Multicolumn resumes are popular because more information can be offered on one page than a traditional resume. You can design your resume from a blank document with the help of the tab stop feature. Alternatively, you can choose a resume template, available on Microsoft Word, to create a multicolumn resume.

Design A Resume From A Blank Document

Open Microsoft Word and create a new document.

Calculate the positions across the page where you will place tab stops. Determine this by judging the width of each column using the ruler at the top of the page. Take your mouse arrow up to just outside the white page at the top and just below the menu bar to tease the rule slide down. Measure the page from margin to margin. Divide this width by the number of columns you need, if creating equal column widths. Note the width measurement. Estimate roughly how long your lines should be in each column to create uneven column widths.

Set your column tabs. Go to the Paragraph section on the “home” page. Click on the arrow under the Paragraph section to open the Paragraph window. Press on the “tabs” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the window. Type in your tab stop positions. Press "OK" to set the tab stop at that position. Repeat until you have set all your tab stops.

Plan the layout of your resume. Make a list of sections -- name and contact information, objective, work history, education, interests and references -- on paper. Consider how to best present each section and what sections fit into the column style format, such as education and work history content.

Write your resume. Center your name and contact information at the top of the page. Avoid writing the title "resume" on the document. Write title headings for each section, such as objective, and write a short paragraph to discuss your career objectives. Continue to the next section, which should be education or work history. Organize the information for these sections into columns.

Create columns of text by pressing the tab button on your keyboard. Write column headings -- School/College, Qualifications, Date -- as the first line of text. Write in the first column from the left margin, and move to the adjacent column.

Try different fonts, bold lettering, borders, lines to separate sections and bullet points to design your resume.

Design From A Template

Open Microsoft Word and click on "new" to open the new document screen. Look down the template menu down the left hand side of the page. Select "Resumes/CVs" and choose a multi-column template.

Substitute the information on the template with your own information.

Customize the resume using different fonts, bold lettering and borders.