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Simple resume templates

These eight templates use one column, a plain type hierarchy and little or no color, with no photos or skill bars. They differ mostly in typeface and how tightly they set the text, so start with those.

Jake

One column, Computer Modern

Small-caps headings over thin rules, with dates flush right. The plainest starting point, and this builder's default.

Use this template: Jake

Garamond

One column, Garamond

Jake's structure in Garamond, a softer book typeface, with small-caps names and headings.

Use this template: Garamond

Campus

One column, Helvetica

Helvetica with bold capital headings and a ruled capital name, from a university career-office format.

Use this template: Campus

SWE

One column, Lato

Lato, with small icons beside the contact details and the company leading each role.

Use this template: SWE

JV

One column, Computer Modern

Computer Modern with bold sentence-case headings and two centered lines of icon contacts.

Use this template: JV

Pick by typeface

With the layout this plain, the typeface does most of the work. Computer Modern reads like an academic paper, Garamond and Times like a book, and Lato, Source Sans and Helvetica like clean modern documents. Our resume fonts guide compares more options.

Starting typeface, size and margins for each simple template
TemplateTypefaceStarting sizeMargins
JakeComputer Modern10.5pt0.5 in
MinimalTimes11pt0.75 in
GaramondGaramond11pt0.5 in
Tech EngineerComputer Modern10.5pt0.5 in
GenericSource Sans9.5pt0.45 in
CampusHelvetica10pt0.5 in
SWELato10.5pt0.5 in
JVComputer Modern10.5pt0.5 in

What a simple resume leaves out

  • Skill bars and star ratings. There's no text behind them, and nobody can say what 80% of Excel means.
  • A photo, unless it's expected where you're applying.
  • A second typeface or color. Bold and spacing can carry the emphasis.
  • Text boxes and tables around core content, which can scramble the reading order.

A plain page puts more weight on your words. Lead each bullet with what changed because of your work, and use a number where you have one.

Common questions

Is a simple template better than a designed one?
For online applications it's the lower-risk choice, because plain layouts are easier for software to read. When your resume goes straight to a person, a little design is fine, as long as it stays easy to scan.
Can I add some color to a simple template?
Yes. The design toolbar in the editor changes the font, size, spacing, margins and accent color. Where a template has colored text or icons, the accent changes it. Templates in plain black stay mostly black.

Template credits

Each design is modeled on a CV template shared on Overleaf and rebuilt in HTML. The sample text is our own.