Blank Resume Template for MS Word

Your summary statement can serve as a quick introduction to a potential employer. In the blank resume template for Word, this statement is located near the top of the document, so it is one of the first things a hiring manager will see. Use the template and the writing tips to create a summary that grabs the attention of hiring personnel and motivates them to learn more about your qualifications. Although this section should be limited to just three sentences, include words and phrases from the job listing that demonstrate your fitness for the job. Feel free to use either a paragraph or bullets, but be sure to include:

• Your current title
• Two to three skills related to the position
• Transferable or soft skills

Here are some examples of great summary statements:

Paragraph style:

Reliable maintenance technician with five years of experience in residential and commercial settings. Hard worker with proficiency in interpreting blueprints and schematic plans. Critical thinker with excellent customer relation abilities and time management skills.

Front desk receptionist excelling at providing customer service and completing administrative tasks. Comfortable using Word, Excel, Visio, Outlook, and Social Media Management. Able to organize daily schedule to complete administrative tasks without sacrificing quality of customer interactions.

List style:

• Financial analyst with more than 15 years in financial reporting, budget administrationm and cost accounting
• Well-versed software solutions, such as Sage 50 Accounting/Peachtree and Intuit QuickBooks Pro/Premier
• Friendly approach while training clients from corporations and small businesses

This section of your resume is the place to list the skills you’ve worked so hard to perfect. Positioned near the top of your resume, this is a great way to let potential employers quickly review your qualifications. Refer to the blank resume template for Word to learn more about perfecting the skills section, and use the following best practices:

• Aim for at least six skills and provide a mix of hard and soft skills
• List the most valued skills first
• Describe skills briefly, saving the details for the work history section

Here is an example of a skills section for a business analyst:

• Evaluation of project progress
• Problem identification and resolution
• Able to develop and implement company procedures
• Advanced ability to write accurate technical reports
• Friendly and confident demeanor in leadership situations
• Attention to detail and well-organized
• Ability to handle client inquiries in person or through email or phone

The work history section of your resume is where you have a little more freedom to expand on your skills and accomplishments and go into a bit more detail about your previous work experiences and the development of your valuable skills. Use the blank resume template for Word as an organization guide as you list your work history and associated responsibilities. You’ll also want to remember the following advice:

• Choose a variety of action verbs to avoid too much repetition and keep things fresh
• Include specifics as much as possible, such as percentages and other quantifiable metrics
• Pull key phrases from the job listing, when possible, to describe your accomplishments

Use the following examples of work history sections to get started on your own resume section:

Receptionist

• Provided first point of contact for over 50 clients visiting main office of accounting firm
• Identified discrepancies in contact information and updated client files

Customer Service Representative

• Processed over 300 customer returns, completing exchanges and responding to complaints
• Organized merchandise to be returned to appropriate departments, reducing off-shelf time by 14 percent

Staff Account

• Simplified payroll processes to increase efficiency, saving over $12,000 in annual operation costs
• Prepared accounts payable, receivable, and general ledger reports on monthly basis

When hiring professionals reach the end of your resume, it’s important that your education is easy to read and formatted in a way that lets employers easily scan the information. Keep in mind that some employers see education with various levels of importance. The blank resume template for Word has a specifically designed section for your academic achievements. We’ve also provided some guidelines for creating your own section:

• Place your highest educational achievement at the top of your list
• Include any academics pertinent to your career, including continuing education, trainings, and certifications
• Only include your GPA or high school diploma if you’ve just recently graduated

Refer to this example of a well-written education section:

Associate of Applied Science: Quality Control Technologies – 2015

College of Southern Idaho – Twin Falls, ID

Courses included: Hazardous materials information systems and occupational safety technologies

Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician program – anticipated graduation 2017

Courses include: Preventative and predictive maintenance, troubleshooting and maintenance practices

One important step you can take to impress potential employers is to use action verbs in your work history section. Just as in the blank resume template for Word, the right words will better convey the idea of an individual who works hard and takes initiative. Some great action verbs you might incorporate in your resume include streamlined, prepared, created, maintained, transformed, partnered, and developed.

Here are some examples of how you can incorporate action verbs into your work history section:

• Managed internal operations and customer relationships for contract companies
• Analyzed reimbursement histories to improve return rates
• Generated monthly accounts payable and receivables
• Processed payroll for staff of 27, reconciling bank statements and daily deposits
• Negotiated contract terms and monitored adherence to contractual stipulations
• Collaborated in development of community outreach programs

Quantifiable metrics are measurements that track or describe specific business processes. In other words, they are specific and measurable terms (percentages and numbers) that describe your achievements. For example, you might share how many clients you served in a day or the percentage of increased revenue resulting from an idea you implemented. When you include metrics in your resume, hiring professionals get a concrete image of your qualifications. Review the blank resume template for Word to find places where metrics can be used to back up the claims made throughout the resume.

Here are some examples of how to include metrics:

WITHOUT METRIC: Responded to service calls each day

WITH METRIC: Responded to 12 service calls each day

WITHOUT METRIC: Calibrated equipment settings to optimize performance

WITH METRIC: Calibrated equipment settings, improving performance efficiency by 28 percent

WITHOUT METRIC: Supervised team of technicians on apartment maintenance crew

WITH METRIC: Supervised team of 8 technicians on maintenance crew for 35 apartment units