Along with creating relevant, keyword-rich, and on-brand content, professional resume writers must put that content into visually-stunning yet conservative resume designs that balance text and “white space.” Along with the font type, font size, bold/italics text, and right/left/center justification, the “Borders and Shading” feature in Microsoft Word is an indispensable tool.
If your resume is coming across as a little too “blah,” you can use the Borders and Shading tool to create some visual interest. Let’s start with a header:
This is the simplest header format you can create. Compare that header with this option:
Even if you are a Word novice, you can easily create this design in just 4 steps:
1. NAME: Increase the font size of your name and change to small caps (Ctrl+D to pull up the Font menu. Click the box for Small Caps).
2. PHONE/EMAIL: Add a tab stop at the right margin and put your contact info on the same line. To read about setting tab stops, see http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/set-tab-stops-or-clear-them-HA101854821.aspx.
3. LOCATION: Put your street address or city/state on the next line, right justify that line, and use italics.
4. LINE: To get the line in the above example, highlight the first line (name and contact info) and click on the Borders and Shading button. In Word 2010, it looks like this:
That button brings up a box with options for borders (text, page, paragraph, table, etc.), including style, color, width, and more. This is also where you find options for shading.
Select a shade of blue from the Color menu and select 2 ¼ from the Width menu. In the Preview field, click the button that puts the line below the text. It looks like this:
Click OK and the line will be added.
Another use for the Borders and Shading tool is the “Shading” feature. After clicking on the Borders and Shading button, click on the Shading tab. Shading allows you to do this:
To add shading to a line, simply highlight the line, go to the Shading tab, and select a color under the Fill menu.
Use the Borders and Shading tools together to create stand-out designs for more creative resumes.
Use these same techniques to add visual interest to your profile and experience sections, but keep your overall resume strategy in mind. Different resume designs influence perceptions in different ways, so be sure your design is aligned with your brand.
Need help designing your resume or defining your brand? Contact us for a free. no-pressure quote.