It’s one thing to hear advice on how your resume should look, and what you should always include (or like, never include) in a cover letter. But in that vast sea of advice mingled with misinformation, a few truths stand firm. These days, you can find the perfect resumes to download that adhere to all the most important rules.
The golden rule among them? Make it attractive, but keep it simple. We could rant all day about the dos and don’ts of designing your curriculum vitae, but why bother? We’ll just show you, instead.
Here are 10 of our favorite resumes to download for creative roles (meaning, they have some flair and are likely not ideal for a buttoned-up corporate opportunity). These are all available to download (for free or else pretty cheap) online, and customize for yourself.
The “outline”
It’s all about squiggly lines right now, you guys. Why should your resume miss out on an irreverent yet professional design treatment? No reason, actually.
Sign up for the template site Canva, and this creatively-titled “pink and blue creative resume” designed by Reychelle Ann Ignacio could be yours in just a few clicks.
The “headshot hello”
If you want your chic (it’s French for restrained) resume to feature your beautiful mug in the corner whilst remaining impressively minimalist, this design will only set you back $1.45 on Etsy.
The “bible”
Less a resume and more an application-style magazine, KreativBewerbung are selling this epic four-pager for $37.57.
While it ain’t cheap, you willcome across like the world’s most thorough job candidate in history. And depending on the job you’re applying to, that could very well work in your favor. But again, know your audience before you send!
The “classic”
Sometimes, classic and timeless is best. ‘Cause in 2018 everyone is scrambling to make their resumes stand out.
But this gal? She says “my experience speaks for itself,” and also maybe “I was born before 1985 and that means I have accomplished things and can tell you about them.” Plus, it’s only $1.45 on Etsy.
The “seal of approval”
If you have the kind of head shots most job applicants dream of, or the kind of name that just has to be SCREAMED in big font, you’ll find this Canva template perfect.
Bonus points to this one for having the sweetest, most feminine-and-proud color palette. If someone put this on my desk, I would indeed remember their—easy to read because it’s size 36 font—name.
The “blue bandit”
We see you, Lauren Davenport, with your cheeky splashes of teal. Gurl, you are wild! This resume is a beautiful piece of design. Hence it’s being sold for $21.75 by Landed Design Studio on Etsy.
Worth it! That razor-thin font. The impeccably-spaced side margin. It’s all very “I am a woman in control of her life and you need me to make yours easier by hiring me right now.”
The “old grey mare”
Endearingly christened (by me) the “old grey mare” due to the deep seriousness of its gunmetal and bathroom-friendly blue, this resume is actually everything you want in a $1.45 Etsy find.
Meaning it’s functional, incredibly inoffensive, and presentable as hell. Ask HR managers in most industries and workplaces and they’ll tell you the same thing: Your approach should be reliable and innocuous, not hand-deliver-a-thousand-cupcakes-level eager.
The “every girl”
For just $15 on The Creative Market, you too could come across as reliable as the “old grey mare,” but with a slightly cooler edge.
This resume is cute, and its white space and thin margin lines make it look well organized, and readable at high speed, which in all honesty is the name of your hirer’s game.
The “thin blue line”
This blue boy isn’t that different from our “every girl” pal, however it is$2 cheaper—coming in at $13 from Creative Market.
It also has the advantage of cool lines, with a dot marked out for every point, or milestone. Kicking goals left, right, and center? List ’em like this to make it super obvious.
The “skilly billy”
Got skills? Yeah, you do. So why not illustrate them with some neat progress bars in the bottom left, like this guy. The $12 resume, also from Creative Market, is a cooler version of the “classic” and a shorter version than the “bible.” Meaning, we’re sold.
Remember though, resume templates aren’t nearly as important as what’s in ’em. Focus on what you know and what you can do—as well as the concrete things you have accomplished. With that in mind, and as long as your final product is neat and legible, you’re in with a good chance.
