Alright, let’s talk resumes. Because if you’re Googling template options right now, I’m guessing you’re either updating yours after years (been there) or staring at a blank page thinking, How do I make “managed spreadsheets” sound less… sad? (Oh, I’ve been there.)
Here’s the thing: I spent three years as a hiring manager for a mid-sized tech company in Austin. Saw hundreds of resumes. Then, when I pivoted careers last year, I became the clueless newbie again — frantically tweaking my own resume at 2 AM with a cold brew in hand (Starbucks, because let’s be real). Turns out, Microsoft Word templates are like Target’s grocery section: reliable, but easy to sleep on until you’re desperate.
My Early Mistake: I thought “creative” meant “chaotic.”
Grabbed some artsy Etsy template with sidebars and icons. Looked fantastic… until my friend pointed out: “You realize applicant tracking systems (ATS) can’t read this, right?” Cue the panic. Half my job history was buried in text boxes the software ignored. Imagine explaining that during a career slump.
What Actually Works:
Word’s built-in templates — the ones you scroll past while hunting for something “cooler.” The “Coral” or “Urban” layouts? They’re like Trader Joe’s frozen meals: simple, predictable, and shockingly effective if you tweak them right.
- Pro Tip: Use “Headers” religiously. ATS scans for standard section titles like “Work Experience” or “Skills.” Fancy synonyms like “Professional Journey”? Nope. (Learned that after my “Innovative Career Pathway” section got flagged as… blank space.)
- Fonts Matter More Than You Think: Stick to Calibri or Arial. That cursive script you love for wedding invites? It’ll look like hieroglyphics on a hiring manager’s 10-year-old Dell.
The Hybrid Approach (My “Aha!” Moment):
Last summer, I helped my neighbor’s college kid land an internship. We used Word’s “Basic Resume” template but added tiny tweaks:
- Bolded key metrics (e.g., “Increased social media engagement by 42% in 6 months”)
- Left-aligned dates instead of centering them (better ATS parsing)
- Deleted the “Objective” section — replaced it with a 3-line “Summary” that actually matched the job description
She got interviews at 4 out of 5 companies. Not bad for a template that came pre-installed with Windows Vista.
What I Wish I’d Known Sooner:
- “Save As PDF” is your friend — but only after you’ve proofread it in Word. Formatting ghosts (looking at you, random paragraph borders) love to haunt PDF conversions.
- Print it out. Seriously. Typos you’ll miss on screen magically appear when you’re holding paper. (Discovered this after emailing a resume with “pubic relations specialist” instead of “public.” Cringe.)
Final Thought: Templates are training wheels — use ’em until you find your balance. Start with Word’s basics, customize ruthlessly, and stop overthinking the design. Most hiring teams spend 6 seconds scanning your resume. Make those seconds count with clarity, not confetti.
Now go open Word. And maybe brew a fresh pot — this’ll take less time than you think. ☕️
(Oh, and if you accidentally leave track changes on? Been there too. Save yourself the horror.)