The Perfect One-Page Google Docs Resume
Stop fighting with formatting. Here are the exact settings, margins, and font rules to keep your resume on one page while remaining 100% ATS-readable and print-ready.
Verified readable by major Applicant Tracking Systems
Why Google Docs & Why One Page?
Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on a resume. A single page forces you to prioritize impact over history. Google Docs ensures your formatting survives the upload process.
Universal Compatibility
Unlike PDF exports from design tools (Canva, Figma), Google Docs generates clean text layers that every ATS can parse perfectly.
Forced Brevity
The one-page constraint is a feature, not a bug. It forces you to cut fluff and focus on metrics that actually drive interviews.
Print Safe
Standard margins and high-contrast typography mean your resume looks as good on a cheap office printer as it does on a screen.
The Exact Settings
Don't guess. Use these specific values in Google Docs (File > Page Setup) to maximize space without breaking ATS parsers.
Page Margins
Set all margins (Top, Bottom, Left, Right) to 0.5 inches. This gains you ~15% more vertical space compared to standard 1-inch margins.
Font Selection
Use Arial, Roboto, or Calibri. Avoid Times New Roman (dated) or obscure custom fonts (ATS risk).
Font Sizing
- Name: 20-24pt
- Section Headers: 12-14pt (Bold, Uppercase)
- Body Text: 10-11pt
Line Spacing
Set custom spacing to 1.15. Single spacing (1.0) is too dense; 1.5 is wasteful.
Avoid These ATS Killers
Text Boxes & Columns
Never use "Insert > Drawing" or text boxes. ATS parsers read left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Columns can scramble your work history.
Headers & Footers
Don't put contact info in the actual Header/Footer document zones. Some older ATS systems ignore these zones completely.
Graphics & Icons
Avoid skill bars (e.g., "Java: 80%"). They are unreadable by machines and meaningless to humans. Use text instead.
White Text Hacking
Never hide keywords in white text. Recruiters can see this when they highlight text, and it's an instant rejection flag.
Skip the Formatting Headache
Ballista automatically formats your resume into a perfect, ATS-friendly one-pager. No margin tweaking required.