18+ Creative CV Templates to Download in 2023
Boring and strait-laced isn’t your thing, you’re a creative professional who wants to stand out. Make it so with our collection of beautifully designed creative CVs.
In some ways, writing a CV is easier than ever. At the click of a mouse or the touch of a screen we’ve got access to a wealth of expert information and countless CV templates.
But that’s the problem. It’s a two-edged sword. How do you choose the best CV template for your needs? Have you got a good CV template or a terrible one?
To make your life easier I’ve compiled a list of our top 10 best CV templates. That’s 10 of the best as chosen by users like you. And as a bonus, you’ll get to see the elements that make up a good CV template too.
Let’s get started.
Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.
CV template design not what you’re looking for? Take a look at our other guides.
- 20+ Job-Winning CV Tips and Advice
- Retail CV Example and Template
- Waiter / Waitress CV Example and Template
- Receptionist CV Example and Template
- Customer Service CV Example and Template
- 18+ Basic CV Templates to Download
- 18+ Model CV Templates to Download Now
- 20+ Free CV Templates to Download
- 18+ Modern CV Templates to Download Now
- 10+ Canva CV Templates (+ Alternatives to Canva CV Maker)
How to Pick the Best CV Template for You
Think of your curriculum vitae as a personal marketing document you use to sell yourself to potential employers. It needs to present your work experience, skills and achievements, highlighting why you're the best candidate for the job.
But the best way to present yourself depends on your circumstances. So first, a brief look at how to choose the CV format that’s best for you.
Chronological CV Format
This format is the ‘classic’ CV format and the one recruiters are most familiar with. It focuses on your work experience and it has five key sections. These are your contact details, personal profile, work history, education and skills, in that order.
Chronological format is the best CV template for candidates with:
- Several years or more of work experience.
- Steady progression in the same industry.
Is chronological format the best CV template for you? Read more here: CV Format: Best Examples for Job-Hunting Success
Skills-Based CV Format
Choose this format if you’ve had a more unconventional work history. It places the focus on your transferable skills rather than your work experience. It also has five key sections. But in this case, they’re your contact details, personal profile, skills summary, work history and education.
Skills-based format is the best CV template for:
- Career changers.
- People whose work consists mainly of gigs and projects.
- Ex-military personnel transitioning to life on civvy street.
Skills-based CVs are tricky to write. Is it the best CV format for you? Find out here: Skills Based CV Template: Writing Guide with Examples
What Makes a Perfect CV Template?
Regardless of which format you choose, there are a few ‘must-haves’ that every good CV template needs.
Here’s what’s needed:
- All the essential sections plus the option to add extras.
- Easily readable layout.
- Optimised for ATS scanning.
- Designed with generous use of white space.
- Able to include all required information within the best CV length.
- A matching cover letter template to pair it with.
Our CV maker has it covered. All ten of the templates you’re about to see fit the bill.
Read more about CV layout here: CV Layout: How to Lay out a Professional CV
1. Cubic
Cubic is a firm user favourite at Zety. Like all of our great CV templates it’s full of features that’ll help you impress recruiters and get more interviews. The dark header lets your name shine in white font. The two-column format lets you pack in all the information you need and the right-hand column adds a subtle touch of colour.
One of the best things about this template, and all our other templates, is that you can leverage colour psychology with our choice of 400 shades. It’s easy to see why our users think it’s our best CV template.
Recommended for: Customer Service CV
2. Newcast
Remember when the best CV templates were in Word and had that same basic layout? We’ve taken that classic look and redesigned it to create this standout CV template. Coloured headings help add emphasis to each section, aided by a subtle infographic touch from CV icons.
Like all of our best CV templates you can switch the order of sections and even rename them with ease. Then our CV builder makes sure the layout stays intact.
Recommended for: Receptionist CV
3. Diamond
With a name like Diamond you just know this is one of our best CV templates. There’s a generous header to fit all your contact info, including social media handles. Then the jewel-shaped icons and bullet points are neatly connected to make a line that gently guides the eye down the page.
Apart from sections and colours, our CV builder also lets you customise font type and font size. Don’t just settle for any CV template, create the best CV template for you.
Recommended for: Waiter / Waitress CV
4. Enfold
Enfold is one of our most visually striking CV templates. If you had to come up with the best CV template in the world it’d probably look a lot like Enfold! The right-hand column is a thing of beauty. Complementing shades of blue, bright white text and striking health bars for software and language skills. It’s information-rich without looking cluttered. A truly excellent CV template.
Use our CV builder and you don’t just get the best CV templates, you get professional advice as you write. It’s like having your own personal career expert.
Recommended for: Sales Assistant CV
5. Vibes
Let me get the cheesy joke out of the way. *ahem* You’ll be getting good Vibes only with this CV template! But seriously, our fifth in line for the crown of best CV template is no slouch. You start off strong with a full-width header and CV personal profile. Then it’s straight into the clean, white space rich CV body. It’s neat, effective design at its best.
Recommended for: Graphic Design CV
6. Muse
The Muses are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science and the arts in Ancient Greek mythology. We’re sure that this Muse will inspire you too. The contact details and skills section are moved over to the left and main section headings are highlighted with attractive blue ribbons.
Recommended for: Project Manager CV
When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.
When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.
7. Concept
The Concept here is simple. A small tweak can make all the difference, transforming something plain into one of our best CV templates. In this case, it’s that timeline embedded in the left-hand column. It really enhances the effect of the connected bullet points and CV icons. Start reading this CV and you can’t help but continue all the way to the end.
Recommended for: Graduate CV
8. Crisp
Our best CV template name has to be Crisp. This design is so crisp it almost crackles off the page. If simplicity is what you’re after then this template has it in spades. Head on over to our CV builder and give it a try. You can enter your details and check how this template looks for free. You’ll only pay when you’re happy with the results and ready to download.
Recommended for: Student CV
9. Influx
You might think we’re running out of steam, but this perfect CV template keeps up the standard of excellence. The bold, broad header and single-column format give it a generous feel that makes it incredibly easy to read. And that’s important. Recruiters have to trawl through 118 applications for every job. They don’t have the time or energy for badly-designed CVs.
Need some CV writing tips? Read more here: 20+ Job Winning CV Tips and Advice
10. Modern
The last of our 10 best CV templates certainly isn’t the least. When it comes to CV styles this one is truly unique. Each column has its own colour accent, but asymmetrically placed on the top left and bottom right. It looks good, but that’s not the only reason this feature was included. It also drags your gaze down across the page. Getting that busy hiring manager to see everything. It’s not just good looking, it’s clever too.
So now you’ve seen the best CV templates make sure you’ve got the best cover letter too. Learn how to write it here: How to Write a Cover Letter: Complete Guide
So that’s it. 10 of the best CV templates featuring the best CV format, good CV layout and outstanding CV style.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Thanks for reading. What else would you like to know about UK CV template? How about advice for a specific situation like the best CV template for graduates? Hit me with your ‘best’ shot in the comments section and I’ll be happy to help.
