Why should a resume be one page!

Industry averages tell us that the typical employer will only look at a resume for 7 to 15 seconds.  So, you have to make your points quick, fast, and noticeable. Think about it as a billboard, you go by them so fast on the highway. So, the less the better. Here’s how you can fit all your resume content onto one page.

• Only go back 10 years. No one cares what you did twenty years ago. A decade is what an employer will see as relevant. It also hides your age.
• Decrease your font size from 12 to 10. It’s a clever way to fit in more content.
• Only select your best qualifications that are relevant to your job. If you’re looking for a construction management job, do not include your scuba diving experience.
• Use bullet points, not written paragraphs. Employers will be reading fast; they won’t even bother reading paragraphs. Do you read paragraphs on a billboard?
• Leave out your full address! Why? First, it saves space. Second, using your full address can lead to identity theft. And third, the employer can Google your address, see your home, and make assumptions from there.
• Don’t put references on your resume. You’ll only need that after the interview stage.
• Shorten your educational profile. If you have a college degree or technical certification you do not have to put your high school degree.  If you only have your high school degree, use that, but add a skills section that shows relevant training/experience toward your desired job.
• Leave out personal things. No one cares that your pet canary died when you were 4 or about your scuba diving experience. They just want to know if can you do the job.
• Still have doubts about this process? Google “Why should a resume be one page”
• Conciseness: A one-page resume forces you to be concise and focus on the most relevant and impactful information. Employers often have limited time to review each resume, so a shorter, well-organized document is more likely to grab their attention.
• Clarity: A one-page resume is easier to read and digest quickly. It helps you present your qualifications in a clear and organized manner, making it easier for the employer to understand your skills and experience.
• Relevance: Limiting your resume to one page encourages you to prioritize the most relevant information, such as your recent work experience, skills, and accomplishments. This ensures that the employer sees the most important details quickly.
• Visual Appeal: A one-page resume generally looks cleaner and more visually appealing. It avoids the clutter and dense text that can come with longer resumes, making it more aesthetically pleasing.
• Demonstrates Brevity: The ability to summarize your qualifications in a concise manner is a valuable skill in many professions. A one-page resume demonstrates your ability to prioritize information and communicate effectively.

However, it’s essential to recognize that the one-page rule doesn’t apply universally. There are situations where a longer resume may be more appropriate:

1. Extensive Experience: Senior professionals with many years of experience may find it challenging to condense their accomplishments into one page. In such cases, a two-page resume can be acceptable.
2. Academic and Research Fields: In academia and research, CVs (curriculum vitae) are often used instead of resumes, and they can be longer than one page, especially for experienced researchers.
3. Industry Standards: Some industries and specific job roles may expect longer resumes to provide in-depth details about your qualifications, projects, publications, or certifications.
4. International Resumes: In some countries, such as those in Europe, longer CVs are the norm and are expected to include more comprehensive information.