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Free resume examples you can edit

Pick the example closest to where you are now, open it in the free builder with one click, and replace each line with your own experience. Every example below is a complete one-page resume with notes on why each section works.

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Resume examples by career stage

Click an example to see it full size, read the section-by-section notes and load it into the builder.

Resume summary examples More than 30 summaries for students, career changers and senior staff in a dozen fields. Add one to your resume in a click. Skills for your resume Hard and soft skills grouped by field, with advice on which ones to list and how to word them.

Which example should you start from?

In high school or looking for your first job

First resume (no experience)

Shows how to fill a page with school, volunteering and informal work.

In college, applying for internships or summer jobs

Student resume

Education first, then campus jobs, lab work and class projects.

Just graduated, applying for your first full-time role

Fresher resume

An internship, academic projects and marks, laid out the way graduate recruiters expect.

A teacher, or moving into teaching

Teacher resume

Licenses up front and classroom results with real numbers.

How to use a resume example without copying it

An example is a map, not a script. Recruiters see the same stock phrases every day, and a resume that sounds borrowed gets skimmed. Use the examples for three things only:

  1. 1. The order of the sections

    Students put education first because it is their strongest qualification. Experienced teachers put licenses and classroom results first. Copy the order that matches your situation, not the one that looks nicest.

  2. 2. The shape of each bullet point

    Each bullet in the examples starts with a verb, says what you did and ends with a number or a result: "Trained 5 new baristas using a checklist I wrote" rather than "Responsible for training". Keep that shape and fill it with your own facts.

  3. 3. What to leave out

    None of the examples list "hardworking team player", a full street address or "References available upon request". If a line would fit on anyone's resume, it is not helping yours.

What US employers expect on a resume

These examples follow common US and Canadian practice. Applying in the UK, Europe, Africa or India? The CV examples page explains what changes.

  • One page for students and anyone with less than about ten years of experience. Two pages only when every line earns its place.
  • US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 in). CompleteCV switches between Letter and A4 in the Customize tab.
  • No photo, date of birth, marital status or Social Security number. US employers avoid them to stay clear of discrimination claims.
  • Most recent job first (reverse-chronological), with month and year for each date.
  • A two- to four-line summary at the top, not an "objective" that only says what you want.
  • Leave references off the page. Have two or three ready for when the employer asks.

Three things that get resumes rejected early

  • Typos in the first few lines, especially your own email address.
  • A job title on the resume that does not match the job you applied for.
  • Duties copied from a job description instead of what you actually achieved.
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Frequently asked questions

Are these resume examples free to use?

Yes. Every example opens in the CompleteCV builder with one click, and you can edit it, change the template and download a PDF for free. There is no watermark, and you just need a free account to download.

Can I copy a resume example word for word?

Use the structure and the style of the bullet points, but replace the content with your own facts. Recruiters read many resumes and spot generic text quickly, and an interviewer will ask about anything on the page.

What happens to my current resume if I load an example?

If you already have a resume saved in this browser, the builder asks before replacing it, and you can cancel. To keep a copy, use Export in the builder to download a backup file first.

Is a resume the same as a CV?

In the US and Canada a resume is a short one- or two-page summary for job applications, and a CV is a longer academic record. In the UK, Europe, Africa and India, "CV" is the everyday word for what Americans call a resume. See our CV examples page for those conventions.

Which template should I use?

For most US applications, a clean single-column template reads well on screen and in applicant tracking systems. Each example page lists templates that suit that kind of resume, and you can switch templates at any time without retyping anything.

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