Google docs resume templates

You’re an experienced Google docs user and you’re ready to start a new job search. Of course, you want to stick with the familiar.

Our Google compatible resume templates allow you to use the application you're comfortable with and our expertly-designed templates. Does it get better than that? All you have to do is upgrade your Resume.io account, download a template as docx, and upload it into your Google Drive.

Hmmm, but is it really that simple? 

In this blog, we will answer that question and do the following:

• Explain why you should use a Google docs resume template
• Review the different resume formats
• Display examples of resume templates for Google docs
• Give advice for personalizing our templates in Google
• Offer suggestions for getting your job hunt going even faster.

Let’s get right to it!

Why should I use a Google docs resume template?

So what’s the point of a resume template? Graphic designers and resume writers get paid for a reason: They are experts. A well-designed and attractive resume sets the tone for your candidacy by leaving a professional impression before a recruiter even begins to read. With our resume templates and Google docs, you can speed your entry into the job market.

Unless you are a designer or creative yourself, the time and effort it will take you aren’t worth it. To create a layout, you must consider many elements, including

• Choosing fonts and font sizes
• Balancing white space to text blocks
• Aligning and spacing sections
• Wise use of color and color selection.

Templates also free you from the tedious task of formatting your document so you can easily update it for each application.

Resume template formats

No two careers are alike and no two resumes are alike; however, resume formats share many features. Why? Because your aim is to make sure recruiters can find what they’re looking for. 

Imagine if some grocery stores alphabetized their stock, while others grouped them by category, and others still decided to organize the shelves by color. You’d have a hard time finding anything unless you only went to one store.

Shoppers want a framework for finding the items on their list and so do recruiters. That means our Google docs resume templates all contain the following common sections and titles: profile or summary, skills, employment history or work experience, education and, optionally awards and accolades, languages, industry affiliations, publications, or projects.

Here are the most common resume formats and when to use them:

• Reverse chronological order: This is your go-to format. It tells recruiters what you’ve been doing lately and your top skills, quickly.
• Functional: If you’re in a profession where your specialized skills trump your experience, this is the format for you.
• Hybrid: Just as it sounds, this format, also called combined or combination, melds the chronological and functional styles by strategically placing your skills section at the top or highlighting it with a color block.

Now that you’ve gained an understanding of the different formats, you’re ready to look at a few Google doc resume templates.  

Simple style Google docs resume templates

Which of our resume templates is best in Google docs will depend on your career history and goals.

Resume.io offers four categories. We’ll start with our simple resume templates for Google docs. By simple, we mean straightforward and classic. Download our Athens or Brussels templates if you want a design that offers opportunities to include color combined with ease of scanning into applicant tracking systems. The less time you spend manipulating your resume within the ATS, the more time you have to focus on the next application.

Our Brussels template breaks out the skills section into a column on the right. Since recruiters often look for your skills first, a section that is visually separate from your summary, work history and education helps you put your best foot forward immediately.

Both of these designs use accent color you can customize either in our resume builder or Google docs.

Professional style Google docs resume templates

For a polished look, check out our New York and Dublin Google docs-compatible resume templates. Both provide sleek lines and an air of sophistication that signal a sense of understated style.

The key difference between these two templates is the use of color. In our resume example, New York remains monotone, while Dublin presents the resume header in a vertical color bar on the right edge of the page. Because you will be importing into Google docs, the resume templates will be completely customizable. You may choose to add color to New York, or remove it from Dublin to suit your style and that of your prospective employer.

You can’t go wrong with a professional image. Anyone from a high school student looking for a summer job to an immigration lawyer can use either of these templates with confidence.

Modern style Google docs resume templates

Aiming for a look that tells recruiters you’re up on current trends and technology? A modern template for Google docs is your first step. Our Stockholm template combines the sleek lines of a professional template with modern touches.

Note the icons denoting each resume section and the accent color underlining each skill. These draw the recruiter’s eye toward all the key elements of your resume, making navigating a cinch for recruiters.

Creative style Google docs resume templates

Want to show off your creativity? Our Sydney resume provides a base you can enhance within Google docs. Punch up the color, alter the font, but keep the structure and formatting. Keep in mind that even if you are an artist, your resume first and foremost must be readable and navigable.

Other ideas for creativity:

• Add a background color or design, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the text
• Use a color instead of black for your job titles or section headings
• Choose a less popular font to draw attention to your name.

ATS-enhanced Google docs resume templates

While all our resume templates, including the docs versions compatible with Google docs, take into account the Applicant Tracking System that you will likely be applying through, several of our designs heighten that awareness.

The ATS scans your resume and inputs the data into predetermined text blocks. An ATS-optimized resume uses bullets and clear delineation between sections as cues so that you don’t have to massage your online application after you upload it.

Personalizing resume templates in Google docs

Just because you’re using a template doesn’t mean you can’t personalize it. Changing elements of our resume templates in Google docs is as intuitive as using Google docs itself. 

Yes, the Sydney resume template uses deep blue as a highlight and Shanghai a muted green, but you don’t have to stick with those suggestions if they don’t suit your professional personality or the image of the company you’re applying to.

The same is true of the font styles and sizes. One caveat: We discussed at the top of this blog why using templates is a good idea. Changing several elements in the template means you have redesigned it, so make sure you have not altered the look you originally were attracted to or the all-important formatting and alignment.

Get your job hunt started even faster

Using Google docs resume templates from Resume.io gives you opportunities to create a great resume, but it comes with a few challenges. Unless you are an experienced Google doc user and know how to manipulate blocks of text and images, you may find it frustrating. 

The last thing you want is to send off a resume where the text became hidden when you adjusted the column size. While a Google doc resume template seems at first glance to be a fast method of getting those applications out there, sticking with Resume.io will prevent formatting errors. After all your hard work altering your resume in Google docs, finding text doesn’t quite fit, the categories don’t suit you, or you accidentally shift a text box can delay your entry into the job market. 

The our resume builder also includes a spellcheck function and allows you to easily save as a PDF and you never have to worry about misaligned columns or dummy type.

No matter how you create your resume, make sure this key document reflects your high-level skills and professional personality.

Related article

Bad resume examples: 7 common mistakes to avoid

Is your resume bad? Probably not. Could it be better? Well, maybe. Have a look at our bad resume examples and see if you recognize anything that you could improve.

Key takeaways

If you’re a Google docs expert, go ahead and play to your strengths when you create your resume! Start with an upgraded Resume.io account, download one of our expert-vetted resume templates as a docx and uploaded it into Google. You’re all set with a format designed for success.

Using Google is merely a starting point. You need to personalize your resume, but keep a careful eye on the formatting or stick with our resume builder and avoid potential formatting problems. The sooner you jump into your job search, the sooner you’ll find your dream job!