Jake's Resume Template — Why It Took Over the Internet
Jake's Resume is one of the most popular resume templates on the internet. Here is where it came from, what makes it work, and whether you should use it.
If you have ever searched for a resume template on Reddit, GitHub, or Overleaf, you have almost certainly seen Jake's Resume. It is a single-column, no-frills template that has become the default starting point for engineers, computer science students, and anyone who wants a clean resume without the noise.
Where It Came From
The template was created by Jake, a software engineer who open-sourced it on GitHub and Overleaf around 2018. It was designed as a simple, ATS-friendly alternative to the overly designed templates that dominate sites like Canva and Google Docs.
It spread through Reddit's r/cscareerquestions and r/resumes communities, where it quickly became the most recommended template. When someone posts "what template should I use?" the top answer is almost always Jake's Resume or something directly based on it.
What It Looks Like
The template is deliberately plain:
- Single column — no sidebars, no multi-column layouts
- Clear section headings — Education, Experience, Projects, Technical Skills
- Compact spacing — fits a lot of content on one page without feeling cramped
- No colors, no icons, no graphics — pure text with minimal horizontal rules
It looks like a document, not a design project. That is the point.
Why It Works
Jake's Resume works because it gets out of the way:
- ATS-friendly — no columns, tables, or graphics that break parsing. Every ATS on the market can read it correctly.
- Recruiter-friendly — the layout is instantly familiar. Recruiters know where to look for job titles, dates, and bullet points without hunting.
- Content-first — there is nothing to distract from what you actually did. The template forces you to lead with substance.
- One page by default — the compact spacing makes it easy to fit a full early-career or mid-career resume on a single page.
The Harvard Template
The other template you will see recommended constantly is the Harvard Office of Career Services resume template. It follows a similar philosophy — single column, clean headings, no graphics — but comes as a Word document and is aimed at a broader professional audience.
Both templates succeed for the same reason: they prioritize readability and ATS compatibility over visual flair.
Should You Use It?
If you are in tech and want a resume that works, Jake's Resume is a solid choice. It is battle-tested, ATS-safe, and gets you 90% of the way there with zero design decisions.
The principles behind Jake's Resume — clean layout, single column, clear headings, no distractions — can be applied in any tool.