resume template by canva

How to Create a Resume Using Canva

Use Canva to build a professional resume from scratch, or opt for a ready-made template. Our guide will walk you through how to do it.

Key Takeaways

• Canva is a user-friendly platform that offers options for creating a resume, including starting from scratch or using a template.
• The process of creating a resume on Canva involves selecting a design, customizing the background, choosing elements like shapes and graphics, adding text, and filling out sections.
• Canva also allows users to add links or other visual elements to their resume and provides the option to group elements for easy editing and organization.

Creating a resume is a time-consuming, yet important process—especially if you’re starting from scratch. Luckily, there are online design platforms that can help you achieve the perfect resume for the job.

Canva is a great resource to use for any style of resume you’re looking to create, especially since you have options during the building process. You can start from a blank canvas or fill out a template with your information.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create a resume using Canva, either by starting from scratch, or with a template.

Creating a Resume on Canva From Scratch

Canva's user-friendly platform makes it simple to navigate and easy to build a document, even if you're starting with a blank page. Feel free to dig into a few more tips to get the most out of Canva once you're ready to elevate your design. But first, let's nail the basics.

Here's how to create a resume on Canva.

1. Start With a New Page

On Canva’s main page, go to Create a Design and type in Resume . Several types of resumes will appear in the search. Make sure to click on Resume with the measurements of 8.5 x 11 in.

2. Change the Background

Blank designs start with a white page on Canva’s Editor page . If you want to change the color, click Background Color towards the top left-hand corner of your workspace. This will bring up a list of colors that you can use.

You can also click the + icon to bring up the Color Picker , to give you an even bigger range of options.

3. Choose Your Elements

Next, click on the Elements tab to find the shapes and graphics. Be aware that elements with a crown on them aren't free as they are part of the benefits of the Canva Pro subscription .

Using a basic shape to emphasize your resume is always a safe choice, we're going to pick one to use in the top corner of our resume. To find these shapes, go to Elements > Shapes > See All . Choose a shape that you think helps accentuate your resume.

If you can’t find one you like, you can always type in a shape name in the search bar. The shape will appear under the headings Shapes, Graphics, Photos, and more.

Make sure to alter the size if need be. You don’t want anything too large that takes over the design. If you want to change the color, use your color picker in the top left-hand corner of your workspace to do so. You can see how the shape is arranged in the next step.

4. Add Your Header

After you're done adding any Elements, click on the Text tab. You'll see several different ways to insert written content into your resume.

Canva creates heading/subheading combos for different types of documents. Plus you can also choose to insert a heading, subheading, or body text individually.

If you click on a heading/subheading combo, you’ll find it's too big for the header. It’ll also be in the wrong spot. To fix this, click on one of the anchor points of the text box and drag that point inwards. Once it's the right size, position your mouse over the text box, click and hold, then move the box to the right spot.

When you move the text box, you might see pink lines pop up in different positions. These pink lines are guides to help you line up your text with the shapes on your page.

To change the alignment of your text from centered to left-justified, click on the Alignment button to see a menu with the different options.

To change the font, click on the text you want to adjust—no highlighting is needed. Then, click on the font drop-down menu in the top left-hand corner. Pick a font from the choices available.

To change the text to say something different, click inside the box and start typing.

5. Add Your Professional Profile

Having a professional profile is very important for your resume. Make it a quick, one-to-two-sentence blurb for why you're awesome and why you should be hired.

To add your own, click Add a Subheading in the Text tab. Rename the subheading to "Professional Profile" or something meaningful to your industry. Choose a clear font and then position the text box on the page under your heading.

Next, click on Add a little bit of body text . This will open up a new text box where you can fill out your profile. Once done, position it beneath the “Professional Profile” subheading.

If you're not sure where to begin writing, you can try some of these tips for writing a resume headline that gets noticed .

6. Add a Divider

After your professional profile, you may want to add a graphic element to separate your profile from the rest of the resume.

To create one, go to Elements > Shapes > Lines and find the line you want to use. Something simple and non-obtrusive is recommended, so it doesn't draw attention away from the top of the page. Reposition it and change the size and color as needed.

7. Fill Out Your Sections

Next is filling out the different sections of your resume. List your contact details, accomplishments, work history, and education. Just make sure not to list things you don’t need on a resume .

To add the text boxes, follow the same instructions for creating text as the last step.

An easy way to keep your formatting the same across each section is to copy the subheading and body text from the professional profile. Once copied, just change the text inside the box.

8. Add Links or Other Visual Interest

Most of the time, you want your resume to be simple, so it’s easy to read. However, if you’re applying online, adding visuals to your online resume can be a nice touch. If you don't have any visual material that's relevant, including a few links can be incredibly useful (e.g. links to your portfolio, previous publications, or personal website etc.)

Adding a link to your resume in Canva is easy. After creating a new section titled “Links”, and typing the info you want, click on the words you want the link to be attached to. When the text box is highlighted, a three-dot icon will also appear. Click on the three dots, select Link , enter the URL, and press Enter .

9. Revise Your Resume and Group the Elements

Always make sure to check for grammar or visual errors. Learning how to proofread your resume will ensure you create a professional document.

"Grouping" means that separate elements on your page will be read as a unit. In Canva specifically, this means that you can edit each item by itself, but move the elements as one unit across the page. This is helpful if you want to tweak your design but keep individual sections organized.

To group items, click and drag over the elements you want to group until their bounding boxes show up in purple. Once they are selected, click on Group .

Make any final adjustments to the look of your resume and your finished.

Creating a Resume on Canva Using a Template

Not everyone has the time to build a resume from scratch, or perhaps they don't feel like being particularly creative. If that's the case for you, creating a resume using one of Canva's templates is the way to go.

1. Select a Template

Crafting a resume from a template is an incredibly easy process compared to creating one from scratch. On Canva’s main page, type Resume into the search bar and press Enter .

The next page will have thousands of resume templates to choose from—some even come with a cover letter template. Select one that you think will work for you and click Customize This Template .

2. Fill Out the Template With Your Information

Each template comes equipped with different sections that you’ll need to fill out. Just like creating a resume from scratch, if you click on the text box, you’ll be able to edit as you go.

If you find that some aspects of the resume don't fit the style of resume you’re trying to build, you do have the option of deleting or moving sections. Remember, all templates are completely customizable.

If you have to move a full section for any reason, even to a different page, it would be much easier to group the section first, then move it. Refer to step nine above for how to group a section.

Create a One-of-a-Kind Resume on Canva

Canva is a great platform to use for all your creative needs—even when it comes to building your resume. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is either. You have the option of simply choosing a template and inserting your information or creating a resume from a blank canvas.

Next time you’re job hunting, try using Canva on the desktop or the mobile app to create your most appealing resume yet.

11 Beautiful Canva Resume Templates for Any Profession

Creating a resume can feel overwhelming. To get a headstart on the design and elements you need to include, take a look at these Canva resume templates.

Yes, you can use Canva for more than images and infographics . Each template on our list is available for free, offers a unique design and effective layout, and can help you impress at a glance.

1. White and Grey Professional Resume and Cover Letter

This first Minimalistic White and Grey Resume template is an excellent option if you want a cover letter to match. You receive two different resume layouts to choose from: one with spots for a profile and two work experience positions and the other with an expertise section and three previous positions.

The cover letter header matches that of each resume layout and includes a place for your signature at the bottom.

2. Blue Professional Modern CV Resume

If you’d like a template with a little pizzazz, such as your professional photo, check out this Blue Modern CV Resume. Simply swap out the sample photo with your own to personalize the appearance of your resume.

You then have sections for Experience and Education, along with a Skills Summary using bars and percentages. Then, take advantage of the Language and Expertise areas structured with bullet lists.

3. Brown Cream Simple Resume CV

If you’re a student or recent graduate, this Brown Cream Simple Creative Resume template is a good choice. It offers equally sized sections for Education, Experience, (professional) Skills, and Personal Skills.

You can also use the About Me area at the top to introduce yourself and highlight your capabilities.

4. Blue and White Simple Resume

Another resume template that’s ideal for students or those without work experience is this Blue and White Simple Resume. You can add your photo and contact information on the left with your Education, Skills, and Interests on the right.

The template gives you a neat and clean appearance that’s also attractive and professional.

5. Minimalist Modern Resume

For a Canva resume template that provides enough room to add detailed paragraphs about your previous positions, look to this Minimalist Modern Resume. The contemporary design gives you a splash of blue as it highlights your contact information, education, and skills.

You can then add a profile statement or paragraph and all the details you need for your work experience.

6. Black and Yellow Bold Resume

Are you in an industry where emitting boldness and confidence is the way to go? If so, this Black and Yellow Bold Creative Resume template might be just what you’ve been looking for. It offers a black background with large gold headings and black-and-white graphics.

You still have spots for Work Experience and Education but with plenty of flair. You can also include your Skills along the bottom and even replace the current images with icons to complement your skills.

As a bonus, this resume comes with a matching cover letter.

7. Beige and Brown Modern CV Resume

When you have a lot of details to include but want to stick to a one-page resume, this Beige and Brown Modern CV template works perfectly. Include your contact details, education, references, languages, and interests below your photo on the left.

Then, add your Hard and Soft Skills at the top using bar graph images and your Work Experience beneath.

8. Modern White and Black A4 Resume

If you’re in the creative industry working as a photographer or graphic designer, this Modern White and Black resume template helps you showcase a sampling of your work. You can swap out the example images with your own, giving you an easy and attractive way to display just some of your work along with your experience and education.

You can also include a link to your online portfolio at the bottom, which is the perfect addition to this creative template.

9. Multicolor Modern Musician Resume

If you’re a musician, DJ, instrumental artist, or music producer, this colorful and eye-catching template is for you. With the Multicolor Modern Professional Musician Resume, you have graphical elements in the form of music notes at the top and bottom.

The different colors for each section heading give the resume energy, which is ideal for showing a fun, contemporary music style or personality.

10. Black and White Minimalist Resume

Maybe it’s your skills and expertise you want to highlight. This Black and White Minimalist Resume template draws your eye to these sections at the bottom. You can use a bar graph design to show your experience levels in the Skills area and then expand with the Expertise section’s bullet list to the right.

The template offers a clean and sophisticated appearance, appropriate for almost any industry.

11. Simple Modern Resume Template

This last Canva resume template has a neat appearance but is also a modern one, making it suitable for those in the technology field. With the Simple Modern Resume Template, you have a standout location to add your Certificates and can use the area beneath to highlight your skills or something specific like programming languages.

Of course, you have the standard sections for Education and Experience as well as About Me and Contact areas for a comprehensive resume.

Create Your Resume With Ease

Whether you choose a template tailored to your industry or an elegant, all-encompassing option, you can pop in your elements for a professional-looking resume in no time. Which one of these Canva resume templates will you choose?

For more, look at these online resume-building services .

Sandy Writtenhouse is a freelance technology writer and former Project, Department, and Program Manager. She turned her education, job experience, and love of technology into a full-time writing career. With all sorts of gadgets in her home and her hands, she seeks to help others make life easier through technology. Read Sandy's Full Bio

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Design Your Killer Resume with Canva: A Step-by-Step Guide

Benefits of Using Canva for Resume Design

Creating a resume in canva, tips and best practices for creating a resume in canva.

We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

In today’s job market, having a well-designed and visually appealing resume can make all the difference. A great resume can help you stand out from the competition, showcase your skills and experience, and land your dream job . One platform that can help you create a resume that stands out is Canva.com .

Canva is a popular graphic design platform that has a range of templates and design elements that can be used to create a variety of design projects, including resumes. In this article, we’ll explore how to create a resume using Canva, the benefits of using Canva for resume design, and some tips and best practices for creating a resume that will impress potential employers .

One of the main benefits of using Canva for resume design is the wide range of templates available. Canva has dozens of resume templates to choose from, each designed by professional graphic designers. These templates offer a range of styles, from simple and classic to bold and modern, and can be customized to fit your personal style and career goals.

Another benefit of using Canva for resume design is the ease of use. Canva has a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, which makes it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking resume, even if they have no design experience. Canva also offers a range of design elements, including icons, illustrations, and photographs, that can be incorporated into your resume to make it more visually appealing and engaging.

Additionally, Canva has a range of free and paid design elements that can be used to enhance your resume . With Canva’s free design elements , you can add icons and illustrations that match the tone and style of your resume , without having to spend any money. Canva also offers a range of paid elements, including premium illustrations and stock photos, that can be purchased for a small fee and used to give your resume a more professional look and feel.

Now that we’ve explored the benefits of using Canva for resume design, let’s take a closer look at how to create a resume in Canva.

Step 1: Choose a Template

The first step in creating a resume in Canva is to choose a template. Canva has dozens of resume templates to choose from, so take some time to browse through the options and choose a template that fits your style and career goals. Once you’ve selected a template, you can customize it to fit your needs.

Step 2: Customize the Template

The next step is to customize the template. This involves adding your personal information, including your name, contact information, and professional summary. You should also include your work experience, education, and any relevant skills or certifications.

Canva’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to add and edit text, as well as to adjust the layout and design of the template. You can change the font, color, and size of the text, as well as add images and graphics to enhance the design of your resume .

Learn to write a killer resume with our top picks of 5 must-read books on resume writing. Land your dream job today, get a book that best fits your needs.

Step 3: Add Design Elements

Once you’ve added your personal information and work experience, it’s time to add design elements to enhance the look and feel of your resume . This is where Canva’s range of design elements comes in handy.

You can add icons, illustrations, and other design elements to your resume to make it more visually appealing and engaging. These design elements should match the tone and style of your resume , and should be used sparingly to avoid overwhelming the design.

Step 4: Save and Download Your Resume

Once you’ve customized your resume template and added design elements, it’s time to save and download your resume . Canva allows you to download your resume in a variety of formats, including PDF, PNG, and JPG. It’s important to choose the format that is most appropriate for your needs.

If you’re submitting your resume online, a PDF is the best option, as it ensures that the formatting and design of your resume will remain intact. If you’re printing your resume to bring to an interview, a high-resolution PNG or JPG may be more appropriate.

Now that we’ve explored the process of creating a resume in Canva, let’s take a look at some tips and best practices to help you create a resume that stands out.

• Keep it Simple: While Canva offers a range of design elements, it’s important not to overwhelm your resume with too much design. Keep the design simple and clean, with a focus on showcasing your skills and experience.
• Use a Professional Font: When selecting a font for your resume , choose a professional font that is easy to read. Avoid using decorative or stylized fonts, as they can be difficult to read and may distract from the content of your resume .
• Customize the Template: While Canva’s templates offer a great starting point, it’s important to customize the template to fit your personal style and career goals. This means adding your personal information, work experience, and design elements that match the tone and style of your resume .
• Keep it Relevant: When selecting design elements for your resume , make sure they are relevant to your experience and the job you’re applying for. Avoid adding design elements simply for the sake of making your resume more visually appealing.
• Proofread and Edit: Before finalizing your resume , be sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for typos, grammatical errors, and formatting issues. It’s also a good idea to have someone else review your resume to ensure it’s error-free and makes sense.

Creating a resume in Canva can help you stand out from the competition and land your dream job . By choosing a template, customizing it to fit your personal style and career goals, and adding design elements that enhance the look and feel of your resume , you can create a professional-looking resume that showcases your skills and experience. With the tips and best practices outlined in this article, you can create a resume that stands out and impresses potential employers.

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When and How To Put Canva Skills on Your Resume (With Examples)

Canva is an in-demand skill for digital marketing and graphic design roles. Here’s everything you need to know about how to put it on your resume in a way that recruiters will love.

4 months ago   •   3 min read

Canva is a valuable skill for your resume, especially if you’re in a field like graphic design, digital marketing, or content creation. It can showcase your technical proficiency, experience with key software, and ability to create professional, visually appealing documents.

But that doesn’t mean it belongs on every resume — so, how can you tell if it belongs on yours? Below, we outline exactly when you should (and shouldn’t) include Canva skills on your resume and how to list them effectively.

Let’s start by looking at where Canva skills should go on a resume.

How to include Canva skills on your resume

Canva skills should be listed either in the Skills section or Work Experience section of your resume.

In your Skills section

To list Canva skills outright in your Skills section:

• Create 2-3 subheadings that describe the types of skills you want to list. These should fit the skills listed in the job posting or align with common skills for your industry or job title .
• Underneath a subheading like ‘Software’ or “Graphic Design,” list Canva alongside any other relevant skills. Aim for 5-15 skills in total.
• (Optional) Briefly describe your level of proficiency with Canva.
• Don’t list every feature that you used — if you want to get more detailed, opt to illustrate these in your Work Experience section instead.

For example:

SKILLS Graphic Design: Adobe Photoshop, Canva Social Media Marketing: Hootsuite, Buffer Web Development: HTML, CSS, JavaScript

In your Work Experience section

To illustrate Canva via your work experience:

• Choose 1-2 concrete examples of times when you used Canva in a professional context.
• Describe the project you were working on and the most impressive features of Canva you used.
• Add any relevant metrics that show the impact of your work.
• Created a series of product brochures, social media banners, and email templates using Canva's design tools.
• Designed an email toolkit and style guide using Canva to enable teams to quickly build mobile-responsive emails and maintain visual consistency; led to time savings of 5+ hours per week.
• Utilized Canva to design marketing collateral that contributed to a 15% increase in website traffic within two months.
• Designed and executed a series of visually compelling social media ad campaigns using Canva, resulting in a 30% increase in user engagement and a 20% boost in click-through rates over a three-month period.

If you're not sure whether to showcase your Canva skills on your resume or questioning if you've picked the right resume section to highlight them, upload your resume to the tool below . It'll provide personalized feedback on every section and help you identify what should be omitted.

Should you put Canva skills on your resume?

Not sure whether Canva is an essential skill for your resume? Here’s when you should — and shouldn’t — put Canva on your resume.

You should list Canva skills on your resume if:

• The job posting explicitly mentions Canva
• Canva skills directly align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description
• You’re applying for a role involving graphic design, content creation, or marketing
• You have one or more notable accomplishments using Canva

You shouldn’t list Canva skills on your resume if:

• Canva skills aren’t relevant to the core responsibilities of the job
• You’re unlikely to use Canva in the role
• You only have a basic level of proficiency using Canva
• Including Canva skills would clutter up your resume or make it longer than one page

If you’re still not sure, you can plug your resume and the job description into our Targeted Resume tool, which can help you narrow down essential skills that belong on your resume (and eliminate ones that don’t).

You can also use the skills search tool below to get a list of hard skills and keywords relevant to your job.

Jobs that require Canva skills

In particular, here are some specific roles where Canva is likely to be a useful skill:

• Graphic designer
• Content creator
• Social media manager
• Digital marketer
• Communications specialist
• Brand consultant
• Events coordinator
• Training specialist
• Virtual assistant
• Sales professional
• Business development manager
• E-commerce product owner
• Human resources specialist
• Career Advice

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• The Truth About Using Canva...

The Truth About Using Canva for Resumes

8 min read · Updated on March 18, 2024

Is Canva a good tool for creating and designing your resume? Here's what to consider.

Everyone wants their resume to look nice, but unfortunately, we're not all graphic designers. That's why many people will try to find a “hack” to create a more visually appealing resume that will help them stand out from the crowd.

One of these hacks is Canva , a popular design tool. It's free and easy to use, and it allows you to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, and, yes, resumes without any graphic design know-how.

It has dozens – if not hundreds – of resume templates you can choose from, with categories including modern, infographic, minimalist, corporate, photo, and even acting resumes. All you have to do is drag and drop your text into the template. You can even upload your own images before downloading or printing your resume.

Sounds easy, right? Sure – but is Canva good for resumes? Let's break down the truth about using Canva for resumes.

Are Canva resumes good?

Using Canva to design your resume sounds smart; it's free, easy to use, and the templates look pretty sharp. However, using Canva to create your resume may not be as effective for your job search. Here are some of the biggest downsides to the design tool.

Canva resumes do not pass applicant tracking systems

When you apply for a job, there's a good chance a human won't be the first to see your resume. Many companies employ applicant tracking systems, a/k/a the ATS or “resume bots,” to collect, sort, scan, and rank resumes based on certain programmed elements.

There are several strategies you can use to beat the resume bots , and a lot of these strategies focus on the design of your resume. For instance, with resume bots, it's important to use a clean resume design. This means no complex designs or unusual formats; applicant tracking systems have a difficult time reading these. 

It's also important to avoid using any images or charts . These often become a garbled mess in the ATS.

Canva resume templates employ, at the very least, a bunch of text boxes that you can use to copy and paste your resume content. Resume scanning systems simply can't parse information from text boxes properly. This means that your resume will look like it has a bunch of nonsensical characters in it, leading the ATS to reject your resume as an incompatible file. 

Important Note: ATS rejection is one of the main reasons that job seekers are ghosted by companies. The ATS kicks out your resume submission, making it so the human beings at the company don't even know you exist.

As a rule of thumb, less is more, so stick to simple resume fonts , straightforward bullet points, and an overall minimalist look. There's no need to include a headshot, infographics, or cute little icons.

Write for the ATS and human beings

Your goal is to get past the applicant tracking systems and into the hands of recruiters and hiring managers. Even the humans reading your resume are more concerned with your skills and experiences – not the design of your resume. Since you have two different audiences for your resume, it's best to use something more common, like the reverse-chronological format . 

The ATS knows how to read a reverse-chronological resume, and it's what hiring managers expect to see. In fact, the human beings looking at your resume know exactly where to find pertinent information in a reverse-chronological format. You don't want to present something to them that they have to spend time deciphering because, in reality, they're only spending a few seconds skimming through your document. 

Canva resumes are only one page

It used to be frowned upon to have a resume longer than one page — even if you had 20 years of experience under your belt — but times have changed.

Now, recruiters, hiring managers, and HR pros don't mind a resume that's more than one page. In fact, a study from ResumeGo found that recruiters are 2.3 times more likely to prefer a two-page resume over a one-page resume, regardless of an applicant's job level.

Young professionals today tend to have a lot more valuable experiences, even when they're fresh out of school, like internships, co-ops, freelance work, and study abroad experiences. This isn't just fluff – these are experiences recruiters are interested in seeing from recent grads and entry-level job candidates.

When you use Canva for your resume, you'll notice a common trend: Almost all of the templates are built for one page. Not only that, they're difficult to edit into two pages. Sure, you can duplicate the first page of the resume, but that duplicates every section on the first page, which isn't necessary.

If you want to use a Canva template for the first page of your resume, you'll have to tap into your inner graphic design skills to figure out how to format the second page in a way that's congruent with the first (Spoiler: It's going to be difficult with the way Canva has these set up).

Canva resumes leave out valuable information

When you're perusing Canva resume templates, you'll probably find quite a few designs that look clean and sharp. The design pros certainly know how to create a simple template and utilize white space. However, upon further inspection, you'll notice there's not a whole lot of room to list your experiences. Plus, you'll find there are quite a few missing sections.

For instance, the “gray and black professional resume” looks nice. But upon closer inspection, you'll notice there's very little room to list your job experiences – just a corner of the page. Additionally, you'll notice valuable real estate dedicated to character references , which you should not list on your resume at all.

There's also a chunk of space on a resume reserved for contact information . While this information is important, you can, oftentimes, condense it and include it in one line at the top of your resume, under your name.

Some of these templates also lack important sections, including a key skills section , an achievements and awards section, and a career summary.

In general, these templates look minimalist and airy – which is great – but they also don't leave you much space to showcase your experience and qualifications, which is essential when you're building your resume. Instead, use this ultimate resume guide to determine which sections you need to include in your resume.

Should I ever use a creative resume? 

OK, so is it time to just write off the notion of using Canva for your resume? Generally, yes. In reality, they're just not right for most people. They won't pass applicant-tracking systems, they'll constrict you to one page, and they don't allow you to show off all your qualifications, skills, achievements, and experiences in an effective way that'll land you the job.

Many times, a creative resume design will work against you. If you do want to show off your design, photo, or other creative skills, consider building an online website or portfolio where you can show off your skills to your heart's desire. 

On the other hand

With that said, if you're attending a career fair or networking event and need something that's short and crisp, you could use Canva for your resume. Basically, anytime you're not applying for a job online, it's probably OK to have a Canva-designed resume. Just remember that you'll want to get the email address of the person you hand your Canva resume to so that you can send them your real resume – you know, the one that has more of the relevant information the hiring manager wants to see. 

Canva could harm your job search success

We know it's tempting to use a Canva resume because they are free, quick, and easy, but they may be harming your job search more than they are helping it. You're better off working with a professional resume writer who knows the ins and outs of resume design. They'll ensure your resume passes applicant tracking systems and overall are formatted for your success.

Key takeaways:

Canva resumes do not pass the ATS

Canva resumes utilize improper formatting, like text boxes, tables, and images

Canva resumes cannot be downloaded as .doc or .docx files

Canva resumes do not provide enough space to include relevant information

Canva resumes emphasize all the wrong things (like your contact information and references)

Stick with writing a reverse-chronological resume in Word or Google Docs to get past the ATS

Only use Canva when you're giving your resume directly to a human being

Not thrilled with your resume's format and design? Let a professional resume writer clean it up .

This article was originally written by Carson Kohler in 2021 and updated by Marsha Hebert in 2024. 

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Canva Resume Templates

Canva is a program that simplifies graphic design so anyone can create professional-looking graphics without training in higher-level programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. 

Based in Australia and founded in 2013, Canva has free and Pro versions, with Pro subscribers gaining access to more graphic, audio and video options. If you regularly need graphic services, a Pro account is worth the investment. If not, the free version will cover your basic graphic-design needs. As of 2022, there are 75 million active Canva users per month, making the software an in-demand tool.

We’ve rounded up five Canva resume templates and provided you with alternatives to consider.

Before we dive in, we would be remissed to point out that Teal offers over 100+ free resume templates across a variety of resume formats and styles, from simple, traditional, creative, modern, chronological, functional, and more.

Pastel Pink Light Blue Clean UI Web Developer CV

This Canva resume template has a soft, colorful touch that doesn’t overpower the most important information: your experience. 

Using two columns, the template organizes your work history in the left-hand column and your contact information and skills in the right-hand column. The white background and black text makes the resume easy to read, and the font is clean and clear. 

This Canva resume template is best for people who want to incorporate a pop of color while still being subtle. 

To use this template, click here: Canva Pastel Pink Light Blue Clean UI Web Developer CV

Beige Dark Green Bold Modern Web Developer CV

If you have a lot of skills and work experience to fit into one page, this Canva resume template cuts out the fluff and gives you the appropriate room to work with. 

The template is less about flair and more about communicating your personal details in a direct way. A bold font in a deep-green color immediately draws the eye to your work and education history, with a short section to list relevant skills. 

If you are someone who has strong work experience and impressive educational achievements, this template best caters to your strengths.

The icons may cause issues with applicant tracking systems. So this template is best used when you're attaching your resume via email or another software that doesn't parse the sections.

To use this template, click here:  Canva Beige Dark Green Bold Modern Web Developer CV

Purple Grey Clean UI Copy Editor CV

This Canva resume template is best if you have a well-rounded career experience. In addition to work and education history, skills and contact information , this template includes a section for volunteer experience. 

Volunteering is a great way to get a hiring manager or recruiter’s attention, and this resume template gives you ample room to incorporate your volunteer history. There is enough room to highlight two relevant volunteering examples. If you have more than two examples, incorporate the ones that best fit with the job opportunities you want. 

Although we don't recommend including your headshot on your resume, this Canva template includes a spot for it for those who'd like to give it a try.

To use this template, click here:  Canva Purple Grey Clean UI Copy Editor CV

Blue Bright Yellow Color Blocks Salesperson CV

If you want to show your colorful side, this Canva template incorporates bold colors without making too much noise. There is still enough solid whitespace to highlight all your greatest accomplishments. Similar to the Purple Grey Clean UI Copy Editor template above, this template has space for a headshot or graphic that best represents you. We don't recommend including your picture on your resume, though.

This template has your headshot, contact information, skills and portfolio link on the right hand side, with ample room for work history, volunteer experience and certifications on the left hand side. 

To use this template, click here: Canva Blue Bright Yellow Color Blocks Salesperson CV

Black Grey Color Blocks Project Manager CV

This Canva resume template features a simple, gray and white color combination and a strong font. There are no graphics splitting up the two columns. This template uses monochrome color blocks where the reader’s eyes flow from relevant skills to work experience. Your contact details are at the top of the page, which also lends more room for your work experience. 

As with many Canva templates, this resume could be hard to parse by applicant tracking systems because of the images included.

To use this template, click here: Canva Black Grey Color Blocks Project Manager CV

How To Find Free Resume Templates in Canva

Before you start browsing templates, you need to have a Canva account . It is quick and easy to set up a free or Pro account — just make sure you have your payment information ready if you choose a Pro account.

When you have your account established, you’ll see “Templates” listed right below the home icon, on the left-hand side. 

When you click on “Templates,” Canva takes you to a new page, where it hosts multiple template formats, ranging from invitations, social media posts and, of course, resumes. Canva puts its resume templates front and center — marketing them as ATS-Optimized CVs. 

In the above image, you can see the purple button that reads “Browse ATS-Optimized CVs.” Canva was founded in Australia, where "curriculum vitae" is more common than the term "resume".

After you click on the button, you will see more than many templates to choose from. 

Premium Resume Templates For Canva

As mentioned earlier, Canva offers a paid Pro option with access to more features. Investing in a Canva Pro account is best for people who regularly create graphics or need a simple way to edit sound and video. Canva isn’t the only place online to get resume templates, though. Below are other options you may want to explore. You can purchase these templates and then use them in Canva.

Creative Market

Browse through more than 11,000 resume templates with a paid Creative Market plan, which ranges from $19.95 to $49.95 per month. With a paid plan, you get a set number of download credits per month. There are also free options — Creative Market releases four different assets every week. 

The platform known for supporting independent artists is another place to purchase unique resume templates. Prices range from as low as $0.17 to as high as $17. By purchasing a resume template from Etsy, you are also supporting independent graphic designers.

Graphic Pear

Hosting both free and paid options, Graphic Pair features resume templates that range from unique and colorful to simple and straightforward. Like Canva, a free plan is limited. For paid plans, you can pay $39 for one month or $89 for a full year. 

Is Canva Good For Resumes?

Canva is a useful design tool, and it does provide professional-looking, ready-made templates. However, some resume templates on Canva aren't actually great for job applications. You don’t need a graphic design software to create an attractive resume. And your resume doesn't need to look like it was professionally designed. 

Here are some pros and cons to keep in mind. 

Pros of using Canva

• ‍ Canva is user-friendly. ‍ Canva lets anyone be a graphic designer with its easy-to-use interface. It features alignment and editing tools to keep your design looking sharp, as well as video-editing and sound capabilities. 
• ‍ There are thousands of templates. ‍ It is easy to find a Canva template for resumes, social media posts, fliers and more. Canva has templates that come in custom sizes - that way you don’t have to search for the right graphic dimensions.
• ‍ It has a free option. ‍ A free Canva account gives you access to the necessary tools to create an attention-grabbing resume. Even with its limitations, there are still thousands of design combinations through a free account. 
• ‍ You can adjust templates . As you get comfortable with using Canva, you can tinker with template layouts and create a customized design. Update templates by changing colors, fonts and deleting or adding graphics. 
• ‍ Collaboration is simple . Canva’s Teams feature lets you invite other users to your designs. Canva also allows sharing and every design has a link with editing permissions to send to another user. 

Cons of using Canva

• ‍ Templates are common . With so many people using Canva on a daily basis, it is easy to spot repeat designs on social media posts, resumes, invitations and more. A free account limits which tools and designs you can access, which causes many repeat situations. You are less likely to see repeats with a Pro account, however, they do happen.
• ‍ Potential alignment issues. Software like Photoshop and Illustrator offer more precise alignment options, which results in perfectly centered graphics and documents. Canva’s alignment feature is more simple, which can throw your design off. 
• ‍ No local file storage. ‍ Without local file storage, users cannot access their designs when Canva is down. If the website is down, nobody can work on their projects. 
• ‍ Limited on mobile . Canva’s mobile app has fewer options than its desktop counterpart. If you want to work on a design, the easiest and best option is to use Canva on a desktop computer. 
• Not ATS-friendly. Despite its marketing, all of Canva's resume templates are not formatted well for applicant tracking systems. For example, pictures and icons don't do well in applicant tracking systems — and many of Canva's resume templates include them.

Canva vs. Teal AI Resume Builder

Exploring the best resume format options is always a good idea, especially with how much helpful software is available for free. Teal's AI Resume Builder is one of those free tools that helps you build a resume that gets noticed during your job hunt. 

Teal’s AI Resume Builder is more effective than a Canva template because our tool  helps you build optimized resumes that land jobs — whereas Canva's templates focus only on the visuals. In the Resume Builder, you can choose various template options all while keeping your resume formatted well for applicant tracking systems.

Teal's AI Resume Builder also stores your work history and offers writing insights. The Achievement Assistant feature also helps you create effective bullet points. It saves you time, because you can create multiple versions of your resume for different job applications. You can easily import your LinkedIn profile, as well, to jumpstart the resume building process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main pros and cons of using canva resume templates, how can i make a canva resume more ats friendly, are there any specific canva resume templates that are known to be more ats friendly.

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