During this season of “shelter in place” many of us are considering what the future may look like. Some of you may have lost your jobs, been furloughed, work for a company who is handling this whole situation with zero care for their employees.. or maybe you’re just finding that being forced to be home is giving you space to allow yourself to dream. Whatever your situation may be, I encourage you to let yourself explore the possibilities. All of the possibilities! The reality of change is here. Our world will not just bounce back from this like it never happened. If you have been thinking about a change in your life or just lost the job of your dreams, there is no better time to do some soul searching and discover a new path.

One of the first things to reach a potential employer’s hands is your resume. It is your first impression and can’t be undone. Now I’m not saying this to stress you out. Quite the opposite! You have an opportunity to show your stuff and all that you have accomplished. It doesn’t matter if this is your very first job or your 30th. You have the ability to make a positive impact and increase your chances of a followup call if your resume is dialed in. It can take some time to write out the content needed but there are so many helpful online tools to streamline the layout and design process of a resume.

In order to simplify this process for you, I have compiled 14 of my favorite downloadable resumes that will allow you to plug and play your information and end up with an awesome end product!

Most of these products come with a cover page as well as an additional page for those of you with a lot of extra information/job experience to include. I’ve found Etsy to be a great option for downloadable files as it gives you the opportunity to support small businesses and creative individuals as well as purchase a great product.

Please keep in mind that a few of these downloads may only work with certain programs. But the most common is Word. I tried to pull options that would work for a large majority of people (including Mac only users). I’ve made note on each resume which downloadable file options you’ll have.

If you would like additional tips for preparing your resume content, see below!

For the Minimalist

01

word // indesign // photoshop

Download

02

word // indesign // photoshop

Download

A Delicate Touch

05

word // indesign // photoshop

Download

For the Bold

An Editorial Look

Quick Tips

Resume Do’s and Dont’s

Be concise // There is no reason to add extra words to make your resume appear more full. Stick to the facts and avoid using emotional words or telling stories. It is about what you achieved and what your responsibilities are/were.
Save the convincing for your cover letter // A cover letter is a great, more personalized way to tell the reader why you believe you would be a good fit for their company. It’s your opportunity to try to connect. Don’t cross pollinate the resume and the cover letter. No busy person wants redundancy.
Research competitors resumes // If you feel stuck and don’t know another way to write something you can google resumes in your field and find other’s interpretations of tasks. Another good option is LinkedIn. Some people have written out their job descriptions in their profile. It may be helpful to read through other’s words to help formulate your own.
DON’T COPY // If you choose to research other people’s resumes or job descriptions, don’t copy what they’ve written. Allow their words to inspire or give you more ideas but no copying their text. Be original!
Thesaurus is your friend // Try to avoid repeating the same words or phrases. For example “Created …”, “Organized..” Or “Worked on..”. This can sometimes be challenging especially if you have been in the same type of industry job after job. But I swear, the synonym section of the thesaurus will be your best friend during this process.
Legible font size // This seams like a given but I know from experience how tempting it can feel to reduce your font size to try and squeeze everything on one page. Not worth it. If you really need to keep your content to one page and it’s just not working with your font, simplify the information.
Chose the right resume template // It’s sometimes tempting to go for the layout that is the most eye catching. Before you make your choice that way, consider the information needed to be included. I would highly recommend writing out your content before you pay for and download your resume template so you know all you have to include. If you need a second page because you have more job history or have had many different job responsibilities, choose a template that will allow you that option.
Spell check // This seems like a given but I don’t just mean misspelling of words. Most of the time our computers catch that for us. I’m speaking to using the wrong tense, adding accidental extra words or just plainly, the wrong word. Re-read your work. And re-read it again.
Friend check! // Sometimes another set of eyes helps catch things you may have read over 3 times and still not seen. If you want to be extra sure you didn’t miss anything, see if you can send it over to a friend or family member for an additional proof read.
PDF vs Printing // If you will most likely be handing out printed copies of your resume, I would encourage you to choose a template that does not have full bleed (no images or color blocks hitting the edge of the paper). It will not print that way and you will end up with a weird white boarder all the way around. If you’re in an industry where your resume will most likely be viewed digitally in a pdf or jpeg form, full bleeds are great!

14 Best Downloadable Resume Templates