Everything You Need to Know About Resume Margins

What Are Resume Margins?

When you are writing your resume, the way you format and present can be just as important as the actual process of resume writing. The best resume is one that balances well-tailored content with a professional appearance.

One of the elements you should pay attention to in a resume layout is the margins, which are the blank space around the edges of the document. Margins that are too large will prevent you from putting enough information into a single page, while margins that are too small will impact readability by limiting white space and making the page look cluttered.

While this may seem like a small matter, things like your margin size, font size, and font choice have a big impact on your resume look. Giving your resume the right appearance will impress recruiters and hiring managers, and make it easier for them to read about your important qualifications. This can also make it easier for your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that employers use to review resumes.

Industry-Standard Margin Options for Resumes

Generally speaking, standard resume margins are one inch to a half-inch all around. In most cases, the ideal margin size for a traditional resume layout is one inch all around. Page margins this size ensure that there is enough white space on the page to make your resume look tidy and appealing while still allowing you to fit as much information in as possible.

There are situations in which smaller margins are appropriate, however. If a creative resume format is more appropriate for the industry you are applying to, then one-inch margins may leave too much white space on the page, as creative resume templates can be more visual in nature than a traditional resume and have more elaborate features such as graphics, charts, and bold colors. In these cases, a half-inch margin size may be better suited to your needs.

While considering formatting issues like margin size, you should also make sure that your font choice, font size, and text alignment are taken care of. You should use sans serif fonts like Arial or Calibri, and make sure that they stay within the 10.5 to 12 range for size; this will ensure that your page layout stays looking good, even when you add formatting tools like bullet points to get more information in. If you want more in-depth resume tips to help with resume writing and design, see the other informative tips on ResumeHelp.

How to Change Margins on Microsoft Word and Google Docs

Though there are many resume templates out there that can make it easy to create a professional resume quickly, it is a good idea to learn how to format a resume manually. Job seekers who are technologically literate are generally more attractive to hiring managers and recruiters and can impact the success of a job application; formatting your own resume is a good way to showcase your skills. Changing the margin settings in a document is generally quite easy, but the process can differ depending on which program you are using. Let’s discuss the two most common – Microsoft Word and Google Docs:

• Formatting Margins in Microsoft WordMicrosoft Word is still one of the most popular word processors in the world, so being able to use the majority of its basic functions is useful in any job that has a degree of administration involved.

  Changing the margin size in a Microsoft Word document is very straightforward. Simply go to the “Layout” tab, scroll the drop-down menu until you reach “Margins”, then choose one of the presets or set your own margins with “Custom Margins”.

• Changing Margin Size in Google DocsGoogle Docs is now competing with Microsoft Word in terms of popularity because of its accessibility. If you want to change the margin size of your document in Google Docs, then all you have to do is click on the “File” tab and scroll the drop-down menu to “Page Setup” and change the margin size in inches.

If you use a different program to create your resume, then the process will be slightly different. Of course, if you want to make things even easier, you can use the ResumeHelp resume builder to create an effective and professional resume. We’ll take care of the margins for you, and you have the option of adjusting them if you’re not satisfied with the look of your resume.