Customer Engagement and Revenue Growth.” Just remember to keep it on one line. 

The very next thing on the page should always be your Professional Summary. But how do you write a summary for a resume?

It's a three to five-sentence statement about you. Where you've been in your career, where you're going, and how you'll use your experience to get there. 

While the professional summary is sometimes referred to as the resume objective , you must remember that the days of writing a  resume objective are dead . Never, ever include an objective on your resume. They are a waste of space and don't relay any information that markets you as the best candidate for an open position. 

Let's take a look at an example of each:

Sales Representative seeking a challenging position that will use my skills and provide opportunities for growth in a dynamic and rewarding company. 

As you can see, the objective is very inward-facing and only talks about what you want out of your career. It provides no value to the hiring manager and eliminates any possibility for them to be able to tell what you bring to the table for them. 

Professional Summary:

Ambitious sales professional offering 10+ years' experience in customer retention and aggressive revenue growth. Conquers goals and quotas through a keen awareness of the human buying motive that allows for quickly overcoming objections. Used historical data and consumer trends to reach new customers and grow territory by 24%. Innate ability to work independently or as a member of a cross-functional team.

The best use of resume space is to write a summary of your career. The effectiveness of this summary comes from the fusing of three things:

Relevant keywords – customer retention, revenue growth, and quotas 

Hard and soft skills – overcoming objections and working independently

An achievement – 24% territory growth

With this professional summary, the hiring manager will be able to tell in an instant what you have to offer their team. 

Even though the skills section of your resume is small, it packs a powerful punch! The skills you list in this section highlight your key abilities and show potential employers what you bring to the table. 

It should contain approximately 12 ATS-friendly keywords and phrases that align with the keywords in the job description. Meaning, this is a fluid section that will need to be  tailored to every job  that you apply to. Technically speaking, your entire resume should be customized to align with each job description. That's one thing that will help you get past the ATS. 

Be sure to include a good mix of  hard and soft skills  because prospective employers not only want to know that you can perform the tasks related to your job (hard skills), but they also want to gain a clear understanding of how you'll fit within the culture of the company (soft skills). 

Tips for building your Core Competencies section:

Include skills that are relevant to the job that you're applying to

Avoid creating a laundry list of everything you know how to do – be selective so that the section is more impactful

Group similar competencies together using categories – technical skills, soft skills, and languages

Prioritize your top skills based on their relevance to the job you want

Update frequently

Be consistent with the formatting

Here is a sample Core Competencies list that contains both hard and soft skills:

Core Competencies

Project Management | Data Analysis | Cross-Functional Collaboration | Digital Marketing Strategy | Python Programming | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Negotiation | Team Leadership | Business Development | Financial Modeling | Articulate Communication

This section is meant to show how your career history lends itself to the skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for a given job. There are some general rules of thumb on how to make a resume with a great professional experience section:

Don't go further back than 10 to 15 years

Use no more than 3 to 5 bullets per work listing

Incorporate at least 5 measurable achievements per 10 years of experience (the more the better)

Use stacking for companies where you held more than one role

10-15 Years

The 10-15 years of experience is the most relevant – you can list more than that, but avoid using bullet points for roles over 10 years old. Begin by listing your most recent position first and work your way backward to your oldest position, within that 10-15-year range. If you have 30 years of experience, you can use achievements or skills you learned during that time as talking points during the interview. Listing those older experiences on your resume will only dilute the content.

As you write out your bullet points, keep two words in mind: “so what?” The hiring manager is going to be thinking it, you might as well be thinking it, too. Every time you write something on your resume, think, “So what? Why am I writing this? What value will it bring to my new employer? Will this be THE THING that lands me an interview?"

Achievements

Remove “Responsible for…” from your resume-writing vocabulary. That's because it's crucial that you talk about what you achieved, instead of just what your responsibilities were. Let's face it, there are a lot of things that people are “responsible for” that never get done. So, be sure to talk about things you actually accomplished, as that will be the proof the hiring manager needs to take the next step and call you for an interview.

1. Use numbers whenever possible

The best way to call attention to your career accomplishments is to use numbers. Numbers add credibility to your claims and provide a clear picture of what you bring to the table. 

Don't write this:

• Conducted cold calls to expand client base

Write this instead:

• Increased sales by 15% by making approximately 20 cold calls per day to expand the client base

The latter makes an unmistakable assertion that you had a positive impact, not only in your role but on the company as a whole. You can take it a step further and talk about things like problem-solving skills and how you addressed challenges to lead to team success. These types of  soft skills are highly valued by employers  and could be the thing that lands you an interview.

PRO TIP: Use the  CAR method  for building achievement statements into your resume.

2. Use action words to convey accomplishment

A lot of people make the mistake of copying bullet points from the job descriptions of the roles they've held. This practice makes you sound detached from achievements and focuses more on responsibilities. Using passive language is too generic and doesn't allow a hiring manager to see what you'll be able to accomplish in the new role. 

It's better to use action language to show that you're an achiever rather than a doer. Here are some examples of action words you can use on your resume: 

Worked with others: Advised, Aided, Assisted, Chaired, Coached, Collaborated with, Consulted with, Helped, Instructed, Interacted with, Mentored, Motivated, Supported

Communicated: Addressed, Advertised, Answered, Briefed, Corresponded with, Debated, Explained, Facilitated, Informed, Interpreted, Interviewed, Persuaded, Responded to

Analyzed data: Assessed, Appraised, Audited, Calculated, Computed, Estimated, Evaluated, Forecast, Inspected, Measured, Researched, Surveyed, Tested

Operated equipment: Installed, Maintained, Programmed, Ran, Serviced, Used

Worked with money or contracts: Administered, Appropriated, Authorized, Balanced, Controlled, Directed, Enforced, Financed, Funded, Governed, Invested, Monitored, Oversaw, Purchased

Organized something: Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Compiled, Coordinated, Itemized, Routed, Scheduled, Stocked, Tracked

Created: Composed, Customized, Designed, Directed, Established, Founded, Illustrated, Originated, Shaped

Researched: Analyzed, Collected, Criticized, Detected, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Tested

How to make your professional experience section: The formula

There's a formula for writing your professional experience section in a way that focuses on achievements. You'll start by asking yourself these questions about every job you've had:

What was the name of the company?

What was the title of your role?

What dates were you employed? (*Hint: use the MM/YYYY format for your dates)

What did you do every day? (*Example: Leveraged management skills to direct operations of 5 separate but concurrent projects by delegating tasks to staff based on employee acumen and monitoring / controlling budgets)

What is one thing you did at the company that you're really proud of?

What is another thing you're really proud of?

What is one more thing you did that you're really proud of?

When you put all of that together, it should look like this:

Company Name | MM/YYYY to Present

Position Title

Balanced competing priorities on multiple and concurrent projects and program management initiatives using data-driven strategies in Agile environments. Managed key accounts, onboarded new accounts, and oversaw organizational process adoption for nursing facilities, emergency departments, and pharmacies.

Developed $2M Provider Incentive Program that increased community provider partnerships

Saved $800K by using Six Sigma skills to implement DMAIC approach

Coached and mentored 2 direct reports, creating an open environment of communication that facilitated future-facing decision-making

Many people will create separate sections for education history and certifications. That's not necessary. You can include all of it in one section. You can also include extras like  relevant coursework , projects, and achievements. These extras can be truly beneficial for your application if you have little to no work experience. 

There are some general rules of thumb for the education section: 

Spell out acronyms (BS, MS, PhD) and school abbreviations

It is no longer customary to include graduation dates unless you're still in school or graduated within the last year

Never include high school, unless you're still in high school - listing high school doesn't say “ I finished high school, ” it says, “ I didn't go to college .” 

List your degree first and then your school, unless you've obtained multiple degrees at the same institution. 

Here's what a regular education section looks like:

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS

Master of Business Administration (MBA) | ABC University

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | XYZ University

Six Sigma Black Belt | Council for Six Sigma Certification

If you don't have a lot of experience and need to include some relevant coursework or major projects to inject relevant keywords into your resume, then this is what that would look like:

Relevant coursework:  Marketing, Operations Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program. 

You can include educational information about a degree program even if it's still in progress. Here's what that would look like:

Expected completion:  05/2024

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program.

It is important to list what you do outside of work and school. It helps to demonstrate that you're a well-rounded person. 

Were you the president of a fraternity or sorority? 

Did you get involved with showing new students around campus? 

Have you headed a sales team that produced top awards? 

Were you an employee of the month? 

Do you speak multiple languages?

Did you volunteer for an organization?

Did you perform some major research that ended up being published?

All of these extras allow prospective employers a sneak peek into your life outside of work. They can also go a long way to breaking the ice during an interview, especially if something you do outside work is important or interesting to the hiring manager. 

Keep in mind to list only those volunteer positions, projects, or affiliations that are related to your career goals. 

How long does it take to make a resume?

If you're going to use the resume wizard that MS Word has, you can slap your information together in a day or two. It will get to employers. The bad thing is that it probably won't get a whole lot of attention. 

The "just right resume" can take weeks, because of how much background work goes into it. You'll write it, rewrite it, and write it again, and may even have multiple versions. Ultimately, the exact amount of time that goes into putting your resume together depends on your level of experience, how complex your history is, and the specificity of the job you're applying to. 

Entry-level resumes take the least amount of time, simply because there's less information to include

Mid-level resumes take a few days because of the amount of detail in your work history

Executive resumes, or those for specialized positions, can take weeks - especially if you have to do some digging to come up with accomplishments from your previous positions

Updating an existing resume that's well-maintained can be done in just a few hours

While the time spent can seem like a lot, if you're truly marketing yourself for that “just right” position, do you want your resume to say “This was thrown together in a couple of hours using a template” OR do you want it to say “I know this document is important and a significant amount of time was spent on it to make it perfect?”

The first and foremost thing that will get your resume tossed in the garbage can are typos. The number of resumes with errors that are turned in every day to employers across the globe is so astounding that it bears discussing. 

You must proofread your resume!

The major problem with typos and grammatical boo-boos is that your eyes will read what you intended to type. So, after you've read through your resume a few times and think it's perfect, get a friend to read it. Make sure the friend is one of those brutally honest types. It's better to get it back marked all over with bright red ink so you can fix it before you send it out, than to send it out and then realize there's a mistake in it.

How to make your resume seem more professional

Lazy words: Do you see words like "etc" or “other duties as required” on your resume? Delete them immediately. If you take shortcuts in the language of your resume, hiring managers will wonder if you'll be taking shortcuts at work. 

Cookie cutter resumes: Your resume has to stand out. Because of that, you should avoid throwing something together that you find a sample of online. Make it yours, make it represent you. Many people rely on the resume wizard that comes loaded with MS Word and, while that is a good tool to use to help you remember the sections to include, it shouldn't be the end-all-and-be-all of your resume design. 

Specificity: You've had three jobs in the last 10 years and you've listed every detail of everything you've done during your tenure at those jobs. That makes you a Jack (or Jackie) of all trades, but a master of nothing. You have to be specific to the job for which you're applying. What value do you bring to that employer for that job? What achievements can you highlight?

Tailoring: Considering the rampant use of ATS by companies big and small, you have to take the time to customize your resume so that it gets past those scanners. Remember to use relevant keywords from the job descriptions throughout your resume. 

PRO TIP: You can check to see how to make your resume better! Have it checked against an ATS and get a free, personalized, and  professional resume review . 

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

It's one thing to have someone tell you how to make a resume, it's another thing to see an example – proof that all of this information can come together in a practical way that makes sense. 

1. Software Engineer resume example

Click here for an example of a Software Engineer resume.

2. Data Scientist resume example

Click here for an example of a Data Scientist resume.

3. Cybersecurity resume example

Click here for an example of a cybersecurity resume.

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

Click here for an example of a Digital Marketing Manager resume.

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

Click here for an example of a Nurse Practitioner resume. 

6. Finance Director resume example

Click here for an example of a Finance Director resume. 

7. Attorney resume example

Click here for an example of a Attorney resume.

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

Click here for an example of an Administrative Office Assistant resume. 

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

Click here for an example of an Information Technology Expert resume. 

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Click here for an example of a CEO resume. 

Now you know how to make a resume for your next job!

It may seem like it takes a lot of work to make a good resume, but if you've followed along this far there are a few things that should be ingrained in you that will help you write a professional resume:

Know what you want to do – be specific

Make your resume with the right format 

Use a standard layout, whether you are writing your first resume or 50th

Use action words to make your resume stand out

Quantify your achievements to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in a new role

Tailor your new resume to each job

Double and triple-check for errors, typos, and grammar mistakes

If you're still unsure how to make a perfect resume, TopResume has you covered. Our team of  professional resume writers  has the know-how and experience to write a resume for you that will win interviews.

Recommended reading: 

Resume Tricks That Don't Work

What Does Your Resume Really Say About You?

Bad Resume Advice You Should Completely Ignore

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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Classic Format Resume Templates

Chronological

These are the three standard resume formats : chronological, hybrid, and functional.

The chronological resume template offers a classic, no frills format. Consider this template if you work in a formal industry or want to bring attention to the impressive companies on your resume. Hybrid resume templates are versatile and the most popular format in today’s job search. Functional resume templates are popular for people changing careers or masking holes in their resume. Jobscan doesn’t typically recommend the functional resume format because recruiters may be suspicious of them .

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Senior Level and Executive Resume Templates

Once you begin applying to senior level positions, a greater emphasis is placed on the results your organizations have achieved and executive soft skills like leadership , innovation, and entrepreneurial drive. At the executive level, technical skills aren’t as important as they were earlier in your career. Fill out your executive resume template with accomplishments , measurable results, and examples of leadership .

Management Resume Templates

When it comes to writing a management-level resume, try to demonstrate a trajectory of growth along with a combination of deep industry knowledge and interpersonal skills. You need to prove that you’re an expert in your field who is able to delegate tasks and lead your team.

Mid-Career Resume Templates

When you’re no longer entry-level but still working as an independent contributor (vs a manager), your resume needs to focus on your ability to execute. A strong emphasis should be on the hard skills found in the job description. Back these skills up with context to demonstrate your level of expertise.

Recent Grad Resume Templates

When you’re looking for an entry-level job right out of college, your resume is going to look a little different. Your education section is moved up above your work experience and you’re expected to expand upon your college experience. Go into detail with honors, clubs, coursework, etc.

The Importance of ATS-Friendly Resume Templates

If you’re uploading your resume into an online form as part of your job application, it is critical for your resume template to be compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS) . An expertly written resume complete with a sleek design and optimized resume keywords and action verbs could still fall short if the formatting isn’t ATS compliant.

When you upload your resume , applicant tracking systems parse out the text to make it searchable for a recruiter. They may also transfer the information from our resume to a uniform digital candidate profile. Even if you’re perfectly qualified for the job, your chances of getting a job interview are much lower if an ATS can’t accurately parse your resume.

ATS-friendly resumes are often similar to minimalist resume templates but go a step further to account for ATS algorithms and behaviors. Among other considerations, ATS-friendly resume templates account for the fact that:

• Many ATS can’t handle tables or images.
• Parsing accuracy is dependent on heading names and correctly sequencing your work experience information.
• Certain resume fonts might not be displayed properly in all ATS.
• PDF and docx file types work better than others.

Find out if your resume is ATS-optimized with Jobscan’s resume optimization tool . It will help you write the perfect resume so that you stand out from the competition.

How to Use a Resume Template

Be Selective

Finding the right resume template for you is the first step. Select a template that is ATS-friendly and includes space for all the elements you need to tell your story.

Customize Your Template

Not finding the perfect resume template? Select the best one and make some adjustments. For example, you can remove a hobbies section if you need more room for your work history, add a space for key certifications that don’t fit in the template or add a skills section to better highlight your technical skills.

Resume templates are meant to be a guide to a better resume, not an unbreakable set of rules.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job Every Time

Recruiters and hiring managers are more likely to respond to a resume that is carefully tailored for the specific position .

This means using the job description to focus on the skills and keywords that are most important to the job. Showing that you are results-oriented is another great way to show you are the best candidate. Including relevant measurable results and accomplishments on your resume help demonstrate that you understand what is most important to the company’s success.

After you’ve tailored your resume information within the template, run it through Jobscan’s resume optimization tool to see how well it matches the job. In fact, more than 1 million job seekers have used our tool to help them find the next step in their career—see how it can help you!

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Resume Template FAQs

What is the best resume template for me?

The best resume template is the one that provides room for you to showcase your relevant skills and tell the complete story of your relevant work experience. If you are an entry-level or mid-career applicant, look for a template that highlights your hard skills. For executive-level applicants, a template that focuses on your executive summary and work experience will be best.

Which resume format is best?

Recruiters prefer chronological or hybrid formatted resumes. All of the templates above are great choices! We do not recommend using a functional template, which focuses primarily on skills and downplays work history.

Read more: Why Recruiters Hate the Functional Resume Format

What is the difference between a resume template and a resume builder?

A resume builder is a tool that prompts you to enter your information into input fields and formats a resume for you. Resume templates are typically editable Microsoft Word files that are already formatted. Prefer the ease of a builder? Jobscan’s resume builder is 100% free!

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