Risks of Utilizing Microsoft Phrase Resume Templates (Replace)

Microsoft’s resume templates aren’t all that nice.

Creating your resume is usually a daunting job. So, if a software that you just use often, like Microsoft Phrase, has a slew of fairly cool-looking templates, why not use them? You are nearly assured to have a decent-looking and full resume simply by following their tips, proper?

Whereas all of that may be true, chances are you’ll wish to rethink banking on that template that can assist you construct a resume — particularly if you wish to win the job. On this publish, we cowl:

• What’s a resume template?

• The professionals of utilizing Microsoft Phrase resume templates

• Microsoft Phrase resume risks and cons of utilizing them

• Tricks to construct a greater resume

What’s a resume template?

First issues first, what precisely is a resume template? 

Along with Microsoft Phrase resume templates, you may find resume templates in Google Docs and thru on-line platforms like Canva and Etsy. 

A resume template is a doc with an already-formatted design. These pre-made designs can embody resume sections, textual content, colours, photos, and graphics. All you do is edit and pop within the info within the template sections, and also you’re completed. Or are you?

With a resume template, you create your resume as soon as, and ideally, you are completed. Nonetheless, it is not usually that straightforward. No matter the place you find your resume templates, they often have the identical professionals and cons. For this publish, we give attention to Microsoft Phrase resume templates. 

This is a take a look at the professionals and cons of utilizing Microsoft Phrase’s resume templates. 

*Spoiler alert* – the cons are going to outweigh the professionals.

The professionals of utilizing Microsoft Phrase resume templates

Templates exist for a motive, and that motive is to make issues simpler. Why begin from scratch whenever you needn’t? Although there are a number of Microsoft Phrase resume risks to be cautious of, listed here are a number of of the advantages you may discover when piecing your resume along with an MS Phrase template.

1. Skilled-looking format

Probably the most troublesome elements of placing your resume collectively may be getting the formatting proper. Even when you understand what you need it to appear like, getting the font sizes and spacing all lined up is usually a big ache. Utilizing a template takes the guesswork out of it. You may decide one that appears the way in which you need it to and easily plug in your info. 

2. Constructed-in guidelines

A template will break down all the sections of your resume for you; your work historical past, expertise, schooling, and private info will all have designated locations so that you can fill out. This makes it loads simpler to plug in all your particulars with out forgetting essential info within the course of. 

3. LinkedIn Resume Assistant

For Microsoft Workplace 365 subscribers, there’s an choice known as LinkedIn Resume Assistant that may assist enhance your resume. Merely kind LinkedIn into the search bar on the prime of your Phrase doc, and it is best to see it pop up. 

What Resume Assistant does is lookup samples of resumes for the job title you might be in search of so you may see some nice examples of how individuals are phrasing their expertise. You additionally see a listing of job expertise that employers desire, which might actually assist take your resume to the subsequent stage.

4. Environment friendly to create

As a result of they’re preformatted, Microsoft Phrase templates may be fast to construct out and create. This could prevent time vs. ranging from scratch to design your resume. Nonetheless, if it is going to value you the job, as mentioned within the subsequent part, is saving time price it?

5. Contains related parts 

One advantage of working in a Microsoft template is that the standard resume sections, akin to Schooling and Work Historical past, are included. This could make it simpler to recollect to incorporate the required info in your resume. 

Microsoft Phrase resume risks: the cons of utilizing Microsoft Phrase templates

After studying the professionals, chances are you’ll be prepared to begin firing up your resume in a Phrase template — however not so quick. There’s extra to think about right here. Listed here are the Microsoft Phrase resume risks and cons of utilizing them. 

1. You may mix into the group

A key Microsoft Phrase resume hazard is mixing in with the group. Hiring managers see dozens, if not tons of, of job functions and resumes every week. Guess what? Most of these are made by utilizing some kind of template. Whereas the templates enable you to design your resume, what it’s worthwhile to bear in mind is that also they are serving to tens of millions of different folks design their resumes precisely the identical means. With regards to your job hunt, you do not wish to mix into the group — you wish to stand out.

2. They don’t seem to be optimized for the ATS

What’s worse than mixing into the group? Not making it to the social gathering in any respect. Most of at the moment’s employers use applicant monitoring methods (ATS) to type and rank all the resumes they obtain. In case your resume would not hit the best notes for that system, it leads to the reject pile, and the hiring supervisor most likely will not even see it. 

You may be one of the best candidate on the planet for that job, but when your resume is not optimized for the ATS, potential employers won’t ever know. That is why deciding on an ATS-unfriendly template is on the prime of the listing amongst Microsoft Phrase resume risks, would not you say? 

Listed here are some elements that inhibit resume templates from getting previous an ATS:

• Charts, graphs, tables, textual content packing containers, and pictures. Many resume templates embody some of these parts. Nonetheless, most ATS software program cannot interpret parts like charts, graphs, tables, and pictures in a resume, nor can it learn info inside a textual content field. 

• Nonstandard format. Among the many Microsoft Phrase resume risks associated to getting previous an ATS, the formatting used is on the prime of the listing. Essentially the most generally used resume format is an easy reverse-chronological format, which can also be essentially the most simply learn format by an ATS. This format consists of your most up-to-date work historical past first and works backward from there. In case your Microsoft Phrase resume template makes use of a elaborate design or nonstandard format, it will likely be troublesome for it to get previous an ATS. 

• Artistic parts. One other no-no for resumes to bypass an ATS is utilizing inventive parts. Although it may be tempting to pick a inventive template or use inventive parts to face out, the truth is, utilizing some of these parts will possible stop your resume from touchdown within the palms of a human reader. It is best to stay with a easy design. 

• Columns. Many resume templates embody columns, which may be troublesome for ATS software program to parse info from. That is very true for right-hand columns. If you’re set on a template with columns, select one with left-handed columns or rails. 

• Font kind. There are particular font varieties that work effectively for resumes. Oftentimes, templates will use a designer font that’s not acknowledged by applicant monitoring methods, which implies they will not have the ability to accurately parse the resume textual content. 

• Data in headers or footers. ATS software program can’t learn content material within the header or footer areas. If a template incorporates info within the header or footer of the resume, like your identify and speak to info, an ATS will be unable to learn it. 

3. They embody outdated resume kinds

As talked about earlier than, utilizing a template may help you recall the kinds of info to incorporate in your resume. That stated, there’s additionally a downfall to having sections already included in a template. 

When you’re utilizing an MS Phrase template, you is likely to be utilizing a template that’s outdated. Imagine it or not, resumes are all the time evolving. 

Utilizing a template that is not up to the mark with at the moment’s resume guidelines can instantly make you look out of contact — and that is not the primary impression you are attempting to make. 

4. They provide restricted inventive capacity and customization

They might look good, however utilizing an MS template means you may have restricted capacity to regulate or customise the template. Even rearranging and shifting sections round may be troublesome for varied causes, together with the truth that the adjustment may not translate effectively when it comes to formatting. Bullet factors may seem off and misaligned, textual content is likely to be spaced inconsistently, and so forth. 

Suppose you are an entry-level candidate with little to no work expertise, and it’s worthwhile to embody your Schooling part earlier than your Work Expertise part. But, whenever you try to make this adjustment within the template, it throws all the pieces off. Eventualities like this may be extraordinarily irritating when making an attempt to create a resume from a template. To not point out, it voids the professional of having the ability to extra rapidly create a resume. 

5. They break resume commonplace practices

Resume readers wish to view a resume the place they will simply discover and browse the data they’re searching for. Sadly, MS Phrase resume templates break most of the commonplace resume-writing guidelines, which may be irritating to hiring groups. Because of this, even by the uncommon likelihood your resume template bypasses an ATS, it may nonetheless be rejected by recruiters and hiring managers who’re questioning why your resume seems because it does or consists of what it does. 

Listed here are a number of of the usual guidelines resume templates have a tendency to interrupt:

• Together with irrelevant particulars associated to the job

• Incorporating out-of-date parts and sections, like your full tackle or an goal assertion

• Utilizing a difficult-to-read format

• Together with info that might end in bias or discrimination, like private particulars and photographs

• Utilizing an unprofessional or inventive design

6. It may value you the interview and job

If you take all the Microsoft Phrase resume risks listed right here, any considered one of them may imply you miss out on interviews, which implies you miss out on touchdown the roles you want. 

That is magnified when you think about all of them collectively, and who needs that? 

A resume template can prevent money and time to create, but when it means you are prevented from touchdown interviews – the important thing goal of making a resume within the first place – is it actually price it? No, it is not. It finally ends up being a waste of priceless time and sources that delays your job search objectives. 

Tricks to construct a greater resume

By now, with the various Microsoft Phrase resume risks outlined, you’ve got most likely discovered that it is higher to skip the templates. So, the place do you start? Listed here are a number of suggestions that can assist you construct a resume that may get you thru the door.

Discover examples

Go browsing and search for people who find themselves doing what you wish to do, and see if you’ll find some pattern resumes. There are a variety of nice folks on the market who’re prepared to share their resumes. Take a look at how they manage their content material and phrase their successes. Then, use that to make your individual info sparkle.

Begin contemporary

It is all the time tempting to easily replace your outdated resume, however beginning over may very well be extra useful. You would be stunned on the issues that you just now wish to spotlight, and issues chances are you’ll go away off that had been merely bogging down your outdated resume. 

Do not wish to begin completely from scratch? 

Be sure to’re at the least customizing your resume to suit the brand new jobs you might be making use of for. Meaning using job descriptions to pick the key phrases you wish to hit and being attentive to the kind of language it is best to use to impress. 

Embody priceless content material

Past correct formatting and incorporating commonplace resume guidelines, content material is king when it comes to really capturing the eye of employers. To do that, you wish to guarantee your resume successfully captures your accomplishments, expertise, schooling, and related work historical past. You’ll want to embody the next parts:

• Resume abstract. A powerful resume abstract captures the eye of resume readers, so that they wish to preserve studying.  

• Core competencies and expertise. Any key related comfortable and arduous expertise you possess must be highlighted all through your resume, in addition to in a core competencies listing proper under your abstract. 

• Work historical past. Your work historical past is mostly an important part of your resume. You’ll want to embody motion verbs to begin every bullet level with accomplishments, and use as a lot quantifiable knowledge as potential when describing your outcomes.  

• Schooling. In your Schooling part, embody your levels and the establishment that issued them. You may additionally embody extra coaching and certifications on this part. 

• Further sections. When you have extra related coaching or expertise that provides worth to your resume, like certifications, volunteer expertise, and particular initiatives, you’ve the choice of including sections to incorporate these. 

Optimize for the ATS

Do not give it some thought merely as “getting by way of” the ATS. How are you going to construct your resume to impress the ATS? Perform a little analysis and optimize your resume accordingly. 

Incorporate key phrases

An effective way to optimize your resume for each an ATS and human readers is to include key phrases all through. Consult with the job description and make sure you’re together with the key phrases that align together with your related expertise in your resume. Firm lingo and jargon can also be an effective way to include key phrases, although do not overdo it, and solely embody what’s related.

Get a second opinion

If you understand a hiring professional, run your resume by them and ask for recommendations. When you do not, you may request a free resume assessment from TopResume. It even consists of an ATS-compliance examine and also will provide you with goal, customized suggestions on how one can enhance your resume total.

Have your resume written by a professional

Feeling overwhelmed on the considered writing your resume? Do not sweat it. As a substitute, have one of many TopResume knowledgeable resume writers enable you to out. Not solely do our resume writers know the way to get your resume by way of the ATS, however additionally they understand how to verify your resume impresses the human hiring supervisor on the opposite aspect. Belief us — generally it is best to go away it to the consultants. 

Do not let these tempting MS Phrase resume templates destroy your probabilities of touchdown your dream job. Keep away from the various Microsoft Phrase resume risks and construct a greater, extra authentic resume that wins over these hiring managers.

Earlier than you ship your resume out into the world, be sure that it is displaying you at your finest with a free resume assessment. Do not wait. 

This text was initially written by Tyler Omoth and up to date by Ronda Suder. 

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