Classic resume templates
Traditional structures done properly: serif type, small-caps headings and fine rules, without looking dated.
Classic resume templates
13 designs
Academic
A timeline-led academic CV built for publications
Charter
Organisation-first entries under heavy ruled labels
Classic
Traditional small-caps headings and rules, done properly
Codex
Justified prose set like a printed book page
Crest
A formal centred serif with a double-rule masthead
Folio
A letterhead masthead with running heads and numbered pages
Gazette
An editorial serif with a hanging left date gutter
Ledger
Dot leaders running organisation to date on every entry
Meridian
A serif mirror layout with a flush-right masthead
Preface
The profile set as a magazine lede, no label needed
Refined
A contemporary editorial serif, confident rather than formal
Terrace
Three stepped left edges instead of any rules
Vertex
A centred serif masthead with short sections set two-up
Is a traditional resume format still the right choice?
There is a difference between classic and old. A dated CV has centred italics, cramped spacing and a default word-processor typeface. A classic one uses a well-set serif, small-caps or ruled section headings, and consistent spacing, which reads as considered rather than as unchanged since 2009. Conservative industries reward the first and quietly penalise the second.
Other styles
- Professional resume templatesDesigns that read as considered and credible in an ordinary hiring process, without asking the reader to admire them first.
- ATS-friendly resume templatesLayouts built to survive applicant tracking software: no colour fills behind text, a clean reading order, and standard section headings.
- Simple resume templatesUncluttered designs that put the writing first, for when a plain, easy-to-read CV is exactly what the job asks for.
- Modern resume templatesContemporary layouts that look current without looking like a novelty, using colour and space rather than ornament.
- Minimalist resume templatesWide margins, hairline rules and a lot of air. Designs where the space is doing as much work as the type.
- Basic resume templatesPlain, no-nonsense designs with no colour blocks, no sidebars and no surprises. The safest thing to send.
- Student resume templatesLayouts that work when education is the strongest section and work experience is still short.
- Graduate resume templatesDesigns for the first proper job: enough structure to look serious, enough space that a short history does not look thin.
- Academic resume templatesFormats built for publications, teaching, funding and the longer record an academic application needs.
- One page resume templatesDenser designs that fit a full career onto a single page without dropping to an unreadable type size.
- Two column resume templatesSide-by-side layouts that keep contact details, skills and languages visible while experience runs full length.
- Executive resume templatesFormats for senior appointments, where the record is long and the tone needs to carry authority.
- Creative resume templatesDistinctive designs for when a person is definitely reading first and visual judgement is part of the job.
Frequently asked questions
Is a traditional resume format still the right choice?
In law, finance, accountancy, medicine and the public sector, usually yes. Those readers are looking for evidence and convention, and an unfamiliar layout costs you more attention than a memorable one gains. The thing to avoid is not the traditional structure but the dated execution of it.
Are these resume templates free?
Yes. You can fill in a template, preview it and download a PDF without paying. A JobSprout account is free, and some of the designs are marked Pro, which unlocks with a subscription. There is always a free design available in every style.
Can I edit a resume template after I download it?
Yes. Your CV stays in your account, so you can change the content, switch to a different design, adjust the colour, font size and spacing, and download a fresh PDF whenever you need one. Switching design never loses your content, because the content and the layout are stored separately.
Will these templates pass an ATS?
The designs marked ATS-friendly are built for it: no colour fills behind text, a clean reading order and standard section headings. Any CV you build can also be checked against a real parser with our free ATS resume checker, which shows you exactly what a screening system extracts.
What file format do I get?
A print-quality PDF, which is what nearly every employer and application portal asks for. The PDF keeps a real text layer rather than being an image, so screening software can read it and so can a screen reader.
Should I put a photo on my resume?
In the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and Australia, no. Employers there usually prefer no photo, and some screening processes strip them to reduce bias. In much of continental Europe and parts of Asia a photo is still conventional. Check the norm where you are applying, and leave it off if you are unsure.
How long should my resume be?
One page if you have under roughly ten years of relevant experience, and always for students and graduates. Two pages are normal for senior, academic or highly technical roles. An academic CV is the exception and runs as long as your publication and funding record requires.