Should a resume be one page or two? It depends on these factors.
As a job candidate, it’s common to wonder how long a resume should be. Should a resume be one page? Two pages? How long is too long?
Though you might see some that still say that a resume should only be one page long, that’s the minority opinion today. In fact, not only can a resume be more than one page long, in most instances, it should be.
In this post, we answer how long resumes should be based on various circumstances and provide tips on how to condense your resume when needed.
Should a resume be one page?
Resumes in the private sector can be one to two pages long, and most resumes are more than one page. The only time a resume should not be more than one page is when you've recently joined the workforce and don't have enough information to justify a second page.
That said, if you were active in college and gained relevant experience in the form of internships, co-ops, freelance gigs, volunteer work, leadership programs, collegiate organizations, etc., then you likely have enough information to warrant a resume that is more than one page.
Click on the following link for more tips on how to write a resume that's more than one page.
When to use a one-page resume
If you fall under any of these categories, then “yes” is the answer to “Should a resume be one page?”
A one-page resume is good for students, recent college graduates, and entry-level employees with limited relevant experience from jobs or things like extracurricular activities, interests, volunteer work, freelance work, and internships.
A one-page resume is also good for those changing careers where part of their work history might not be relevant to the new career path. A one-page resume can help career changers draw attention to transferable skills and experience that are relevant to the new job.
Independent contractors and gig workers can benefit from a one-page resume if they’re just starting out and have limited relevant experience.
Another time you should use a one-page resume is if an employer asks specifically for it. In this case, you want to adhere to the request and only submit a one page resume.
Went to use a two-page resume
The two-pager is the most common resume length in today’s private sector. As touched on above, even college and entry-level employees are expected to have a two-page resume these days. Most employers want to hire well-rounded individuals, so expanding on relevant experience outside of traditional work experience is appreciated.
A two-page resume works for virtually any position unless a one-page or longer than two pages is necessary.
Two-page resumes work well for:
Students and recent graduates with relevant extracurricular activities, internships, part-time work, gig work, assistantships, leadership roles, etc.
Experienced professionals
Career changers that have significant transferable work history and skills
Independent contractors and gig workers with plenty of relevant work experience
When to use a three-page resume
Generally speaking, three-page resumes are a no-go for the private sector. However, there are some instances where a three-page resume could be okay to use, including:
High-level employees (like executives) with extensive work experience
Independent contractors and freelance workers with extensive work samples that span a diverse set of skills and experience types
Jobs in the federal government, academia and education, and medical fields almost always require at least a three page resume or longer. Each of these falls into its own categories and includes several types of elements, like peer-reviewed articles and publications, in addition to standard resume elements.
Federal resumes typically also ask candidates to include an extensive amount of information when applying for a federal job.
Tips for a one or two-page resume: how to condense it
If you find that your resume is spilling over onto another page and you need to shorten it to one or two pages, here are some tips to help you do that:
Play with the margins. You can go as low as 0.5-inch margins all around, which can help to bring your resume to the page length you need.
Consider the font. Different font types take up more space than other font types do, so choose an acceptable resume font that gives you the most bang for your buck when it comes to resume real estate. You can also go as low as 10 points for the font size. Just ensure your resume is still easily readable by the human eye.
Keep your bullet points for each position between 3 to 5 lines. Choose the most relevant achievements and remove the rest as needed.
Shorten each bullet point so that it is no more than one to two lines long.
Remove any information, like interests and volunteer work, that is not highly relevant to the job.
Go through and highlight your most significant achievements and results relevant to the position, and keep those. Remove the least relevant ones.
Remove work history that goes back further than 15 years. In many instances, going back 10 years is sufficient.
Remove transitional words and conjunctions. Your resume should not include complete sentences.
Condense your Education section. The only required pieces of information in your Education section include the name of your degree and the college you attended. If you’re a student, you also need to include your anticipated graduation date.
One page or two: it’s your choice
Now you know the answer to “Should a resume be one page?” In most cases, it will likely be two, though one can also work.
The most important aspect of your resume is that it’s succinct and includes the information necessary to help you land an interview. In other words, don’t use two pages for the sake of having two pages. If you can tell that story in one page, use a one-page resume. However, if you feel your story is more powerful with two pages, then go for two pages.
Regardless of which you choose, use the tips above to condense your resume to where it needs to be accordingly.
Is your resume written so that it will bypass the ATS and grab the attention of hiring teams? Submit it for a free resume review to find out!
This article was originally written by Amanda Augustine. It has been updated by Ronda Suder.
Recommended reading:
With a drive to foster safety and expand possibilities through writing, performing, and working with others, Ronda brings 25 years of combined experience in HR, recruiting, career advice, communications, mental and behavioral health, and storytelling to her work. She’s a certified career coach and holds a Master’s in Human Resources, a Master’s in Film and Media Production, and a Master’s in Counseling and Development. As a writer, she’s covered topics ranging from finance and rock mining to leadership and internet technology, with a passion for career advice and mental-health-related topics. When she’s not at her computer, Ronda enjoys connecting with others, personal growth and development, spending time with her beloved pooch, and entertainment through movies, television, acting, and other artistic endeavors. You can connect with Ronda on LinkedIn and through her website.
See how your resume stacks up
Related Articles
Take the first step in your career today