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Should My Resume Be Limited To Just
One Page?
Nimish Thakkar, MS, MBA,
CCMC, CPRW, SaiCareers.com,
New York
December 22, 2005
We are not sure
about the origins of this rule. A possibility is that the “one page
rule” originated during the economic boom of the previous decade when
there were many unfilled positions; candidates didn’t have to work as
hard to position themselves. Under prevailing circumstances, however,
the employment market has become
ferociously competitive.
Another theory is that the one-page
resume myth may have its roots in
the classrooms of school and college career centers. If true, what a
fine job they have done! After many years of leaving college, even
senior executives ask us whether they need to restrict their resume to
one page. Whether or not they remember their “stuff,” they
surely remember this rule.
The one-page
resume rule of thumb may hold some value for college
students and for those who have very little experience, perhaps, but
requiring experienced professionals to stick to this guidepost is a
questionable practice.
Unfortunately, candidates often use microscopic fonts, cram
incorrigible abbreviations, and avoid describing valuable information,
in a desperate attempt to restrict their
resume to one page. While “tight writing” is always a
preferred practice in
resume writing, one need not resort to desperate
measures to stay on one page.
The number of pages should always be determined by the value of
content being provided. If the content is not repetitive, does a good job
of marketing the candidate, and provides relevant information that
will help hiring managers make decisions, then it would be okay to
have two- or even three-page
resumes. (Academicians and researchers
with a number of publications, sometimes, have resumes as long as
10–15 pages). If, on the other hand, a candidate does not have content
that warrants two or three pages, sticking to one page would make much
more sense.
In summary, the number of pages must be determined by the content and
the candidate’s background. Do whatever is necessary to make you --
the candidate -- appealing to a hiring manager, whether in one page or
in two or more pages.
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We hope you enjoyed
the following article: "Should My Resume Be Limited To Just One
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