A simple resume format is a one- or two-page document with one main column, standard section headings, a plain font and no graphics. The usual order is: contact details, a short summary, work experience (or projects for freshers), education, skills and, if useful, certifications and languages. It is the safest format for job portals and applicant tracking systems, and recruiters like it because they can find everything in seconds.
Simple does not mean empty. A plain layout works only when the content inside it is specific. This guide covers both.
Why a simple format works
Recruiters often spend well under a minute on a first look at a resume. A clean page lets them jump straight to your latest role, your degree and your skills without decoding a design. The same structure also suits applicant tracking systems, which read text from top to bottom and save it into fields. Two-column layouts, icons, tables and text boxes can scramble that order; a single column almost never does.
A simple format is also easier for you to maintain. When you tailor your resume for a new job, you change words, not layout.
The simple resume format, section by section
1. Contact details. Full name in a larger size, then phone, email, city and a LinkedIn or portfolio link on one or two lines. Skip your full address, date of birth and photo unless the employer asks for them.
2. Summary (2–3 lines). Your role or target role, years of experience or your degree, and one or two strengths with proof. Freshers can use a short objective instead.
3. Work experience. Most recent job first. For each role: job title, company, city and dates on one line, then three to five bullet points that start with an action verb and include a number where you can.
4. Projects (for freshers and career changers). Two or three projects with what you built or did, the tools you used and the result.
5. Education. Degree, college, year and percentage or CGPA if it helps you. Add class 12 and class 10 only if you are a fresher.
6. Skills. A short list of hard skills and tools, grouped if the list is long, for example "Tools: Excel, Tally, SAP" and "Languages: English, Hindi".
7. Optional sections. Certifications, awards, languages or volunteering, only when they add something.
Layout rules that keep it simple
- Use one main column, with margins of about 1.5 to 2 cm.
- Use one font, such as Arial or Calibri, at 10.5 to 12 points for body text.
- Use bold for job titles and section headings, and nothing more decorative.
- Leave a little space between sections rather than adding lines and boxes.
- Keep it to one page for freshers and up to two pages for experienced candidates.
- Save as a text-based PDF unless the employer asks for Word.
Simple resume example
Rahul Verma Pune · +91 98765 43210 · rahul.verma@email.com · linkedin.com/in/rahulverma
Summary Accounts executive with three years of experience in GST returns, bank reconciliation and month-end closing for a manufacturing company. Reduced reconciliation time by 40% by building Excel templates.
Experience Accounts Executive, Shree Engineering Pvt Ltd, Pune, Jul 2022 – Present
- Prepare and file monthly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns for two GSTINs with zero late filings.
- Reconcile five bank accounts every week in Tally Prime and clear differences within two days.
- Built Excel reconciliation templates that cut month-end closing from five days to three.
Education B.Com, Savitribai Phule Pune University, 2022, 72%
Skills Tally Prime, GST returns, TDS, bank reconciliation, MS Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables), accounts payable
Notice that the layout is plain but every line is specific: real tasks, tools and numbers. For more full samples by job, browse the resume examples, such as the accountant resume example or the BTech fresher resume sample.
What to leave out
Leave out photos, skill bars, star ratings, icons that replace words, long objective paragraphs, a list of hobbies with no link to the job, and personal details such as religion or marital status unless an employer specifically asks. Remove "References available on request"; everyone knows. Each of these takes space without helping you get shortlisted.
Simple versus creative formats
A creative layout can work for design, media or agency roles when you send it directly to a person. For most other jobs, and for any application through a portal, the simple format is the better choice. Many people keep both: a plain version for online applications and a designed version for email and referrals. The ATS-friendly resume format guide explains why plain layouts parse better, and the one-page resume guide helps if you need to cut length.
Make a simple resume in minutes
Pick one of the simple ATS resume templates, fill in your details in the builder and see the page update as you type. You can switch to another template at any time without retyping. Building, editing and previewing are free; PDF download needs a one-time plan from ₹99.