Hybrid Resume Templates and Examples
A good general resume template has all of the basic sections and a plug-and-play format. You should be able to fill in your information in a few minutes and have a resume that’s ready to send out. These designs should be simple and well-organized to appeal to a variety of industries. Stay away from anything with bold colors or intricate fonts, which can distract from your qualifications and make it harder for a hiring manager to skim.
Your resume should include these sections:
Your contact information goes at the top of the resume, preferably in the header. It should include your name, email address, and phone number at a minimum. If you have a relevant LinkedIn account or link to a profile of your work, include this as well.
This is a short summary of your skills, experience, and qualifications. Include your job title, how many years of experience you have, and any skills listed as must-haves in the job description.
Include your technical and professional skills in a bulleted list that’s easy for a hiring manager to skim. A general resume may benefit from a few smaller lists, such as software proficiencies, programming languages, and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms — if you want to include various skills.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
|---|---|
| Accounting | Adaptability |
| Computer engineering | Communication |
| Digital marketing | Customer service |
| Inventory management | Emotional intelligence |
| Linux | Relationship building |
Hiring managers have to read through dozens and sometimes hundreds of resumes, and it doesn’t take long for every application to sound the same. Ensure your resume stands out by choosing strong action verbs that highlight your skills and mimic the language used in the job description.
For example, if the job description lists “training employees” as a job duty, including action verbs like “trained” and “mentored” shows you have these skills. Here are some examples of strong action verbs for general resumes:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advised | Conducted |
| Consulted | Created |
| Developed | Investigated |
| Mentored | Researched |
| Spearheaded | Supported |
This will be the largest section on a general resume. It shows you have a professional work history, and each job entry has a bulleted list of accomplishments and responsibilities. Make sure to review this section with each application and change the wording and which accomplishments you’re highlighting to match the position.
A key part of your resume is showing the hiring manager how you can be a solution to their problems. Using metrics in your resume to show the impact of your accomplishments keeps the focus on how you can benefit an employer.
For example, if you’re highlighting your ability to deliver a top-notch customer experience, show the impact this had through metrics. This could include an increase in successful upsells or higher customer satisfaction ratings. Time and money are two of the most valuable things to an employer, so focus on how your actions affected these two factors.
Check out our example of how to do this:
This may seem counterintuitive when you’re creating a universal resume, but there’s no getting around customizing your resume to each position. A general resume can provide a framework that’s 90% ready, but taking the extra time to tailor your resume makes it more likely you’ll impact the hiring manager and get an interview.
To customize your resume, look through the job description and identify the skills and qualifications most important to the hiring manager. Ensure these make it into your resume by tweaking your wording or changing the order of things. For example, if you have “point-of-sale (POS) systems” as a skill and the job description notes the company uses Toast, changing it to the specific program can improve your chances.
Whether you’re applying for your first job after graduation or changing careers, it is possible to create a quality resume even if you don’t have years of experience in the industry. Highlight the work experience you do have. A strong work history shows reliability, dedication, and work ethic, even if it’s in a different field.
Include a list of skills that are transferable across industries and that focus on your trainability. For example, using terms like “self-starter” and “team player” can let a hiring manager know you’re willing to learn on the job.
List your highest level of education, including major, institution, and graduation date. This section is also where you list other credentials like certifications or licenses.
Dorothy Rivera
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation ZIP code
Energetic and personable team leader with over six years of experience in the coffee industry. Skilled in latte art and roasting techniques and working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. Dedicated customer service professional, successfully leading a team of five baristas with a 98% overall customer satisfaction rating. Contributed to the No. 1 sales ranking in the district.
Team Leader, Starbucks, Tucson, AZ
June 2021 – present
Barista, Starbucks, Tucson, AZ
August 2017 – May 2021
Bachelor of Arts in Business, August 2016 – May 2020
The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach
A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.
ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.
