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Easy Steps & Tricks to Make a Resume on Google Docs

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 2,965 times.

Did you know Google Docs has built-in resume templates? This wikiHow article will teach you how to make a resume in Google Docs manually or by using a template. It will also give you tips for creating an effective resume.

Things You Should Know

• Google Docs has 5 built-in resume templates that are quick and easy to use.
• Resumes usually include your name, contact information, summary/objective, education, personal history, and list of relevant skills.
• Personalize your resume for every job to include different keywords that might catch the eye of a hiring manager.

Using a Template

• Choose the one that most closely represents the information in your resume.
• For example, Coral might be the most simple-looking template, but it makes skimming your resume easier for recruiters especially if you have a lot of skills or experience.
• Modern writer looks like an assortment of fonts that could be on a typewriter, so this resume is probably good for any writing jobs.
• Spearmint is purely professional and is an excellent choice for showing off your previous work history.
• Swiss is very scannable and may catch the eye of a hiring manager or recruiter faster than the others.
• If none of these templates are what you are looking for, you can download additional templates from the web. Be sure the templates are from a trusted source before downloading.

• You shouldn't have to worry about formatting since all relevant formatting options are saved in the template.

Manually Making a Google Doc Resume

• To break your skills into two columns and save space, highlight your skills after you've written them out, then go to Format > Columns and then select the number of columns you want for that section.
• While this is a very basic resume, you can change the font sizes, colors, and style to suit your needs. You can also change the formatting of the page or the alignments of the sections to change how your resume looks.

Tips & Tricks

• To share your document, click Share in the top right corner of the page.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://support.google.com/docs/answer/148833?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en&oco=1z

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How to Make a Resume on Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a resume might seem daunting, but with Google Docs, it’s a breeze! Google Docs is a free, web-based application where you can create, edit, and store documents and spreadsheets. You can access it from any computer with an internet connection and a web browser. In just a few steps, you can have a professional-looking resume ready to impress potential employers.

Step by Step Tutorial: Making a Resume on Google Docs

Before we dive into the steps, remember that making a resume on Google Docs will require you to have a Google account. Once you have that set up and you’re logged in, you’ll be creating a new document, choosing a template, and filling in your information.

Step 1: Open Google Docs

Go to docs.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

When you arrive at Google Docs, you’ll see a blank page or the option to choose a template. If it’s your first time, you might want to take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout. The menu bar at the top gives you access to all the tools you’ll need.

Step 2: Choose a Resume Template

Click on ‘Template Gallery’ and scroll down to the ‘Resumes’ section.

Google provides several resume templates, and you can pick one that suits your style and the job you’re applying for. Take your time to preview a few options before you decide. Remember, the content of your resume is what matters most, but a good design can help it stand out.

Step 3: Fill In Your Information

Replace the placeholder text with your personal and professional information.

This step is where you get to talk about how awesome you are! Be sure to include your contact information, work experience, education, skills, and any awards or recognitions you’ve received. Keep it concise and relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Step 4: Customize Your Resume

Adjust the fonts, colors, and layout to your preference.

Google Docs allows you to personalize your resume to reflect your personality. However, don’t get too carried away. Professionalism is key, so stick to clean fonts and colors that are easy on the eyes.

Step 5: Proofread and Save

Double-check for any spelling or grammatical errors, then save your document by clicking ‘File’ > ‘Download’ > ‘PDF’.

This might be the most important step. Typos and mistakes can be a turnoff for employers, so review your resume multiple times. Once you’re confident it’s error-free, save it as a PDF to preserve the formatting.

After completing these steps, you’ll have a sleek, professional resume ready to send out to potential employers. Remember, the content of your resume is what will really sell your skills and experience, so make sure it’s strong and compelling.

Tips for Making a Resume on Google Docs

• Keep your resume to one page, especially if you’re new to the job market.
• Use bullet points to make your experience and accomplishments easy to read.
• Include keywords from the job description in your resume to get past automated screening tools.
• Make sure your contact information is up to date and professional—no silly email addresses!
• Ask a friend or mentor to review your resume for feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i find the resume templates in google docs.

Go to the Template Gallery, and you’ll find resume templates listed under the ‘Resumes’ section.

Can I edit my resume on different devices?

Yes, Google Docs saves your documents in the cloud, so you can access and edit your resume on any device with internet access.

Is Google Docs the best tool for making a resume?

Google Docs is a great tool because it’s free and easy to use. There are other options out there, but for most people, Google Docs will do the trick.

Can I share my resume directly from Google Docs?

Absolutely! You can share it by email or with a shareable link right from Google Docs.

What if I need help with my resume content?

There are plenty of online resources and services that offer resume writing and review assistance.

• Open Google Docs
• Choose a Resume Template
• Fill In Your Information
• Customize Your Resume
• Proofread and Save

There you have it, a straightforward guide on how to make a resume on Google Docs. Remember, crafting a resume is all about presenting the best version of yourself on paper. It’s your one-page opportunity to showcase why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. While Google Docs offers a convenient and user-friendly platform, it’s the content that you add which makes the difference. So, take your time to tailor your resume for each application, highlight your achievements, and always proofread before sending it off. With a little effort and creativity, you’ll be landing your dream job in no time!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

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How to Make a Professional Resume in Google Docs

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The internet is full of resume templates , ranging from free to professional templates with both ugly and great ones in each category. While there are also templates for Google Docs available, there is no better feeling than creating something from scratch and on your own.

Regardless of what you may have heard, Google Docs has plenty of features to make beautiful, modern documents with. It's the perfect too to use to build your next resume with. 

In this tutorial, I'll show you how make a resume in Google Docs with a professional design. We'll make a great looking resume from scratch, and cover an easy to follow workflow from start to finish. Before we begin, you can  preview the final resume design  that we'll be creating. 

Do note that since Google Docs is a web app, you'll need to be online in any modern browser—I'd recommend Google Chrome —to complete this tutorial.

1. Start Your Google Docs Resume With a Header

To create a resume with Google Docs, first open your internet browser and go to https://docs.google.com . If you do not have a Google account, you will need to create one—it's free, and will just take a few seconds to signup.

Once you're signed in, open Google Docs and start with a new blank document ( File > New > Document ). If you plan to print this document later, it may be a good idea to select File > Page Setup and set the paper size to A4 or Letter depending on your location. The difference in the actual size is quite minor, but it can cause problems when printing. You can keep the margins default to 1 inch on every side.

When designing this Google Docs resume, we will go from the top to the bottom of the page, which means that the first thing will be the header. It will include your name and the address (and optionally other contacts such as email, your personal website, or social media profiles like Twitter). 

We want to have the name and the address next to each other,  Google Docs supports up to three columns in a document, but for this resume project we need more. Just like in the good old days of early web design, we will use tables to accomplish this task

Select menu Insert > Table and select table size 2x1 as shown on the screenshot below.

Right after inserting a table, grab the middle divider between the cells and move it more to the right to make the second column much smaller. The actual size is not that important as we will most likely tweak it later.

Type the name into the first cell, and the address into the second one. Select both cells and change the font to Droid Sans from the font drop-down menu.

It would be great to have your name in some more distinctive font, but the default list is intended for body text. To gain access to more fonts, open the font dropdown menu again and select the  More fonts  option.

On the drop-down menu that opens, the list of available fonts is much larger. Select, for example, the  Arvo font, and click OK to add it into the font drop-down menu. 

With so many nice-looking fonts, you may want to add more than just one, but remember that it is better to keep the font count to a minimum. For our resume, two fonts will be enough—one for the heading and one for the body text. We can still use different sizes, colors, and bold or italic variants.

Change the font for the name to the Arvo and increase the size to 30 pt from the font size drop-down menu.

To make the second line more visible, set the font to Arvo as well and make it Bold . Now both lines have almost the same width, which looks nice. Note: You can tweak the font size to get it perfect for your name and title though.

Since we already have text in a second cell, we can change its size so that the right edge of the text is aligned with the right side of the page. This will create a visual guideline even when we get rid of the table borders later.

Now select the whole table, and then select Table > Table properties .

In the dialog box, set the Tableborder to 0 pt , to make the borders invisible.

Here is how our Google Docs resume looks so far. We have two columns of text:

Let's continue with  how to make a resume on Google Docs, moving on to design additional sections of your resume.

2. Insert a Horizontal Line Divider Below the Header

To visually separate the header from the rest of the page, we'll now add a divider. We can simply select Insert > Horizontal line , but there is no way to customize this line. We have to use a different method instead.

Here's another method of how to make a horizontal line in Google Docs. Instead we'll select Insert > Special characters , and select Geometric Shapes . 

This section contains a lot of characters for creating tables which we will use later, together with lines in various widths. Select symbol Lower One Eight Block , click Insert , and copy paste this character using the  Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V shortcuts to fill the entire line.

Once you have enough symbols, select them and change the font color to Light Cornflower Blue 1 from the color drop-down menu. Try to remember this colors name, as we will use the very same color for the more elements later.

3. Insert Your Google Docs Resume Body

Now we'll move onto the next step of how to make a resume in Google Docs and focus on the body. For the body of your resume, we also need two columns. The technique is still the same—select Insert > Table and set it to 2x1 size.

We do not want the table to affect the margins. Select Table > Table properties , and in the dialog, set the Cell padding to 0 . This way we still get two columns, but no extra space around from the inside.

4. How to Add a Work Experience Section

Keep the text cursor in the first cell of the newly created table, and add another table inside this table. This table will be used to display your work experience. Select Insert > Table , and this time, set the size to 3x4 cells. Why this size? 

The three columns will be used for each work experience to display year, helper graphics and an actual text. We need four rows for four different jobs. You may create more or less rows depending on your needs.

As you can see below, we have a smaller table inside a larger one. Before adjusting this small table, it may be a good idea to add a caption. Simply type the word “ Experience ”, and change the font to Arvo , sized 14 pt .

If you already have your resume text prepared, you can copy and paste it into this table. If not, it may be a good time to think about what to include in your Google Docs resume. From resume design templates to step-by-step guides of what to include on your resume— our Envato Tuts+ series on creating resumes has plenty of tutorials to help.

In some rare cases, you may have your old resume printed without the source file available. In that case, be sure to check the tutorial:

When typing or copying the text, the first column should contain the time period and the third column should be filled with the description of the work.The middle column should stay empty for now.

As usual, select the whole table, then  Table > Table properties , and set the Cell padding to 0 . This way there will be no extra space inside, but we still have three columns of text.

Drag the borders in between the cells to make the right column as big as possible, to make sure we keep the whole table only on the first page. The middle column can be quite small, as shown on the picture below:

Now it's a perfect time to look at the middle column more closely. We want to have a timeline, with a marker for each date. The timeline should be made of lines, where the markers could be big plus symbols.

Google Docs allows you to insert a drawing, but we would have to update it for each cell, since they have different heights. A much better solution would be to use special symbols. Select Insert > Special characters .

In the dialog box, select Geometric Shapes , and locate the line and cross symbols. Insert them into the middle column—if you look closely at the screenshot below, the text cursor is in the middle cell.

Keep only one instance of the cross symbol, but copy and paste the line multiple times until this middle cell is larger than the right one. To have the lines without any additional spacing and next to each other, select  Line Spacing and set it to Single .

If you have very small gaps between the lines, they are caused by the different font renderings. They will not be presented in a final PDF file. However, they do not look good in here. One way to solve this issue is to select those symbols and set them to Bold .

As mentioned above, keep in mind that the visual appearance of the final PDF file may look slightly different than what you see on the screen. Those tiny gaps between the lines are a perfect example. 

If you want to be sure the resume output file will look perfect, you can quickly export a .pdf file using File > Download as > PDF Document and check the visual appearance during the creation. What's great about a PDF file is that it will look exactly the same on any device, using any viewer application.

Our timeline looks good, but it's maybe too visible. We can select all the line symbols, and change the color to light gray, using the text color drop-down menu.

Once we are satisfied with the result, we can copy and paste those symbols into all cells in the middle column. Using a menu on the top, set a Center align for the middle column, and a Right align for the left column.

For the first line of each work experience, we can change the font to Bold Droid Sans and set the same blue color as we have used for the divider on the top of the page.

Here is how our Google Docs resume looks so far. We keep the borders of the tables visible to make the editing easier, but once we're done, make them invisible just like we did for the header.

5. Insert a Right Column For Your Education and Profile

It looks like we still a bit of work ahead, but the right side will be much quicker, as we'll reuse some parts already created. Now select the whole left part of the table and copy it into the clipboard using the Ctrl-C  (Command C on a Mac) shortcut.

Move the cursor into the right cell, and paste it using the Ctrl-V shortcut.

Change the label above the table to “ Education ”, and insert or type in the appropriate data. In our example, I have used only the first two rows. For that reason, I have selected the content of the other two rows, and deleted the text using the Delete key. However, the cells are still there.

Keep the rows selected, and select the  Table > Delete row function.

Finally, we can copy and paste the caption above the table one more time, change it to “ Profile ” and add some plain text as shown below:

6. Add a Space in Between the Columns

For this step in how to make a resume in Google Docs we'll add another section and fix a spacing issue.

Looking at the Google Docs resume preview above, you may realize that the space between the work experience table and profile text is very small. It would be great to know this right from the beginning, but even now, the update should not take a long time.

Place the cursor somewhere over the “ Experience ” label, and select Table > Insert column right . Warning: do not be scared, this will temporarily ruin the layout, as we'll cover how to fix that.

We indeed have three columns, but the middle one is too big and the other two are too small.

Drag the borders on each side of the middle column to make it smaller, just like shown in the picture below (now everything looks perfect.):  

Select the work experience table, and select Table > Table properties . In here, set the Table border to 0 pt to make it invisible. Repeat the process for both the education table and the main table.

7. Add a Divider on the Bottom of the Page

The very last touch is to add a thicker divider on the bottom of the page. This time we'll use a different method.

Select Insert > Table and select table sized 1x1 cells.

Open the table properties, set the Table border to 0 pt , Cell background color to blue and Cell padding to 0 .

To change the table height, simply adjust the font size inside this table. Make it as small as possible, which is 6 pt . You may have to type 6 into the font box, since the drop-down menu options start at 8.

And that´s it! Zoom out your document to see the whole page and double check everything:

8. How to Export the Document as a PDF File

Once you are satisfied with your result, name your document. Then, select File > Download as > PDF Document , and save the file to your computer.

Or, if you'd rather export in other formats, check out our tutorial:

If you do save the resume in another format, though, be sure to open it on your computer to make sure it looks the same as it did in Google Docs. To discover which resume format is best, review the Tuts+ article:

The second option is to directly share the file which you have created. For more information about this topic, be sure to check the tutorial:

With a professional resume design in hand, now all that's left is to send it off to the employer of your dreams. Good luck on landing the new position you apply to. 

Now that we've explained how to make a resume in Google Docs, you're ready to go.

The tutorial ends here, but you should not. Try to experiment a little bit. What about using a different font, colors  or dot symbol instead of the cross? Those changes can make your resume unique looking, and they are very easy to do. Go for it and be sure to post your creations in the comments!

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in 2014. It has been comprehensively revised to make current, accurate, and up to date by our staff—with special assistance from Laura Spencer .

How to use the Google Docs résumé template to create and edit a professional document for job applications

• Google Docs offers five résumé templates, making it simple to personalize a résumé while using a standard, professional layout.
• To get started, open Google Docs and click Template gallery, then click the template you want to use as the basis for your résumé.
• You can choose a template and create a résumé using the Google Docs mobile app as well. 

There are a lot of resources at your disposal when you need to create a résumé . You can use the templates that accompany Microsoft Word, for example, or try one of the many free or paid résumé builders online.

If you frequently use Google Docs, though, the simplest solution might simply be to make your résumé there. Google includes five résumé templates in Google Docs — here's how to use them.

There are five résumé templates in Google Docs offering a broad variety of résumé styles. Here is how to choose a résumé template and make a résumé in Google Docs.

How to use the Google Docs résumé template on a computer

1. Open Google Docs in a web browser and make sure you are logged into your Google account.

2. On the Google Docs home page, click Template gallery in the top-right corner, to the right of Start a new document . 

3. Browse for the row marked Resumes . Here you'll find five résumé formats. You can see what each one likes in thumbnail form. To get a closer look at the résumé (or just start working), click the résumé.

When you select a résumé template, Google Docs makes a copy of the template and opens it as a new document titled Resume. You can now personalize it by editing the document as you would edit any document. Be careful to keep the template's formatting intact, though.The easiest way to do that is to work on one small block of text at a time — you can select a small block of text and replace it with your own personalized copy. If you accidentally select too much text and wipe out some of the template's unique formatting, just click the Undo button in the toolbar. 

How to use the Google Docs résumé template on a mobile device

It's a lot more convenient to create a résumé on a computer — the screen is bigger and it's easier to enter a lot of text. But if you want or need to work on a mobile device, Google makes that easy to do. 

1. Start the Google Docs app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap the New Document button (it looks like a plus sign).

3. In the pop-up, tap Choose template .

4. Browse for the row marked Resumes . Here you'll find the same five résumé formats that are available in a browser on the computer. When you find the one you want, tap it.  

Google Docs makes a copy of the résumé template and opens it as a new document titled Resume. You can now start editing and personalizing it. 

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How to Make a Resume on Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction to Google Docs for Resume Creation

In the modern job market, crafting a professional resume is crucial for making a strong first impression. One effective tool for this task is Google Docs. Using Google Docs for resume creation offers numerous benefits, making it an ideal choice for job seekers. Its ease of access, user-friendly interface, and robust collaboration features position it as a powerful tool for both beginners and experienced users alike.

One of the significant advantages of Google Docs is its accessibility. As a cloud-based application, it allows you to create, edit, and share your resume from any device with an internet connection. This means you can work on your resume whether you are at home, in a coffee shop, or even on the go. Furthermore, you can easily share your resume with others for feedback or collaboration, streamlining the process of gathering input and making revisions.

Google Docs also comes with a variety of free resume templates, which can be a valuable starting point. These templates are professionally designed, ensuring that your resume looks polished and organized. Whether you are just entering the job market or looking to advance your career, these templates can help you create a resume that stands out. Additionally, the intuitive interface of Google Docs makes it easy to customize these templates to suit your specific needs and preferences.

For those who are new to resume writing, Google Docs provides a straightforward and accessible platform to get started. Its features are designed to be user-friendly, allowing you to focus on the content of your resume without getting bogged down by technical details. For more experienced users, Google Docs offers advanced formatting options and the ability to integrate with other Google Workspace tools, enhancing the overall functionality and efficiency of the resume creation process.

In summary, Google Docs is a smart choice for job seekers looking to create a professional resume. Its accessibility, collaboration features, and free templates make it a versatile and convenient tool, suitable for users at all levels of experience. By leveraging the benefits of Google Docs, you can streamline the resume creation process and increase your chances of making a positive impression on potential employers.

Setting Up Your Google Docs for Resume Writing

Creating a polished and professional resume on Google Docs is a straightforward process that begins with setting up your workspace. To start, you need to access Google Docs. If you already have a Google account, simply log in and navigate to Google Docs through the Google apps menu. If you do not have a Google account, you will need to sign up for one, which is a quick and free process.

Once you are in Google Docs, click on the “Template Gallery” option at the top of the page. Here, you’ll find a variety of resume templates specifically designed to cater to different professional needs. Selecting a template from this gallery can save you a significant amount of time compared to starting from scratch. Choose a template that reflects a professional and clean design, as this will make a strong impression on potential employers.

If you prefer to create your resume from scratch, click on “Blank” to open a new, empty document. Starting with a blank document gives you the flexibility to design your resume exactly as you want it. However, using a template is generally recommended for those who are not as comfortable with document formatting.

Customization is key to making your resume stand out. Whether you choose a template or start from scratch, personalize your resume to fit your individual style and the specific job you are applying for. Change the fonts, colors, and layout to ensure your resume is unique and eye-catching, but maintain a professional appearance. Avoid using overly decorative fonts or bright colors that could distract from the content.

By following these initial steps and taking advantage of Google Docs ‘ user-friendly interface, you can create a resume that is both professional and personalized, setting the stage for a successful job application process.

Essential Sections to Include in Your Google Docs Resume

Creating a resume on Google Docs allows you to take advantage of its user-friendly interface and a variety of formatting tools. To ensure your resume is comprehensive and professional, it is crucial to include the following key sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills, and Additional Information. Each section serves a unique purpose and should be formatted effectively to enhance readability and presentation.

Contact Information

Begin your resume with your contact information. This should include your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable). Ensure that this information is easily accessible at the top of the document. Use bold text for your name to make it stand out and keep the formatting consistent for the other details.

Professional Summary

The professional summary is a brief statement that highlights your key qualifications and career objectives. It should be concise, typically between 2-3 sentences, and tailored to the specific job you are applying for. Use this section to capture the employer’s attention by summarizing your most relevant skills and experiences.

Work Experience

This section is crucial as it details your employment history. List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. For each position, include the job title, company name, location, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements, focusing on quantifiable results and relevant skills. Utilize bold text to highlight job titles and company names to enhance readability.

In the education section, list your academic qualifications in reverse chronological order. Include the degree obtained, institution name, location, and graduation date. If you have notable academic achievements, such as honors or awards, mention them here. For recent graduates, this section may be placed above the work experience if your educational background is more relevant to the job.

The skills section should showcase your relevant abilities and proficiencies. Use bullet points to list both hard and soft skills that are pertinent to the job you are applying for. Focus on skills that set you apart from other candidates and align with the job description. Group similar skills together to maintain clarity and organization.

Additional Information

This optional section can include certifications, languages spoken, volunteer work, or professional memberships. Each piece of information should be relevant and add value to your application. Use bullet points to list these items, and consider using bold text for headings or key details to make this section stand out.

By carefully organizing and formatting these sections in your Google Docs resume, you can create a polished and effective document that leaves a lasting impression on potential employers.

Finalizing and Sharing Your Google Docs Resume

Once you have completed drafting your resume on Google Docs, the next crucial steps involve finalizing and sharing it. Begin by meticulously proofreading your document to ensure there are no grammatical errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Accurate and professional presentation is paramount; thus, ensure all information is current and correctly formatted. This step is vital as even minor errors can detract from your professionalism.

Leverage Google Docs’ collaboration features to get valuable feedback from peers or mentors. You can easily share your resume by clicking the “Share” button and entering the email addresses of individuals whose opinions you trust. Allow them to comment or suggest edits, which can be instrumental in refining your document. Constructive feedback can highlight areas you may have overlooked and provide insights on how to enhance the overall quality of your resume.

After incorporating feedback and making any necessary adjustments, you have several options for sharing your completed resume. One of the most common methods is downloading the resume as a PDF. To do this, navigate to “File” > “Download” > “PDF Document (.pdf).” This format ensures your resume maintains its formatting across different devices and platforms.

Alternatively, you can share a view-only link directly from Google Docs. This method is particularly useful if you need to send your resume quickly or to multiple recipients. To create a view-only link, click on the “Share” button, then “Get link,” and adjust the settings to “Anyone with the link can view.” Copy and paste this link into your email or application form.

If a printed copy is required, simply select “File” > “Print” or use the “Ctrl + P” shortcut. Ensure your printer settings are configured correctly to avoid any formatting issues.

Finally, remember that your resume should be a living document. Regularly update it with new skills, experiences, and achievements. Tailor it for each job application to better align with the specific requirements of the position you are applying for. By keeping your resume polished and relevant, you enhance your chances of making a strong impression on potential employers.

The article was compiled by the AnHome Tech Support Team !

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Ready to start a new career? Simply looking to create an updated resume? Making a job resume is super simple when using a tool like Google Docs.

Here, we'll guide you through the elements you need for your resume and how to make a simple resume inside Google Docs.

How to Make a Resume: The Elements You Need

Google Docs is an easy-to-use word processing tool you can use to make a simple yet clean resume. However, although the resume you'll create here is simple and quick, there's always room for you to make it your own.

No matter how you design your resume , here are the basic elements it should have:

• Name and contact info: You'll want to include your full name as well as your contact info, including phone number, address, and email address.
• Summary: This is a short description (2-3 sentences) that explains how you're the right choice for the type of positions you're applying for. It should quickly highlight your skills and experience.
• Education: You'll want to highlight your educational background, including the schools you've attended and when (a year range will work just fine).
• Work experience: In this section, you'll explain your work experience, including the positions you've held, each employer (if applicable), and your responsibilities in each role.
• Skills: You should highlight your skills on your resume that apply to the types of roles you're applying for. These may include anything from typing skills to languages spoken.

Ready to get started? First, you'll need to open a new Google document. Then, follow these steps to start creating your new resume.

1. Add Your Name & Contact Info

First, we're going to add your name and contact info to the top of the resume. There are many ways to do this, but we're going to keep it simple.

Start by typing your name and then hit enter (or return). Then, type your phone number, address, and email address, each separated by two spaces and a forward slash.

Then, center align your text. You'll want to change the size of the font of your name to make it stand out. A font size of 20 is a great place to be.

To make sure everything fits on one page, you can change the line spacing to single. Simply select Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Single .

2. Write Your Summary

Underneath your name and contact info is the perfect place for your summary. Simply go down a couple of lines and add it in. For this example, keep your summary center aligned.

If you're struggling to write your summary, remember to keep it simple. Focus on your top strength. A couple of lines is all you need, so don't overthink it.

3. Create an Education Section

Next, you'll want to add in your education. Go down a few lines and create an “Education” header. The Header 2 size inside Google Docs works great.

Underneath that, type out the name of the school, your degree (if applicable), and the years you attended. How you format this is completely up to you.

Keep creating new lines until you add in all of your education.

4. Create a Work Experience Section

For this section, you'll want to create a new header just you did before. However, for the following text, left align for cleaner formatting.

Start a new line, left-aligned, and add in your most recent job title or role. Bold that role, add a comma, and then add in the employer or company name.

Underneath that, add in the years you spent in that position. Go down a couple of lines and start a bulleted list. Here, you'll explain your key responsibilities in the role.

We recommend keeping this to 2-3 bullets, so you have plenty of space for additional experience.

5. Finish With Your Skills

Add a header just like you did in the other steps, a couple of lines under your experience. Then, center align and add in your skills.

If you want to make this look a bit more polished and save space, you can cut your skills into columns. To do so, highlight your list of skills and select Format > Columns . Then, select two or three columns, depending on how many skills you have listed.

That's it! Now you have a simple resume that's ready to share. Of course, you can make edits and play around with the formatting until you're happy with the result.

Most employers will appreciate a PDF version of your resume during review. Luckily, Google Docs makes it easy to download your resume as a PDF. Simply select File > Download > PDF Document .

Try a Resume Template

If you want to avoid making a new resume from scratch, you can do so by using a Google Docs template. On your Google Docs home screen under Templates, you'll find several built right in.

Simply select one and get to creating. If you want something else, do a quick search for “Google Docs resume templates” in Google. You'll find hundreds you can download and use.

Take Your Resume to the Next Level

Want to deliver a showstopping resume to our potential employer? All you need are a few more tips. Luckily, we have more insights to share to ensure you stand out from the crowd of applicants.

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How To Make a Resume in Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the free Google Workspace, and it is a popular tool for creating resumes. You can either use one of the five templates provided by Google Docs, download or purchase a template from another source, or create your resume without using a template.

This article will cover whether you should use Google Docs to create your resume, how to do so with a template or by creating your resume from scratch, and some tips for creating the best possible resume.

Should You Create a Resume in Google Docs?

There are pros and cons to using Google Docs to create a resume. As far as pros, it’s free, easy to use, has built-in templates, and you can access your resume from any computer with internet since all documents are stored on Google Drive. You can also play around with fonts , colors, columns, and so forth quite easily.

However, the free template options within Google Docs are limited, so it can be difficult to create a truly unique resume unless you significantly customize your resume. Also, the program is technically a word processor that isn’t strictly designed for the purpose of resume creation. One other limiting factor is that you can only create columns of equal width, so you would not be able to make a resume that has one narrow column and one wide column, unless you use one of the pre-made templates .

Google Docs also doesn’t necessarily generate resumes that are ATS -optimized, and it can take a lot of time to switch between templates (since you’ll need to re-enter your information into each template).

As an alternative to Google Docs, Jobseeker offers a resume builder tool that includes a library of polished, ATS-optimized templates that are easily customizable. It’s simple to swap between layouts and templates with a single click, and you can download your professional resume instantly when you are happy with it.

However, if you prefer to stick with Google Docs, you can definitely still create a strong resume. Here’s how:

How To Use a Google Docs Resume Template

You can either use a native Google Docs template or import one:

Step 1: Choose a Template

To use a Google Docs template, log in to your Google account, open Google Drive, and click ‘new.’ Then mouse over the arrow next to ‘Google Docs’ and click ‘From a Template.’ You can then select one of the five built-in resume templates: Coral, Modern Writer, Spearmint, Serif, or Swiss. Select the one that you like the best and remember that if you want to change templates later, you will need to re-enter all of your data in the new template.

You can also download or purchase a Google Docs resume template from the internet, and follow the instructions that come with the template to get it imported into Google Docs.

Step 2: Fill In Your Resume Header

Once you’ve decided on your resume template, you can begin entering your information. Start with your header, which should contain your full name, your email address and phone number, and LinkedIn URL. You can also include your mailing address or general location information as well as links to other social media and/or an online portfolio if applicable.

Most templates will have these fields built in, but if you want to include multiple links you may need to adjust the formatting.

Step 3: Write Your Resume Summary or Resume Objective

Next, add your job title and your resume summary or resume objective , depending on your situation. A resume summary is best if you have at least some professional experience, while a resume objective is suitable for recent graduates, students, or those otherwise entering the professional workforce for the first time.

Your resume summary or objective should serve to capture a hiring manager’s interest and persuade them to continue reading the rest of your resume.

Step 4: Enter Your Work Experience, Education, and Skills

Then, enter in all of your work experience , education details, and skills into their respective resume sections. Most of this will simply be filling in the blanks, but you can make these sections as interesting and powerful as possible by including bullet points under each entry.

For your work experience bullet points, focus on your achievements in those positions rather than listing your job duties. Potential employers likely already know what your job duties were from your job title, so it’s more in your interest to use your valuable resume real estate describing how you succeeded in those roles. Wherever possible, use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments.

Step 5: Add Optional Resume Sections

If you still have space left over on your resume after adding all the essential information, you can then consider adding optional resume sections. Your resume should be no more than a single page if you have less than 10 years of experience and no more than two pages if you have more experience than that.

If you still have room, consider adding sections like languages , volunteer experience, internships , hobbies and interests, extracurricular activities (if you are a student), awards and achievements , publications , certifications , etc.

However, be sure that everything you add to your resume is relevant to the job that you are applying for or gives a potential employer insight into your qualifications and/or personality - avoid adding sections solely to fill space.

How To Create a Resume in Google Docs Without a Template

If you decide not to use a template, it may take you longer to set up your resume, but you can be sure that it’s original and unique. Include all of the same information outlined above, and be sure to clearly label each section with a header.

You can play with various text styles and emphasis such as bolding or italicizing text to create visual interest. Google Docs also has several pre-made heading settings or you can set your own Heading 1 (H1), Heading 2 (H2), and normal text parameters. Whatever text style you decide to use for your headings, subheadings, and body text, be sure that it’s consistent throughout.

Tips for Creating Your Google Docs Resume

Finally, here are some tips for how to create a successful resume in Google Docs:

Keep the Format and Style Clean and Simple

Select a resume format that best suits your situation - for most people, this will be a reverse chronological resume format, although you can also use a functional or combination resume format. Use no more than two columns and be sure to use headers and bullet points to break up the text.

While you can play around with interesting fonts (especially if you are making a creative resume), it’s generally best to stick with one or two professional fonts, such as:

• Trebuchet MS

You can also change the color of your text, but be sure to keep your resume professional and easy to read. Keep your body text black or dark gray, and if you decide to use a color for your name and headings, select something that’s not overly loud or garish. Ensure that any colors you choose will look good both on a screen and when printed out.

Tailor It To Each Position

Your job application will likely be far more successful if you tailor your resume to each job opening rather than use a general resume for all of your applications. Use a resume template to ease this process. Be sure to mention the company and the position that you are applying for by name in your resume summary or objective, and identify and use keywords from the job description. Make it clear in your resume that you are the best candidate for the job by addressing as many of the employer’s requirements, qualifications, and desired characteristics as possible in your resume.

Proofread Your Resume Carefully

Before submitting your resume, be sure to carefully edit and proofread it. Don’t simply rely on Google Docs’ spell check function - read through your resume carefully yourself or enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member to check it over for you.

Create a Matching Cover Letter

Google Docs also has cover letter templates available that match the Spearmint, Swiss, and Modern Writer resume templates, so you can easily create a coordinating cover letter . If you decide to create your own resume, use the same fonts and color scheme to create a unified personal brand for your entire application.

Download Your Google Docs Resume as a PDF

You can submit your resume as either a .docx or PDF document, and Google Docs allows you to download your completed resume as either file type. However, a PDF will preserve your careful formatting and ensure that your resume looks the same to anyone who opens it. When you save your resume as a .docx file, the fonts, colors, and formatting can get scrambled, leaving your resume untidy or even illegible.

Save your resume PDF with a professional file name, such as ‘JohnSmithResume’ or something similar. That way, it’s immediately clear to the hiring manager what document they are looking at and it helps prevent any mixups.

Key Takeaways

Google Docs provides a free, relatively easy way to create a resume either from a template or from scratch. While a Google Docs resume might not be the most polished or unique document, it is a great place to start for those who are new to the workforce or who are not ready to invest in a more professional resume just yet.

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How to Use Google Drive and Google Docs for Resumes

• What Is Google Drive?

How to Upload a Resume to Google Drive

How to create a new google doc, use a resume or cover letter template, how to edit a document in google drive, organizing files, sharing files, how to access files offline.

Google Drive is a good (and free) choice for storing your resume and cover letters online. For job seekers, this online organizational system can be extremely helpful. 

You can create a new resume and other documents using Google Docs, upload a resume from a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, and save, edit, store, and share your resume with prospective employers.

Here's how to use Google Drive to easily create and manage all your job application materials.

What Is Google Drive? 

Google Drive is an organizational system, where you can create, store, and share files. Through it, you can: 

• Create, edit, and save documents using Google Docs (Google word processing app)
• Upload files from your computer
• Edit and view files from your computer, tablet, or smartphone 
• Store job materials online 
• Share documents with prospective employers and networking contacts
• Share files with career counselors, friends, and family helping with your job search

Since you can easily access all your files from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, you don't need to carry around a flash drive, email yourself documents, or worry about not having access if you're not at home. 

Plus, you can take advantage of the resume and letter templates, which can help you create job search materials.

To upload your resume (or any other document), register and create a Google account, if you don't have one. 

Google accounts are free for personal use. 

Once registered, you'll be able to access your Google Drive any time you are online.

To upload a resume you have already written onto Google Drive, you can take one of two options. First, you can simply click and drag a document from your computer onto Google Drive. The other option:

• In Google Drive, click on “My Drive.”
• Click “File Upload.”
• Upload the document you want to add to Google Drive.

To edit the document, double-click on the filename, then click “Open With” at the top of the page. (You can also right-click on the filename and select "Open With.") Click Google Docs, which will open the document in Google Docs.

Here, you can make any desired changes to the document, including changing the name of the document. These changes will automatically be saved in Google Drive.

If you want to write your resume from scratch or compose any other job search materials on Google Drive, click on “New” in the top left corner of Google Drive. Then click “Google Docs,” which will take you to the editing program. There you can write, edit, format, save, and share your job materials.

Click on the arrow next to "Google Docs" in the dropdown menu to create a document from a template. 

If you are not used to Google Docs, don't worry—it is very similar to Microsoft Word or other word processing programs. You can adjust the font and font size, add bullet points and other special characters, and make other resume formatting changes.

Through Google Drive, you can also access many Google Docs document templates. There are many  free resume templates  and business letter templates you can use for a cover letter or other professional job search letter. Here's how to access and use the templates:

• In Google Drive, click on “New” in the top left corner
• Click the arrow to the right of “Google Docs”
• Click “From a Template”
• Look at the list of different templates, and select the template you want to use

This will open up a new Google Doc with the template embedded in it. A template is a great starting point for a resume or letter. Be sure to personalize your document with your career information.

Clicking on a document in Google Drive allows you to read it, not edit it. Here is how to edit your document:

• Find the document in your Google Drive and double-click on it.
• Click “open with” at the top of the page.
• Select “Google Docs”—This will allow you to edit the file.
• It will automatically save any changes to your Google Drive.

You can place your job search files into specific folders to help  organize your job search . Just click on “New” in the top left corner of Google Drive. Then click on “New Folder.” You can then name the folder, and click and drag Google Docs and any other materials into the folder.

Once you have a document on Google Drive, you can choose to share it with specific individuals or even publish it publicly online. Here's how:

• Find the document in your Google Drive and click on it.
• Select “Google Docs.” This will allow you to edit the file.
• Click “Share” in the top right corner of the document.
• You can then enter the emails of specific people if you want to share with employers, family members, friends, etc.
• You can also click “Copy link,” which allows you to share a URL with whomever you want. 
• If you want to make it completely public, click on the dropdown menu below "General Access" and select "Anyone with link." You can then choose to either make the document public, share it with specific people (or people who have the URL), or make it private for you.

Sharing your resume and cover letter online allows hiring managers and recruiters to find them.

Before you make your resume public, be absolutely sure you want your resume and all the personal information on it available to anyone on the internet.

Do keep in mind that once you make  your resume  public, anyone can find it—and that can mean the wrong people as well as the right people, including your boss if you are currently employed.

Your resume also includes personal information like your phone number. You may prefer to keep that private. 

A downside to many online document systems is that you need access to the internet to use them. However, this is not the case with Google Drive. 

Simply download the  Docs Offline Chrome extension  onto your computer (or whatever device you want to use to access your documents). This will allow you to work on existing files and create new ones offline. They will be uploaded to Google Drive when you are back online. You can also view files offline using the Microsoft Edge browser. 

Key Takeaways

• Google Drive can be a helpful tool for job seekers, since it allows you to easily access, create, edit, and share your resume, cover letter, and other job search files. 
• Take advantage of templates when creating a new resume or cover letter in Google Drive. 
• You can both create and edit new files in Google Drive, even when you are not connected to the internet. 

How to Make and Share a Resume on Google Docs

Google Docs is a powerful yet simple resume maker to create resumes. A resume is a document that includes details about your professional life, such as work experience, internships, education, awards, and some personal details like name and contact details. It helps employers to gauge whether you are suitable for an organization. You can make your CV from existing free Google Docs templates or start from scratch. Let’s check both methods to make a resume on Google Docs and also learn how to share it with others.

How to Create a Resume on Google Docs Using Templates

Creating a resume with the help of Google Docs templates is the easiest way to make your resume. Google Docs offers five resume templates for free that you can edit and customize according to your preferences using the steps shown below.

1. Find the right Google Docs resume template.

2. Edit the template to suit your needs.

3. Share the template with others.

Let’s check these steps in detail.

1. Find Google Docs Free Resume Templates

Open docs.google.com on a PC and sign in to your Google account. Click on the Template gallery option at the top to view the available templates. Alternatively, use the direct link to open Docs templates .

You will find the available resume templates under the CVs section. Click on any one of them to start editing it in Google Docs.

If you don’t like the currently selected template, you can always choose a different one.

2. Edit Template

The selected resume template will show up on your screen. You will see that the template consists of most of the required sections such as skills, experience, education, etc., with sample data added to them.

Place your cursor on any text item that you want to edit and type your own details. Let’s say you want to add your name. First, remove the Your Name text and replace it with your own name. Similarly, edit other details in the CV as per your requirements.

Likewise, you can change the font color, style, or size of any text on your resume. Select the required text and use the available editing options from the formatting toolbar. You will find more tips to edit resumes in the section below.

Once you start editing a resume template, it’s automatically saved to your Drive account. Go to docs.google.com or drive.google.com to find it.

Tip : In case you mess up a template, don’t worry, just click on the same template again to start editing it from the scratch.

3. Share or Download Google Docs Resume

When your resume is ready, you can download it on your computer or share it directly with others using a Google Drive link.

Download Google Docs Resume

To download the resume, click on the File menu > Download . Select the download format for the resume. The preferred method is to download in PDF format as it will retain the formatting on all devices and browsers.

Create Google Docs Resume Link

Alternatively, to create and share Google Docs resume links with others, click on the Share button at the top of your resume page.

Now, you have two options. You can either add selected people or generate a shareable link. In the first method, you will have to add the email ID of the people with whom you want to share the resume under the ‘Share with people and groups’ section. And in the second, press the ‘ Change to anyone with the link ’ and hit the Copy link button. Then share the copied link with others through any medium such as an email, chat, etc. Do note that anyone with the link can open your resume.

How to Make Google Docs Resume From Scratch

If you want to get a bit creative and start making your own resume on Google Docs, you can do that too. Open docs.google. c om and hit the Blank template option. Or, press the File > New > Document from inside any existing Docs document.

A new, blank Google Docs document will open. Start by checking the page size. For that, go to File > Page setup . Select A4 under paper size. This helps if you intend to print your resume in the future. You can also adjust the page margins here if need be.

Tips to Customize Google Docs Resume

Here are some tips to add various elements to your resume:

1. Add Name and Contact Information Box

Click on the Insert Menu and choose Table. Go with 2×1 table.

The two-column table will be added to the document. In the first column, type your name, and in the second, enter your contact details such as an address, email, and contact number. Adjust the size of two columns using the middle bar. Find out how to make multiple columns in Google Docs with templates.

You can change the font size of your name to make it more prominent. For that, select the name and increase the font size using the available option in the formatting bar.

Finally, right-click anywhere inside the table and select Table Properties . Then under the Table border section, choose 0 for border size. It will be next to the border color box. That will make the table border invisible and give a cleaner look to your CV.

2. Add Headings

Now, you have to start working on the resume body. This will include many sections. Keep the cursor below the table that you added above and enter the section name. Let’s say Experience. Increase its size and make it bold. The best way is to select Heading 2 from the font styles drop-down box. That way you don’t need to remember the font size for other section headings.

3. Add Divider Line

You can also add a horizontal line to separate sections. For that, go to Insert > Horizontal line .

4. Add Experience and Education

With the section headings added, next, you might want to enter your previous work experience and education details. You can either do it by adding a table or using the paragraph format.

Add a 2×2 table by going to Insert > Table. In the first column, enter the previous company name, job title, and time period of employment. The second column is the most important part of your resume. This is where you need to sell yourself in the best possible way .

Add honest job responsibilities and achievements next to each job that you have done in list format. To make a listicle, select the text and click on the Bulleted list option in the formatting toolbar. Keep the points short yet strong and clear.

Similarly, add other rows while keeping the most recent job details at the top. To add more rows to the table, right-click on the table and select Insert row below.

In the same manner, you can add your education details by adding a section first followed by adding the relevant details.

Finally, add skills and other relevant things to your resume. Remove borders from sections. Once done, save or share the resume as shown in the above method.

More Tips to Create a Resume

• Make sure to use the same font, size and style throughout the resume.
• The section headings should be slightly bigger than its content.
• Rework your resume for different positions.
• Align your resume equally from all sides.

Simple Is Best

That’s how you can create a basic resume in Google Docs. The final results depend on how you style and edit your resume. However, do remember that simplicity often wins. Do not go overboard by making your resume too colorful or adding random images. Also, find out how to make address labels in Google Docs .

Mehvish Mushtaq is a tech lover from Kashmir. With a degree in computer engineering, she's always been happy to help anyone who finds technology challenging. She's been writing about technology for over six years, and her favorite topics include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, social media, and web apps. You can also find her work on Make Tech Easier , Guiding Tech , and Nerds Chalk

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8+ Best Google Docs Resume Templates—and How to Use Them

I remember the first time I had to write a resume . I was 16 and applying to a role at American Eagle (yes, I made a resume in high school; no, I did not need one to get an after-school job; yes, I was very extra). Having zero context for what one should look like, I took my older brother’s resume and copy-and-pasted my own experience into his template.

Maybe that’s your go-to strategy: Find someone with a great resume and make it your own. I won’t deny it worked well for me—and I still use that same template to this day.

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse to maximize your chances »

But if you’ve never made a resume and don’t have someone else’s to work off of, you may be in need of a template. We’ve collected eight of our favorite Google Docs resume templates that are fun and cheap (if not free!)—as well as some tips for using them to your advantage.

What makes a good resume template?

You want to pick one that’s visually appealing, easy to use, and allows you to include all the necessary resume sections. But you should also choose a resume template that can be easily “read” by an applicant tracking system (ATS) . 

ATSs are software that most employers use to store, file, and search candidate resumes to help them stay organized and find the applicants that meet the most qualifications. These programs are pretty advanced, but they’re far from perfect, and certain types of formatting may make it difficult or impossible for an ATS to accurately parse your resume.

To give yourself the best chance of getting to the next round of hiring, you want to make sure  the Google Docs resume template you choose doesn’t include any of these formatting elements:

• Images , including photos ( in the U.S. ), logos, graphics, graphs, other visuals, or text contained in any of these elements
• Headers and footers
• Less common fonts
• Columns: ATSs are programmed to read left to right, so they’ll often read columns straight across rather than reading each column from top to bottom. If this doesn’t change the experience of reading your resume, columns may be OK.

Best built-in Google Docs resume templates

Want to make creating a resume in Google Docs super easy on yourself? Choose one of Google’s premade resume templates. If you’re on docs.google.com, just click on “Template gallery” near the top right of the page and scroll down to see your resume options. If you’re already in a Google Doc, you’ll want to click “File”> “New” > “From template gallery” to see all of your options.

While Google has five built-in templates, we only recommend three of them for getting through any ATS you might encounter.

1.  Google Docs Coral resume template

Need something super simple? Look no further than this resume created right in Google Docs. With just a pop of color and clear direction as to what goes where and how to best organize your information, you can’t go wrong with this template. To make sure the ATS doesn’t get confused, you’ll want to just delete the “Hello” and “I’m” from the top of the page. Then it’s your choice whether you want your name in black or coral.

2. Google Docs Spearmint resume template

What we like most about this resume template is that the skills section goes first, which makes it perfect for career changers .

Why, you ask? Listing your skills at the top allows you to emphasize what you bring to the table (a.k.a., your transferable skills ), especially to a hiring manager who may not be able to tell how your past experiences apply to their job posting. (This resume format , where your skills are listed above your work history, is called the hybrid or combination resume .)

If you’re using this template as a career changer, make sure to keep it relevant to the job you want. This may mean removing certain jobs and skills that don’t add to your qualifications for the role you’re applying for, and possibly renaming the “Experience” section, “Relevant Experience.”

And don’t forget to tailor your bullets to apply to the job’s requirements.

3. Google Docs Modern Writer Modern Writer resume template

This is the third and final of Google’s default resume templates that we recommend. Like the “Spearmint” template above, the skills are at the top of the page, but remember that you can always tweak the order of a resume template to suit your situation (just copy and paste to move a section up or down if needed!).

Other Google Docs resume templates

Here are a few more templates from around the internet that can be opened as Google Docs files.

4. The Muse’s Resume Template

Yes, we made a resume template on Google Docs! It’s free, easy to plug your own information into, and explains where everything should go and how, from what your bullets should look like to what skills you should list.

Just click “File” > “Make a copy” to create your own copy.

5. Career Reload’s Mindy resume template

This Google doc template from Career Reload makes it easy for anyone reading your resume to spot the section they’re looking for. Just swap the outdated resume objective for a resume summary and you’re good to go.

6. Career Reload’s Josh resume template

Here’s another option from Career Reload that uses white space to change up the visual look of your resume. This is a great choice if you’re earlier in your career or want to focus on just a few experiences—since the formatting makes for less text space overall. 

You’ll notice that the section headings in this template are in columns, but this is an example of ATS-friendly columns—since reading the text from left to right still makes sense.

7. ResuStudio’s Google Docs resume template

If you want to up your game (and are willing to pay a bit extra to do so), this template looks that extra level of sleek and professional without being too much for the hiring manager (or ATS) to parse through. 

If you’re a bit further into your career, this template also has a two-page version. But make sure to remove the “References available upon request” bit from whichever version you use—it’s just wasting valuable space. When employers want your references, they know they can request them.

Cost: $9.26 (with frequent changes)

8.  BestResumes’ Google Doc resume template

For a very reasonable price, this template gives you color, ATS-friendly design, and several ways to emphasize your most important qualifications. Plus with the purchase, you’ll also get a two-page template, a cover letter template , and a reference sheet template to match your resume design.

Cost: $5.96 (with frequent changes)

9. Any ATS-friendly resume template you’d like

None of these templates doing it for you? That’s OK—you’ve got options. Etsy has many more paid resume templates made by designers and you can search for ATS-compatible ones.

You can also use almost any Microsoft Word or other resume template you find in Google Docs with a few easy steps:

• Download the template.
• Go to docs.google.com and click the folder icon to open the file picker.
• Choose “Upload” along the top of the box that appears and pick the file.
• Save the file as a Google Doc.

Or if you’re already in a blank Google doc, click “File”>”Open” and follow steps three and four above.

Some formatting won’t translate well between programs, so be sure to double check that the template still looks good in Google Docs.

Bonus tips for using your Google Docs resume template

Not to sound too obvious, but using these templates is about more than just plugging your skills and experience in and calling it a day. You’ll need to follow a few steps:

• Replace everything in the template with your own information , otherwise the hiring manager is going to wonder why it says “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” under your education. This means giving your resume several looks over, and then having a friend or two check it for errors, too.
• Make the template your own , whatever that means for you. If you don’t like the color of the headings, change them. If you think your name is too big and it’s taking away space you could use for your bullet points, go ahead and decrease the font size. If you want to add your own section, whether for “ Certifications ” or “ Projects ” or some other category that’s relevant to the job description, feel free to convert an existing section you don’t need or otherwise tweak the template to fit it in. Templates are meant to be personalized, not followed to a T.
• Focus on the content . Pretty resumes are great, but if what they say isn’t tailored to the job, thoroughly proofread, or at least somewhat interesting to read, you’re not going to land that interview. So make sure you’re writing stellar resume bullets and following these important resume tips .

How does all that sound? Great, now get out there and make your resume shine! Teenage Alyse would be so proud.

Regina Borsellino contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

How To Use Google Docs Resume Templates

A free and effective tool for job seekers

When it comes to writing a resume, some people will go as far as to spend hundreds of dollars to get it out of their way. A well-written resume is a key ingredient to a successful job hunt, and learning how to properly create one can often be intimidating.

Even if you do decide to handle it on your own, many of the recommended resume-writing resources and websites aren’t freely available. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get away with writing a quality resume without paying. Using a Google Docs resume template is one of the best ways to achieve that.

Fortunately, Google has acknowledged the popularity of Docs as a resume-building tool and provides a gallery of templates to help you get started.

How To Find Google Docs Resume Templates

Upon navigating to Google Docs , you will see a row across the top of the page with options for creating a new document. You may see one or two resume templates in this row, but there are others to check out if you click on the Template gallery link in the top-right corner.

Clicking on this will expand the template gallery and reveal a total of five different resume templates: Swiss, Serif, Coral, Spearmint, and Modern Writer.

Clicking on one will take you directly into a new document where you can begin editing the template.

How To Edit a Google Docs Resume Template

Once you’ve selected a resume template that you like, you can start editing it. Let’s check out the Serif template as an example.

Serif is a sensitive, two-column template. Although you can add or remove sections based on how the content on the page is filled out, it’s important not to stack either column with significantly longer text than the other.

If you do, it’ll be an eyesore in the end. Therefore, a single-column resume template (such as Coral or Modern Writer) may be preferred.

If you see that your first template choice doesn’t meet your needs, you can always try out the others. Sections can easily be renamed and recolored by simply highlighting and changing the text’s font, color, and other attributes. Don’t be afraid to experiment, because you can easily undo any changes or reload your template from scratch.

One important tip to remember is that you should adhere to the preset formatting style so that the outline functions properly.

If you highlight a small section of text in the resume template, you’ll notice that practically everything that is not ‘lorem ipsum’ text is a heading. While you can just format normal text to appear identical to the heading text, setting them as a heading is what tells Google Docs where to place them in the outline.

Although it’s not common for companies and employers to ask for your resume as a Google Docs link, abiding by the formatting rules can translate to the best possible export in all file formats. Some text editors support outlines.

How To Save Google Docs Resume Templates

As mentioned, you won’t find many employers who are going to ask you to turn in a resume in the form of a Google Docs link. That’s why you’ll want to understand how to properly export your resume as one of the common text-based file formats.

Luckily, Google makes this process extremely simple and a matter of just a few clicks. All you have to do is click on the File menu, hover your cursor over Download to expand the options, and click on any of the file formats that you’d like to download your resume as.

In my experiences with job searching, most companies and employers will ask for your resume in PDF Document format. However, it doesn’t hurt to keep a Microsoft Word, Rich Text Format, and Plain Text copy of your resume. Downloading these now could save you time in the future.

You should also check out each of the downloaded files using a supported application, such as Foxit PDF Reader , Notepad++ , etc. The exporting process isn’t always perfect, and you may need to buff up these files around the edges.

If you often update your resume, you’ll need to remember to re-download your resume in each of these formats. Don’t slip up and send out an outdated resume copy just because someone is requesting it in a format you don’t usually use.

That’s all it takes to create and save a resume through Google Docs by using its selection of resume templates. While there are paid alternatives that can make the process faster and easier, Google Docs resume templates are one of the best and most flexible free options.

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Craig is a long-time writer, coder, and marketer with years of experience in the technology and gaming spaces. Since 2008, he's worked remotely with some of the most notable publications in these industries, specializing in Windows, PC hardware and software, automation, and the like. Read Craig's Full Bio

20+ Google Docs Resume Templates for 2024 [Download Now]

Writing your first resume can be scary and intimidating.

Sometimes you need a touch of something familiar , effortless, and trustworthy like Google.

Through Google Docs, they also give an easy solution to your resume writing problem by introducing resume templates , which come in handy if you have no clue where to start.

These things are extremely easy to use since some of them are inbuilt in Google, you can fill them out online , and most of them are free .

And the best part? Unlike Word resume templates , the whole thing doesn’t get messed up the moment you make a single change to it.

In this guide, we’ll lay out the details for you and show you:

How to Make a Resume on Google Docs

10+ free google docs resume templates, 10+ premium google docs resume templates.

• Possible Issues with Google Doc Resumes (& What Else to Consider)

First and foremost, you would want to be at the correct place.

How do you use Google Docs ?

You first need a Google account to access these templates or to create a new Google Doc. 

It could be the same account you use for your Gmail.

If you don’t have one, sign up by creating a new account ! 

Now that we’re both on the same page, let’s rock and roll!

We’ll get to the best templates in the next section, but for now, I’m going to pick one from Google Doc’s template gallery to demonstrate how it’s done.

I’ll pick “Serif” for the sake of the example. 

Here’s how that template looks like in its “Lorem ipsum” form:

Notice also how all the changes you make are saved online, in real-time in your Google Drive, where you can find the file to re-edit at a later time.

You can go ahead and rename your file by clicking on the name of the template at the top left:

You can see that they’ve listed the major components of a resume : Contact Information , Experience , Education , and Skills . 

Projects, Awards, and Languages are, of course, optional, depending on where you’re at so far.

Here’s how you insert your information in a Google Doc resume template:

You delete the sample text and replace it with your own text.

For example:

If there is a section that does not apply to you or there are more entries than you actually need, you can just delete them.

The Google Docs resume template works like a table, so anytime you delete one or more of the entries...nothing else moves!

Let’s say Frank only has one work experience and one education entry to fill out. He also has 3-4 skills under his belt and can speak two languages.

Frank inputs all of that in the Google Doc resume and now it looks something like this:

Yay! Isn’t she a beaut?

After you’ve done completing all the information you think is appropriate, you have to download your resume, which is now ready for submission.

Find the Download button under File → Download:

Before rushing your way towards submitting as instant gratification for a job well done, check out if your employer has a preferred format for your resume.

If not, we always suggest downloading your Google Docs resume as a PDF document to avoid system conversion issues or unneeded clutter due to incompatibilities.

Check your Downloads or designated folder, and there you have it!

Not entirely sure what to put on your resume ? You can check out our complete guide on how to write a resume . 

In this section, we lay out some of the best Google Docs resume templates which you don’t have to pay a single cent for.

Whoever said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” has obviously never read this article.

Swiss Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Someone with a lot of experience, Senior positions, Bank

Creator: Google Docs

Where to find it: Templates Gallery

Price: Free

Swiss is one of our favorite Google Doc templates because of its simplicity . It’s best suited if you have some experience under your belt and are not fresh from school. Swiss is the best choice for you if your experience has been fairly regular since such an amount of space is devoted to the main categories of Skills, Experience, and Education. Swiss keeps it simple but still adds personality with a pop of orange in its resume design . It says: I am professional, but not boring.

Serif Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Computer Scientist , Data analyzer , Senior positions, Banking

You might remember this template from our tutorial in the previous section. Using the colors black and blue to show utmost professionalism , this template makes a neat first impression. If you have projects, presentations, and awards you are proud of, this is the template for you! It also saves a sweet spot for Languages and uses two columns to spread out the information. This would be ideal for you if you’re a computer science or senior business person that is seasoned in their field.

Traditional Elegance Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Recent graduates

Creator: Hloom

Where to find it: Hloom’s website

Are you a recent graduate without a lot of work experience under your belt? This might be the perfect Google Doc resume template for you. It’s extremely simple and emphasizes education more than experience, so feel free to highlight all your college classes and extra-curricular. It also allows for freedom in the Profile section, where you can write a resume objective or give a lengthier pitch to get the job to make up for the lack of experience .

Coral Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Fashion blogger, influencer, culinary arts, creative industry

This one-column resume is perfect if you’re in the fashion , influencer, culinary , or arts, and creative industry. The coral color and cursive fonts give it a very feminine touch, and the template oozes with personality . Coral certainly does not fit a business, serious, professional type. Although the template is fairly simple, the change in fonts and a bit of color makes it playful . It’s a great match if you have a lot of experience and skills but not a big educational background.

Spearmint Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Industrial engineer, energy and sustainability professional

Spearmint might resemble Coral because of its one-column layout and the same type of content entries. However, the feel and atmosphere it creates in its simplicity and the use of the green color tells a whole other story. This is the perfect template if you’re an industrialist or someone in the sustainability or green business. The template itself is not too creative but it does highlight skills first, which might also be great if you are ready to switch careers .

Modern Writer Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: copywriter, editor, script-writer, librarian

This absolutely unique template goes by the name of Modern Writer for a reason: it’s made for the modern writer. This is the perfect template if the main focus of your resume is writing skills or if you are applying for a job that is related to writing and books: copywriter, content writer, editor, librarian, screenwriter, etc. Its unique style and the juxtaposition with the pink letter coloring makes it one of my favorites. If you’re applying for a business job though, I would steer clear of this quirky template.

Blue Side Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Management and marketing professionals

This template is a play on the blue and black , but its accent color gives it a more polished look. What’s interesting and different about it is the way the years are listed, which resembles a CV but has the length and purpose of a resume. This is a great two-toned template for professionals with a lot of work experience under their belt going for that extra carrier push. This template takes you to the finish line.

All the Information Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: a professional switching careers

This is the perfect resume template if you are planning to switch careers after a long time of following a certain professional path. In this case, you want a resume that highlights your greatest skills and emphasizes your career objective in a professional and lengthy manner. If you have more quality than quantity in your work experience and education and want extra room to properly describe how much value you added to each organization you were part of, All the information helps you list...well... all the information!

Goldfish Bowl Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: the overachiever with plenty of awards

Goldfish Bowl is a template for the loyal overachiever . Education comes last in this template because it is overshadowed by the work history, awards & certificates , and skills. Just like All the Information , it fits best if your contribution to your jobs can’t be summed up in bullet points, but you still have to stick to the one-page golden rule of resumes . Golden Fish says a lot in a very concise way.

Border Design Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: High school and college graduates

Creator: Techie’s Guide

Where to find it: In this direct link to the Google Doc

Are you a high school or college graduate with plenty of volunteer experience but not that much of real industry experience? This is the template for you. It’s fun, it’s got personality , and has various links to social media sites so that the employer can find you more easily. The border also adds an extra layer of originality without making it tacky.

Although there’s plenty of free resumes to go around, there’s nothing like the touch of something premium to make you stand out from the crowd.

Get out your credit cards, we’re counting all our favorite premium Google Docs resume templates. There’s something for everyone on this list!

Alice Wilson Creative Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior professional in creative industries

Creator: NewLondonStudio

Where to find it: Etsy

Price: $7.97(including a cover letter and a reference page template)

There’s nothing like a well-organized , visually appealing template to showcase all your experience. Alice Wilson is extremely tasteful and professional. It provides a lot of room for long descriptions and focuses primarily on your experience. So if you are a senior professional with a long track record in the creative industry and are looking for something with professional but with a subtle personality, this is the template for you!

Mariah Carey Manager Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior professional in Marketing , Advertising, Human Resources

Price: $9.29 (including a cover letter and a reference page template)

Are you a marketing director, HR manager, or have substantial expertise in advertising? Basically, if you consider yourself the Mariah Carey of your profession (regardless of gender), this is the resume for you. Mariah Carey has a similar layout to Alice Wilson , but is more conservative and professional . Icons are eliminated and the resume has been stripped down to its most delightful, minimalistic form.

Melinda Gates Student Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Students and recent graduates 

Creator: DesignStudioTeti

Price: $7.14 (including a cover letter template)

You can’t find a Google Doc template that lists the appropriate amount of information for you? Well, we might have found the perfect resume template for students and/or recent graduates. It’s a wonderful fit because it lists education first , and also offers room for sections such as research projects and different scholarships or volunteer experience. The colors are also accented and pleasing to the eye, and the calligraphy-based name adds a personal touch.

Noah Webster Teacher Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Teachers  

Price: $8.57 (including a cover letter template)

One of the most valuable members of society are teachers, but the work they do always seems to be undermined or underpaid. Not on this list! If you’re a teacher looking for a professional , yet stylish , easily-editable Google Docs resume template, replace your name with Noah Webster’s and start entering your achievements in the template. This resume has a special section for teaching certifications and career highlights. The cherry on top is the minimalistic font, subtle color, and focus on your professional teaching experience.

Jennifer Aniston Intern Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Creative Interns

This resume most probably has the most unique resume header I’ve ever seen. I’m sure your first reaction was like: “Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this!”, then you get the point. The hiring manager of your internship has never seen anyone like you either. This Google Doc resume template is unique and caters specifically to interns who want to stand out and be creative .

John Stockholm Photographer Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Photographers, Bloggers, Visual Artists

Creator: ModernTasteDesigns

Price: $8.75

Looking for something swimming in modern, enticing visuals ? If you’re a creative guy/gal and do work in photography, blogging, or any type of visual medium that requires a portfolio , this is a great template to set you apart from the competition. The resume header is customizable , and you can add your own artwork. Pick something nice that makes a statement and shows the hiring manager a glimpse into your creative world. 

Proxima Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Senior Executives

Creator: UpResume

Where to find it: UpResume’s site

Price: $14.95 (including cover letter)

Proxima is not a resume template to be taken lightly. It’s classy, sophisticated , elegant, and spans up to two pages if you have enough entries to contribute with. It’s perfect if you are a senior executive, a chief officer , or have had a long, respectable career. It has its own separate section on references and comes with two columns. The emphasis is put on your profile , skills, and work experience. The aesthetic is sleek and it also comes with a customizable cover letter of the same design theme.

Jane Hancock Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Young professionals in any industry.

Creator: MioDocs

Where to find it: MioDocs' Site

Price: $8.00 (including cover letter & reference page)

If you have not found yourself in any of the categories described so far, then jackpot: this might be the resume for you. The touch of green color makes it more interesting and visually appealing to the eye and thus improves your chances of getting noticed. The design does not dwell on quirky or too creative, however: it’s the right blend of professionalism office jobs are looking for and young creative energy . If you’re a young professional with one or two jobs under your belt and are on the hunt for the next step, this might just be the template for you.

Night Mode Web Design Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Web designers, app developers

Creator: ModernTasteDesign

Price: $8.75 

How awesome is this template? It feels like you’re reading on night mode on Kindle. Classy, elegant , modern, and high tech : this resume template is a bold, non-conventional choice that works best for web designers and app developers . The use of dark background and white text will make your application immediately pop up amidst others and makes it easy on the eye. This template is really minimalistic and focuses on experience and skills mostly. If those are your best assets to get the job, then Night Mode is a great fit!

Florence Nightingale Nurse Google Docs Resume Template

Who’s it for: Nurses , paramedics, doctors

Price: $8.57 (including cover letter and reference templates)

This crisply clean resume reminds us of the clear hospital beds: which makes it perfect not only for nurses but for all medical professions. The simple black and white is minimalistic and professional and showcases your best abilities and experiences. The education section has been replaced by Licenses & Certifications . This resume also comes with an Expertise section , so it’s simple to edit in your own information without trying to change the structure of the Google Doc resume template and creating a whole mess!

Google Docs Resume Templates Simply Not Cutting it? Try a Free Resume Builder

Even though Google Docs resume templates look awesome and are easy to work with, they don’t offer much flexibility in layout. You make a small change to a section, and the whole thing gets messed up!

If you’re looking for a better resume experience, you mustn’t look very far.

A resume builder, unlike Google Docs resume templates, allows you to rearrange and optimize the layout of your resume and gives you real-time feedback on how to improve its content.

Novorésumé comes with all sorts of designs , from professional to creative, and guarantees you to stand out among all the resumes in the application file.

And to put the icing on the cake? You get twice the value from a free Novoresume template than from a paid Google Docs resume template.

But don’t take out word for it!

Give Novorésumé templates a try and see what all the hype is about!

Key Takeaways

So let’s sum up everything we have learned so far:

• Writing a resume using Google Docs is extremely easy and is a great first step when you don’t know where to start. The resume gets saved online automatically as you edit, and then you just have to download it and upload it or print it.
• There are hundreds of ready Google Docs templates you can use. We listed the ten best free and ten best premium Google Docs resume templates you can choose from.
• Google Docs resume templates are a great first step but are highly inconvenient and sometimes generic. Using a resume builder like Novorésumé makes your resume-writing experience easier and the resume end product much more unique and professional .

Discover More Resume Templates

• Creative Resume Templates
• Functional Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• High School Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates

Suggested readings:

• How to Pick the Best Resume Formats in 2024
• CV vs. Resume - What are the Differences & Definitions?
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume

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