Content Writer Resume Template in Newspaper Style
Editors and content leads read writing for a living, so a content writer's resume is judged twice: once for what it says and once for how it reads. This template turns your resume into the front page of a newspaper, complete with a masthead, a lead and three tidy columns. It shows you understand layout, hierarchy and story, the same skills you bring to every article.
Above the Fold
The page is a warm newsprint cream. At the top, a thin rule sits above The portfolio in small-spaced capitals, followed by your name as the masthead in large Playfair Display. Below it, a heavy double rule and an issue line read Vol. 8 · Content writer & editor · Writing that ranks, with the last phrase in deep red. Your contact details run along the next line, and a lead paragraph with a red drop cap introduces you in italic Source Serif.
Three Columns, Like a Real Front Page
- Column one holds your experience, each role with its dates in small red capitals.
- Column two lists selected bylines in italics, with where they ran and how they performed, then a pull quote from a colleague between two rules, earlier work, and awards.
- Column three holds specialties, tools, By the Numbers, education, and languages.
Fine vertical rules separate the columns, just like a broadsheet.
Bylines That Prove Your Value
The bylines column is the heart of this design. Choose three pieces that show range and results: one that ranks well on search, one with high readership, and one that shows voice, such as a guest column. Under each title, add the publication and a short result, for example, 82K reads or #1 on search. If your best work is ghostwritten, describe it by type and client industry instead of by name.
Headlines for Your Own Career
| Dull line | Front-page version |
| Wrote blog posts | Built the blog from scratch: 200 posts, 60% of new sign-ups |
| Responsible for SEO content | Grew one client's organic traffic from 18K to 140K monthly visits |
| Edited articles | Ran the agency style guide and trained new writers |
| Wrote emails | Wrote onboarding emails that lifted activation 18% |
The Pull Quote
A pull quote is a classic newspaper device, and here it holds a short line from a creative director or editor about your work. Keep it under twenty words and attribute it by role and company. If you do not have a quote yet, ask a former manager; most are happy to provide one, especially if you offer to draft it for their approval.
Copywriters, Editors and Journalists
The same layout suits copywriters, editors, technical writers and journalists. Copywriters can swap bylines for campaigns and taglines. Editors can lead with publications managed and team size. Technical writers can list documentation sets and products covered. Journalists can list beats, outlets and awards, and replace By the Numbers with stories published and exclusives.
Laying Out Your Edits in Word
- The newsprint background, rules and column dividers are shapes in the page header. Double-click near the top of the page to change their color or weight.
- The three columns are a table, so text stays inside its column as you type.
- The drop cap is simply a large red letter at the start of the lead; change it to match your first word.
Typefaces and Delivery
Playfair Display and Source Serif Pro are free from Google Fonts. The resume fits one US Letter page. Send a PDF with links to three live samples that match your bylines column, so editors can check your work in seconds. Refresh the bylines column every few months as new pieces go live.
