Andrei combines academic knowledge with over 10 years of practical experience to help job seekers navigate the challenges of resumes, interviews, and career growth. Through the Novorésumé Career Blog, he offers actionable advice to simplify and ace the job search process.
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)
How to Make a Resume on Google Docs
First and foremost, you would want to be at the correct place.
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:
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10+ Premium Google Docs Resume Templates
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
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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 resumeheader 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 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.
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.
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
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.
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.
