Free Resume Tools for the Unemployed

When you lose your job, the first thing you need to do is update your resume. While it’s better if you update your resume periodically, even during your employment, sometimes a job loss catches you by surprise and you aren’t ready.

If you are trying to figure out how to best update your resume, you’ll want to do what you can to take advantage of free tools that can help you create a resume that is more likely to help you get a job:

Workforce Services

Find out where your state’s workforce services office is in your town. Most states have some sort of organization with a mandate to help the unemployed find work. Locate an office, and then go take advantage of the tools available.

Most workforce services offices have workers who can help you update your resume – or create a new one. These tools are at your disposal, and you don’t have to pay for them out of pocket. Attend workshops and get pointers, and you can tailor your resume.

Free Resume Builders

There are also a number of free resume builders online. These are sites that help you put your qualifications into a resume format that is easy to read. The prompts provided can help you organize your thoughts and your accomplishments in a way that highlights the best points. Here are some of the free resume builders you can use (some of them have additional premium tools and services that you can purchase on top of the free basics):

• LinkedIn: Using the helpful prompts from LinkedIn, you can put together a professional resume. Then, if you want a copy of it, it’s possible to “export to PDF.” 
• JobSpice: Spice up your LinkedIn profile with this resume builder. This site will import your LinkedIn profile data and help you plug it in to various templates.
• Pongo: Get help putting together a resume with one of the first online resume building services. You can choose your template, fill in your basic information, and then share information about your history to generate a resume. You get plenty of tips throughout to help you create a professional and attractive resume.
• CV Maker: You can use this fill-in-the-blanks site to help you get going. It’s also customizable and available in 17 languages. You can easily move sections around, and then export to three different formats.
• Resume.com: This website allows you to build your resume, and then send links of your personalized resume to potential employers. You can also export a copy to PDF or DOC in order to print it out.
• LiveCareer: Use this site to build your resume step-by-step. You can import a resume you’ve already made to get started. There are several templates to choose from, and you can customize the layout of the templates to reflect your own aesthetic. There are five different export options.

With a little looking around, it’s possible to find plenty of free resume builders. There is no reason to just use a template for a guide when you can fill in a few forms and have a resume generated on your behalf.

Job Search Websites

Most of the major job search websites, including Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed, and SimplyHired all have a way for you to save a profile. Your profile includes your qualifications and other information that goes on a resume. You can usually use these free services to create a standard resume that can be sent along with your job application. These sites make it a little easier to apply for jobs, since everything is completed in one package.

What’s your favorite resume tool? Leave a comment!

Miranda writes about personal finance almost every day. An experienced freelance writer, she's covered your money online and in print from every angle and is always looking for new ones.

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