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39 Creative Resume Examples & Templates (Creative CV Ideas)

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A creative resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is one document you can’t skimp on. This is true for everyone, but especially for designers and other creative professionals.

When applying for a job, the first impression you create is strong and longest-lasting. The same is true when making contact with a new potential client. That first impression has to help you stand out from your competitors.

That first impression is usually made via an online application, your website, an email, or even through social media. Hopefully, you already have a strong portfolio website , either a personal portfolio or your freelance business site. And hopefully, your social media presence continues your personal or business brand look and feel. But what about your resume?

Most job applications ask applicants to attach a CV or a resume. And after initial, brief research on your website or social media accounts, a prospective client will often ask for a resume if they don’t find the information they need or if they need to present a list of freelancers to their boss.

As such, no matter if you’re searching for a job or trying to land new clients, your resume design could be what differentiates you from a competitor with similar skills and level of experience. The right kind of creative resume truly reflects your character and experience in an expressive way.

The following are some excellent creative resume and CV examples to help get ideas flowing for your own resume design. Notice that some tend to remain more straightforward and business-like with a hint of creativity thrown in. Some go over the top in the creative aspect. And others strike a nice balance between the two extremes.

Designers have discovered new methods to showcase their skills and attributes in a bold way with creative CVs and resumes. You can come up with a highly creative resume idea, design it and then showcase your skills and abilities to the whole world.

You’ll need to make a calculated decision on your own resume design. If your brand look and style of work is highly artistic, then, by all means, go all out. If, however, you’re applying for a job in a less creative field, you may want to tone down tons of graphics and colors and stick with a more corporate look that still creatively reflects your personal brand.

Best Creative Resume Examples

We’ve searched to find the most creative resumes available. These creative resume examples and creative CV examples are sure to provide plenty of inspiration. And best of all, if you see a template you like, you can purchase it to save hours of your time.

Creative Resume by Jahangir Alam Jisan

Jisan’s creative CV uses icons, color, and bold banners to add creativity to his resume design. Plus, the unusual layout helps the information to stand out nicely while still maintaining a professional and organized look.

My Resume by Soumitra Saxena

This is another creative resume design that shows off the designer’s humor as well as his wide range of skills. Even with the creative illustration and extra information, the graphic design is still clean and organized, which says a lot about his engineering side as well.

Curriculum Vitae by Anton Yermolov

Both clean and colorful, Yermolov’s CV design stands out with neat columns and colorful icons. His illustrated self-portrait is a nice alternative to a photo and ensures it will look nice even if a client uses their own poor-quality printer to print a copy.

CV – Take a Look Inside by Amber Van Mieghem

Both the format and the fold of this CV design is fantastically creative. Amber does an excellent job of creating intrigue and keeping attention by leading to the next page with the fold.

Shameless Self-Promotion by Kyle Robertson

A personal logo is always a safe way to add some originality to a professional resume that needs to remain more on the corporate side. Robertson doesn’t stop there, though. His beautiful choice of fonts also adds to the appeal of his creative resume design.

My Resume by darthkix

Fitting a lot of information onto a single page is one of the more difficult parts of a resume, but darthkix solves this problem quite beautifully. The silhouette graphic on the background is a brilliant way to break up his information neatly but uniquely.

Resume by Yojna Shetty

I love how this creative resume organizes so much content so neatly onto a single page. At first glance, it is almost overwhelming, but the lines and other graphics help to draw the eye from one section to the next quite easily. It should not take very long for the viewer to go through it so each section and detail should be connected to the next one and everything should be displayed in a rather expressive and creative manner.

Self-Promotion by Syril Bobadilla

The bright colors in this original resume by Bobadilla are stunningly balanced out by the excellent, clean layout of content. Plus, the custom fonts add a very nice, original touch to the entire design.

Curriculum_Vitae by Francisco Hidalgo

I highly urge you to visit Hidalgo’s Behance page to view his curriculum vitae in full effect, as the images above do not do his gorgeous illustration justice. You can build on this idea and design similar creative resumes that are more than just a professional resume. Not only does his design show off his illustration skills, it also keeps his information easy to read and digest in a memorable viewing experience. Beautiful!

Curriculum Vitae by Camila Soto

Handwritten fonts and illustrations are a stunning touch in this creative CV and infographic resume by Soto. I love how each section is divided into boxes. Different calligraphic fonts have been put to use, few items have been sketched and you get a colorful resume for your work.

Resume by Roberta Cicerone

I really love how this website resume could also double as a poster-like print resume design. Roberta does an excellent job of keeping a visitor scrolling with uniquely phrased section headers and dotted lines. Different geometrical figures and calligraphic fonts have been displayed in quite a skeptical and playful way. Her illustrations and custom fonts are stunning!

Matthew Jhon Creative Resume Template

This modern template is perfect for a graphic designer or creative professional who wants a resume that makes a strong first impression on a hiring manager. You’ll have a place for your work experience highlights, as well as your education, skills, and contact info. The header and footer feature a stylish design. It comes as a Microsoft Word file (DOCX) and as a PDF.

This is one of the most creative and unique resume or CV templates you’ll find. It’s colorful and also includes a small illustration, as well as some shapes and icons. It comes in Ai, EPS, and PSD formats.

Alex Buell Template

If you want a resume or CV that stands out, this template is an excellent choice. It features a little bit of color and some subtle but stylish design elements to impress viewers. You can use the template in Word, Illustrator, or Photoshop. It comes in PDF and EPS format.

Colorful Resume Template

Who says resumes have to be boring? This template uses a lot of color, especially in the header, to really stand out. It comes in vector format (Ai and EPS file formats) and includes a template for a cover letter.

Charles Midleton Template

Here is another bright, colorful curriculum vitae template 100% guaranteed to stand out. It can be edited in Word, Photoshop, or Illustrator to quickly and easily create a beautiful resume. Shapes and colors make this design unique, but it also includes all the details needed to be effective.

Anthony Arlo

This colorful template features a large header with a photo and shapes that make a nice background for your bio and contact info. It also displays your relevant experience and skills attractively. Edit the template in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Word.

Lester Chandler

This package includes a two-page creative CV template and a cover letter template. This design features bold black & white, large photos, and a clean design. It’s perfect for creative professionals who want a great-looking resume showcasing their abilities.

Modern CV Resume Template

This template features a stylish design and a big header with a place for your photo. The skills section uses a creative way to display your most essential skills and your level of expertise. It also includes a nice cover letter template.

Darryl Philbin

This creative resume template and CV template is also professional. It’s exceptionally well designed with a lot of style to ensure you stand out. There’s a spot for a photo in the header, and the download even comes with a photo filter, so your photo will match the style shown in the preview above.

Mono Resume

We’ve looked at some examples of colorful resumes, but this one takes a different approach with a monochromatic color scheme. It’s perfect for creative professionals because the header is innovative and interesting, allowing you to enter a photo. It’s also got plenty of room for all the important details about your experience and accomplishments.

Alan Querin

Here is another black & white design that definitely stands out from the typical resume template or CV template. It uses typography and some well-designed content blocks to create a truly professional resume.

If you want a resume or CV that will stand out without taking extreme measures regarding an unusual design, this one is a good option. It uses color and some nice design elements, but still has a clean look and feel. It comes in PSD, Ai, and EPS formats.

Steven Gerard

This unique design includes a full-page photo with a greeting and a second page with a full resume or CV with a photo header. The full-page photo could be skipped if you want the simple one-page option. It’s a well-designed and colorful template that you’ll love.

Mauro Haskey Template

This template uses a beautiful design and layout that features a small photo and a brief profile in the sidebar. It includes all the necessary details like contact info, work experience, and education. The skills section at the bottom uses star ratings to display strengths in different areas creatively.

Juandha Whitney

This clean and elegant template makes creating a curriculum vitae with a professional look easy. You’ll be able to show off your strongest skills, education, and work experience.

Claire Ridley

Here is another very clean and professional CV template with a nice design. The header includes room for a photo and a brief bio before getting into the details of your experience and background.

Henry Silly Template

Present your qualifications in a clean and professional way with the help of this creative resume template. It comes in Illustrator format with five different color variations that you can choose from, and of course, you can also edit the colors if you’d like.

Pink Resume Template

Now, here is one that’s sure to be unique! The design uses a pink background, probably unlike any resume you’ve ever seen. It also includes all of the usual details, so it’s functional too.

This template uses some splashes of color for a creative CV design. It includes space for a headshot, a skills section that utilizes star ratings, and an additional template for a cover letter. The download includes the designs in Ai and EPS formats.

Two-Page Modern Resume Template

This unique resume template is not only creative in terms of design and style, but it’s also one of the few two-page templates you’ll see in this showcase. The first page includes details about you and your skills, and the second page is focused on work experience and education. The templates come in Word and InDesign formats.

Indah Kusuma

This CV template uses a colorful header with a photo. The rest of the design is fairly clean and simple. You’ll also get matching cover letter templates. The files can be edited in Word, Photoshop, or Illustrator.

The Peachy CV Resume Template

The Peachy template makes use of icons and content blocks to display your experience and qualifications in an attractive way. The header includes a spot for a small photo along with your name and contact info. This template is ideal for highlighting a few past jobs or specific experiences that you’ve gained.

Taylor Sheeran Template

This stylish design stands out from the typical resume template without being too unconventional. The dark header and footer add contrast and visual interest. The header includes space for a small photo. It also comes with a template for a matching cover letter, which is sure to come in handy.

Carol Holmes

This modern resume template’s layout is pretty unique and will make you stand out from other job applicants. It also comes with a cover letter template and can be edited easily in Microsoft Word.

Jim Halpert

Although it’s a fairly simple design, this CV is definitely unique. It makes excellent use of typography and gives you a solid template that could be used in many different industries.

Anthony Silver

With the help of this template, you can get a very professional CV in no time. There’s a sport for your photo in the head, and the resume layout is beautifully designed to show off your experience and skills. It is provided in InDesign file format.

Web Designer Resume Template

This template is a fun way for web designers to present their professional resume or CV. It includes a spot for a QR code at the top, which is a cool touch. Of course, there’s also a section to show off your experience, and the skills section at the bottom presents a way to display your specific skills visually.

Walter Smith

With this template, you can pack plenty of detail into your resume or CV without a cluttered look. You’ll have a place for your work experience, education, skills, contact info, references, and a brief profile and photo. It comes in four different color variations.

You Only Have a Few Seconds… A Creative Resume Will Help

Your creative resume can make a strong first impression on a potential employer or recruiter. How creative is your resume or CV design? Are you confident yours will stand out from the rest of the pile? If not, then you may want to use one of the creative resume examples above (or use a resume builder) to model your own design, but don’t forget to consider your audience. And have fun with it so that your creative passion shines through loud and clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

A creative CV or resume will show off your skills or experience in a way that sounds out from most text-based resumes during a job search. It may include color or a more unique visual design. If you’re in a creative industries, like designers, taking this approach as a job seeker may help you to get an interview.

The easiest way is to use one of the many templates showcased on this page. In just a few minutes, you can have a beautiful resume or CV that you can be proud of. Check the creative CV ideas in this article to find one you like.

If you’re in a creative industry, taking a more original approach to your resume can be effective and may help you to land your dream job. However, in other industries you may be better off with a more traditional resume.

It really depends on the person who is receiving and reviewing the resumes. Look at it this way, many job openings receive at least 100 resumes. The creative approach is sure to makes your stand out and be noticed. Will it help every time? No. But getting noticed is an important step if you want to get an interview, especially in a creative profession.

Tara Hornor enjoys writing about advertising, marketing, branding, web and graphic design, and more. As Senior Editor for Creative Content Experts, she has over 2,000 published articles on the web. Connect with @TaraHornor for more design and freelancing advice.

How To Make a Creative Resume: Tips and Best Practices

Creative resumes are nontraditional resumes, including video resumes or resumes that contain graphics and alternative formatting. For some roles, a creative resume helps you show off your skills and catch the recruiter’s eye, but there are still crucial best practices to keep in mind. This blog post shows you how to write a creative resume that stands out and when to use one.

What is a creative resume?

A creative resume is a document that uses unique formatting to showcase your professional achievements. Depending on your experience and the role you’re applying for, creative resumes come in a variety of formats:

• Video resumes
• Colorful resumes
• Resumes with graphics and patterns

A creative resume usually uses its creative elements to better highlight your experience and accomplishments. They need to strike the right balance between personality and professionalism. 

When should you use a creative resume?

Learning how to make a creative resume is highly beneficial for creative fields, including graphic designers, copywriters, editors, and models. This is especially the case if you have a portfolio to display. A creative resume acts as an extension of your professional experience and this is your chance to show off your skills.

Here are a few ways creative resumes help certain professionals:

• A resume with a sleek design and graphics displays a graphic designer’s talent
• An effective video resume helps editors show off their use of B-roll footage and transitions
• A resume with an eye-catching header helps a copywriter show off their ability to grab attention

For certain roles, a creative resume immediately catches a recruiter’s eye and tells them you’re worth considering. However, certain industries won’t appreciate them, such as engineering, financial, and tech roles. Ensure you think critically about your industry and the company you’re applying to before you build a creative resume.

Even professionals in creative fields should stay dynamic when building resumes. Try making a bold creative resume when applying to a casual company, stick to a more traditional format for old-fashioned organizations, and strike a middle ground for companies that are in-between.

What elements should you include in a creative resume?

Knowing which elements to include helps you learn how to write a creative resume that stands out. Bright colors, striking graphics, and nontraditional formats are just a handful of potential sections for a unique resume.

Use our list to inspire you, then try one or two of these ideas on one of our resume templates . For example, incorporate creative writing and portfolio links into our modern template to blend eccentric elements into a professional resume.

Visuals and format

A visually appealing resume makes your application stand out. It’s also a slightly more subtle way to display your creativity, which is beneficial when applying to slightly more traditional companies.

Different colors, layouts, and formats are great opportunities for you to grab attention while still maintaining professionalism and readability.

For example, bold colors in small amounts make your resume pop without going over the top.

Do you find infographics easy to read and digest? Many recruiters do, too. Graphics like icons and charts make resumes easy to understand.

Some professionals use small icons to represent their abilities or fluency in a language. This helps hiring managers quickly understand your proficiency in a refreshing way.

Portfolios and projects

Try highlighting portfolios and projects on your resume. Provide links to your portfolio, written work, or websites you’ve designed – and ensure the links work before sending off the resume.

Even if you include links elsewhere, like your cover letter or in your resume email , it’s a good idea to still place them in your resume. Hiring managers have a lot to juggle and might misplace the link.

New and innovative elements

There are always innovations in resumes, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on relevant trends. For example, you might try using a skills matrix or a graphic timeline of your work experience.

A creative writer might write their professional summary in the form of a poem or a seamster may print their resume on beautiful fabric.

“For certain roles, a creative resume immediately catches a recruiter’s eye and tells them you’re worth considering.”

What to keep in mind when building a creative resume

A creative resume is a great opportunity to express your expertise, but it’s still a professional document.

An important part of learning how to make a creative resume is knowing when to reel yourself in and stay professional.

We list the best practices to balance your creative resume below. If you’re interested in learning even more tips and tricks to enhance your resume, check out our resume articles .

Work experience and skills

Your work history, skills, and competencies should still be clear and easily understood, even in a creative resume. Ensure you use clear terminology that accurately describes your skills and previous work responsibilities.

Education and certifications

It’s still important to list your education on resumes . Many creative job postings require educational certification, or at least prefer it.

Professionals in creative fields may have degrees from art schools or fashion institutes, or they may have coursework in ceramics making. It’s also very common for writers to have degrees in Communications or English.

Contact information

This resume element is vital. Your contact details must be at the very top of your resume and easy to quickly digest. This section should contain your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn URL.

For creative resumes, this is also a section to put your Instagram URL if you regularly post your art. You’ll also want to list the address of your artistic workshop if you have one.

Keep a consistent look

Your creative resume is different from a standard resume, but it still needs a clear layout, readable font, and complementary colors.

Even extremely unique resumes should have a consistent theme and a pleasing format. Check out our article on choosing a resume structure for advice, and then incorporate it into your creative resume.

Check and edit as always

Just like any resume, a creative resume needs to be double-checked and scanned for errors. Check it yourself and run it through a spell-check program, then ask friends and colleagues to read through it, too.

We recommend asking other creatives in your professional circle for their advice. These people can not only check for errors but also provide artistic advice on colors and layout.

Adapt it to the job description

Always adapt your resume to the role and match it to the job description. This not only helps the hiring manager instantly connect to your resume, but it also makes your resume ATS-friendly .

Even when writing a creative resume, we recommend avoiding job titles and skill names that are too unique. For example, a job post looking for a graphic designer may never find your resume if you list your title as a “ Graphic Superstar. ”

Build a Standout Creative Resume and Wow Recruiters

Knowing how to write a creative resume that stands out is a powerful skill. It’s a unique way to show hiring managers a preview of your capabilities before they even finish reading your resume.

Consider a variety of creative mediums, such as adding visuals, graphics, and links to your professional portfolio.

Just remember that this is still a professional document, so include a clear description of your work history and skills, keep a consistent design, and double-check for errors and flow.

You can pull together a creative resume in minutes by using CVwizard’s Resume Builder . Try building a quick resume, then adding links to your portfolio – or edit in your artwork after it’s done.

Make an impression with your resume

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How To Build A Creative Resume That Stands Out

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Competition in the job market is stiff. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, COVID-19 is causing economic activity to collapse and unemployment to soar. The pandemic’s impact on jobs has been ten times bigger than that of the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2008.

With more people looking for work, you must find creative ways to stand out. Your resume is the first thing potential employers will see, so it makes sense to start there. Read on to learn how to build a creative resume that will get you in front of the right people.

Include Only Relevant Details

Contrary to popular belief, more information in a resume isn’t necessarily better. Don’t feel the need to include your entire work history. Remember, your resume's job is to convince your potential employer that you have the skills for the post you’re applying for, and a creative resume will help make it stand out.

Take a look at this pared-down resume:

Danny’s expertise and experience are evident at a glance, and you should aim for the same thing with your resume. If you’re applying to be a graphic designer, your experience as a salesperson while you were in college probably isn’t relevant.

A simple rule of thumb : if it doesn’t strengthen your candidacy for this job, don’t make it the main focus.

However, that doesn’t mean you should only include experience in roles with a similar title or in the same industry. Transferable skills are valuable. You just need to make sure they’re directly relevant to the role you’re hoping to land, and a creative resume will help you do that.

Customize Your Creative Resume

Like most job seekers, you are probably applying for multiple positions. Don’t be tempted to send the same resume each time. Instead, tailor your resume to each application to highlight only the most relevant skills and experience. This type of creative resume shows the hiring manager that you have the skills needed for the role and will increase your chances of getting an interview. It also shows you really want the position.

If you’re sending your customized resumes to different people via email, I recommend using an email tracking tool to see when they’re opened. This helps you keep track of the status of each of your applications, as well as knowing when to follow up and when to move on.

Highlight Your Work Experience

Make sure your work experience is front and center of your resume. Any hiring manager will tell you that this is the first thing they look at.

According to LinkedIn, hiring managers rarely pay much attention to an applicant’s education history, unless they’re specifically looking to recruit new graduates. So, however prestigious your college degree, it should take up less space than your employment history.

According to a 2018 eye-tracking study, hiring managers skim an applicant’s resume for an average of only 7.4 seconds . If they can’t get a good sense of your work experience in that time, they might throw your resume away without a second look. They get tons of applications for each job, and one fewer resume means less work for them. Don’t give them an easy reason to reject you out of hand. A creative resume that sets you apart from the competition will capture the attention of the hiring manager in that first, crucial glimpse.

This is not to say that your education and other relevant information should not be included. It should, as long as it strengthens your candidacy. Just make sure these details don’t overshadow your work experience. Here’s one way of doing it:

Notice how the CV starts with a summary, followed by her work experience, and then education and a list of skills and interests.

Here’s an extra tip : Delete those outdated credentials. No-one cares about your GPA, your SAT scores, or that irrelevant elective you took in High School.

Broaden Your Definition Of “Work Experience”

Work experience is not just the regular 9-to-5 jobs you’ve held. Freelance jobs, short term contracts, and even relevant voluntary work also count. If you’re a new graduate, the biggest mistake you can make is to leave your work experience section blank.

Your college internship shows the hiring manager that you have some experience in a professional setting and an understanding of workplace norms. Running communications for your voluntary organization demonstrates skills and dedication. In other words, experience is still experience.

Just don’t forget to follow the rule I explained above: only include it if you can make a compelling case for its relevance.

Include Links On Your Creative Resume

You’re only one of dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for the same job. This means that hiring managers can’t spend a lot of time assessing each candidate’s application (remember the eye-tracking study?).

Therefore, you need to make the best use of the space you have to convince them that you’re the right candidate. This is where links can help you. If you include links in your resume to your online portfolio or projects you’ve worked on, the hiring manager can click on those once they’ve decided they are interested in knowing more about you. Proof of your skills is a powerful tool, and linking to work you’ve done allows you to provide that proof.

Don’t overload your resume with links, though! This will result in an eyesore of a resume that will most likely end up in the trash. Choose only links that demonstrate relevant skills and increase your chances of getting hired.

One tip that a surprising number of candidates forget: Make sure your links are typed correctly and clickable. If the hiring manager goes to look at your portfolio and the link doesn’t work, they won’t spend the time Googling your name to track it down. More likely, they’ll just move on to the next candidate. In addition, broken links indicate poor attention to detail, which is a big no-no in many jobs.

Leverage Numbers

Quantifying your accomplishments using specific numbers provides proof of your skills. With numbers, hiring managers can understand precisely what you’ve accomplished. Without them, they’re left with vague assertions of skills but little to back them up. The key is crafting a results-driven, creative resume that showcases your accomplishments.

Compare these two statements:

“I grew a marketing subscriber list from 100 to 7,000 in two months.”

“I worked at the company’s content marketing department.”

From a hiring manager’s perspective, the first statement is undoubtedly more powerful. It proves that you can walk the walk with those skills you’ve claimed to have!

Unsure how to quantify your accomplishments in your previous job? Return to the job description for the role you’re applying for and consider what are likely to be the key indicators of success.

You can also check out Austin's ResyBullet Tool , which will analyze your bullets and help you write more effective ones to better showcase results on your creative resume!

Here are some examples you may want to consider, depending on your field:

• New clients acquired
• Cost reductions or savings
• Sales revenue
• Increase in page views, social media followers, engagements, or other marketing metrics
• Customer satisfaction levels
• Customer complaints resolved

Then pick two or three of your most impressive quantifiable achievements, and include them on your resume.

Choose Your Words Wisely

Your resume is a professional document and is the first thing the hiring manager will see from you. Since you want to show that you’re serious about your job application, you must write your resume in a professional manner. That means a formal tone, professional language, and impeccable spelling and grammar.

Many otherwise strong candidates are let down by resumes laden with meaningless buzzwords. A few have likely snuck into your resume. Identify and remove them before you send your application!

CareerBuilder surveyed around 2,200 hiring managers and found that the most irritating overused phrase was “best of breed.” Mary Lorenz, a corporate communications manager at CareerBuilder, also cited “hard worker,” “go-getter,” and “strategic thinker” as words to avoid.

These terms should be avoided because, in addition to being overused and annoying, they are meaningless! Anyone can claim to be any of these things, and they are generally impossible to prove or disprove. Employers want to know what makes you unique and how you will add value to their organization.

While we’re at it, here are just a few of the other words and phrases you should avoid:

• Results-driven
• Highly qualified
• People person
• Digital native
• Growth hacking
• Thinking outside the box
• Exceptional communicator
• Customer-centric

Instead of stuffing your resume with these buzzwords, follow the other tips in this article to demonstrate your expertise, hard-working nature, and fantastic communication skills. In other words: show, don’t tell.

Make Your Creative Resume Look Nice

Your resume must appear clean, well-designed, and professional. This is especially true for those looking to land a job in creative industries, but it applies everywhere. Therefore, spend a few extra minutes to ensure your resume is well-presented and pleasing to the eye.

Here’s an example of a well-designed resume:

Notice how the elements are laid out neatly and in a way that is easy to read. The splash of color and the visual at the bottom make it stand out without going overboard.

Beware : there’s such a thing as being too creative with your resume. Multiple colors, quirky pictures, or too many different fonts say less “seasoned professional” and more “Junior High graphic design class project.” Keep it simple, but make sure it looks nice.

Oh, and in case you were considering sending in your resume printed out on fancy paper? Don’t. It’s unnecessary and, if anything, makes it look like you’re trying to cover up a sub-par application with flash instead of substance.

Your Resume Should Tell A Story

Your resume should tell the story of how you got to where you are and what makes you an ideal candidate for this job. You need to give them a strong sense of who you are and why you would excel at their company.

But how do you do that?

Utilize Austin's 3 elements of a resume:

• Quantitative Results
• Simple, Aesthetic Design That Hooks The Reader
• An “Interests” Section That’s Quirky, Unique, & Relatable

Don’t just repeat facts about your work history and education. Write them in a way that shows the hiring manager where you started, where you are now, how you got there, and where you’re headed. And of course, don’t forget to clearly show where their company and this role fits into the story.

For more tips on how to write a resume, check out Austin's job-winning resume writing strategies here !

Standing Out

Job-hunting can feel overwhelming, especially in the current climate. You might be feeling stressed or despairing at ever landing the perfect position. I understand that it can be difficult to write a creative resume and stand out when there are dozens or even hundreds of applicants vying for the same position. But challenging doesn’t mean it’s impossible!

Since your resume is the first thing a hiring manager sees, it’s the best place to start if you want to improve your chances of landing your dream job. So remember to include all the critical elements of a great resume:

• Include only the relevant details
• Highlight your work experience, broadening your definition to include freelance work, internships, voluntary positions, and traditional paid jobs.
• Customize your resume for every role you apply for.
• Include relevant links.
• Quantify your experience and skills with relevant figures.
• Make your resume look professional and pleasing to the eye.
• Avoid buzzwords and meaningless jargon.
• Tell a compelling story.

When you’re applying for a job, you want to stand out in the right way. One of the best ways to do that is by providing a killer resume paired with a great cover letter.

Follow these tips, add a little bit of perseverance, and don’t be afraid to be yourself. You might be surprised how quickly you land that ideal role.

Owen Baker is a content marketer for Voila Norbert. He has spent most of the last decade working online for a range of marketing companies. When he’s not busy writing, you can find him in the kitchen mastering new dishes.

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How to Turn Your LinkedIn Profile into a Resume

To create a resume from your LinkedIn Profile, click on the “Import from LinkedIn” at the top of this page and our LinkedIn Resume Builder will fetch all relevant details.

Once you start the import process, make sure to select the right template that reflects you and helps you stand out from the competition. While you have imported most of the content from your LinkedIn profile, you can still make changes to the sections and content of your LinkedIn resume.

Unless you have more than 15 years of experience, we advise that you keep your LinkedIn resume to be one or a maximum of two pages.

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Want to add a new section to your resume or improve an existing one? Brush up your LinkedIn resume with our AI Resume Rewriter. It can refine your resume and rewrite it in language that is professional and specific to your industry. Learn more about our AI Resume Rewriter.

Import your LinkedIn, get a resume. Then use our AI tools to make it better.

If you’ve already got a polished LinkedIn profile, why go through the same writing process again with your resume? After all, a good LinkedIn profile and a good resume have a lot in common. You can use that!

Simply import your LinkedIn profile to Kickresume and turn it into a sleek professional CV.

You can then use our AI toolkit to rewrite your resume , check it for errors with our resume checker , and even make it look super professional with our stunning resume templates . That is, if you feel like making your resume a bit more ‘extra’ and job-winning.

What are the benefits? Why import your LinkedIn profile instead of building a resume from scratch?

The following only apply if you’ve already got a good LinkedIn profile. But that shouldn’t be a problem — every ambitious job seeker should already have one!

In any case, here are some obvious and less obvious benefits of using our super easy LinkedIn-to-resume converter.

• Save time. You don’t have to write a resume from scratch. You can use the content from your LinkedIn profile.
• Done in a single press of a button. It’s quick and easy. Simply enter your profile’s url and press “Import”.
• It doesn’t end with importing the profile. You can (but don’t have to) use a wide array of our tools to give your resume an edge over others — you can scan it for improvements, get AI feedback, quickly generate a tailored cover letter, rewrite it with AI, and more.
• Tailor your resume to every job application. Any LinkedIn profile has one drawback — it’s one size fits all. A resume can be tailored to each job you apply to, which we would strongly advise you to do if you really want to land that job.

All in all, converting your LinkedIn profile into a resume gives you a good way out if you don’t want to waste time writing your resume from scratch. It’s quick, easy, and highly recommended!

How to download your resume from LinkedIn then? Is it just a single click and that’s it?

Yes! And no. But mostly yes! The thing is, there’s both a technical side and a content side to it.

While the technical side is pretty straightforward and quick, the content side of converting your LinkedIn profile to a resume can be a bit tricky. But that, of course, all depends on your profile.

How to download your resume from LinkedIn then?

• Go to the top of our LinkedIn profile to resume converter web page (you can also simply scroll up, it’s this very web page)
• Enter your LinkedIn profile’s address, and press the “Convert to Resume” button.
• Review your newly imported LinkedIn resume, pick an ATS-friendly template, use our AI Writer to rewrite it, analyze it with our resume checker — Kickresume gives you plenty of tools to make your LinkedIn resume stand out.

However, you probably wouldn’t want to stop there. Your LinkedIn profile — and, by extension, your newly imported resume — probably isn’t yet tailored to a specific job opening. Leaving it as such would be a missed opportunity.

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How to create a resume from LinkedIn?

You can easily import your LinkedIn profile to Kickresume and let the LinkedIn-to-resume converter do the rest. It only takes a few seconds.

This is how to create a resume from your LinkedIn profile:

• Open your LinkedIn profile.
• Select your profile’s public url (e.g. https://www.linkedin.com/in/your_name/) and press Ctrl+C (on Windows), or Command+C (on MacOS).
• Now go to Kickresume’s LinkedIn import website: Convert Your LinkedIn Profile to a Resume .
• Paste the link inside the designated field near the top of the page by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (on MacOS).
• Press “Convert to Resume”. This will take you to the website’s sign up screen.
• Sign up using your preferred method (e.g. with your Google or Facebook account).
• Kickresume will now import your LinkedIn profile and convert it into a resume.
• Et voilà! You now have a complete resume in a random resume template from Kickresume.

How can I improve the resume I exported from LinkedIn?

Don’t forget to make at least some changes to your newly imported LinkedIn resume.

For instance, your resume can usually benefit from minor formatting changes , as some of the original LinkedIn formatting can get lost during the importing process.

You should also remove any LinkedIn-specific phrases from your new resume. You might not want phrase like “Let’s connect” or “Open to opportunities” appear on your resume.

Add resume-specific sections , such as hobbies or skills, and finally, tailor your new resume to each specific job opening you’re applying for.

Customize your resume’s visuals. You can choose from 40+ templates, explore more than one million design combinations, and make your resume more you.

Finally, you can even let AI rewrite your entire resume  using our AI Resume Rewriter . It’s easy to use and it will rewrite your resume in a language that sounds more professional.

I’ve created a resume from my LinkedIn profile. Can I download it for free?

Yes, you can. While it’s true that not all resume templates and customization options are free (we need to make money somehow), there are still several high-quality resume templates available.

At the end of the day, yes, you can download a full-fledged professional resume for free . Just make sure to avoid any features that are clearly marked with the “Premium” badge inside the app.

On the other hand, if you decide that you like the premium templates better — and would like to land your dream job faster with the help of Kickresume — you can always upgrade to Premium . We offer well-priced plans for every type of customer.

Can I customize the appearance of my new LinkedIn resume?

Yes! You can choose from more than 40 professionally-designed resume templates  and customize each template to your liking.

You can change nearly every part of your new resume. Each template comes with its own set of alternative color schemes and typefaces that were chosen by our expert typographers to complement the overall design.

What’s more, you can also create a cover letter with a design that matches your resume. We always create new templates in resume / cover letter pairs.

Ultimately, there are more than one million possible design combinations for you to explore. The sheer number of customization options gives you the ability to create a resume that stands out from the rest. All within reason, though — no matter how you customize your resume, our designers made sure it will always look good.

I’m having problems converting my LinkedIn to a resume. What should I do?

If you’re having problems converting your LinkedIn profile to a resume, there are two things you can do:

• Make sure your LinkedIn is filled with enough content.  Remember that an empty profile makes for an equally empty resume. Fill your LinkedIn profile with at least 200 words. For best results, you should have at least the About, Experience, and Education sections of your profile filled with content. The more the merrier.
• Make sure your profile is not set to private.  Our tool needs to have the ability to access your LinkedIn profile. If your profile is set to private, only your connections can view it. Set your profile to public and try importing your LinkedIn profile again.
• Make sure that your profile is more than 30 days old.  Sometimes it takes a few days for Kickresume to access your profile. While this usually takes less than the aforementioned 30 days, this time period gives us a bit of an overhead when diagnosing problems related to LinkedIn import.

If you’ve done all of the above and you’re still unable to turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume, please contact our customer support (click the speech bubble icon in the bottom-right corner). Our customer support team is always more than happy to help.

17 Best LinkedIn Summary & Bio Examples [+ How to Write Your Own]

Published: June 11, 2024

Writing a LinkedIn summary is one of those tasks that sounds easy until you try to do it. Should you recount your prior roles? List your accomplishments? Should it be written in first person or third?

Or, should you forge ahead using the cookie-cutter bio LinkedIn wrote for you? (The answer to that question is no, but not to worry — you’ll soon have a LinkedIn summary you’ll be proud to publish.)

In this blog post, we'll dig into what to include in your LinkedIn About section to make it stand out, as well as some examples to inspire you. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is a LinkedIn summary?

Why a Good LinkedIn Summary is Important

How to write a linkedin summary, what (not) to put in a linkedin summary, linkedin summary examples.

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LinkedIn Summary

The LinkedIn summary, also referred to as the LinkedIn bio or LinkedIn About section, is a few paragraphs of text that appears right before a LinkedIn user’s list of current and prior roles. LinkedIn gives a limit of up to 2,000 words, but only the first three lines are visible before a visitor has to click ‘See More.’

If you‘re a marketing or sales professional like myself, writing a LinkedIn summary is especially hard. You’re not targeting recruiters and hiring managers; you're appealing to potential clients and buyers. To catch their attention, you need to be a little more flashy with your expertise.

When I first crafted my summary almost a decade ago, I simply regurgitated key points in my background — I went to [X] college, then joined [X] company, and so on. Looking back, I was missing a clear narrative pulling it all together.

I also realized that potential clients aren’t just looking for someone with a shiny, perfect track record — they’re looking for a bigger story, a solution to their problem, and a relationship they can trust.

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Whether you’re a job seeker starting your search on LinkedIn or a tenured professional, your summary should speak to your skills, experience, and professional interests — think of it as your digital elevator pitch .

Writing a LinkedIn summary may feel like an unnecessary step — especially if you keep your profile up to date. You might also see it as unnecessary if you don’t spend a lot of time on the platform or aren’t looking for a job.

But, from my experience, a good LinkedIn summary is crucial for career success. For salespeople, it can be a handy tool for social selling ; for other professionals, it could be the gateway to a new career opportunity.

Let’s go over the reasons you should most definitely write a LinkedIn summary.

1. You get to introduce yourself in your own words.

While your prior roles may be notable, they’re not the only things people should know about you. A LinkedIn summary will allow you to make a personable first impression and highlight your accomplishments and expertise succinctly.

2. You get to show your personality.

I love LinkedIn summaries that aren't afraid to show some personality. They tend to be more “sticky,” staying in mind long after I close LinkedIn.

Consider adding a little flair and humor, or keep it super professional. Either way, your LinkedIn summary will give recruiters and other users a taste of what they can expect if they reach out to you. It can also help recruiters gauge culture fit and help prospects and potential clients get a sense of whether they’d like to work with you.

Need more help building a LinkedIn profile that showcases everything you have to offer? This tutorial can help.

3. You can rank higher in LinkedIn search results.

LinkedIn uses the about section in its algorithm, as well as your LinkedIn headline , current title, and other factors. By writing a keyword-rich LinkedIn summary, you can become more visible to potential prospects and recruiters in search results. If you include keywords such as “content,” “management,” and “analysis” in your bio, you may attract more views.

Ready to get started writing your LinkedIn summary?

• Create a quick outline prior to writing your About section.
• Hook readers with a strong opener.
• Tell the reader why you do what you do.
• Speak to your industry expertise.
• Call out your specialties and skills.
• Provide data to back up your results and prove your expertise.
• Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to apply.
• Highlight your professional interests.
• Include a call-to-action with your contact information.
• Tip: Break up large blocks of text.
• Tip: Try to keep it concise.
• Tip: Don't get too jargon-y.
• Tip: Be conversational.

1. Create a quick outline prior to writing your About section.

While you do get 2,000 characters of space for your LinkedIn summary, the last thing your audience needs is long, rambling paragraphs with no clear progression from sentence to sentence.

Sticking to a predetermined structure will help you communicate clearly and concisely.

Consider following a format similar to this:

• Hook : A sentence that makes the reader want to keep reading. Remember: only the first 3 lines are visible when a user enters your profile. With a hook, you ensure they click ‘See more.’
• Mission : Tell the reader why you do what you do.
• Expertise and Skills : Tell the reader what you’re good at.
• Accomplishments: Show the reader how your expertise delivered results in the past.
• Call to Action : Tell the reader what you want them to do after they’re done reading your summary.

Also keep in mind that people tend to scan, not read. I recommend keeping your sentences concise, and consider breaking longer paragraphs into bullet points.

If you’re not sure how to get started, use our free professional bio templates, which you can use to write your LinkedIn bio.

Featured Resource: Free Professional Bio Templates

Understand what has attracted you to your profession and what your mission is in your role. These will make your LinkedIn profile more emotionally resonant.

Mission Example

“I grew up on the Mississippi River and watched it get clearer over time as manufacturing standards improved. Since then, I knew I wanted to spread the word about sustainability in business environments.”

4. Speak to your industry expertise.

As valuable as a valid rationale behind why you do what you do, profile viewers won‘t put too much stock in it if you don’t seem like you know what you‘re talking about. That’s why I like to see a little flexing here — a reference to your expertise that gives you some instant but real clout. Describe your background and qualifications in two to three sentences.

For example, are you a salesperson using LinkedIn to connect with prospects? Your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry and your interest in helping people achieve results.

Or let‘s say you’re a customer success manager using LinkedIn to connect with customers — if that's the case, your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry and your availability for consulting.

Industry Expertise Example

“I have 7+ years of sales experience — with experience in both sales development and account management.”

5. Call out your specialties and skills.

Okay, so you‘ve hooked a profile viewer. They have a sense of why you’re passionate about what you do, and the reference to your experience you just made has them thinking, “Gee whiz! This person might just be the real deal!”

Now what? Well, it's probably time for you to actually get into the weeds of what you do — to a reasonable degree of “in-the-weeds-ness.” Give them 1-2 sentences about the specifics of your role.

For instance, if you’re a digital marketer who focuses primarily on social media management, go ahead and say that. Don't leave it ambiguous and leave them guessing what “digital marketing” means in the context of your role.

Or if you recently graduated from college, did you study something specifically within your field?

Calling out your specialties is especially critical in sales. “Working in sales” can mean a lot of things — the field encompasses a wide range of roles with a wider range of affiliated responsibilities and an even wider range of buyer personas and verticals.

Whether your goal is to appeal to employers or prospects, be sure to call out the things you do well to attract the opportunities best aligned with your goals.

Specialties and Skills Example

“I’m a mid-market sales executive with experience in direct sales and SAAS product demonstrations.”

6. Provide data to back up your results and prove your expertise.

Now, you're cooking — you have all kinds of valuable context about who you are and what you do, but why should this profile viewer believe a word you say? Give them an answer with some hard data.

Men lie. Women lie. Animals would probably lie if they could. Numbers don't.

Prove that you‘ve delivered with some real figures. You don’t need to give prospective employers a laundry list of your accomplishments — that's what resumes are for — but weaving in a few of your most impressive data points in your summary can go a long way.

Proof Example

“Over the past five years, I‘ve made it into the President’s Club three times and my closed-won business has seen less than 10% churn during the first 12 months.”

7. Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to apply.

This is optional, but it will serve you in several ways. First, it will show that you’re a team player, and second, it will show that you’re committed to both your professional growth and your current company’s growth.

It’s a must-have if you’re looking to recruit, as this can serve as an excellent recruiting tool. For example, are you a team manager using LinkedIn to recruit for job openings? Your summary should speak to the fact that you have openings, the type of work you do, and why a candidate would want to work at your company.

Team is Hiring Example

“We‘re currently hiring account managers for our Pacific Northwest territory. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of sales experience and a demonstrated familiarity with the region. We’re a fast-growing team with no cap on commission. Click here to learn more and apply.”

8. Highlight your professional interests.

Giving a little bit of a personal edge to your summary tends to be a good call — but the operative term in that sentence is “a little bit.” You can highlight some bits and pieces about what you help others do or what your goals are, but don't get too caught up here.

Your professional interests are slightly different from your skills — the former isn‘t necessarily as quantifiable or fact-driven as the latter. You don’t have to prove that you‘re interested in something the same way you’d have to prove that you‘re good at something. There’s no need for hard data on this front.

Still, you should show that you’re committed to pursuing your interests, and be sure to sound passionate about them.

Professional Interests Example

“I'm a sales coach that’s interested in assisting small teams (five-10 people) optimize their time and workflows so businesses can grow without adding more headcount and reps can advance their careers.”

9. Include a call-to-action with your contact information.

Last but certainly not least, include a call-to-action and potentially share your contact information. Are you a freelance or contract worker hoping to find more work on LinkedIn? Your summary should end with how to get in contact with you. If you want to seal the deal, include a list of your most impressive clients.

CTA Example

“Reach me at [email protected] or book time on my calendar here: [Calendar link]. Previous clients include [Your most impressive client], [Your second most impressive client], and [Your third most impressive client].”

If you’re not looking for more work, you can also simply end with, “Feel free to message me — I’d love to chat.”

10. Tip: Break up large blocks of text.

If you find your summary is on the longer side (which isn’t always a problem as long as it’s compelling), try breaking up large blocks of text to make it easier to read. When initially viewing a profile, many people are scanning for high-level context. If you are posting long paragraphs, some of your notable highlights can get lost.

Try keeping your text blocks to two or three sentences max, making your summary easier to read and digest.

11. Tip: Try to keep it concise.

I just mentioned that your summary can be on the longer side if it's compelling, but that can be a tall ask. Making a rundown of your professional life worthwhile

LinkedIn summary should be exactly that — a summary. It‘s an opportunity for you to provide valuable context about your professional life, but there’s such a thing as too much context in this … context (I swear I didn't do that on purpose).

Don‘t get carried away exploring every angle I referenced in the previous points — lock in on a theme for your summary and keep things concise and straightforward. You’re trying to hook your profile viewers. A long-winded, borderline novel under your profile picture is an easy way to make them lose interest.

12. Tip: Don't get too jargon-y.

Getting overly technical and too deep in your field‘s verbal weeds often turns profile viewers off. Your LinkedIn summary is a resource for generating immediate interest from the people on your page. Hook them with something engaging — they’ll see the extent of your technical knowledge when they dig deeper into your resume and qualifications,

13. Tip: Be conversational.

In a similar vein as the previous point, you want to keep your summary approachable — so write the way you talk. Don't get too caught up trying to pack your description with SAT words and rigid sentence structure. A LinkedIn summary is a conversation starter, so be conversational when putting yours together.

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A LinkedIn Summary That Incorporates All of the Elements

Now that you know all of the key elements to incorporate, let's look at a summary that covers all of them:

I‘m going to level with you — right now, I’m updating an article about LinkedIn summaries, and as a part of that, I‘m expected to provide a screenshot of the summary on my profile. The thing is, I’ve never actually had one up to this point, and I‘m bumping up on deadline for the post. I guess we’ll see how this goes.

Now that I‘ve hooked you with my zany, self-aware humor and disarming vulnerability, it’s time to lock in.

I've been a content writer and an editor, specializing in the sales space for about five years now — a career trajectory born out of two facts.

First, I'm kind of good at writing. Second, I have a real affinity for and an oddly solid “in-tuneness” with the sales community.

I love what I do — it's pretty neat to have the opportunity to pursue your passion (writing) for an audience you weirdly resonate with (sales professionals).

I‘ve been focused on content writing and sales since college and been the Editor of The HubSpot Sales Blog — an esteemed publication that takes a funky, badass, truth-to-power approach to educational content about sales-related and sales-adjacent topics — since 2021. I’m bylined on over 250 articles for the blog and have updated more pieces than I can count.

I‘m also going to throw in a quick flex and say that I’ve overseen most of the property‘s most productive months — with monthly traffic hitting over 4 million views at points. I’ve also done other stuff, but that's detailed below.

I'm interested primarily in piloting and up-leveling content strategies, hard writing, writing coaching, copy editing, and just being the best gosh darn colleague I can be.

If you‘ve I’ve kept you on-page long enough to get to this CTA part, here are a few things I want you to know: First, I appreciate you. Second, my team isn‘t hiring, but I will promptly update this summary when we are. Third, let’s connect! Yeah!

Here‘s a beat-by-beat breakdown of the summary’s elements:

“My path has not been linear. My passion has never cared about the odds. My perseverance said don‘t you ever give up. Don’t shrink. Don't settle. Just soar." Why we love it: We get to see her personal mission in a succinct and effective way, made all the more impactful by her opening line.

Ivey opens her summary speaking to the bigger picture and pares things down to speak to her specific experience. It simultaneously touches on her life story, her determination, and her professional qualifications.

Speak to a bigger mission but also touch on how you've contributed to it through your personal struggles and professional life.

7. Jonah Silberg , Senior Account Manager at Vimeo , keeps it short and engages prospects.

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Create a compelling professional narrative for your summary, bio, or introduction.

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Your resume is an extension of yourself – make one that’s truly you, frequently asked questions about enhancv, what makes enhancv the perfect tool to prepare your job application.

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• Don’t forget to include your education on your resume , with details such as GPA , Coursework , MBA , or Major and Minor , in case you’re writing an entry-level resume .
• Enhancv will encourage you to think beyond the obvious resume layout . Add additional information, such as proudest accomplishments , internships , awards , volunteer work , hobbies and interests , certifications , computer skills , soft skills , language skills , or publications .

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