Formal Resume Template

Formal draws a two-point border around the header and then wraps every section — experience, education, skills, languages — in its own thin-bordered box, with skills and languages set side by side in a two-column row near the bottom.

See all 20
Free to customize ATS-friendly structure PDF and Word export

How the Formal layout works

The borders replace colour as the organising device almost entirely, so the page reads as formal and compartmentalised rather than designed. Each section is visually self-contained, which makes it easy for a reader to jump straight to the one they care about.

Columns
One, each section in its own bordered box
Photo
Not used
Accent
Borders and header box
Best length
One to two pages

Who Formal suits

  • Government, legal, compliance and other environments where formality is expected, not optional
  • Applicants who want clear visual separation between sections without adding colour
  • Resumes reviewed in print, where boxed sections stay legible after photocopying

When to pick something else: The boxes add more visual noise than most ATS parsers need. Professional or Classic are the leaner option for strict portal submissions.

Other templates

ModernBold colored sidebar, two columns.
ExecutiveFull-width header band, corporate.
SidebarSoft light sidebar, easy to scan.
ProfessionalClean accent rules, ATS-ready.

Start with Formal

Write the whole resume, switch templates whenever you like, and preview every page — all free. Downloads unlock from ₹199.