Resume Templates
ATS-Friendly Resume Templates That Pass the Scan
Four templates. No columns, no photos, no graphics. Nothing here will trip a parser. Big template libraries make you guess which of their designs are actually safe; every layout on this page keeps your content in real text that Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, and iCIMS read without scrambling a line.
Free ATS-friendly templates are included, and premium templates come with the builder plans.
How It Works
How to Use These ATS Resume Templates
No file to download, no Word margins to fight. The template is applied for you, and the layout stays parser-safe as you edit.
- 1
Pick a template
Choose the layout that fits your experience and industry. Every one follows the same parsing rules, so pick by look, not by risk.
- 2
It opens in the builder
The template is applied automatically, with standard headings and a single-column structure already in place.
- 3
Add your experience
Fill in your details section by section. AI writing help with wording and keywords is part of the premium builder plans.
- 4
Verify it passes, free
Run the finished resume through our free ATS checker for an instant score, no signup needed, and fix anything that fails.
Which Template Should You Pick?
All four parse the same. The differences are visual tone and how your experience reads at a glance, so choose by career stage and industry.
Classic
The layout most recruiters have read thousands of times: your name and title at the top left, uppercase serif headings with a thin rule under each, and everything in one column of real text. Nothing about it asks the ATS or the recruiter to work out where your information lives.
Best for
Experienced professionals in traditional industries like finance, law, healthcare, and operations
Applications to large companies where a resume must survive both the ATS and a fast human skim
Anyone who wants the safest possible layout with zero formatting risk
Why it parses: A single column means the ATS reads your resume top to bottom in the exact order you wrote it.
Use the Classic template
Standard
A centered name, right-aligned dates, and every section in one column under the headings ATS software expects. It reads a touch more formal than Classic while staying just as safe to parse.
Best for
Mid-career applicants who want a formal, balanced page without decoration
Roles in administration, education, and healthcare where a conventional look reads as credible
Resumes with several positions, since the right-aligned dates make the timeline easy to scan
Why it parses: Dates sit on the same line as each role in a consistent format, so the ATS builds your work timeline without gaps.
Use the Standard template
Simple
Styling stripped down to what helps a reader: a highlighted name, subtle color on role titles, and generous spacing between sections. All the attention goes to your content, which is exactly where the ATS looks too.
Best for
Students, recent graduates, and career changers whose content is still growing into the page
Tech and startup applications where a clean, modern page fits the culture
Dense resumes that need breathing room to stay skimmable
Why it parses: Color is applied to text only; every word stays real, selectable text the parser reads normally.
Use the Simple template
Craft
More visual structure than a plain stack: section labels sit in a slim margin beside your content, with navy accents on your name and headings. The distinctive look is built entirely from real text and spacing, not tables or text boxes, so the ATS still reads one clean flow of content.
Best for
Marketing, sales, and client-facing roles where a bit of polish helps the first impression
Applicants who want a more designed page without gambling on parsing
Resumes that will be read by humans and software in equal measure
Why it parses: The structure comes from spacing and real text, not tables or text boxes, so content is not scrambled at parse time.
Use the Craft templateWhat Makes a Resume Template ATS-Friendly
"ATS-friendly" is a label every template store uses, so here is what it concretely means. An Applicant Tracking System strips your resume down to plain text, maps it into fields by its headings, and matches it against the job description. Anything the parser cannot read is information lost, no matter how good it looks to a human.
| Element | ATS-safe | Risky |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | One column, sections stacked top to bottom | Two columns, sidebars, text boxes |
| Headings | Work Experience, Education, Skills, Summary | Creative labels like "My Journey" or "Toolbox" |
| Text | Real, selectable text in standard fonts at 11 to 13 points | Text inside images, headers, footers, or graphics |
| Skills | Plain lists grouped under labeled lines | Skill bars, star ratings, icons, infographics |
| Photo | No photo (standard for US, UK, and Canada applications) | Headshots, logos, decorative imagery |
| File | Text-based PDF or DOCX export | Scanned images, unusual formats, locked files |
Resume format matters too. A reverse-chronological format, which every template here uses, is the structure ATS software and recruiters expect: your most recent role first, with clear dates the parser can build a timeline from. Functional or skills-based formats bury the work history the ATS is trying to extract, and hybrid formats only parse well when they stay in one column with standard headings.
How to Check Your Resume Is ATS-Friendly
A safe template is the start, not the proof. You cannot see inside an employer's ATS, but you can test your resume the way the software reads it before you apply. Upload it to our free ATS resume checker for an instant score, with a full report covering parsing, structure, keywords, and language. Fix what fails, then match your resume to the posting with the free resume keyword scanner, because ATS ranking is keyword matching and every job expects different terms.
ATS Resume Template FAQs
- Are these resume templates free?
- Free ATS-friendly templates are included, and premium templates come with the builder plans. The AI resume builder itself is a premium feature, with no surprise fee at download. The ATS resume checker and the resume keyword scanner stay free with no signup either way.
- Is PDF or Word better for an ATS resume?
- Both work. Modern ATS platforms handle text-based PDF and DOCX files well, and the builder exports both. Whichever you pick, make sure it is real text rather than a scanned image, and if the job posting asks for a specific format, always follow the posting.
- Do ATS systems reject two-column resumes?
- Not automatically, but two-column layouts are the most common reason a resume parses badly. ATS software reads top to bottom, so content split across columns can be read out of order or mixed together, and a scrambled resume ranks low even when the candidate is qualified. A single-column layout removes that risk entirely, which is why every template on this page uses one.
- What fonts are ATS-safe?
- Standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Georgia, and Times New Roman at 11 to 13 points. The font matters less than the text being real: any common professional font parses fine, while text trapped inside a graphic fails in every font. Every template here uses standard fonts by default.
- Are Google Docs and Canva templates ATS-friendly?
- Some are, many are not. The test is the same regardless of where a template comes from: one column, standard section headings, and every word as real text rather than graphics. Design-first template libraries mix safe layouts with photo headers, skill icons, and multi-column designs on the same page, so check any template you download by running the finished resume through a free ATS checker.
- Do I need a different template for every job?
- No. The template can stay the same; it is the keywords that must change per application. ATS ranking compares your resume against each specific job description, so tailor your skills section and recent bullets for every role, and use the free resume keyword scanner to see your match rate before you apply.
- How do I know if my resume passed the ATS?
- You usually cannot see inside an employer's ATS, which is why testing before you apply matters. Upload your resume to our free ATS resume checker to get an instant score, then a full report of 30+ checks across parsing, structure, keywords, and language. Fix what fails, re-check, and apply knowing how your resume reads to the software.
- Should my resume have a photo?
- For applications in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, no. Photos can break parsing when they carry layout weight, and many employers screen them out for bias-compliance reasons. Some countries expect a photo, so follow the local convention, but none of the templates on this page use one.
Ready to start? Pick your template or learn more about the AI resume builder.