This template follows the practices in our best practices guide: one column, standard headings, consistent dates and no tables, text boxes or icons. It looks plain on purpose. Plain text is what both software and recruiters read most reliably.

Resume template (plain text) Download .docx Download .txt 
[Your Full Name]
[City, Province or State] | [Phone with country code] | [Email] | [LinkedIn URL]

SUMMARY
[Two or three sentences: your job title, years of experience, two or three strengths that match the job, and one result.]

SKILLS
[Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool]
[Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool]

EXPERIENCE
[Job title], [Company], [City, Country]
[Month Year] to [Month Year or Present]
- [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one].
- [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one].
- [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one].

[Job title], [Company], [City, Country]
[Month Year] to [Month Year]
- [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one].
- [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one].

EDUCATION
[Degree], [Field], [Institution], [City, Country]
[Year of graduation]

CERTIFICATIONS (optional)
[Certification name], [Issuer], [Year]

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What to write in each section

Header

Your name, city and region, phone number with country code, email and a LinkedIn link. Leave out a full street address. Put this in the main body of the document, not in the page header.

Summary

Two or three sentences that tell the reader who you are and why you fit this job. Rewrite it for each application using words from the job post.

Skills

Group tools and skills into a few labelled lines, such as "Data tools" or "Languages". List only what you can discuss in an interview.

Experience

Newest job first. Put the title, employer and location on one line and the dates on the next, so each piece is easy to find. Under each job, write three to five bullets that start with a verb and show a result.

Education and certifications

Degree, field, institution, location and year. Add certifications that matter for the job, with the issuer and year.

A bullet formula that works

Start with an action verb, say what you did, and finish with the result:

  • Built weekly sales dashboards used by six regional managers.
  • Reduced report preparation time from two days to four hours by automating data pulls.
  • Trained 12 new team members on the order-tracking system.

These are examples of the pattern. Replace them with your own work and your own numbers.

Using the template in Word or Google Docs

  • Use the program's own bullet button, not a typed symbol.
  • Do not insert tables, text boxes, images or icons.
  • Keep one font, 10 to 12 points, for the whole document.
  • Save as .docx or as a PDF made from the document itself (not a scan).
  • Copy the text into a plain text editor to check that the order is right.

Applying to Canada? See the Canadian resume format for what to leave out. Then check your finished resume.

Sources