How to Format a Resume in Microsoft Word

Creating a well-formatted resume is essential to stand out to potential employers. Microsoft Word offers a wide range of tools to help you design a professional, polished resume that highlights your skills, experience, and accomplishments. Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, understanding how to format a resume effectively in Microsoft Word can help you make a lasting impression.

This guide will walk you through creating a resume that’s both visually appealing and easy to read.

How to Format a Resume in Microsoft Word — Learn how to format your resume in Word documents. | Photo by Christina Morillo

1. Choose a Template or Start from Scratch

One of the easiest ways to create a professional-looking resume in Word is by using a pre-built template. Microsoft Word offers several templates designed specifically for resumes.

How to Access Resume Templates

Open Microsoft Word.
Go to File > New.
Type “Resume” in the search bar to view available resume templates.
Browse through the options, select one that best fits your style, and click Create.

If you prefer to design a custom resume, you can also start with a blank document and build it out manually using Word’s formatting features.

2. Set Up Page Margins and Font Styles

Before you start adding information, set up the document’s layout to ensure a neat, readable format. Here’s how to get started:

Adjust Margins

Go to Layout > Margins > Narrow (or Custom Margins if you need specific measurements).
For a clean look, try using a margin of around 0.5” to 1” on all sides. This ensures enough white space while maximizing the amount of text on the page.

Choose Fonts and Font Sizes

Selecting the right font is crucial to make your resume look professional. Commonly used fonts include Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri.

Font Size: Use 11 or 12-point font for regular text, and slightly larger sizes for section headings.
Font Style: Stick to a simple, professional font that’s easy to read. Avoid overly decorative fonts that may distract the reader.

For additional readability, consider using bold or italics to emphasize important sections like headings, job titles, and company names.

3. Add a Header with Contact Information

A well-formatted header ensures that recruiters can easily find your contact information. It should be clean and concise, including only essential details like:

Full Name: Use a slightly larger font size (14–16 pt) for your name.
Phone Number: Make sure it’s current and includes the area code.
Email Address: Use a professional email address, ideally with your name.
LinkedIn Profile or Website: If applicable, include a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website.

To add a header:

Go to Insert > Header > Blank.
Type your information, align it to the left, center, or right, and click Close Header and Footer.

4. Organize Your Resume Sections

To create a well-structured resume, organize your information into sections that are easy to scan. Here are the key sections to include:

Objective or Summary

A brief statement at the top of your resume can introduce who you are and what you bring to the table. Keep this section short—just one or two sentences that summarize your qualifications and goals.

Work Experience

The work experience section is often the most important part of your resume. Format it so that your job titles, companies, and employment dates are clear and easy to locate.

Job Title: Bold this to make it stand out.
Company Name: Include the city and state if relevant.
Dates of Employment: Align to the right to save space.

For each job, include 3–5 bullet points detailing your responsibilities and accomplishments. Start each point with an action verb, such as “Managed,” “Developed,” or “Implemented.”

Education

Include the schools you’ve attended, your degrees, and your graduation dates. If you have recently graduated or have limited work experience, place this section closer to the top of your resume.

Skills

Create a bullet list of your relevant skills. Focus on both technical skills (software, tools) and soft skills (communication, problem-solving) relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Additional Sections

Depending on your background and industry, you may want to add other sections, such as:

Certifications
Volunteer Experience
Languages
Projects

5. Use Bullet Points for Readability

Bullet points make your resume easier to read by breaking up blocks of text. Use bullet points to list job responsibilities, achievements, and skills.

Highlight the text you want to turn into bullet points.
Go to the Home tab, and click on the Bullets icon to format the text.
Customize bullet points by clicking the small arrow next to the Bullets icon to select different bullet styles or symbols.

Be consistent with your bullet points throughout the document to maintain a clean look.

6. Align Text and Use Indentation

Aligning text properly is essential for a clean, professional resume. In Word, you can use alignment and indentation options to ensure each section looks uniform.

Left Alignment: Most of your text should be left-aligned for readability.
Indentation: Use indentation to align job titles, dates, and bullet points consistently.

Use Tab Stops

To align dates to the right without creating unnecessary spaces:

Place your cursor where you want the date to appear.
Go to Home > Paragraph > Tabs.
Set the alignment to Right and adjust the position as needed.

7. Add Horizontal Lines to Separate Sections

Adding horizontal lines between sections can improve readability by visually dividing the content. This is especially useful if you’re using a plain template without a lot of built-in design elements.

To insert a horizontal line:

Go to Insert > Shapes > Line.
Drag the line across the page, resizing it as necessary.

Alternatively, you can type three dashes (—) and press Enter to automatically create a line.

8. Save Your Resume in PDF Format

Once you’ve completed your resume, save it as a PDF to ensure that the formatting stays intact when shared. A PDF format ensures that your resume looks the same on any device or software, which is critical when sending it to recruiters.

To save your resume as a PDF:

Go to File > Save As.
Choose PDF from the dropdown menu.
Select a destination folder and click Save.

Conclusion

Formatting a resume in Microsoft Word doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With these tips, you can create a resume that’s not only well-organized but also visually appealing and professional. By selecting the right template, organizing sections clearly, and paying attention to alignment and design, you’ll be ready to make a great impression on potential employers.

Remember to keep it concise, proofread thoroughly, and tailor the content to each job application to stand out from the competition. With a polished resume in hand, you’ll be one step closer to landing your ideal job.