25+ Free Contemporary Resume Templates for 2023

2. Select the appropriate format.

Your next step should be deciding which resume format will best showcase your skills and experience. A resume format organizes your resume’s information strategically, and there are three types you can choose from chronological, functional and combination.

Generally, a chronological format is best for mid-career professionals who want to highlight their work history, including length of time on jobs, titles held, and company names.

The functional format is a great choice for recent graduates and those without a stable job history to highlight, including those who have had significant employment gaps.

For professionals seeking to change industries or job titles, a combination format may do the best job of highlighting relevant skills and experiences.

Choose the format that you believe would best represent where you’re at in your career. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting the best contemporary template for your needs.

3. Include these key elements.

While there is no single design or layout for contemporary resumes, they have characteristics that make this resume type easy to identify. Here are a few hallmarks of contemporary resume design and structure:

• Creative use of colors and shading to define sections
• A two or three-column layout that allows for a clear division of sections
• Bulleted lists and short sentences are more prominent
• The overall feel is like a newsletter or advertising flyer that highlights your skills, experience, education and objectives in a creative manner
• The inclusion of graphics, meters or charts
• The use of color, graphics and columns create resumes that are a pleasure to view and read

4. Keep your template formatting intact.

When using a downloadable template, be aware that copy-pasting information can ruin the template’s design. Once you download the template to Word, we recommend you always try “pasting without formatting” or patiently type out your resume’s content.

Sometimes, your text might be longer than the filler content on the template. To fit your text into the template, adjust the font size, but do it one single point size at a time.

A typical resume shouldn’t be longer than one page, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of having a small unreadable font. Keep your font size range between 10 and 12 points. Remember, short, concise bullet points are more impactful than long, run-on sentences.

5. Consider adding a photo.

Many contemporary templates offer the option to add a profile photo. Most European countries expect resumes to include a picture of the candidate’s face. However, many corporations in the United States discard resumes with profile photos since it could imply the photo caused a hiring bias.

If your country or industry approves of resumes with profile pictures, follow these guidelines:

• Select a professional facial photo in the exact dimensions and size as the one in the template.
• To replace the photo, double-click the place-holding graphic, and then select “Change Picture” from the pop-up menu. This will open your file system; locate the photo you desire, click it, and hit “Insert.”

6. Include a skills meter.

Skills meters are two-column sections that list skills and, to the right of them, have boxes or other graphics that allow you to select your skill level. They are a great way to show your proficiency in tasks required in your profession. The best way to update a meter on one of our templates is to change the titles to your specific top skills. Then, to change the skill levels, highlight the appropriate area and fill it in with the proper color to demonstrate your skill level.

7. Match your resume template to the company culture.

One way to get your employer’s attention is by matching your resume design to the culture and branding of the company you’re applying to. If you’re applying to a progressive company like Google or Netflix, your resume should show you’re a dynamic, energetic, and creative professional.

If that sounds like your role and industry, any of the templates on this page will be suitable. However, for financial or legal positions, a traditional template is more appropriate.