Minimal
FreeType-only layout with generous whitespace and no decoration. Parses perfectly.
Use this templateTemplate guide
The Simple resume template
A resume with nothing in it that is not information. Your name is centred, sections are separated by a hairline rule, and everything runs in one column from top to bottom. No photo, no icons, no sidebar.
- Best forAny job, any industry, online application portals
- StructureOne column, centred header, ruled sections
- LengthOne page for most people; two for long careers
- ATSSafest choice: single text flow, standard headings
Why simple works
A recruiter spends seconds on the first pass. On a simple layout their eye goes straight down the page: name, title, summary, the most recent job. Nothing competes for attention, so your content does all the work.
It is also the layout that survives every system it passes through. Applicant tracking systems, the "upload your resume" box on LinkedIn, a PDF opened on a phone, a page printed in black and white: one column of text in reading order comes through all of them unchanged.
What to put in it
In this order, which is the order a recruiter reads in:
- Header: name, the job title you want, email, phone, city, LinkedIn.
- Professional summary: two or three lines. What you do, for how long, and one result you are proud of.
- Work experience: most recent first. Title, employer, city, dates, then two to five bullets that start with a verb and end with a result.
- Education: degree, school, year. Move it above experience only if you graduated in the last two years.
- Skills: the ones the job posting asks for, in the posting's own words.
Languages, certifications and projects go at the end if they help this application.
When to choose something else
Simple is never the wrong answer, but it can be a missed chance. If you are a designer, a portfolio-led layout says more about you; if you are changing careers, a skills-first layout hides less well-matched job titles. You can switch at any time and your content moves with you.
If this one is not right
Three close alternatives, and every one carries your content across untouched when you switch.
ATS Friendly
ATSStrict monochrome, single column, no graphics. Built to pass applicant tracking systems.
Use this template
Classic
FreeClean single-column structure with a photo header. Safe, readable and ATS-friendly.
Use this templateFAQ
Frequently asked questions
One with a single column, standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) and no text inside images or tables. This template follows all three, which is why it reads correctly in applicant tracking systems.
For most jobs, yes: it is faster to scan and parses reliably. A creative layout helps mainly in design, marketing and other roles where the resume itself shows your taste.
Not in the US, UK, Canada or Australia. This template has no photo slot; if you apply in a country that expects one, Classic and Professional have a photo header.
Yes. Fill it in online and download a PDF with real, selectable text. It is free, with no account and no watermark.