close

45+ Professional Resume Templates, Ideal for a White-Collar Job

professional resume templates

There is always an ongoing discussion among recruiters, employers, HR professionals and resume writing services about what resumes should look like and what they should or should not contain.

What they all agree upon, however, is that the template a job seeker chooses must match both the position he is seeking and the “culture” of the organization to which he is submitting that resume.

If you want to get hired for that lucrative executive position, opt for a clean professional resume template.

So What is a Professional Resume?

First and foremost, let’s define the term “profession”.

In general, it refers to those positions for which higher education is required. Thus, doctors, lawyers, IT specialists, teachers/professors, accountants, engineers, architects, nurses, consultants, journalists, etc. are all considered professionals.


Should all of these people use the elegant or professional resume format? Not necessarily. But many should opt for it.

Why Choose a Professional Resume Template

In a few words, professional resume templates are crafted to highlight your unique skills, education and background.  They “shape” you into a strong candidate – experienced, trained and competent.

An elegant resume also has a higher potential to catch the eye of the decision maker. It helps convey your serious attitude towards the announced position in an aesthetically appealing manner.

Key Elements of a Professional Resume

Many of the elements of a professional resume are those that would be included in any resume format – name and contact information, executive summary, work experience, preferably in reverse chronological order, etc.

job search bundle

But here are some key elements that should also be considered when presenting yourself.

  • You may want to consider dividing your resume into large sections that are placed somewhat horizontally on the page as it progresses. These sections can have large bold titles, so that a reader can easily scan them.
  • Within sections should be bulleted items. Sections might include an executive summary or a profile, work experience, skills, major accomplishments or results (more on that in a minute), education, awards and recognitions, etc.
  • About those accomplishments. One buzzword these days is P-A-R. It stands for Problem-Action-Results. As you craft your work history and/or your achievements, think about ways you can identify a problem which led you to action and to a successful result. This will reveal some solid information about who you are and how you work.
  • Using action verbs is especially important in a professional resume. Terms like “was responsible for” won’t cut it. Instead, “developed a marketing campaign that increased sales by 15%.” That is something an employer can “sink his teeth into.”
  • Don’t forget the need for keywords and intersperse those with solid power words as well – words such as developed, coordinated – along with industry-specific terms.
  • Recent and Relevant Experience Only Please. You may have a progressive history that has shown career growth. But the potential employer is really only interested in the most recent and, more important, the most relevant experience and accomplishments. Pare down that work history and just add a short summary that combines earlier employment.
  • As to formatting. A professional resume allows for greater variety of fonts and styles, and also some use of color. Regarding color, choose muted or darker tones only – navy, maroon, pale purple perhaps, grays.
  • Before you ever craft that final draft of your resume, do some research on the organization. On its website, you will find such things as a mission statement, key industry terms, and some insights into the work culture. These will help you use vocabulary and a language style that will be a better “match.”

But the best advice would be this: consider several professional resume templates before deciding on one that you feel works for you and for each specific position opening!

Have a look at our collection of elegant and professional resume templates down below.

1 2 3 6
Page 1 of 6