does a resume have to be 1 page

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A Two-Page (or More) Resume is Ok! But Only in These Cases

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One of the most persistent pieces of job-search advice floating around concerns resume length: They should be one page.

Resumes are skimmed quickly, this idea goes, so you don’t want to turn off hiring managers or human resources (or the system) with too much information – or give the impression that you’re not aware of this “basic rule.”

But in fact, this well-worn piece of advice is simply incorrect for a lot of job-seekers.

Let’s say it clearly: a two-page resume is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it’s desirable for many job seekers!

One-page resumes are for folks in certain categories, such as entry-level job seekers, for example. One-pagers are also a good choice for professionals who have worked in the same position or company for many years, who can effectively show their experience and qualifications in that single page.

People who are making a career change can also use a single page resume, because it may cover the information relevant to the sought-after career sufficiently. If you’re pivoting, you want to zero in on the most relevant information to help hiring managers quickly see why they should open the door for you.

In all these cases, a resume longer than one page might look padded – and that’s one thing that does turn off hiring managers and HR professionals. A resume should never read (or look) as if you’re laboring to fill up space.

Who Should Have a Two-Page (or Longer) Resume?

So what categories of job seekers should have a two-page resume? Everyone else! The following groups find a two-page (or more) resume especially helpful.

People with 10 or more years of experience.

If you’ve been working for 10 years or more, you likely need a two-page resume to highlight your achievements and experience, especially if you have a record of promotions and movement among companies.

Senior-level professionals.

If you’re seeking a senior level position, you need to highlight a series of quantifiable accomplishments, along with a record of promotions, significant experience, and (likely) multiple employers.

People in positions requiring extensive certification.

Job-seekers in academia, engineering, information technology, and similar occupations often need to show extensive professional qualifications, including advanced degrees, certifications, technical skills, and publications.

People seeking government positions.

Most government jobs require job-seekers to complete specific applications that ask for extensive detail about past jobs. The resulting resumes are often longer than two pages.

Benefits of a Two-Page Resume

Two-page resumes offer very specific benefits to contemporary job seekers as well.

Make it through the ATS.

First, a longer resume allows you to craft a resume that will successfully make it through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). ATS are used by the vast majority of companies. They are designed to choose only those that most closely match the job description and weed out the rest.

Your resume will only be seen by a human if it successfully makes it through the ATS scan. As a result, part of your goal needs to be ensuring that your resume meets ATS requirements.

What are those requirements? First, the ATS scans to ensure that resumes match the keywords in the job description. You must match the keywords to make it through successfully.

Second, they also scan for the frequency of keywords. As a result, successful applicants need to ensure both the existence of keywords and sufficient frequency throughout the resume. Frankly, ensuring keyword frequency without monotony may be hard to do without two (or more) pages.

Offer more in-depth information.

Additionally, longer resumes allow you to present your achievements and qualifications in a winning light. You should always highlight your most significant quantifiable achievements toward the top of a resume in a way that catches reviewer attention.

Remember as well that job seekers with a longer resume can include sections many employers find helpful in reviewing resumes of more advanced professionals, such as an executive summary and list of core competencies.

Improve your resume’s formatting.

Finally, a longer resume allows you to pay attention to readability and presentation. Some job seekers resort to small type and meager margins to make a resume fit in one page.

But small type and narrow margins are not good for readability and presentation. In fact, they make resumes hard to read. Many hiring managers may shrink from reading teeny-tiny type all, even if the resume has made it through the ATS.

Human personnel spend just a few seconds skimming resumes. Successful resumes need to incorporate that fact, and be very easy to skim. Easy-to-read type and reasonable margins contribute to readability, as do bullet points and lists.

Specifically, use at least an 11-point typeface in a standard business typeface, such as Arial or Calibri. Each margin should be at least one inch.

When you’re using a two-page resume, part of the presentation should consider the second page, too. Be sure to fill at least one-third of the second page. Why? Because if the second page covers less than that, it may strike a reviewer as a tacked-on afterthought. In fact, if it fills just a few lines on the second page, it may look like a mistake. Make sure it neither looks nor reads that way!

What If Your Resume Is More Than Two Pages?

What if you’re aiming for a two-page resume and it’s running three pages or longer? You’ll need to cut it down. Part of developing a great resume lies in the revision!

Remember, the most important goal of a resume is obtaining an interview, because an interview can actually get you the job. The most important goal-contributing part of a resume is thus the quantifiable achievements, because they tell a hiring manager “this is what I could do if you hired me.”

When you revise, focus on the goal of obtaining an interview. Any information that doesn’t contribute is secondary, and can be pared down. If your resume lists a number of early jobs that don’t contribute to your prospective role, for example, they can be streamlined.

Two-page resumes allow job seekers to present their qualifications, ensure readability, and successfully navigate the ATS. They are especially helpful to those with a decade or more of experience, prospective senior managers, and those in highly specialized fields.

Get an expert to improve your resume! Find the right Resume Writer for your needs today.

Rita Williams

Rita Williams is a freelance writer on a wide range of topics, including careers, human resources trends and personal finance. She works with both job-seekers and companies to educate and inform them about best practices – and shows humor and understanding while doing it.

Whether or Not to Use a One Page Resume

10 min read · Updated on February 14, 2024

Sometimes, a candidate only gets one page to make their case

In the recent past, the standard advice was that all entry-level professionals should have a one-page resume, max. However, that's not necessarily the case today, since many recruiters and hiring managers expect to see a two-page resume regardless of the level of experience.

One reason for the outdated standard that a one-page resume is the goal for entry level graduates is the notion that, when you've just graduated college, there probably won't be much to put on your resume. However, that's no longer true, given that graduates today have more opportunities to gain relevant experience while in school. Internships, assistantships, co-ops, part-time work, and even leadership roles in extracurricular activities are opportunities many college and entry-level candidates can access to add value to their resume.

Still, for some entry-level candidates and other types of job candidates, a one-page resume is sufficient. Thus, the quandary remains, should a resume be one page or two pages?

In this post, we cover

When should a resume be one page

How to make a resume fit on one page

When to use a two-page resume

When to use a three-page resume

Additional recommended reading

So, how many pages should a resume be? Read on to find out.

When should a resume be one page?

There are indeed some instances where a one-page resume is appropriate and preferred, including:

High school students who have little to no experience and few activities to highlight

College students and entry-level candidates who have not participated in any of the activities mentioned above

Career changers who need to focus their resume on transferable skills that relate to their new target industry or career, due to not having enough relevant experience

So, should a resume be one page? Yes, when you fall into one of the above scenarios. Now, you're likely wondering how you can cram all the information you need in your resume onto one page. What should you include? What can you remove?

Below are 10 techniques to help you achieve a one-page resume that will help you to keep to the page limit and still wow a recruiter.

Highlight only internships and relevant work experience

While it's great to show you've had a job since you were 16 and can commit to a company, unless it's relevant, it's not necessary. Keep the focus on relevant work experience and any internships you may have held recently or while in college.

You can still show you had previous jobs, and how long you were with those companies, in an “additional experience” line under your highlighted positions. This will show you have longevity and loyalty without taking up valuable space.

Combine similar experience under one position

"Similar experience" could be things like several work-study positions in different offices or cashier work at more than one store. The duties you completed are going to be nearly the same, so combining the roles on your resume is the most efficient and effective way to save space. You can showcase achievements for each position separately in bullets below the daily functions.

Remove short-term positions

Unless the short-term position you held is relevant, remove it. Positions held for a short time can communicate that you're a job hopper who can't commit and that you won't stay in a role long term. Highlighting short-term positions can be a screen-out factor, so don't do it.

Include only necessary skills in descriptions

Necessary hard and soft skills are the qualities a company is looking for in a candidate; they are usually listed in the position description. For example, if you're applying for an entry-level sales position and have past experience as a gas-station clerk, you will want to highlight your customer service, sales, product support, and communications skills. You probably also cleaned the facility, stocked supplies, and managed inventory, but those are not necessary skills for a sales position, so they can be removed.

Shorten your work accomplishment and experience list

You should use bullet points over paragraphs in the Work Experience or Relevant Experience section of your resume. Keep the bullet points concise and short - no more than 1 to 2 lines each.

Focus on valuable achievements and combine where appropriate

Review the bullet points you've included for each experience and ensure they only highlight your most notable and quantifiable achievements. Remove any points that don't add value or are merely tasks you did vs accomplishments you achieved. Each position should include 3 to 5 bullet points, max.

Many bullet point achievements can be combined and shortened. You don't want to tell the whole story of how you achieved it - recruiters want to know what you've done. If they have questions, they'll ask about the how during an interview.

For example, if you increased sales by 15% by building relationships and improving customer satisfaction, you can reduce this to one bullet that says “Increased sales by 15% and improved overall customer satisfaction.” You can go into detail during an interview about how you built and leveraged relationships to increase both simultaneously.

The summaries of previous positions are a common aspect of the resume that gets fluffed. When you include summaries, keep them as short as you can while showing what you can do. Don't get too into detail here - simply list your areas of expertise and the skills you have.

Do not fluff achievements either! Recruiters will know, and it will not leave a good impression.

Trim your Education section

One area where you can often cut some content is in your Education section . This section can include many items, like:

The degree issued

The issuing institution

City and state of institution

Relevant coursework

Graduation date (or expected graduation date if the degree is still in progress)

At a minimum, include your degree and the institution that issued it - this is most important to employers. You can also choose to include your GPA or any honors you received, as long as you can keep them on the same line as your degree. Any other details are unnecessary when you're working to trim your resume to a single page. For example:

Bachelors of Art - Filmmaking (cum laude), New York State University

Tighten your resume summary

Generally, a resume summary should be no more than 3 to 5 punchy sentences that highlight your top achievements relevant to the job. Review your summary and see if there's any way to tighten it up and reduce it to get your message across succinctly in 2 to 3 sentences.

Leave off unnecessary information

The information recruiters are not interested in can take up valuable space. If you are about to (or have) graduated college, high school information is no longer relevant. It's assumed you graduated high school since you were able to get into college, so leave off the clubs, graduation date, sports, and other achievements from your youth.

Also, it's no longer standard to put “References available upon request” on your resume. Most applications ask for references, and everyone knows a reference check is a part of the process, so including this line is unnecessary.

Here are a few more items that you should leave off of your resume to keep it to one page (and in some instances, regardless of the number of pages!).

High School: If you have a college degree, forgo listing your high school information. It's unnecessary and doesn't add value for the hiring manager.

Irrelevant work experience: Mentioned previously, only include work experience that's relevant to the job posting or that adds value to your resume in some way.

Address: The only piece of location information employers want these days is your city and state or zip code. Leave off your full mailing address - including it will show you're not up to speed with today's US resume standards.

Unnecessary resume sections: Though additional sections, like Hobbies and Interests, can add value in some scenarios, if you're aiming for a one-page resume, leave sections like this off.

Reformat font size and spacing

Changing margins can give you so much additional space! You can go as low as 0.5 inches on all sides — just not any smaller. After you've everything you need on the document, start adjusting your margins. When you achieve your one-page resume, leave the margins as they are. You want the page to look full and appropriately spaced.

If you change the margins to the smallest permissible size and still need help, reduce the font by point five until you get to one page. It's not recommended to go below 10-point font on a resume, however, because any smaller font is too difficult to read.

Can a resume be 2 pages?

As you ask, “when should a resume be one page?” a natural second question to follow would be, “when should a resume be two pages?”

A two-page resume is the most common resume size and makes sense for:

Entry-level professionals with sufficient relevant experience and activities that speak to their ability to succeed on the job

Seasoned professionals

Career changers with ample transferable skills, certifications, and experience that relate to their new target industry or career

In most instances, your resume should not go beyond two-pages, even if you're a seasoned professional with 15 or more years of experience under your belt. With that said, bear in mind that you don't want to aim for a two-page resume for the sake of having a two-page resume.

What matters most is the content of your resume - not the length. If you're able to use a one-page resume to emphasize and highlight your career history in a way that shows you're an excellent candidate for the job, then by all means, do so. The last thing you want to do is to force your resume onto a second page by including irrelevant and unnecessary information. If a recruiter sees your resume as “fluffed,” it increases your chances of being passed over, regardless of your level.

Again, there's no rule of thumb that says a resume has to be two-pages, so if you feel good about your one-page resume as a seasoned professional, use it!

In most instances, a three-page resume is strongly discouraged - stick to a one or two-page resume whenever possible. However, there are a few instances where a three-page resume might be appropriate, including:

You're a professional with a long list of proficiencies and technical skills

You have several published works to include

You have several contract, consulting, or other types of gig work to highlight and explain

You're seeking a job in the sciences or academia , where your resume should be over two pages (and, sometimes, over 10!)

You're seeking a US Federal Government job , which means your resume could be 3 to 7 pages long to include all required information

Should a resume be one page? Yes, in certain situations

Now you know the answer to, “should a resume be one page?” You also know how to get it to fit on one page if that's the best option for your circumstances.

Fitting your resume on one page may seem like a daunting task, but when you take the above tips and techniques and apply them, you'll find it's easier than expected. What's most important is that your resume makes you stand out in the best possible light. Remember to start with relevant information and have your job goal in mind at all times. This will help you to focus your skills and showcase how great a fit you'll be for that dream job!

How did you do making your one-page resume? And should your resume be one page for sure? Why not submit it for a free resume review today for feedback?

This blog was originally written by Felicia Tatum and has been updated by Ronda Suder.

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Should a Resume Be One Page? Pros, Cons, and a Debate

One of the most important decisions you have to make while crafting your resume is to choose how many pages to use. Many people believe a resume shouldn’t be longer than one page, but is that really the best option? In this blog post, we’ll try to answer the question “should a resume be one page long,” explore the pros and cons of this approach, and help you decide which option is the best for you.

What Is a Resume and What Is Its Purpose?

A resume is a document that provides an overview of a person’s experience and qualifications. It gives potential employers insight into the candidate’s skills and accomplishments. While you don’t have to prepare a resume for every job application, employers often expect it.

Resume Length

Most resumes are one or two pages long and include several sections, such as contact details, objective or summary statement, work history, education, and skills.

The most typical resume is one page long. Many candidates opt for this format because employers generally don’t have the time to review lengthy documents, especially when considering multiple candidates. In addition, this format also allows you to be more selective about the information you include.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you have a lot of experience or credentials in a particular area, you may need two pages. Moreover, certain professions, such as academia, typically require longer resumes.

If you are still unsure about the appropriate length for your resume, you can always consult a career counselor or use one of the resume builders we reviewed.

What To Include in One-Page Resumes

When creating a one-page resume, the key is to include only the most essential information. This means providing a clear and concise overview of your work history, educational background, and skills.

While you may be tempted to mention every detail of your career history, remember that your goal is to capture the reader’s attention and give them a snapshot of your most relevant qualifications. Therefore, try to focus on including only the experiences directly related to the job position you’re applying for.

Regarding your educational background and skills, again, only include the necessary information. For example, there is no need to list your high school diploma if you have extensive experience in your field.

By following these tips, you can create a one-page professional resume that will leave a strong impression on your potential employers.

How To Make a Resume Fit on One Page

For most job seekers, creating a resume is an exercise in balancing between including too much or not enough information. How do you distill years of experience down to just one or two pages? Then again, if your resume is too long, it risks getting lost in the shuffle.

While both sides have advantages, you will most likely make a better impression if you can fit the resume on one page. Here are a few simple tips to help you achieve this:

First, focus on relevancy . Include only the information directly relevant to the position you are applying for. This may mean leaving out older job experiences that are not directly related to your current career goals.
Second, use white space wisely . A cluttered and crammed resume is hard to read and will likely be passed over. Use appropriate spacing to make your resume more readable and eye-catching.
Third, be concise in your descriptions . According to statistics, recruiters need only seven seconds to scan your resume , so be as straightforward as possible. For example, you can use bullet points and action verbs to communicate your point efficiently.
Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative . If you have to include plenty of information on a single page, you may need to get creative with formatting to make everything fit.

Pros and Cons of a One-Page Resume

A single-page resume has several advantages over the traditional two-page format:

It’s more likely to hold the recruiter’s attention.
It’s easier to navigate, making the key information more accessible.
It highlights the most relevant information, allowing the reader to quickly identify whether the candidate is a good fit for the position.
It conveys confidence and professionalism, which can help impress a potential employer.

While one-page resumes may seem like the easier option, you should consider the disadvantages before making the final decision.

One of the most common problems with single-page resumes is that they are sometimes too condensed, making it difficult for employers to get a clear sense of the candidate’s skills and experience. Moreover, the job seeker may have trouble including important keywords and details that could help them stand out from other candidates.

Ultimately, a single-page format does offer plenty of benefits, but it’s not always the ideal option. That’s why it’s vital to carefully weigh what information you need to include in your resume and check what format is the best for the job you want.

The One or Two-Page Resume Debate

There has been a lot of debate lately about whether a resume should be one page long. Some argue that you need to be able to effectively sell yourself on a single page in today’s competitive job market. They also say employers simply don’t have the time to read lengthy resumes while evaluating multiple candidates.

However, those who oppose the one-page limit claim that it doesn’t provide enough space to highlight a candidate’s skills and work history adequately. They also point out that specific fields, such as academia and research, require more detailed resumes.

In the end, there is no right or wrong answer to this issue — it boils down to the specific job you’re applying for and whether you can efficiently condense your relevant experience into one page or not.

Should a Resume Be One Page? | The Takeaway

In the end, does a resume have to be one page long? This is ultimately up to the job seeker to decide. Regardless of the length, following general tips and advice from experts will help make sure that your resume is concise and easy to read.

If you’re having trouble condensing all of your experience onto one page, remember that it’s better to have a shorter, high-quality resume than one filled with unnecessary information. So don’t be afraid to trim extraneous details and focus on what matters most: the qualifications for the job you want.

FAQ on Should a Resume Be One Page?

You can start by condensing your work history into a few bullet points. Then, include the most relevant accomplishments from your professional and academic experiences. Finally, add any skills or qualifications that make you the ideal candidate for the position.

If your resume is two pages long, printing each page on separate sheets would be best. That way, the reader won’t have to flip over a single sheet while evaluating your qualifications.

If you’re wondering, “should a resume be one page or two,” try to fit your information on a single page, if possible. Still, you shouldn’t avoid using a two-page format if you have plenty of relevant work experience and qualifications.