When choosing a resume template, Word is a commonly used file format for job applications. Writing your resume in a Microsoft Word resume template is a great choice for many job seekers since it is often a recruiter’s file format of choice.
We’ve designed all of our templates to work well with MS Word resume templates. Just choose from a modern, creative, professional or simple resume template style, write your resume and download it to your desktop. It’s a quick and easy way to create a resume in Word.
Pros and cons of using Microsoft Word resume templates
Choosing resume templates for Word when writing a resume is a great idea for most job seekers. Unless the job ad explicitly requests another file format, Word resume templates are welcomed by most recruiters and hiring managers.
Here are the pros and cons of using a resume template for Word:
- Microsoft Word is one of the most widely used file formats.
- MS Word documents are easy to edit.
- A Word resume template allows you to customize your resume for every job you apply for.
- Formatting can get skewed if a Word document is opened using a different program or version of MS Word.
- Because the file format isn’t static — like a PDF — a portion can be inadvertently deleted or changed by the recipient.
Premium Word resume templates
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Free resume templates for Word
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Create a Microsoft Word resume template in 6 simple steps
Creating a resume in a Word file format using our Resume Builder is quick and easy. It only takes a few minutes. To see what a strong Word resume looks like, take a look at our library of resume examples. Or, just follow these steps:
Just go to our Resume Builder and choose from our selection of premium and free resume templates for Word. We offer dozens of templates, all of which can be saved as an MS Word doc, a PDF or in simple text.
Our builder will ask you to enter some basic information about your current and past jobs. To help you fill out your work experience section, the builder offers prewritten text suggestions. Use them as-is or customize them to make them your own.
With just a few details about your education, our builder fills out your education section. Just provide the name and location of the schools you attended and the degree you earned.
Next, write your skills section. Focus on those that are most relevant to the job and be sure to provide a mix of hard and soft skills. The builder will make suggestions for this section to ensure you cover all your bases.
Sell yourself in this critical resume section. To help, our builder will offer prewritten text suggestions to help you write your professional summary. Again, use these as-is or edit them to make them your own.
Once you’ve completed your resume, you can save it and download it in Microsoft Word format. You can always go back and edit your document or customize its appearance if needed.
How to format a Word resume template
Once you have chosen your Word template, it’s time to write and organize your content. Here’s how to format your Microsoft Word resume template to make it look great:
Use standard margins.
Using 1 inch margins on your resume is standard. However, anywhere between half an inch to 1 inch is acceptable depending on the resume template you choose. Changing the size of the margins may help you keep your resume at the right length — one page per decade of experience, with a cap of two pages.
Left-align your content.
Even two column resumes should be left-aligned. This makes the content easy to read.
Avoid fussy fonts.
Your resume is no place for elaborate fonts. Stick to easy-to-read and professional fonts like Ariel, Times New Roman or Calibri.
Use a readable font size.
The font size of your resume content should be between 10 and 12 points. Use a slightly larger font for your header and resume section titles.
Use standard resume section headers.
It’s critical that your resume is divided into sections with clear headers. This helps a recruiter find what they are looking for when scanning your resume. Don’t get creative with section headers. Instead, stick to the basics, like Professional Summary, Skills, Work Experience and other standard section titles.
Organize your work experience with bullet points.
Listing the details of your work experience makes your resume easy to scan. Bullet points should be a mix of your high-level job responsibilities and your stand out professional accomplishments. Use data and metrics in this section whenever possible to make your achievements stand out and emphasize the impact of your work.
FAQ
Follow these simple steps to find and create a resume in Word.
- Choose a template in Word.
- Open Microsoft Word and click on “File” in the upper left hand corner of your screen.
- Or, use the command Alt+F on a PC or Command+F on a Mac.
- Click “More templates” to see a selection of designs, or type the word “resume” into the “Search for online templates” box.
- Choose your MS Word template.
- Create your resume.
- Choose a resume design and click on it to create your Word resume.
- Fill out your resume.
- Fill in the resume with your information.
- Be sure to complete all the sections of your resume.
- Save your resume.
- Hit Ctrl+S (or Command+S on a Mac) to save your document as a Microsoft Word file format. And, voila! You are done.
Just write your resume using our professional Resume Builder and choose the Microsoft Word file format when you are ready to download. It’s that simple!
Whether you choose the chronological, combination or functional resume format, all work well when downloaded as a Word document. Choose the resume format that works best for your level of work experience.
All of our resume templates can be downloaded as a MS Word resume template. Just choose the best Word resume template from our selection of premium or free resume templates for Microsoft Word and start writing!
