Hybrid Resume Templates and Examples
A minimalist resume template is usually black and white, with an easy-to-read font. It’s okay to break away from the traditional Times New Roman or Arial fonts, but look for a sans-serif option that is easy to read even at smaller point sizes. Minimalist resume templates are generally only one page long and might combine some sections, such as education and certifications or technical and professional skills. Formats with bullet points for the profile and other sections can also cut down on the amount of text.
Your resume should include these sections:
Include your full name and how you want the hiring manager to contact you in the header. Either an email or a phone number is sufficient in a minimalist resume, but you can also add both to provide multiple options.
The profile section should be just a few sentences long and be packed with keywords and qualifications from the job description. Use fragment sentences to cut down on large blocks of text.
A minimalist resume should still have a key skills list but only include specific skills extremely relevant to the position. Avoid generalities like “time management,” “problem-solving,” or “communication” unless they are specifically mentioned in the job description.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
|---|---|
| Business-to-business (B2B) sales | Empathy |
| Data analysis | Leadership |
| Lead generation | Motivational skills |
| Regulatory compliance | Networking |
| Salesforce | Self-motivated |
Resumes are short to begin with, and using a minimalist resume means every word matters. Strong action verbs make your language more powerful and provide an engaging description of your job duties. It also helps your resume stand out when other applicants are using the same basic phrasing. The best action verbs to use depend on your industry — and you can often get ideas from the job description itself — but these are a good start:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advised | Developed |
| Enabled | Evaluated |
| Facilitated | Focused |
| Improved | Increased |
| Managed | Trained |
How you treat the work experience section of a minimalist resume depends on your background. If you’re a recent graduate focusing on transferable skills and education, it could be a simple bulleted list with only the job title, company, and dates of employment. A candidate with a strong professional background may have half a page with multiple bullets. Focus on using shorter bullets and only include what’s relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Using metrics to quantify your experience forces you to focus on the value of your duties and avoids having a long list of basic responsibilities. Examples of metrics can include how many people were on your team, the annual revenue of your clients, or your close percentage for sales-qualified leads. If you have a bullet that doesn’t lend itself to using metrics, it’s likely something that should be cut.
Check out our example for a better idea of how to do this:
When you’re writing a minimalist resume, every detail should reflect something in the job description. This means every resume you send needs to be tailored to that position. If the hiring manager says a degree in marketing is required, put this in the profile and the credentials section. Mimic the language of the job description in the bullets of your professional experience section, and ensure your skills list includes as much of the listed qualifications as possible.
You don’t have to check every box on a job description to be a good applicant. If your industry experience is a little light, focus on transferable skills as well as your passion and trainability. Show the hiring manager you work well as part of a team and are willing to learn. Including a cover letter with your resume can also help you show why you’re applying for the job and what qualities you have that make up for your lack of experience.
Instead of separate education, licenses, and certifications sections, consolidate all your formal training under one larger credentials header.
Keith Campbell
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Results-driven sales manager with over eight years of experience. Skilled in market analysis, customer relationship management (CRM), and sales forecasting. The close rate for sales-qualified leads was 20%.
Sales Manager, Metrics Inc, August 2022 – present
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Data Science and Analytics, September 2011 – June 2015
Columbia University, New York, NY
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.
