Some Tips On Microsoft Word To Improve Your Old Resume
Your CV is an important addition to help you get the job you are looking for. However, even if you have all the right qualifications, if you don’t know how to structure and format your resume, you may lose your chance to land the position.
Remember, you will only have a few seconds to impress the hiring manager with your resume. If it’s disorganized or distracting, you could end up in the rejection pile even before the hiring manager has thought to look at your skills and experience. Check out the best websites to learn how to prepare for a job interview and impress the hiring manager.
If you want to impress your future employer, follow these Microsoft Word tips that will make your resume look clean and professional.
1. Use the Show/Hide function to fix the layout
Formatting plays an essential role in creating a great resume. If your resume is crowded, the hiring manager may inadvertently not look at your qualifications. This is why you need to make sure that everything is neatly organized. To do this, you can use Microsoft Word’s Show/Hide functionality
Then, all you have to do is click the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home toolbar or by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 8 or Ctrl + * on Windows or Cmd + Shift + 8 or Cmd + * on Mac.
Once you enable this functionality, you can see all the paragraphs you’ve created along with your use of spaces. With these tags, you can unify the format of your old resume and delete those that don’t belong in the modern options. Doing so allows you to clean up all the clutter on your resume that may not translate well on different computers.
2. Add a header and footer to highlight important information
Nobody likes a boring resume. We don’t necessarily mean you need some graphic skills to spice up your old resume, but adding a header or footer section can make all the difference.
This section can contain your basic information like name, email, address, phone number, and maybe your LinkedIn profile, or you can use it for something creative and up-to-date. The headline will easily catch the hiring manager’s attention and make him want to read your resume more.
To insert a header or footer on your old resume, click the Insert tab. In the ribbon menu, you will see a drop-down option for Headers and Footers. You can choose from a pre-built layout or create your own. Remember that your layout should complement the information you will put in the header.
3. Don’t be afraid to use titles
Whenever you break your resume into a new section, you should always use a heading to refer to the chapter. Headings are an excellent way to organize and categorize parts of your resume, letting employers know which sections are essential.
Microsoft Word has a built-in tool that will enable you to automatically convert a word, phrase, or sentence into a heading without further formatting. This option is on the Home tab, and you can choose from several different styles, depending on your taste.
With headings, you can direct people to look at and check out the most impressive sections of your resume. This allows you to separate important sections such as work experience, outstanding achievements, and skills that you want the hiring manager to know about you.
4. Make the text bold
To make your resume more attractive, use bold text to highlight important details or quantitative successes on your resume, such as job titles. The bold format lets the hiring manager see valuable information on your resume. It will draw attention, but it won’t distract from other details. In fact, this format will make your resume easier to read and follow.
If you want to draw attention to any important accomplishments, merits, or other information about yourself, use bold text. As a general rule, apply bold text to words that start a new department, details of a new school or job, and the new job title.
In Word, you can make your text bold in three ways: Use the Bold button Some tips on Microsoft Word to improve your old resume – Work and Career Explanations on the Mini toolbar Use the Bold button on the Home tab Or use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+ B.
5. Add hyperlinks
Understandably, older resumes rarely contain hyperlinks. You will find that any job seeker is accustomed to printing and distributing their resume, so hyperlinks are usually useless. However, we live in a digital age, where everything is done online.
That’s why it’s best to use hyperlinks to direct the hiring manager to your LinkedIn profile, job portfolio, or personal accomplishments. This allows you to keep your resume concise while also enabling the employer to learn more about you and your work.
To do this, highlight a word, phrase, or part of the document you want to add a link to, right-click it, and then click Link. The popup will display the selected word or phrase within the text field to display.
Next, you need to paste the link or URL in the address field and hit OK. Finally, to check if the hyperlink is working, hold the Ctrl button and click the linked text to open it in a web browser window.
6. Choose a baseline
When choosing fonts, always select one of the simple, professional-looking fonts. Instead of trying crazy and complicated styles, use a basic, easy-to-read font, which is suitable for both applicant management systems and hiring manager.
Try a classic font like Arial, Calibri, or other tried and tested fonts. Remember, fonts are not the highlight of your resume; your qualifications.
7. Always save them as a PDF
After you’ve done all your hard work polishing up your old resume, you need to make sure it retains the format you want. This is why you should save your resume in Portable Document Format (PDF), as it will preserve your original work.
This also ensures that no one can change your business without your consent. Unfortunately, anyone can edit Word documents. Therefore, if you send your resume in this format, you put yourself at risk of someone faking or copying your data.
To save your resume as a PDF in Microsoft Word, go to File -> Save As. Then choose where you want to keep your file. Next, enter the document file name. Ideally, you’d want to name the file using your first and last name. Finally, under Save as, select PDF and hit Save. Check out the best websites for creating your resume before you start your job search.
New and improved resume
Your new resume should be easy to read while showcasing your skills and experience. Make sure you prioritize the most impressive accolades and work your way to the bottom. Before saving your resume, read it and see it from the point of view of the person who will read it.
Keep it short and include all of your significant skills and accomplishments. Polishing your resume is just the beginning of your job search journey; You also need to put in the time and effort to increase your chances of getting hired. You can now check out some tips to stay motivated during your job search.