Classic Resume & Cover Letter Template – Word & Google Docs

A matched resume, cover letter, and references page in the Classic style, suited to traditional fields, career changers, government, and healthcare administration: a centered name and uppercase section headings with a thin black rule under each, in black only. Fill it in with Microsoft Word or free Google Docs, then save it as a PDF.

Features

• Matched set: the resume, cover letter, and references page share the same font (Cambria), margins, and heading style.
• One-page resume template with bracketed placeholders to replace, such as [Your Name] and [Job Title]. The Fill-in Guide explains how to extend it to two pages.
• Section order: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications. Optional sections (Certifications, Projects & Volunteer, Languages) can be deleted if you don't need them.
• Example versions of the resume and cover letter, filled with fictional sample content, plus a PDF preview of each, so you can see how much fits on the page.
• Cover letter with a matching letterhead (your name and contact line) and a four-part structure: opening, why this role, evidence (2–3 points), and close.
• References page with a matching header and three blocks for name, title, organization, relationship, phone, and email.
• Fill-in Guide PDF: Quick Start for Word and Google Docs, section-by-section writing tips, a bullet formula, about 60 action verbs, tips for new grads and career changers, how to tailor your resume to a job posting, how to save as PDF, a proofreading checklist, and a privacy tip.

What's in the download

One .zip file with 9 files:

• resume-classic-en-v1.0.docx (resume template)
• resume-classic-en-v1.0-EXAMPLE.docx (resume filled with fictional sample content)
• resume-classic-en-v1.0-EXAMPLE.pdf (PDF preview of the example resume)
• cover-letter-classic-en-v1.0.docx (cover letter template)
• cover-letter-classic-en-v1.0-EXAMPLE.docx (cover letter filled with fictional sample content)
• cover-letter-classic-en-v1.0-EXAMPLE.pdf (PDF preview of the example cover letter)
• references-classic-en-v1.0.docx (references page)
• Fill-in-Guide-EN.pdf (about 8–10 pages; page 1 is a Quick Start)
• LICENSE.txt

The resume, cover letter, and references page are Letter size, portrait. The Fill-in Guide explains how to change the paper size if you need to.

Formatting is done with Word's built-in styles, so you can restyle the whole document by changing one style. No photos, icons, tables, text boxes, or graphics.

Works with Microsoft Word 2016 or later (Windows and Mac), Word for the web, and Google Docs (upload the .docx file to Google Drive, then choose Open with > Google Docs). Not made for Canva or Pages.

ATS-friendly formatting: single column, real text, standard headings, no tables or text boxes. No template can promise how a particular employer's system will read your file.

Uses standard fonts already in Word and Google Docs; nothing to install.

This is the English edition. Also available in Spanish as a separate product at the same price: Plantilla de Currículum y Carta de Presentación – Estilo Clásico.

Templates and writing tips only. Not career or legal advice. Results depend on your experience and on each employer; no interview or job offer is promised.

Personal use: use these templates for your own job applications. The resumes and letters you create are yours. Do not resell, share, or redistribute the template files.

This is a digital download; nothing is shipped. Please read our refund policy before you buy.

Created with Grok