Basic résumé template

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Ever heard the acronym KISS? It stands for 'Keep it simple, stupid!' When it comes to designing your CV or résumé, there's never been a truer saying. Although fancy fonts and pretty details have a place (for example, when you're going after a creative role), for most job vacancies a basic clutter free template is ideal. This is our most basic résumé template with plenty of sections for all of your information and prompts to help you fill everything in correctly..
Free basic resume template in Word format

CV template details:

  • CV ref: #58
  • File size: 40 kB
  • File format: .doc (Microsoft Word
  • File name: resume-template.doc
  • Fonts required: Times New Roman
  • Price:
    • User rating:
    Basic résumé template
    5.0 rating based on 12,345 ratings
    Overall rating: 5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews.
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About this CV template:

Times New Roman can get a lot of bad press in the world of CV writing, but actually it's a great font if you want a simple, uncluttered layout and easy-to-read text. And when it comes to preparing your CV for prospective employers, what else would you want? Your information needs to be displayed in a way that's easy for them to find and digest, and you don't want your details to be lost in amongst fancy graphics and cluttered design elements. Our basic résumé template ticks all of those boxes - it's plain, simple, well put together and perfect for applications where you want the focus to be on YOU, not your ability to design pretty pictures in Microsoft Word. Headings divide up the usual sections such as skills, experience and qualifications, for good organisation - and you can easily add more sections or edit/delete those that are there to customise this résumé template to your exact requirements.

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Free basic resume template in Word format

3 fast ways to write a professional CV

When you’ve been working on any document for a while, it can be really easy to overlook errors. The amount of time and effort that goes into writing a CV can often leave you exhausted. A few mistakes are bound to creep in, and it’s completely understandable.

Did you know that spelling and grammatical errors are the most common and worst mistake made on a CV? A study in Australia was conducted which showed that up to two thirds of job seekers reduced their chances of success with spelling errors. For more information, click here.

Here are 3 fast ways to write a professional CV…

1. Don’t trust your own eyes

Although you can run a spell check on MS Word, unfortunately it won’t pick up everything. For example, missed words or instances where you have used the wrong word but spelt it correctly. To ensure your CV is free of mistakes, ask one or two people you know to look over your CV for errors. Request their feedback on not just your grammar, but also the quality of your CV.

Tip – As an added bonus, why not also ask them if they would be happy to conduct a mock interview with you. See if they are able to come up with tough questions of their own after reviewing the job description. Practice makes perfect, and those interview nerves should not hold you back. Here’s how to set up and conduct a mock job interview.

2. Use a suitable font

There are thousands of quirky fonts on the web today, but will using them on your CV help or hinder your application?

This really comes down to the job you’re applying for. A creative role like graphic design may require a more creative approach. But an office or admin job may require a more traditional and formal font.

If you’re not sure, stick to favourites such as Helvetica, Garamond or Times New Roman and avoid departing too far from the norm. The font size is also very important, as too small could make it difficult to read. A font which is too large could take up valuable space.

3. Write an opening statement that packs a punch

Under your name and personal details, most CV templates have a space for an objective or personal statement. Both are the same but they are sometimes called different names, so choose whichever you like. If your CV template doesn’t have this space, consider making room for it.

This is a crucial part of your CV but so often ignored by job seekers. In 3 lines or so it’s your chance to tell recruiters who you are, what you have to offer and why you fit the job description. With just a few seconds to look through each CV, there’s no better place to catch the employer’s eye.

For some additional help on writing your personal statement, please visit our article – Writing your personal profile CV section.

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