Margin

The empty space around the edge of your resume. Between 0.5 and 1 inch is ideal.

Margins are the blank space around the edges of your resume, framing the content. Standard resume margins are 0.5 to 1 inch on all sides. Tighter margins (0.5 inch) let you fit more content; wider margins (1 inch) look more breathable but leave less space.

Never go below 0.5 inch — margins smaller than that make the resume feel cramped and hard to read. If your content is overflowing, don't shrink the margins; cut weaker content instead. Conversely, if you're filling less than half a page, widening margins is a lazy fix — add more substance.