What is the most recommended resume template on Reddit?

For technical roles, Jake's Resume — a free, single-column LaTeX template that is the default on r/EngineeringResumes. For everything else, the most common advice is a plain single-column template in Google Docs or Word. Students are often pointed to the Harvard template.

Does Reddit recommend Canva resume templates?

Generally no. The most common warning in resume threads is that Canva and other design-first templates rely on text boxes, columns and graphics that applicant tracking systems can read out of order or skip. If you use one, run the plain-text check before sending it.

Where can I download the templates Reddit recommends?

Jake's Resume is on Overleaf, and Harvard's template is free on its career services website. This page links free .docx versions of each style — a Word version of Jake's layout, a Harvard-style template, and plain single-column templates — with no signup or email gate.

Is a Google Docs resume template ATS-friendly?

It can be, but not automatically. Several of Google Docs' built-in resume templates use tables or two-column layouts. Choose a single-column template with standard section headings, then download it as plain text to confirm it reads in the right order.

Should my resume be one column or two?

One column. It is the most consistent piece of advice on Reddit resume threads, and it is the layout every ATS reads in the right order. Two-column designs risk having sidebar content read in the middle of your experience.

Is Jake's Resume good for non-engineers?

It works for any role, but its Projects and Technical Skills sections assume technical work. Non-technical applicants usually get more from a plain single-column template, and students may prefer the Harvard format.

Do recruiters care which template I use?

Mostly they care whether they can find your titles, dates and results quickly. A plain, familiar template helps; an unusual design slows them down. Beyond that, the content matters far more than the template.

Resume Templates

Best Resume Template According to Reddit: 4 Picks + Free Downloads (2026)

By RoySeptember 18, 20267 min read

Tagsresume templates ats resume resume formatting resume tips

Ask Reddit for the best resume template and the answers are surprisingly consistent. On r/resumes, r/EngineeringResumes and r/jobs, the same few templates come up again and again. All of them are plain, single-column and free. The same threads warn, just as consistently, against the designed templates that fill the first page of a normal Google search.

This page sums up that advice: the four templates Reddit recommends, which one fits your situation, what the threads warn against, and a free ATS-checked download for each. We publish resume templates ourselves, so where we link our own files we say so. The point is to give you a file you can use today, not to replace the community's advice.

Which resume templates does Reddit recommend?

1. Jake's Resume (software engineering and technical roles)

The default on r/EngineeringResumes and r/cscareerquestions. It's a free, MIT-licensed LaTeX template, usually edited on Overleaf, with Education, Experience, Projects and Technical Skills sections on one dense page. People recommend it because it fits a lot on one page, looks the way engineering reviewers expect, and parses cleanly.

Download: the original is LaTeX-only. We built a free Word version of Jake's Resume with the same layout and no hidden tables. See the Jake's Resume template guide for how to use either version.

2. The Harvard template (students and new graduates)

Harvard's career office publishes a free one-page bullet-point template: Education, Experience, Leadership & Activities, then Skills & Interests. Reddit recommends it for students, and especially for finance, consulting and campus recruiting, where the format is familiar. The usual caveat in the threads is that education should move below experience once you're a few years into your career.

Download: Harvard's own template is free on its career services site. Our Harvard-style .docx uses tab stops instead of tables to align dates. The Harvard resume template guide covers the three things to check in any copy.

3. A plain single-column Google Docs template (almost everyone else)

The most common answer on r/resumes for non-technical roles: one column, standard headings, a readable font, exported to PDF. It's free, it works everywhere and it's easy to tailor for each application. The advice usually comes with one warning: several of Google Docs' built-in templates use tables or two-column layouts, so "made in Google Docs" doesn't automatically mean ATS-safe.

Download: our classic ATS resume template opens in Google Docs and Word. The Google Docs ATS template guide explains how to check a template before you use it.

4. A plain Word template (when the application asks for .docx)

The same advice as Google Docs, for people who work in Word or apply through forms that request a .docx. The threads' warning here is about Word's own template gallery. Many of its designs are built on tables, text boxes or sidebars.

Download: the classic, entry-level and career change templates are all single-column .docx files with no tables. The Word ATS template guide shows how to check any Word file in two minutes.

Which Reddit-recommended template should I use?

Picking a template by situation

Your situation	Template	Why
Software engineering, data or other technical role	Jake's Resume	Projects and a tech-stack line are built in; dense and parser-friendly
Student or new grad, especially finance or consulting	Harvard template	Education first; room for leadership and activities
Experienced, non-technical role	Plain single-column (classic)	Experience first, short summary, easy to tailor
Little or no formal experience	Entry-level template	Projects and part-time work in one section so a short history doesn't look thin
Changing careers	Career change template	Leads with evidenced skills rather than an unrelated job title

What resume templates does Reddit warn against?

The warnings are as consistent as the recommendations:

Canva and other design-first templates. They look good on screen, but text boxes, icons and layered design elements often come out of an ATS scrambled or incomplete.
Two-column layouts. A sidebar of skills and contact details can be read before, after or in the middle of your experience, depending on the parser. The single-column layout guide explains why.
Skill bars, ratings and charts. A parser can't read "four out of five dots", and recruiters don't trust them either.
Photos, for US, UK and Canadian applications. See should you put a photo on your resume.
"Free" builders that charge to download. One of the most repeated complaints: you build the whole resume, then hit a paywall at export. Every template on this page is a plain file you download directly. The resume builders Reddit recommends covers the genuinely free options if you want a builder.

How do I check whether a template is ATS-friendly?

Reddit's own test is the best one, and it takes a minute:

Export or save the resume as plain text, or open the PDF, select all, and paste it into a plain-text editor.
Read the result from top to bottom. Your name and contact details should come first, every job title should sit next to its dates, and sections should appear in the order you wrote them.
Look for anything missing. Text in the page header, text boxes or icons often doesn't come through at all.

If the plain text reads correctly, the template is fine. If you'd rather see exactly how a parser reads your file, along with your keyword match against a specific job description, the free resume checker does that without a signup.

Does the template matter as much as Reddit thinks?

Less than the threads' energy suggests. A plain template stops you from being filtered out by a parsing error. It doesn't get you the interview. What does is the content: bullets with specific results, and the posting's own terms used where a recruiter's keyword search will find them.

That's where to spend the time you save by not designing a resume. The free resume keyword generator pulls the terms from a posting. How to tailor your resume to a job description walks through the rest.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most recommended resume template on Reddit?: For technical roles, Jake's Resume — a free, single-column LaTeX template that is the default on r/EngineeringResumes. For everything else, the most common advice is a plain single-column template in Google Docs or Word. Students are often pointed to the Harvard template.
Does Reddit recommend Canva resume templates?: Generally no. The most common warning in resume threads is that Canva and other design-first templates rely on text boxes, columns and graphics that applicant tracking systems can read out of order or skip. If you use one, run the plain-text check before sending it.
Where can I download the templates Reddit recommends?: Jake's Resume is on Overleaf, and Harvard's template is free on its career services website. This page links free .docx versions of each style — a Word version of Jake's layout, a Harvard-style template, and plain single-column templates — with no signup or email gate.
Is a Google Docs resume template ATS-friendly?: It can be, but not automatically. Several of Google Docs' built-in resume templates use tables or two-column layouts. Choose a single-column template with standard section headings, then download it as plain text to confirm it reads in the right order.
Should my resume be one column or two?: One column. It is the most consistent piece of advice on Reddit resume threads, and it is the layout every ATS reads in the right order. Two-column designs risk having sidebar content read in the middle of your experience.
Is Jake's Resume good for non-engineers?: It works for any role, but its Projects and Technical Skills sections assume technical work. Non-technical applicants usually get more from a plain single-column template, and students may prefer the Harvard format.
Do recruiters care which template I use?: Mostly they care whether they can find your titles, dates and results quickly. A plain, familiar template helps; an unusual design slows them down. Beyond that, the content matters far more than the template.

The short version

Reddit's advice comes down to one principle: plain beats pretty. Pick Jake's Resume for technical roles, the Harvard template if you're a student, and a plain single-column template for everything else. Then spend your time on the bullets.