One-Page Vs Two-Page Resume: Which Is Better?
Contemplating which is better between the one-page and two-page resumes is one of the dilemmas in a job seeker’s career. Just when you think all resumes should be a one-page document, you start seeing many people writing two pages.
There are probably many questions going through your mind. Have you been doing it wrong all this time? Does the world not recognize a one-page resume anymore? Rest assured, both the one-page and two-page resumes are valid. Also, you cannot switch from one to the next; you only have to know the one that’s right for you.
Wanting to know how many resume pages to write is essential and we are here to help you out. We have made for you a series of factors that determine which resume is right for you. Follow the pattern and this guide will bring you all the answers you crave.
Factors That Determine The Right Resume
There is no better way to determine the ideal resume length or pages than with these factors. They are the logical, and systematic approach to solving this problem once and for all.
Experience
When it comes to applying for a job, a candidate’s level of experience on the job matters. For some employers, experience is the major deciding factor when looking for the right fit for a particular role. If you were a job seeker with a high level of experience on the job (10 years and above), you would want to seize every opportunity to highlight this quality. Contrary to those who only know a one-way approach to making a great resume, your level of experience would determine how many pages your resume should be.
The two-page resume is ideal for a high level of experience
If you have amassed a wealth of experience and you would like to show off a bit (deservedly so), add a page to your resume. In contrast to the “one-pager” for those with a low experience level, a top professional who has seen and done it all deserves a two-page resume to accommodate all the honors. A two-page resume would be unnecessary in many cases, but not here. In fact, two-page resumes are on the rise as more professionals see it as a way to show what they have achieved.
A one-page resume is perfect for a low level of experience.
As far as experience goes, a one-page resume is a way to go if you have no prior job experience. Likewise, professionals or job seekers with a relatively low level of experience (5 years or less), should opt for a “one-pager”. There is no logic in creating more than a page of resume if there is not much to highlight. A one-page resume covers a few lapses by making them less obvious including a lack of work experience. Take advantage of it.
On the flip side, if the one-page resume has a disadvantage, it would be with regards to highlighting vast experience levels. Since your experience would include the feats you achieved throughout that time, an inexperienced person would have little to point out. Making a “one-pager” for those with a wealth of experience would be unfair. It would rob them of the chance to show their prospective employer what they have done.
Ease of access
From mobile devices to online stores, there is an emphasis on making every product or service easy to use or access. Nowadays, virtually everything has to be user-friendly, and it is not just limited to products on the market. Consumers don’t have the patience to read user manuals from cover to cover, over and again, to learn how a product works. Thanks to the level of competition in every industry, manufacturers are going over and beyond to ensure that their products and services are easy to navigate. This is no different from when you hand your resume over to your future employer. The ease of access is equally important to many of them.
The one-page resume is easy to go through.
The fact is that some employers don’t have the time or patience to read past the first page of a resume. They want to get the gist of what the candidate is about just by taking one glance at the resume. Time is a factor, as many of these top professionals don’t have all the time in the world. Also, just as competition makes consumers drop a product that is not easy to use, it influences recruiters too. If employers of labor fail to see what they want at a glance, they drop the resume like a hot potato. A one-page resume is the winner of this round.
Not all employers fancy a two-page resume.
Regarding ease of access to the information on a resume, not all interviewers fancy a “two-pager”. If you are worried about whether the interviewer would read through it or not, then a two-page resume is a no-no.
Explicability
A resume should say a lot about your professional endeavors without you having to explain them. Indeed, a good resume is one that you send to a potential employer electronically or through the mail without them calling for you to explain the content. For this reason, how explicable a resume is vital to your chances of securing your next job.
The two-page resume explains and gives details of your achievements.
If you are still wondering which resume is best suited to achieve explicability, it is the “two-pager”. Making a two-page resume ensures that you have enough room to accommodate many important details. A “two-pager” will help explain and give details of your previous achievements including whatever project you are currently on. For those who have a lot to show throughout their sterling career, a “two-pager” is their best bet for explicability.
The two-page resume shows more clarity with pointers.
A “two-pager” will not only provide details of your achievements. It will show details of your achievements with more clarity. One of the ways to make your resume clearer and easy to discern is by adding pointers and headers. These make the resume easy to navigate. It also allows the interviewer to know what to expect next. From names of institutions to awards received, you will be able to spell them out in full to avoid ambiguity.
The one-page resume comes with the temptation to use confusing acronyms.
If you were considering making a “one-pager” while aiming to have a much self-explanatory resume, you should reconsider. Because you have to put all your details on one page, you might need to make some sacrifices. These sacrifices could cost you. To keep all your details on one page, you might need to use unnecessary abbreviations or confusing acronyms. This takes away from the vital information you should convey.
The one-page resume does not have enough headers or pointers for clarity.
In contrast to what the “two-pager” does so well, a one-page resume does not have enough pointers for clarity. Having fewer headers is a way to make information fit into a page. In fact, job seekers are often advised to reduce the pointers and headers in their resumes. This concept also takes away from the many benefits having lots of experience and exposure on the job affords you.
Selling power
Making a resume is mainly to highlight your achievements and capabilities regarding the job you are applying for. However, a resume does more than just that. A resume is an effective way of “selling yourself” to appeal to your prospective employer. When a resume has the potential to “sell” you, it means you are moving in the right direction.
The two-page resume gives you space to shine.
If you have had enormous accomplishments in an illustrious career, it is only fair for you to gloat a little. In fact, when you hand in a two-page resume, the prospective employer or interviewer expects something quite extraordinary from it. For individuals who have accomplished great feats in their career, they deserve a resume that makes them shine and a “two-pager” does that. With multiple sections for details including accomplishments, recommendations, certifications, and references, nothing will do your achievements justice than a two-page resume.
The one-page resume highlights your best achievements.
Although a two-page resume is a right way to go regarding selling yourself, a “one-pager” is not completely out of the equation. No matter how low your level of experience is, there is always a thing (or two) that you would like to boast of. Since the low level of experience means that a “one-pager” is ideal for you, there’s always a way to make it work. With a one-page resume, you can highlight your best achievements yet.
One page is not enough to accommodate all skills, references, and important details.
Clearly, a one-page resume will not do justice to your illustrious career in different ways. First, it does not present you with the needed space to accommodate all the qualities that set you apart. Your skills, references, and other important details will likely be left out.
The one-page resume cannot elaborate on achievements.
Likewise, it is not easy to elaborate on your achievements on a “one-pager”. While being concise help, there are certain key elements to your achievements that you may not be able to mention. Elaborating on your achievements is a big factor that makes a candidate “sellable” and a more attractive prospect.
Brevity
A concise resume is more likely to be easy to access than a lengthy one. Brief resumes have an instant appeal. They give interviewers the impression that the resume is straight to the point. Nobody wants to waste time and certainly not the interviewer.
A one-page resume is less intimidating to make.
A one-page resume ticks all the right boxes in terms of brevity. First off, it is a one-page resume where you only have to highlight the necessary aspects of your professional endeavors. Brief resumes are easy to access. The interviewer can take in enough information in just a glance. That is what many interviewers hope candidates hand over to them.
Another advantage of brevity, especially for those with little to no work experience, is the lack of pressure that comes with it. No matter how little your experience, certifications, or skills are, a brief “one-pager” will not make it too obvious. Writing a brief, one-page resume is less intimidating.
As good as a one-page resume is in terms of its ease of access, it has its demerits. Some candidates make efforts to get the most- if not all of their achievements and details on a page. By doing this, they would need to overstuff the page with too much information. One disadvantage is that doing this would make the resume cluttered which would be obvious. The last thing you want to hear in your interview is for the interviewer to say, “why didn’t just put some of this information on another page?”
The two-page resume gives room for unnecessary details.
A two-page resume is rarely associated with brevity. Indeed, succinctness goes against most of what a “two-pager” stands for. Some people who write two-page resumes get tempted to fill both pages with information. As a result, this gives room for unnecessary addition of information on both pages.
The case for the one-page resume
Not only is the “one-pager” brief and easy to glance through, but it also allows you to get creative. You can easily design a more creative, better-looking resume on one page. Especially for those who are new to formatting resumes, achieving the same level of creative design on two pages can be a challenge.
Both the one-page and two-page resumes are great depending on various factors. However, in most cases, a one-page resume is the way to go. In reality, no one expects you to present a two-page resume unless you have an endless, mouth-watering list of achievements you want to showcase. Thus, if you have a very high level of experience and a plethora of successes to highlight, then you can opt for two pages of resume. Although more people are leaning towards the two-page resume, never write a “two-pager” unless it is absolutely necessary.
