Basic Resume Templates

Key Tips For Crafting A Simple Resume

Simple resume formats are called “classic” for a reason – their structure hasn’t changed much in the past decade. But… classic does not mean old school.

Classic resumes no longer need to include your fax or home number, and a few other things have become redundant. Look carefully at this list, if you are crafting the basic resume for the first time:

1. Your name and contact information still go at the top. But, because nothing occurs by “snail mail anymore, dump the physical address. Opt for your phone number and email address.
2. The traditional simple resume may have listed career goals at the top. Instead, professional summaries are more commonly used – summaries that highlight your skills and talents succinctly
3. Work history is always chronological, just as in days of old. You begin with the most recent or current position and work backwards.
4. Years ago, it was sufficient, with the classic resume, to simply list job tasks and responsibilities. This has given way to listing accomplishments and results instead. Speak to your successes in each position you held.
5. Forget the unique fonts, colors, etc. You are crafting a traditional document with traditional formatting.
6. Be mindful, too, that this basic resume should be a maximum of two pages
7. Verb tense must be consistent. Use past tense for previous jobs and present tense for your professional summary and current position.
8. Use of keywords is important. Because so many employers are using digital scanning, it will be important to insert those keywords that are found in the job posting. But don’t forget that there are other powerful words you can use that will grab attention

If you wish to use a free Word resume template, make sure that you have fixed all the things outlined above or opted for a “fresh” template.

Why Opt For A Classic Resume

The classic resume is more conservative than other types of resumes, e.g. creative or professional resumes.

So, as you craft a resume with a specific format, think about the organizations to which you are sending that resume. You may indeed use different formats and templates based upon the “culture” of the company or organization to which you are applying. So make sure you did your homework and researched the company in advance!

Typically, employers who want the basic resume are conservative. These will be financial institutions, accounting firms, investment groups, many universities, large insurance companies, some non-profits, and such.

In fact, up to 75%  of recruiters and hiring professionals use some sort of a recruiting or applicant tracking system to assess and pre-screen potential hires. A simple resume template will help you get by that software with ease!

Still not sure whether you should use a simple resume template? Here’s our last bit of advice: get on the employer’s website and browse a bit. Is the language formal? How are the employees dressed in photos? This way you will get a good “feel” for the culture and know whether the classic format is one you should use.

And if it’s a “yes”, go check the free stylish and classic resume templates lined up by our team!