A Free Sample Resume Template
and Advice On How To Use It

Your resume or CV is your opportunity to tell a prospective employer just how suitable you are for the job they'll looking to fill.

And because their decision on who to interview is based only on your resume or CV (and perhaps a cover letter), it's a very important document, regardless of the type or level of job you want.

Interviewers see many, many resumes and CVs, especially in times of high unemployment when there are dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for every job. You want your resume or CV to stand out because it's well written, free from errors, organized, interesting and relevant.

If you can provide something extra that gives the employer a further reason to hire you, that's even better.

Here's our advice on resumes and CVs and a free sample resume template to guide the writing of your own resume or CV.

Resume and CV Sections

Name and contact information

Put your name (first and last) in bold so it stands out, as in the free sample resume template below.

Add your address, cell and home phone and your email address.

Objective/Personal Summary

After your contact information comes your Objective or Personal Summary. It's up to you how much you say in this section. Some interviewers like a single line which simply states the job you want as in the free sample resume template below. Others like to see more in this section, as in these resume objective examples.

Work Experience/Career History

List your work experience, starting with the most current first. Include relevant volunteer work and internships. For each organization/employer, list the dates worked, your position, and a bulleted list of your major responsibilities.

Career Highlights/Achievements

If you already have significant experience related to the job you are applying for, add it. List relevant key achievements, skills, and experiences.

If you are entering the job market or changing careers, omit this section.

Skills

Bullet point skills that are related to the job you're applying for.

Most jobs require computer skills and good communication skills, so include them.

Education and Qualifications

Starting with your highest level of education, put the name of the school/university, the dates attended, major subject and degree or diploma received.

If you received any awards or scholarships, include them.

Interests

Only include interests if there's room and if they are relevant to the job for which you're applying. Don't include interests which might cause your interviewers to question your commitment to the job.

References

Some applicants prefer to give details of referees on their resume/CV or an attached appendix. Others prefer simply saying "References available upon request" as in the free sample resume template below.

It depends on personal choice and also on how much room you have left after other, more important information.

Free Sample Resume Template

Name
Address
City, State Zip Code
Telephone number
Email address

Objective/Personal Summary

To join your Organization as a Technical Engineer.

Work Experience/Career History

Position, Company name, City and state, Dates worked

• Major responsibility
• Major responsibility
• Major responsibility

Position, Company name, City and state, Dates worked

• Major responsibility
• Major responsibility

Position, Company name, City and state, Dates worked

• Major responsibility
• Major responsibility

Career Highlights/Achievements

• Achievements
• Awards
• Key experiences and skills learned

Skills

• List skill
• List skill
• List skill
• List skill

Education and Qualifications

Degree, School, City and state, Major subject, Dates attended, Honors/scholarships

Degree, School, City and state, Major subject, Dates attended, Honors/scholarships

References

References are available upon request

Resume Format

You have considerable latitude in how you format your resume or CV. The free sample resume template above shows a very basic format, which is perfectly acceptable. Whatever format or style you choose, you want your resume to look clean and have plenty of open space. Keep it simple and attractive. Most importantly, make sure your resume is completely free of spelling and grammatical errors.

If you prefer a more stylist layout to your resume or CV you can download a free sample resume template here.

We also have several resume templates for particular jobs, to give you some inspiration!

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