Resume Builder Apps

Building a resume in 2025 — easier than you think.

Resume.io

$3-5/mo or one-time fee

Most polished templates. ATS-friendly (works with employer screening).

Best paid template-based.

Canva (free)

FREE

Beautiful, free templates. Drag-and-drop design.

Best free design option.

Google Docs templates

FREE

Google offers basic resume templates. Easy. Plain.

Best for simplicity.

Microsoft Word templates

FREE in Office or Word.com

Templates inside Word. Polished.

Best if you have Office.

AARP Resume Advisor

FREE for AARP members

Free professional review of your resume. AARP volunteers + paid pros.

Best free professional review for 50+.

TopResume / ZipJob

$200-500

Pay a real human writer to craft your resume.

Best for major career change or gap.

ChatGPT / Claude

Free

"Help me write a resume for a part-time bookkeeper position. Here's my work history: [paste]". Surprisingly good first draft.

Best for free help.

Resume tips for 50+ workers

Limit to 1-2 pages — older workers don\'t need to list every job from 1985.
Show last 15 years. Earlier work goes in a brief "Earlier Career" section.
Skip graduation dates — protects from age discrimination.
Lead with achievements, not job duties. "Reduced billing errors 30%" beats "Handled billing".
Show technology comfort — list the software you know (Excel, Outlook, Zoom, etc.). Counters age stereotypes.
Modern, clean format — no ornate fonts. Sans-serif (Arial, Calibri).
Email address — use Gmail, not AOL or Yahoo (unfortunately, AOL signals age).

Cover letter quick template

Use ChatGPT or Claude:

"Write a 1-page cover letter for a [job title] position at [company name]. My background: [brief work history]. Make it warm but professional."

Edit to make it sound like you. Submit.

Job search tools paired

LinkedIn — must-have. Make a profile even if you don\'t intend to "social network".
Indeed — biggest job board.
AARP Job Board — age-friendly employers.
FlexJobs — remote work, paid subscription.
RetiredBrains.com — senior-specific listings.

AARP Resume Advisor — best free help

If you\'re an AARP member ($16/year), use the free Resume Advisor. They review your resume and give specific feedback. Volunteers are often retired HR professionals — exactly the right perspective for senior job-seekers.