Basic CV Templates

A basic CV template is the perfect choice if you want a straightforward document that can be easily filled in and submitted, while showcasing your skills and achievements. Basic layout means standard formatting, clean structure, and a document that is readable by both recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS). Whether you're a beginner, a career changer, or an experienced professional who wants to avoid difficult design work and present your background professionally and effectively, you're minutes away from having an impressive CV that opens doors. We've got you covered on the hard work. You just need to fill in the blanks and show who you are and what you can do.

• You need a CV that works well with ATS platforms, and you need it quickly, whether you have no experience or you're an industry veteran.
• Your presentation is about your capabilities, rather than about the design of your CV: it works great for customer support starters or experienced corporate roles.
• You want a clear and clean CV that looks professional both when viewed on screens and printed in black and white.
• You don't want readers distracted by analysing your design choices, but you do want them to understand your value instantly.

• You're targeting a role in design, marketing, or any industry where visual creativity is important, which makes one of our creative templates a better choice.
• The job posting that you're applying for makes it clear that your application should include a less conventional CV.
• You need a portfolio-style CV, or some graphic elements are necessary, such as charts or other visual presentations of data and information.

Focus on Content Instead of Layout

The focus of this template is your background, so even if you are a starter writing your first CV, show your skills and any results. Your bullet points should start with a strong action verb and demonstrate your quantifiable professional achievements.

Aim for Concise and Effective

Unless you are an experienced professional with a long track record, keep your CV to one page. Pro tips to achieve that: use a slightly smaller font (e.g., 10.5) or, if necessary, rewrite the bullet points to keep them in one line.

Use Accents Smartly

While you do want to keep your CV clean, using italic or bold for emphasis sparingly is perfectly fine. Just make sure not to bold entire phrases, and never use all caps except for the section headings.

Foundational Layout Principles

Keep the spacing between sections consistent and appropriate. Our templates are ready to use, and you should only fill in the blanks, so avoid creating additional blank space unnecessarily. A basic CV should look rich, not empty.

Use a Professional Email Address

On a CV that follows a simpler style for a quick setup, every detail is important. When listing your contact details, remember that hiring managers don't like seeing funny email addresses. Stay professional and, if possible, use only your name in it.

Test the CV Before Submitting It

Even when you're using a plain CV format, you should test how it looks in different viewers. Open your PDF document in Adobe Reader, Chrome, and Preview to make sure it looks as it should.