#005 Resume Formatting (Step-by-Step) | A Recruiter's View on MS Word PageMargins/Gridlines/Ruler/Indents 

Does it ever happen with you, when text on your resume looks cluttered or doesn’t get aligned consistently and you get frustrated? 

If so, then this is the right article to read. I will show you step-by-step how you can format your resume so that it is easy to scan for your recruiters or hiring managers. 

Let me tell you, this is so important; being into talent acquisition, I know, recruiters review several resumes in a day and if your resume is not well formatted then there are chances that some of your important details might get overlooked. I am pretty sure this is something that you wouldn’t like to see with your resume. Right!

 Your resume is your brand document. It does the talking for you before you even get a chance to chat in person. So, stick around, and let me show you how to format a resume well for readability and a professional look.

I am going to use some of the key tools for formatting a resume. I have divided them into 3 sections. 

In section 1- I’ll show you how to set page margins and line spacing. 

In section 2- I’ll show you the benefit of using Gridlines.

 In Section 3-  I’ll walk you through the Ruler and Indents for Setting Tab Stops. 

Okay!

Let’s talk about page margins and line spacing first. These are the two often underestimated tools that play a crucial role in creating a professional look. 

For setting page margins, go to Layout menu -> click Margins under Page Setup and you’ll see these many options to choose from. 

I would recommend using a standard page margin of 2.54cm on all sides which is equivalent to 1” for better readability and professional look. You may choose slightly smaller or larger margins based on specific document requirements. but, if you go too extreme with smaller margins, then it may lead to a crowded and less readable document, so it's generally advisable to stick to widely accepted margin sizes.

 Next, you should adjust line spacing by clicking on the paragraph tab and hitting line and paragraph spacing to 1.15 for easy scan through the resume.

 Moving along, in section 2, you’ll see how Gridlines under the View tab help in aligning your text so easily.

 For this, Navigate to the 'View' tab.

 Check the 'Gridlines' option.

 Now you see a subtle grid on your document, making it easier to align text.

 Finally, let’s see how a ruler helps in aligning bullet points. I have noticed several resumes with unaligned and inconsistent bullets which makes your resume look unprofessional.

 Now, again under the view tab, check Ruler and you see it visible here.

 Watch the video attached on the side for steps on how to use it for setting tab stops and indents. 

If you still have any questions regarding resume formatting, reach out to me at nikita.mehrotra@therecruitmentinsights.com. 

I'd love to help:)

 Nikita