Proper Resume Margins & Formatting

Formatting is the silent ambassador of your resume. Before a recruiter reads a single word, they judge the visual balance of the page.

The Standard Margin

The golden rule for resume margins is 1 inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right). This provides enough white space to make your resume readable without looking bare.

If you are struggling to fit your content onto one page, you can reduce the margins to 0.5 inches. Never go below half an inch, as this will clutter the page and risk having content chopped off if the resume is printed.

Typography and Spacing

• Font Size: Maintain a font size between 10pt and 12pt for the body text.
• Line Spacing: Use single spacing (1.0) or 1.15 spacing to improve legibility.
• Section Spacing: Leave a blank line before new headings to create visual separation.

Remember, a clean, well-spaced resume invites the recruiter to read it. A cramped, crowded resume invites them to skip it.