How to Use Minimalist Resume Templates This Year

Updated September 28, 20221.5k

Minimalist resume templates are perennially popular because they offer simple elegance. Use our minimalist resume templates to help you meet your career goals.

Minimalist Resume Templates

A minimalist resume template may not seem like a likely choice for job seekers who want to stand out, but this is not always the case. A professional minimalist template can create a simple, elegant, and professional appearance for your resume, putting your head and shoulders above the rest of the candidates for jobs in certain industries. This article will tell you:

What the benefits of a minimalist resume template are
What a professional resume template in a minimalist style looks like
Who can benefit from minimalist resume templates

The Benefits of a Minimalist Resume

Minimalist resumes are accessible and widely effective in a range of industries. This makes them suitable for any job search. Minimalist resume templates offer a range of benefits to job seekers, but the most important are:

Readability
ATS-friendliness

Minimalist templates are easier for applicant tracking systems and hiring managers to scan quickly. This means that they are more likely to rank well in ATS and, therefore, more likely to make it to a recruiter in the first place. Once your resume hits a hiring manager’s desk, it will have around 60 seconds to impress them; an easy to scan template makes this more likely.

What Makes a Resume Template Minimalist?

There can be as much variation in style between minimalist resume templates as there is between creative resume templates. Nonetheless, the features common to most minimal resume templates are:

Plenty of white space
A minimal resume template should have plenty of white space on the page. Whereas other resume designs may use more complicated graphic design elements, minimalist resumes will not. This is what gives the clean and tidy appearance that makes them so popular.
Limited use of infographic elements
A minimalist design may not look like it has been taken straight from MS word, but it shies away from bold or complex infographic elements. These kinds of features are more likely to be found on a creative resume template. Whatever resume format you choose, minimalism means a clean resume template.
Use of muted colors
Minimalist, simple resume templates may use some colors (for example, to help the header stand out), but they should be muted and understated. Muted flashes of color on a minimalist template will be used to highlight important details such as contact information and professional social media details (e.g., your LinkedIn profile).
Simple font choices
While you should aim for a professional, legible font such as Helvetica or Verdana in any resume, minimalist resume templates will generally feature more traditional fonts like Calibri and Arial. These fonts are a safe choice for any curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.

The simplicity of minimalist resume templates makes them perfect for job seekers who want to create a coherent, cross-document look. Minimalist designs can be carried over to resume templates and even business cards to give your job application a professional, tailored appearance.

Who Can Benefit From a Minimalist Resume Template?

There are many different options available when it comes to resume templates these days. As is the case with resume formats, certain resume template designs are better for certain situations. These are the people who stand to benefit most from minimalist resume templates:

Those applying to traditional jobs

If you work in a very traditional profession like medicine, law, dentistry, or publishing, then a minimalist design resume will be most appropriate for your job search. If you work in a creative role like graphic design, however, then a creative template may be better as it will give you the chance to show your design skills by using tools like Adobe Photoshop. If you choose a minimalist template, you will also find it easy to edit and update for each job application without making a mess of the template design.
People who are concerned about applicant tracking systems

If you have previously used a creative resume template with no luck, then it is possible that your resume is not being scanned properly by applicant tracking systems (ATS) that employers use to scan resumes. A simple way to rectify this is to switch to a minimalist template. Infographics and crowded typography can prevent creative resumes from scanning well and lead to them being discarded.
Job seekers who want to “future-proof” their resume template

Rather like minimalist decor, minimalist resume templates tend to be timeless, or at least they generally do not become dated very quickly. If you create a single-page resume using a minimalist design, then you will find that it ages well.

If you want to make creating your resume easier, then consider using the ResumeNerd resume builder to create an effective resume using their free minimalist resume templates.

FAQ: Minimalist Resume Templates

Who should avoid minimalist templates?

Minimalist templates are best for those who work in very traditional industries like law and medicine. If you work in a creative role such as graphic design, then a minimalist resume template may prevent you from showing off your creative skills.

How much information should a minimalist resume contain?

“Minimalist” refers to the appearance of your resume, not its contents. You should include all of the information you would include on any other resume in a minimalist resume.

Should I use a matching cover letter template?

Yes, you should match your resume and cover letter templates to ensure that your job application has a cohesive and consistent appearance. If you do not match your cover letter and resume, then it may make a negative impression on recruiters.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.