Try a Popular, Free, and Downloadable CV Template
Don’t know where to start? Try out a CV template from our most popular selections. These templates are great for any situation that requires a CV.
Make sure to browse all of our CV templates, and use them with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or save time, and use Hloom’s builder.
Popular Free Downloadable CV Templates
Free Modern CV Templates
Free Creative CV Templates
Basic and Simple CV templates
A simple and basic CV template can sometimes be the best choice. If you are applying for a position in a more serious field, such as law or accounting, these formats will help you establish yourself as a preeminent candidate.
Contempo
This black and white CV template is as simple as it can get, with the contact information on the top-right corner to draw the eye to it. Someone like an HR manager could go for this template to highlight their interpersonal and professional skills in multiple sections and add a conference attendance section to showcase continuing education.
Use this TemplateDistinguished
A minimalist dotted line to separate the header from the rest of the CV sections is the only detail in this basic template. A registered nurse can opt for this curriculum vitae template and integrate additional skills sections plus a community outreach section to stand out from the applicant pool.
Use this TemplateQualified
This one-column CV template has a minimal pop of color in the form of bullet points on the header. This sleek feel could work for an accountant, who might want to add various skills sections for bookkeeping and tax filing skills.
Use this TemplateFree Simple and Basic CV Templates
CV Templates for Academia, Medical, Scientific, and Federal Jobs
Although CVs are less common in the U.S. job market, there are some career tracks where employers expect to see a curriculum vitae. A CV offers a deeper insight into your professional interests and strengths, which is crucial for certain professions. If you find yourself in this situation, then a downloadable CV template is a great resource to use.
Academic CV Template
Careers in traditional academic institutions such as four-year colleges often require a CV, especially if you’re pursuing a competitive tenure-track position. The dedicated teaching experience section, conference presentations and attendance section and publications section provide more information about your academic credentials than a simple one-page resume.
Use this TemplateMedical CV Template
Professionals in the medical field such as doctors, nurses, therapists and more usually boast an extensive education and experience. In a competitive job market, a resume with limited sections won't impact as much as a CV that highlights research experience, conference presentations, community outreach and professional affiliations.
Use this TemplateFederal CV Template
Unlike the previously mentioned career paths, federal jobs don’t explicitly ask for a CV. These applications ask for federal resumes that share a similar format to a CV while requiring many of the same personal details you find on the Europass CV.
Use this TemplateHow To Use Our CV Templates
- Add custom sections: In addition to the standard CV sections, you must add custom sections to showcase all your relevant professional information. The CV is a document where you should let your personality and interests shine through. Take the liberty to mention special projects, volunteer work or even hobbies. Learn about all the potential CV sections you can include , with our CV writing guide.
- Tailor it to your desired role: Despite a CV being more flexible regarding the amount and type of information you can share, you should always carefully choose the information to fit the desired job's requirements. Don't simply talk about yourself; study the job description and tailor your skills, achievements and other experiences to match the employer’s needs for the role.
- Diversify your skills: One of the benefits of using a CV is that you can have multiple skills sections to fully showcase your diverse skill set. Make sure you have a balanced mix of soft, hard and technical skills.
- Include quantifiable achievements: When listing your work history, research experience or teaching experience, you should add a couple of bullet points per role that describe impressive accomplishments. Maximize this information by adding quantifiable metrics, such as percentage increases in team productivity, the number of colleagues managed, or the number of successful experiments.
- Check for grammatical errors: A CV can be a lengthy document, and it's not uncommon to miss a typo or grammatical error. Use a spell-checker, like the one in our Builder, or have a professional copywriter revise your CV before you submit it.
CV Resources
We hand-picked our most popular cv templates because of their sleek designs, easy customization and versatility for any role or industry.
How to write a CV: Learn what is a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and how to write one with our simple guide and templates.
CV Examples: Browse our collection of over 100 curriculum vitae templates you can use for any role, international job opportunity, or academic position.
CV Template FAQ
The best CV template to use is one that is easy to fill in your information and easy to read. Our free and premium templates are some of the best you will find for these very resumes. Within minutes you can customize a personal CV to meet your needs.
To write a CV with a template, you need to make sure you customize it with your personal and professional information. Additionally, you can move sections around, or delete ones entirely, based on your objectives. A CV template is simply a guiding format that saves you time, but do not feel like you need to strictly follow its setup.
Yes, CV templates are absolutely good to use and are acceptable by most employers. This is because a CV template is an effective use of planning and execution, which are skills highly valued in many organisations.
The average length of a CV is two to three pages, although your document might be longer or shorter depending on your information. You might have a longer list of publications or more research experience, which would make your CV significantly longer. Unlike the resume, which should never exceed two pages unless you have more than 20 years of experience or are applying for an executive position, the CV doesn’t have strict page requirements.
As you can see, the CV has far more specialized sections than a standard U.S. resume. However, you shouldn’t include irrelevant information in your CV. Although a CV has additional sections dedicated to professional work, academic research, and teaching experience, this does not mean you should include every job or task you’ve held. Much like the resume, you should only include information relevant to a job’s role and responsibilities.
Unlike a standard U.S. resume, a CV includes multiple sections that offer you more opportunities to shine. You should include the following skills in your CV sections.
- Key skills: Include soft skills such as communication, negotiation, and organizational skills in this section, as well as hard skills related to your desired role.
- Research skills: Include research project skills such as data collection, sample management or preservation, and observational skills.
- Language skills: Include every language you’re familiar with and rate your fluency based on your speaking, reading, and writing proficiency.
- Digital skills: Include technical skills such as knowledge of HTML or programming languages, basic IT skills, or advanced certifications such as Kanban or Scrum.
Although CV and resume formats do share some similarities, they are drastically different. The resume is a shorter, compact document that is highly popular and widely used in the U.S. The CV is longer, more detailed, and is widely used in international job searches, with a few exceptions to some U.S.-based jobs in academia, medicine, and scientific research.
Citations
- Olvia Crosby, “Resume, Applications, and Cover Letters,” Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 2009, https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2009/summer/art03.pdf.
- University of California, Davis, “Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae: What's the Difference?” June 2023, https://icc.ucdavis.edu/materials/resume/resumecv.