Free Professional Resume Examples and Writing Tips

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/free-resume-examples-and-writing-tips-2063596

Do you need to write or update a resume to apply for a job? A resume is a document, used to apply for jobs, which includes descriptions of your education, experience, skills, and accomplishments. Your resume offers a window into your professional history and is one of the most important documents in your job search, since it provides the vital first impression upon a hiring committee.

100+ Free Professional Resume Examples and Templates

The following professional resume types fit a variety of employment situations for inspiration when writing your own resume. Remember, your resume needs to impress the hiring manager enough so you get the interview. That means it needs to be perfect.

Review the resume samples below, then download a template you can customize to create your own resume.

Choose the Right Resume for Your Work Experience

Before you start writing your resume, choose a type of resume that highlights your strengths and achievements, review what information to include in your resumeand examples of each part of a resume, and then select a typical resume format.

When reviewing templates and examples, choose the format that is best for your situation. While all resumes should provide information on your work and education experience, as well as your skills and accomplishments, there are different ways to present this information.

Resume Samples Listed By Type

No matter how much or what sort of work experience you have, there’s a resume format that will make your qualifications shine. If you have a significant employment gap since your last position, you may want to use a functional resume rather than a chronological one.

Have a look at the following examples to decide which format is best for you.

One-Page Resume (for an entry-level candidate)
Two-Page Resume (for an experienced candidate)
Resume Examples Listed by Job (listed by job and type)
Chronological Resume #1 (most frequently used)
Chronological Resume #2 (most frequently used)
Combination Resume (lists skills first, then work history)
Functional Resume (focuses on skills and experience)
Resume Templates (free resume templates)
Microsoft Word Resume Templates(free Microsoft templates)
Resume Format (the proper format for a resume)

Resumes to Promote Your Qualifications

Resumes in today’s job market are no longer mere summaries of one’s work experience (as they were thirty years ago). Rather, they are self-marketing documents that, ideally, demonstrate how your qualifications align perfectly with those requested in a job advertisement. Highlighting qualifications is particularly important because many employers use automated applicant tracking systems that are programmed to search for keyword phrases related to their desired qualifications in their candidates. Here’s how to make your qualifications “pop” on your resume.

Resume Template to Download

This is a sample of a chronological resume in which job experience is provided in chronological order, beginning with the most recent position. Download the resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see the following list for more examples.

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Download the Word Template

Resume Example (Text Version)

Amanda Billings
10 Paper Road
Milltown, MA 70543
555.123.1234
amanda_billings@email.com

Accounting Manager

Highly organized and diligent professional drawing upon ten years of experience in accounting and finance to contribute to smooth and productive operations. Excellent command of budget development, financial analysis, and accounting best practices. Collaborate cross-functionally across organizational levels to build consensus, track benchmark achievement, and troubleshoot emerging issues.

Core Competencies

Bookkeeping: AP, AR, Account Reconciliations, Payroll
Oral and Written Communications
Federal and State Tax Preparation
Office Administration
Positive Teamwork and Collaboration
QuickBooks and Microsoft Office Suite

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Barclay Professional Accounting Services, Inc. – Milltown, MA
Practice Manager, October 2014 to Present
Handle and optimize all administrative operations for 7-physician medical practice. Scope of responsibilities includes: accounts receivable / payable, accounting, budget review, and preparation of financials for CPA. Selected Contributions :

Eliminated backlog in financial reporting responsibilities within 25 days of initial hiring.
Successfully project-managed acquisition and installation of state-of-the-art healthcare billing software that reduced errors by 30%.
Developed and organized office policies, procedures, and administrative and accounting workflows resulting in a significant increase in office efficiency.

Reddington Hardware – Wellington, MA
Accountant, August 2008 to October 2014
Skillfully performed all office accounting tasks for small hardware store. Gathered and analyzed financial data, and processed accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll for workforce of 35 personnel. Selected Contributions:

Created monthly and annual budget and forecast reports that contributed to a 5% decrease in annual expenditures.
Migrated accounting system to a new software provider and integrated all accounting, bookkeeping, tax, and payroll functions into the new system.
Prepared company state and federal tax returns and ensured compliance with filing deadlines.

EDUCATION

Vermont State College, Rutland, VT
Bachelor of Science in Accounting, 2007
Graduated Magna cum Laude

Resumes for Special Circumstances

The career trajectory for people today is much different than it was for their grandparents. Gone are the days when one could expect to work one’s entire life, without interruption, for a single employer. In part this is because of the “Great Recession” from 2007 to 2009, when many people lost their jobs. However, younger workers are also increasingly willing to “job hop” in order to find their perfect life balance. This might involve a change in career, the decision to stay at home with young children, or even taking “time out” from a career to travel or engage in volunteer work. Review these samples below for help in handling specific situations and non-traditional work histories.

Resume Samples: Listed by Type of Candidate

The resume of an entry-level employee generally looks quite different from the resume of a mid-career professional. While experienced workers can rely upon their career history to make a strong case for their job candidacy, recent graduates may need to showcase their qualifications and potential instead. Review examples of both types of resume.

Resumes Listed by Career Level

More Resume Examples: Listed by Job

Take a look at these sample resumes, organized by job title and field.

Accounting and Finance: Individuals with strong math and analytical skills often pursue careers in the accounting and financial services fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, the predicted rate of growth for these jobs is 10-11%.

Childcare / Education: Teachers are currently in high demand in many parts of the country; the demand for high school teachers alone is expected to grow by 8% between 2016 and 2026. The format of a teaching or childcare resume will vary, depending upon one’s level of experience and the grade level one hopes to teach.

Communications / Marketing / Public Relations: Yes, there are jobs for English majors – strong writing and editing skills are in greater demand (at more lucrative rates of pay) than ever before, thanks to the Internet and rich opportunities in the marketing and public relations sectors.

Customer Service: It takes both patience and a sincere desire to help others to excel in customer service roles. If you have strong interpersonal and communications skills, here’s how to structure a resume that will help land a rewarding customer service job.

Food and Hospitality Services: In our service economy, there are always jobs available for people who enjoy the challenges and rewards of restaurant work. Here’s how to create an effective resume for both front- and back-of-house positions.

General Business / Management: According to a 2016 study by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, more undergraduate and graduate degrees were earned in the fields of business than in any other profession. Trained to fill key leadership roles, effective managers are skilled in organizational development, employee supervision and training, conflict resolution, project management, and regulatory compliance.

Human Resources: Human Resources (HR) employees can either be HR Specialists (who focus upon a specific discipline such as recruiting and hiring), or HR Generalists (who perform all HR functions for an organization).

Information Technologies (IT): Thanks to visionaries like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, the IT industry is flourishing. Unlike resumes for most other professions, IT resumes need to emphasize a candidate’s strong technical skills; it can be a useful strategy to include a tech table listing the hardware and software with which one is proficient.

Manufacturing and Engineering: Despite outsourcing, the career outlook in the engineering and manufacturing sectors is still strong – in 2014 there were 1.6 million engineering jobs in the United States.

Medical / Healthcare: With the aging of the “Baby Boom” generation and the development of miraculous new medical therapies and technologies, there’s never been a better time to enter the healthcare industry. Here’s how to focus a resume to a few very popular healthcare roles.

Nonprofit Sector: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of nonprofit jobs are found in the healthcare and social assistance sectors. Here are examples of the fairly “conservative” style of resumes used for nonprofit jobs.

Office Administration: No business can run smoothly if it lacks administrative professionals who are adept in data processing, phone and office reception, scheduling, supply purchasing, and record keeping. As of 2016, there were 3,990,400 secretaries and administrative assistants in the U.S. workforce.

Sales: As a sales professional, your resume is your most powerful calling card – it should be designed to demonstrate, through its enthusiastic language and use of persuasive examples, the strong sales skills you have to offer.

Seasonal Jobs: If you’re a student who needs tuition or gas money, check out these summer jobs (a word to the wise: start applying well before Spring term ends, since there can be a lot of competition from other students for these jobs).

Skilled Trades: Here’s how to clearly present the specialized skills you’ve developed, either through certification training or apprenticeship, to potential employers.

International Resume Samples

Resumes in countries other than the United States are typically referred to as “Curriculum Vitae” (CVs), and may need to provide personal information (such as date of birth, gender, and marital status) that would be illegal for an American employer to request.

How to Get Started

It’s well worth the time and effort it takes to create a professional resume. These articles, Build a Resume in 7 Easy Steps and Top 10 Resume Writing Tips, help to take the mystery out of the process and will give you the tools you need to present yourself, your experience, and your job skills in the very best light.