Have you ever heard the declaration Resumes should never be longer than one page? Countless job-seekers spend valuable time sitting at the computer screen decreasing margins, minimizing font sizes, and cutting out valuable information in the attempt to not violate this cardinal rule of resume writing. The end product is a jumbled, unclean-looking document that is most likely missing information that would be useful to the recruiter and/or hiring manager.
This resume myth has been communicated for as long as I can remember from college and university career counselors, professors, and even those in the workforce. While there is some relevance to the one page resume argument, which I will discuss in a moment, I am here to tell you that for most resume purposes, this myth is FALSE!
Some individuals coming out of college are attempting to stretch out their resume information simply to fill one page; others are struggling to cut as much as possible without losing the relevancy of information to cram it on a single page. This is not the desire of most recruiters. A good recruiter wants to determine who is the best match for the position given the job candidates education, background, and experience. To determine the above criteria, the recruiter and supervisor need specific and accurate information that is relevant to the position.
In preparing your resume, pick the information that is most relevant to the position you are applying for and the company and provide the most information in those areas. For example, if you are applying to a public relations position and have previously worked a PR internship, use several bullet points under that job to give the recruiter a very accurate picture of what you did on that job. At the same time, detailed statements of job requirements when you worked at the local coffee shop are not necessary; a brief, general picture will suffice.
My point here is that you know what aspects of your work and activities are relevant to the position. Do not sacrifice developing these areas for the sake on a one page resume. Put yourself in the recruiters shoes. If you were looking to hire yourself for this position, what information would you want and need to know? If providing that information requires a second page, then that is perfectly okay.
The only occasion in which a two-page resume is not appropriate is when it is full of fluff. There is no need to carry a resume on to two pages when it is packed with irrelevant information. Only go to a second page when it is completely necessary due to a large amount of important information.
Tips for Your Resume:
- Never go below font size 10 or above font size 12
- Use a simple, professional font (Times New Roman or Arial)
- Do not make your margins less that inch (Many people drastically decrease margins to have more space. Running your words close to the edge of the page leaves a very unprofessional look to your resume and makes it difficult to read. One inch margins are best, but inch in acceptable as well.)
- Your name should be bolded and centered at the top
- Make it easy for the recruiter to get in contact with youcontact information
- School names should be in bold
- Company Names should be in bold
- Put your name and page number as the header on each page AFTER PAGE 1
These are simply basic suggestion for the style of your resume. If you have any specific questions about resume styles or content, you may submit your question here.
Basically submit a neat, professional-looking resume, without sacrificing important information. As long as your resume information is relevantforget the resume myth. Finally, remember that ever recruiter is different and their aesthetic preferences are different for the appearance of the resume. However, the necessary information remains constant. Stick with the information that matches your skills, talents, experiences, and activities to the job at hand.
*Do not carry your resume beyond two pages unless it is curriculum vitae, which probably does not apply to any of you.
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After a rather unusual introduction from your hosts, Luke Armour and Paull Young, we roll the recording Paull did at Podcamp Boston with some thought leaders in the online public relations and marketing space. Featuring Bryan Person author of the Bryper Blog and the voice of the always informative New Comm Road podcast as well as Anna Farmery all the way from England of the Engaging Brand blog and podcast.
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