For most people in 2026 the best resume template is a single-column layout with clear section headings, a readable font and real text throughout. It works in applicant tracking systems and is fast for a recruiter to scan. Choose a modern single-column design for tech roles, a hybrid layout for career changers, and keep two-column designs for resumes a person reads directly.
A resume template does two jobs. It has to survive the software that stores your application, and then it has to let a recruiter find your job titles, dates and results quickly. Colours and fonts matter much less than whether the structure makes those things easy to find. This guide ranks the main template types by those two tests and matches them to jobs and situations.
What makes a resume template good
- Your name, the target role and your contact details are the first thing on the page.
- Section headings use standard words, so both people and parsers know what follows.
- Every piece of information is real text you can select, not part of an image.
- Job titles, employers and dates line up so a reader can scan down the page.
- There is enough white space that the page does not look crammed at a glance.
The five resume template types, ranked
| Template type | ATS safety | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic single-column | Highest | Portals, government, finance, healthcare, law | Can look plain; use spacing and type to add polish |
| Modern single-column | High | Tech, startups, marketing | Keep colour to headings and rules, not blocks of text |
| Hybrid (skills summary + chronological) | High | Career changers, senior applicants | The skills section must be backed up in the experience section |
| Two-column or sidebar | Varies | Resumes handed to a person, design-led roles | Older parsers can merge the columns |
| Functional (skills only, no timeline) | Mixed | Rarely recommended | Recruiters often read a missing timeline as hiding something |
The classic single-column layout ranks first because it has no failure modes to manage. A modern single-column design adds a stronger heading font or an accent colour without changing the reading order. A hybrid layout opens with a short skills summary, which helps someone moving from teaching to instructional design, for example, show transferable skills before the timeline.
Two-column templates are not banned. Widely used systems often read them correctly, and they fit more on a page. The risk is that you usually do not know which system an employer uses. If you like a sidebar design, run the copy-paste test from the ATS resume guide on the exported file before you rely on it.
One-page or two-page resume template?
Use one page if you are a student, a fresher or have under about five years of relevant experience. Two pages are normal for experienced applicants with several relevant roles. Academic CVs and some government applications run longer and follow their own rules. The length should come from real content, not from a template that spaces everything out.
Best resume templates by profession
| Profession | Layout to choose | What the template must make easy to see | ArcPixel templates to try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineer or developer | Modern single-column | Tech stack, projects with links, measurable results | Vellum; Helix if you test the export |
| Project or operations manager | Classic or hybrid | Scope, budgets, team size, delivery dates | Ledger, Vellum |
| Nurse or healthcare worker | Classic single-column | Licence and registration, clinical settings, certifications | Vellum, Ledger |
| Marketing or communications | Modern single-column | Campaign results and a portfolio link | Origami, Vellum |
| Finance, accounting or banking | Classic single-column | Qualifications, systems, controls and accuracy | Ledger |
| Fresher or recent graduate | Single-column, education first | Projects, internships, grouped skills | Vellum; Sprout if you test the export |
| Executive or senior leader | Classic or hybrid, two pages | Scope of responsibility and business outcomes | Beacon, Ledger |
| Academic or researcher | Academic CV | Publications, grants, teaching | Compass |
| Designer or creative role | Modern, with a portfolio link | Selected work and the link to it | Studio, Quill, plus a portfolio site |
For role-specific wording, see the resume examples, such as the software developer and nurse samples. Freshers can follow the section order in the resume format for freshers.
Choose by how you will apply
| How you apply | Safest template | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Company careers portal or large job board | Single-column | Your file almost certainly goes through an ATS |
| Email to a named hiring manager | Single-column or tidy two-column | A person opens it first, but it may still be uploaded later |
| Printed copy at a career fair or interview | Any clean design | No parser involved; readability is what counts |
| Referral from someone at the company | Single-column | Referrals are often still entered into the ATS |
Resume design mistakes that cost interviews
- Skill bars and star ratings: a parser ignores them, and "four out of five" in Excel tells the reader very little.
- A photo where local norms do not expect one. The resume photo guide lists common practice by country.
- Contact details only in the page header or footer.
- Creative headings instead of Experience, Education and Skills.
- Content inside text boxes, which some systems skip.
- Inconsistent formatting: different date styles, bullet shapes or font sizes from one role to the next.
- Padding to fill a second page.
How to choose your template in three steps
- Decide how you will submit it. If it goes through a portal, start from a single-column template.
- Match the layout to your experience: education first for freshers, a skills summary for career changers, a classic timeline for everyone else.
- Export the PDF and run the copy-paste test. If the text comes out in the wrong order or your email is missing, switch templates before you apply.
Using ArcPixel templates
ArcPixel has 16 resume templates built from editable text, from the classic Vellum and Ledger to sidebar designs such as Helix, Aurora and Onyx. You can switch templates without retyping your content, so it is quick to compare a single-column and a sidebar version of the same resume and test both exports. Writing and previewing are free; PDF export needs a paid plan. For more on parsing, read ATS resume templates that pass the scan.
- What is the best resume template for 2026?
- A single-column template with standard headings, a readable font and selectable text suits most applicants, because it works in applicant tracking systems and is quick for recruiters to scan. Pick a modern or hybrid variation to suit your field.
- Which resume template is the most ATS-friendly?
- A classic single-column layout with no text boxes, tables for core content or images carrying information. Contact details should sit in the main body, not only in the header.
- Are two-column resume templates bad?
- Not necessarily. Many current systems read them, and they suit resumes handed to a person. The risk is an older parser merging the columns, so test the exported file or use a single column for portal applications.
- Chronological, functional or combination: which format is best?
- Reverse-chronological suits most people. A combination format helps career changers and senior applicants. A purely functional format hides your timeline and is usually best avoided.
- Can I use a colourful resume template?
- Yes, if the colour is decoration on real text. Colour does not affect parsing; images and complex layouts do. Keep strong visual design for creative roles and a portfolio.
- What font should a resume template use?
- A common, readable font such as Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Garamond or Times New Roman, at 10–12 pt for body text. Decorative fonts can cause character errors in older parsers.
- Do resume templates affect interview chances?
- Indirectly. A template that parses badly can keep your keywords out of search results, and a cluttered one slows the recruiter's scan. A clear template lets your experience do the work.