Make My CV

Free CV Templates

These are free CV templates you can fill in online and download as PDF or Word, with no account and no watermark. Every one is single column, which is the single most important property for getting through applicant tracking software intact.

Free CV templates

Every template is single column and safe to put through an applicant tracking system. Pick one now and switch later without retyping anything — your content stays put and only the design changes.


Start with any template

Classic

Serif headings, centred header, ruled section titles. Safest choice for ATS.


Use Classic

Modern

Left-aligned header with an accent rule and uppercase section titles.


Use Modern

Minimalist

Sans-serif, generous whitespace, no rules. Quiet and clean.


Use Minimalist

Compact

Tighter leading and smaller rules to fit a long career on one page.


Use Compact

Executive

Large serif name, roomy sections. Suits senior and board-level roles.


Use Executive

Technical

Skills grid near the top, dense project blocks. Built for engineering CVs.


Use Technical

Europass

The European standard layout: labelled left column, personal details block. Expected across the EU.


Use Europass

Academic

Long-form CV for research posts: education first, room for publications and grants.


Use Academic

Corporate

Restrained two-tone headings. Reads well in banking, law and consulting.


Use Corporate

Elegant

Light serif with letter-spaced headings and hairline rules.


Use Elegant

Why every template here is single column

Two-column CVs look good on screen and parse badly. Screening software reads them straight across, so your job title ends up welded to a skill from the other column and a recruiter searching for your actual expertise never finds you. Tables get merged or dropped. Text boxes are frequently skipped entirely. Contact details placed in a page header are often ignored, which makes you unreachable.

None of that means a CV has to look plain. Typography, spacing, a restrained accent colour and clean rules do all the visual work you need. What you give up is the magazine layout, and you give it up because it costs interviews.

Choosing a template

Template Best for
Classic The safest all-rounder. Serif headings, centred header.
Modern General applications wanting a contemporary feel.
Minimalist Design-adjacent roles and anyone who wants air on the page.
Compact A long career that needs to fit one page.
Executive Senior and board-level roles with substantial history.
Technical Engineering CVs. Skills grid and dense project blocks.
Europass Applications across the EU where the format is requested by name.
Academic Research posts, with room for publications and grants.
Corporate Banking, law and consulting. Restrained and conventional.
Elegant A lighter serif treatment for client-facing roles.

Switching costs nothing

Content and design are separate. Pick any template now, and if you change your mind after writing everything, switch — your text stays exactly where it is and only the layout changes. Each template also takes your choice of 29 fonts, an accent colour, A4 or US Letter paper and adjustable margins and line spacing.

Frequently asked questions

Are these CV templates really free?
Yes. Every template is free to use and download, with no watermark, no account and no limit on how many CVs you export.

Can I download the templates as Word files?
Yes. Alongside PDF you can export a real .docx, which matters when a recruiter asks for an editable version. LaTeX source and plain text are also available.

Which CV template is most ATS-friendly?
All ten are built to parse correctly. Classic is the most conservative choice if you want the safest possible option for a heavily automated employer.

Can I add a photo to my CV?
The Europass template includes the personal information block that format expects. For UK, US, Canadian and Australian applications, leave the photo off — employers in those markets generally avoid holding it.

Do I need design skills to use these?
No. Choose a template, fill in your details, and the layout is handled. The quality score tells you when your writing rather than your design is the problem.

See also the Europass CV maker, the online resume editor, and check whether your CV is ATS-friendly.