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How To Format Resume In Microsoft Word

Resume Genius White House Template

How to Make an Easy Resume in Microsoft Word (2020)

Who might use it? Someone looking for a template with a lot of white space.

Caveats:

  • You dont need a full address city and state is enough.
  • Add your LinkedIn profile.
  • Do not use a resume objective section. You can replace that with a summary or get rid of it entirely.

Cost: Free

Download it here.

Stav is a senior editor and writer at The Muse, where she covers careers and work with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Before joining The Muse, Stav was a staff writer at Newsweek, and her work has also appeared in publications including The Atlantic, The Forward, and Newsday. Stav earned a B.A. in history with a minor in dance at Stanford University and holds an M.S. from Columbia Journalism School. She won the Newswomen’s Club of New York’s Martha Coman Front Page Award for Best New Journalist in 2016. She prefers sunshine and tolerates winters grudgingly. You can find her on and and can visit her website here.

How Should I Format My Resume In Microsoft Word

The format you choose will depend on your experience level!

There are 3 basic resume formats to choose between:

  • âReverse-Chronological: Details your most recent job and works backwards from there. This format focuses heavily on work experience.â
  • Functional: Focuses on skills and education rather than work experience. This is a good option for recent graduates or applicants with minimal work experience.â
  • Hybrid/Combination: Combines elements of both the Reverse-Chronological and the Functional. This is a good option for applicants with gaps in their employment history.

Choosing the best format for your needs is key. For more help on this subject, check out our guide on How to Choose the Correct Resume Format in 2021!

Look Out For Ats Blockers

An ATS often acts as a gatekeeper for human recruiters or hiring managers by doing a first screening of applications. Once the system identifies the top prospects based on the keywords and other signals its programmed to pick up on, a human might not reach beyond that pile. So you want to look out for red flags that might prevent your resume from making it through the first hurdle. Pay attention to:

Of course, you can always make changes to an existing template. So if theres a frame, you can simply delete it. If the spot for your name is in the header, you can move it into the body. Or if the font is obscure, you can change it to a more common one.

In other words, you dont have to reject a template out of hand because it contains one of these elements. But you might want to avoid a template that has so many ATS blockers that youll have to perform formatting gymnastics just to get it to a usable baseline.

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Black And White Resume Template

The Black and White resume template below suits professionals who prefer using color and shading to add structure to their resume.

The black banner at the top contrasts the applicant’s name nicely to help make him/her more memorable to recruiters. The gray banner just below the header is perfect for a summary or career objective it makes one’s goals known but doesn’t overpower the experience listed below it.

Download this template here.

Black & Green Modules

Simple Resume Format Download In Ms Word

This free Microsoft Word resume template makes good use of the resume section headings. .

This free resume template for Word is divided into easy-to-navigate sections. Plus, your skills are displayed in a nice manner. .

Expert Hint: Your skills could easily set you apart from the rest of the candidates. Learn what skills to put on a resume.

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How To Do Automated Resume Formatting Using Microsoft Word 2013 Or Greater

We are happy to announce our resume formatting software has been approved and is available in the Office App Store. Here is a link to the app. In this post, will detail how to add the app to Microsoft Word and make use of all of the features available in our resume formatting software.

NOTE: The app in the Office App Store works for Office versions 2013 and greater including Office 365.

First thing to add the app, go to the Insert tab in the ribbon and click on Get Add-ins like shown below:

Once the app store dialog is open, search for iReformat app in the store, once you find it. Click on Add to install the app like shown in image below:

Once the app is added, next time if you want to use it, it is available from the My Apps ribbon button. The My Apps button is right below the Get Add-ins button.

Once the app is added and opened, the app opens up in the right hand task pane like shown below:If you do not have an iReformat account on www.recruiteze.com, you can click on create account, which will lead to the page on recruiteze.com for signing up.

Once you signup for the iReformat service. You can login using the email address and password in the login screen above.

NOTE: Please contact support at recruiteze dot com, if you need a custom resume template. One custom resume template is created free for each account, when you signup for the service.

The other optional features are the ability to highlight skills/keywords in the formatted resume.

Happy Formatting!

Crafting A Custom Rsum In Microsoft Word

Before we start, its important to know that each résumé should reflect a persons personal experience and education. Since everyones experience is different, its no surprise that their résumés will be too.

That being said, there are some general aesthetic guidelines for making a résumé that we highly recommend you follow.

Go ahead and open up a clean, blank document in Word.

The first thing well want to do is set our margins. Go to the Layout tab and click the Margins buttons.

The drop-down menu displays several different margin options from which to choose. If you cant find the one youre looking for, you can click Custom Margins at the bottom and enter your specifications. Lets go ahead and do that.

According to the experts, the best margin size is 1 for the top and bottom and 0.63 for the sides. This may seem like an oddly specific number, but the objective is to get as much information about yourself as possible on a page without overwhelming the reader. With the above credentials, we leave enough white space on the page for the reader to not feel suffocated.

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How To Optimize Your Resume For Ats

If youre applying for a job, there is a very high chance that the resume will first be seen by some software before it makes its way to a pair of human eyes. This software is called an Applicant Tracking System and it sorts, scans, and ranks job applications that come through to a recruiter or employer.

ATS helps recruiters filter through candidates by scanning for relevant information and keywords in an application. Writing a resume that is ATS optimized is imperative, as you could potentially miss out on opportunities even if youre qualified.

Why Its Important To Align Dates On Your Resume

Formatting your resume in MS Word

If your date alignment is messy or inconsistent, it can signal a lack of attention to detail to recruiters.

It can also make them assume that you dont have a strong command of Microsoft Word, which is expected in todays hiring market.

Simply put, its worth investing a bit of extra effort to avoid the risk of leaving such an impression.

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Using A Microsoft Word Rsum Template

Microsoft Word offers a bunch of résumé templates. Some are beautiful some are not. Well let you decide which style fits you best, but heres where you can find them.

Go ahead and open Word. As soon as you do, youll be greeted with several different templates to choose from, ranging from a simple blank document, cover letters, résumés, or even seasonal event flyers. Click the Resumes and Cover Letters link under the search box to see only those types of templates.

Now, youll see all the different resume styles Word has to offer. There are a lot of different styles and color schemes to choose one, so pick what feels right. If you scroll down the list a bit, youll also see some plainer resume templates designed for different purposeslike an entry-level, chronological, or extended CV style.

Some of the templates are already built into Word others are a quick, free download from Office.com . When you click to create a resume, Word will let you know the download size . Click the Create button and a few seconds later, youll be in your document and ready to edit.

Thats all there is to it! But what if you didnt find a résumé you liked? Luckily, Word has a few formatting tools to help you craft the perfect résumé.

How Do I Add Different Sections To A Resume On Microsoft Word

The way to create different sections on your resume comes in two parts:

  • Use an H2 header to create the section titles
  • Use the Normal style to create the body of text below the H2 header

Here is a breakdown of how to use the H1, H2, H3, and Normal styles within your resume:

Select the Styles window from the Home tab.

From here, you will have options to create headers.

Your heading options are as follows:

  • âHeading 1: Use this heading as your largest title. This is what you will use to write your name at the top of the page. Use a bolded font between 16 to 20 pt in size. Use 1.5 to 2.0 line spacing to help the title heading stand out.â
  • Heading 2: Use this heading to create your section titles. Use a bolded font size between 14 to 16 pt. in size. Make sure these headings are smaller than your title heading. Use 1.5 to 2.0 line spacing to help these headings stand out from the rest of the text.â
  • Heading 3: Use this heading to create your job titles. Your job titles should be only slightly bigger than the rest of the text. Use a bolded font between 12 to 14 pt. in size. Use between 1.15 to 1.5 line spacing.â
  • Normal: Use the Normal style to create the body text underneath the heading. Use a regular font between 11 â 12 pt. in size. Use between 1.15 to 1.5 line spacing.

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Why Use A Resume Template

A template can serve as a useful guide when creating or revising your resume. A template provides the basic structure for a resume. All you have to do is simply edit the document to include your personal information.

Using a template can reduce the amount of time you have to spend formatting your document, which allows you to focus on adding content and polishing up your resume so it’s perfect.

How Do I Make A Resume In Microsoft Word

Word Document Resume Template Free / Free Resume Templates ...

There are two primary methods for making a resume in Microsoft Word:

  • âFrom Scratch: This gives you the ultimate creative control. However, it also requires you to familiarize yourself with all of Microsoft Wordâs tools and layout options. Building a resume from scratch can be more time-consuming but also more customizable.
  • âFrom a Template: Microsoft Word offers several pre-made resume templates. By using these, all the formatting and layout creation is handled for you. You simply have to fill in your own information.
  • To use a template, go to File > New and then select a template from the Resume and Cover Letter section.

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    About The Authormatt Glodz

    Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

    After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.

    At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background – which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication – to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over eight years.

    Make Sure Theres Enough Space

    In some cases, a template looks really nice, but it doesnt actually give the space you need in order to properly give your previous experience the attention it deserves, Augustine says. Sure, you should be succinct, but you also want to have room to include your most important points without shrinking the font down to an illegible size.

    At the same time, you want to pick a template thats clean and has some white space, says Viviano. You dont want to end up with a resume thats too jam packed with words.

    Read Also: How To Update Your Resume On Linkedin

    How To Create A Professional Rsum In Microsoft Word

    Marshall Gunnell is a writer with experience in the data storage industry. He worked at Synology, and most recently as CMO and technical staff writer at StorageReview. He’s currently an API/Software Technical Writer at LINE Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, runs ITEnterpriser, a data-storage and cybersecurity-focused online media, and plays with development, with his RAID calculator being his first public project. Read more…

    Pressing the send button when sending your résumé to a potential employer can be a nerve-racking experience. Were here to show you how to create a résumé using Microsoft Word and provide a few tips on getting you through the résumé screening process so you can press that send button with confidence.

    How To Create A Resume Template In Word

    How to use Styles to Format your Resume in Microsoft Word

    Employers typically form their first impressions of job candidates based on their resumes. Submitting a clean, properly formatted, well-written and error-free resume will increase your chances of being considered for a position and moving on to the next step in the hiring process. To easily create a captivating resume, you may decide to use the free resume templates available through Microsoft Word.

    1. Name and contact information2. Summary or objectivec. Description of role and achievement4. Education5. Skills6. Optional

    Office resume templates are also designed to integrate with all Microsoft programs, Google docs, PDFs and more, so theyll retain their formatting after you download and share it with an employer. Here are several tips and best practices to help you create an exceptional resume using Microsoft Word resume templates.

    To upload the template into Google Docs, go to File > Open > and select the correct downloaded file.

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    Bold Serif Resume Template

    Speaking of serif font, this resume puts forward an element of grace and formality with its font choices. It’s perfect for individuals who are looking for more organic color than the ones more typically found in resumes, and the colors are also easily changed in Microsoft Word’s theme settings. It also includes a skill-level bar, adding a nice visual touch to the template.

    Download this template here.

    Free Resume Templates That Download In Word

    Of course, if youre already employed full-time, its hard to find the time to apply to a new job opportunity, let alone update your resume to reflect your qualifications. Luckily, there are numerous publishers out there who’ve created incredible resume templates for quick editing and formatting in Word.

    To keep you from hunting the internet for the resume templates that are both free and compatible with MS Word, weve listed 19 more options below for you to customize with your own information right now. Some of them come with variations so you can pick your favorite design. Four of them cater specifically to marketers.

    Theyre so nice, you wont believe they open up in Microsoft Word once you download them.

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    They Are Not Optimized For The Ats

    What’s worse than blending into the crowd? Not making it to the party at all. Most of today’s employers use applicant tracking systems to sort and rank all of the resumes they receive. If your resume doesn’t hit the right notes for that system, it ends up in the reject pile, and the hiring manager probably won’t even see it. You can be the best candidate in the world for that job, but if your resume isn’t optimized for the ATS, prospective employers will never know.

    Customizable Word Resume Templates

    Free Resume Microsoft Word Template Database

    Turning a blank document into an attractive, well-designed resume is hard work, especially when you’d rather put that time to use in your job search. That’s where these free Word resume templates come in. You can choose from a range of ready-made designs, whether you’re looking for something classic, minimalist or colorful. All of the templates are easy to customize with your personal details, and you can even change the colors and themes if you’re so inclined.

    When you’re done filling out your template, make sure to save your file as a Word .docx file , so you can always come back and make changes. When you’re ready to send your resume, be sure to attach it in the requested format, for example PDF or .docx. To export as a PDF from Microsoft Word, go to the File menu –> Export –> Create PDF.

    You can browse the free resume templates below, and get a selection of the best templates delivered straight to your inbox.

    Get your free resume templates

    Professional templates perfect for any industry

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