How-to
How to write a resume in a Word document, using a free template
The short answer
Press New document in Wrdio, then use File, New and pick Resume. Replace the sample text with your own, keep it to one page, and put the most relevant things first. Export it as PDF to send, and keep the DOCX so you can edit it again.
A resume has one job: to get you a conversation. It does not need to be pretty. It needs to be clear, true and easy to skim in thirty seconds. Starting from a template removes the hardest part, which is the blank page.
Start from the template
- Open the Wrdio home page and press New document to open the editor. On a computer, choose File, then New, then Resume. On a phone, tap File, then New document, then Resume.
- The editor opens with a resume layout that has sections for contact details, summary, experience, skills and education.
- Replace the sample text with your own.
What goes where
- Name and contact. Name, phone and email, and a link to a professional profile if you have one. You do not need your full home address.
- Summary. Two or three lines on who you are and what you are good at. Be specific.
- Experience. Newest first. For each job: the title, the employer, the dates and three to five bullet points.
- Skills. The ones the job asks for, honestly listed.
- Education. Qualification, institution and year.
How to write strong bullet points
- Start with a verb: led, built, reduced, taught.
- Say what changed because of you. "Cut order errors by a third" beats "responsible for orders".
- Use numbers where you honestly can.
- Keep each one to a line or two.
Layout that works
- One font, two sizes at most.
- Real headings and real lists, not tabs and spaces. See formatting basics.
- Margins of about 2 cm. Smaller margins look cramped.
- Real text, not pictures of text, so screening software can read it.
- One page if you can. Two if you need them.
Save it properly
Use File, Export and pick PDF to send, and DOCX to keep. Name the file with your name, like jane-smith-resume.pdf, so it is easy to find in someone's inbox. Open the PDF and look at every page before you send it. Our guide on saving as PDF without breaking it has a checklist.
Privacy. Your resume holds your phone number, address and work history. Wrdio's editor runs in your browser and does not upload the file, which is a good fit for this kind of document.
Writing to go with it? Try the letter template.
Questions people ask
Is there a free resume template I can edit online?
Yes. Wrdio's editor includes a resume template under File, New, that you can edit and download as DOCX or PDF, with no account.
Should I send a resume as DOCX or PDF?
A PDF keeps the layout. Send a DOCX only if the employer asks for it.
How long should a resume be?
One page for early careers, up to two for experienced applicants. Short and clear beats long.
Will an automatic screening system read my resume?
Many do. Use plain headings, a simple layout and real text rather than images of text.