Make your resume one page long when a single page is all you need to include all your relevant experience, achievements, and qualifications. When you have more key details to include, but it doesn’t fit into a single page, go for two pages.
Your resume should be as long as it needs to be.
Some candidates find that a single page works because they can clearly present all relevant information without cramming. Others might find that two pages are more effective because they have years of relevant experience or accomplishments that need more space to be fully communicated.
Deciding whether your resume should be one page or not isn’t a simple matter of how much experience you have. It’s more about how many relevant contributions you can highlight from previous roles or projects.
Hiring managers want to see all key information—if you can fit it onto one page, that’s ideal. If you can’t, then a second page is perfectly acceptable.
In this article, I’ll share the specifics of when your resume should and shouldn’t be one-page long, including insights from hiring experts and strategies to make your resume fit into a single page.
According to Hiring Decision-Makers, Should a Resume Be One Page or Not?
If one page provides enough space for you to highlight essential details from your professional background that directly relate to the job requirements, then your resume should be one page long.
However, your resume should extend to two pages when one page isn’t enough to include all your relevant experience and accomplishments.
The one-page resume rule isn't set in stone. Two-page resumes are acceptable, but only when you have credentials to fill the second page without adding fluff.
Jon Morgan, the CEO of Venture Smarter, emphasizes that:
“It’s all about precision. If you can tell your story in one page, that’s usually enough. The key is clarity—whether you’re working with one page or two, make sure the most important information stands out and is easy to navigate.”
It also comes down to the significance of what you’re writing about. Spencer Romenco, Chief Growth Strategist at Growth Spurt, agrees:
“It’s not just about experience or skills. The real deciding factor is how relevant and impactful the content is to the job you’re applying for. If you can clearly communicate your strengths and relevant achievements in one page without leaving out anything crucial, go for it. But if you’re cutting important details, then expanding to two pages makes sense.”
Bottom line: if you’re forcing everything onto one page at the expense of clarity or leaving out key details, it’s better to extend your resume to two pages.
Different hiring manager perspectives on making a resume one page long
In short, hiring managers agree that keeping your resume to one page isn’t a hard rule. What’s more important is how well you can communicate your value succinctly.
Eli Itzhaki does a hands-on review for all the resumes his company at Keyzoo receives. He shares that:
“A resume should be one page long if the candidate can present everything clearly and concisely without losing important details. On the other hand, trying to force everything onto one page can backfire. I’ve seen resumes where people left out important sections just to make it fit one page, and that’s a mistake. If the information is valuable, it’s better to go over a page than to cut out the good stuff.”
In contrast, Dmytro Tymoshenko, the CEO of Eightify, advocates more for condensing your resume to one page. But, he also acknowledges that a single page might not always be feasible:
“It’s always better to have your resume on one page. Even if you have a lot of experience, chances are, not everything is relevant to the position you are applying for. However, for senior candidates and those with lots of experience in different fields, I can understand that [your resume may require a second page].”
I also spoke with Parker Gilbert, who has extensive experience in leading HR and recruiting for companies and is now the CEO of Numeric. For him:
“We prioritize substance over length when evaluating resumes. We look for candidates who can clearly articulate their value and demonstrate a strong fit for our company culture, regardless of whether their resume is one or two pages.”
Ultimately, it's the content of your resume that will help you land an interview, not the number of pages.
Why there’s conflicting advice on whether one-page resumes are the best option
You often hear conflicting advice because of a few factors:
- Different industry standards. Some fields may favor a particular resume length.
- Evolving recruitment practices. Digital recruitment and applicant tracking systems (ATS) have shifted preferences.
- Individual recruiter preferences. Hiring managers will have their own personal opinions on the ideal resume length, which may differ.
- Candidate experience levels. What might’ve worked for a senior professional might not suit a recent graduate.
People on one side adamantly preach the one-page resume rule, while others argue that two-page resumes are better.
Both sides have valid points, but here’s all that you need to know:
- The one-page resume rule is a bit outdated, but it’s true that some one-page resumes are more effective than longer job applications. That’s because a one-page resume is concise, visually appealing, and easy for recruiters to scan quickly. However, it can be restrictive, especially for professionals with a longer work history.
- Two-page resumes can work just as well, or even better, than one-page resumes if you genuinely need the extra space to highlight relevant experience. If you do, two pages allow you to provide a more competitive application by showcasing a more detailed picture of your qualifications.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Your resume should showcase your relevant skills and experience—but remember, that doesn’t mean writing a novel. Keep it clear, succinct, and focused.
When to use a one-page resume
If you can fit your most relevant experience and achievements onto a single page, it’s more effective than trying to forcefully stretch it across two. Having everything in a single page makes you prioritize the essentials, which makes your resume more engaging.
A shorter resume doesn’t make your application weaker. What’s more important than the length of your resume is what’s included, how sentences are written, and whether you align with the job description.
Here’s when to use a one-page resume:
- You have less than 5–8 years of experience, alongside a linear work history that almost repeats itself (or you specialize in one particular area). In this case, focus on emphasizing your most relevant achievements.
- You can summarize crucial contributions and accomplishments for most of your previous roles using between 3–7 bullet points.
- Your target industry or job description favors brevity and shorter resumes, such as creative fields.
- You’re a student, recent graduate, or professional with little to no work experience applying for junior and entry-level positions.
- You’re switching careers and need to focus only on transferable skills and experiences.
When to not use a one-page resume
Don’t limit yourself to one page when you have enough further relevant experience and accomplishments to discuss. If fitting everything into a single page means leaving out crucial details and cutting out valuable context, then a two-page resume is more appropriate.
Here’s when to not stick to the one-page resume rule:
- You have more than 5–8 years of experience with diverse roles alongside significant achievements, projects, and contributions.
- Your accomplishments and responsibilities for previous positions may require more than 5–7 bullet points.
- You’ve worked on large-scale projects, managed teams, or contributed to significant business outcomes that need more space to explain fully.
- You’re applying for manager, senior, c-suite executive, or highly specialized positions where recruiters expect more context on your technical expertise and leadership skills.
- Your target industry values comprehensive resumes, such as academic, research, or highly technical fields.
- You have additional credentials worth showcasing.
How to Make a Resume Fit into One Page
This is how to make your resume fit into one page:
- Use a resume template that maximizes space without sacrificing readability.
- Trim your summary or objective section so that it prioritizes key points.
- Minimize the work experience section by only including relevant job positions and highlighting significant achievements with fewer bullet points.
- Add qualifications in just a single line in the education section.
- Cut out non-essential sections (or bullet points) that don’t directly support your job application.
- Trim the skills section by listing only essential abilities that match the job description.
- Rewrite your resume sentences so that they’re shorter, clearer, and more impactful.
- Adjust your resume formatting, such as slightly reducing font size (9–10pt for main body and 14–16pt for section titles).
Most of it comes down to refining your resume content by knowing what information to prioritize and editing your resume sentences so that they’re more concise.
We’ll dive into each step in more detail below.
1. Use a resume template that maximizes space
The best types of resume templates have a minimalist design with compact features that prioritize space, clarity, and organization.
Loud designs and graphics typically waste precious space that you could instead use to highlight more important details, like a certificate or accomplishment from a previous job position.
Need a professional template that’s built for maximum space? Check out our resume templates here.
If you prefer to create your own, just avoid creative designs and graphics. Not only do they take up more space, but they’re not readable by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Stick to a simple, clean layout.
2. Trim your summary or objective section
Trimming your resume summary or objective section means making it more concise without changing key points. Emphasize career highlights and professional strengths using fewer words.
Here’s how to trim your summary or objective section:
- Identify the key points you want to highlight. Knowing what you want to include helps you determine what to remove.
- Cut unnecessary words and phrases that don’t add value. For example, buzzwords like “super” and “innovative” don’t really contribute much, so instead, remove them for a clearer and more direct statement.
- Merge related points into one sentence to reduce redundancy. If two sentences are closely related, combine them into one.
Alternatively, if you’re thinking it might be better to rewrite your summary completely, use our AI Resume Summary Generator. This generates a resume summary based on the job position and skills you want to highlight.
3. Minimize the work experience section by only including relevant job positions and bullet points
It’s normal for the work experience section to take up the most space, but there’s a chance you could minimize it with stronger organization.
Here’s how:
- Only list jobs related to the position you’re applying for.
- Add up to three job entries with 3–7 bullet points for each, focusing on achievements relevant to the job description. If you’re going to add more than three job entries, you can use more bullet points for recent roles and fewer for older ones (unless there’s something more significant to highlight from an older job position).
- Make sure your resume doesn’t go further back than 10–15 years, unless the experience is highly relevant.
- Skip redundant phrasing, and consider using synonyms for any particular word that seems a bit too long.
4. Add qualifications in a single line in the education section
Add your resume education in one clean line to save space. No need to use extra bullet points. All you have to mention is the following:
- Qualification title
- Institution
- Location
Here’s an example:
Education
BA in Marketing | University College London | London, UK
5. Remove additional sections and bullet points that don’t showcase relevant credentials
Don’t lose sight of what matters most to the hiring manager for the role you’re applying for.
Additional sections like extracurricular activities and volunteering experience aren’t as important as your work experience or summary section. If removing these additional sections means you can highlight further work experience, so be it.
However, keep the additional section when it genuinely showcases unique skills or achievements. For example, I’d keep the “Projects” section of a resume when it highlights something impressive, like running a successful side hustle where you help startup companies grow.
Also, remove unnecessary bullet points. In sections like certifications, you can elaborate on the skills gained, but it’s not essential. Just list the certificate in a single line and keep it moving.
6. Remove skills in the skills section that aren’t essential
The essential skills to put in a resume skills section are the ones mentioned as requirements in the job description.
Skills that are more of a “nice-to-have” are those that aren’t explicitly stated as requirements but can be helpful. Although these are okay to mention, including too many can clutter your resume.
Here are a few suggestions when it comes to deciding which resume skills to include or remove:
- Check what’s explicitly stated in the job description. Include these, but only if you’re truly competent in them.
- If there are any skills from the job description you haven’t mentioned because you can’t prove them, include a closely related skill to show you’re still competent in that area.
- If a skill is rarely used for the job or is outdated, leave it out. For instance, skip “Photoshop” when you’re not expected to use it.
- Limit your list of soft skills. Only include what’s necessary.
7. Rewrite resume sentences and bullet points
Review your resume again with fresh eyes. You’re bound to find sentences and bullet points that can be written into a more succinct version.
Use this process for rewriting resume sentences:
- Look for any lengthy sentences and lists that you could shorten without changing the meaning.
- Consider replacing long action words. Examples could be changing “Oversaw” to “Led” or “Implemented” to “Executed.”
- See where you might’ve repeated yourself under different bullet points. For instance, you might have two bullet points that emphasize the same skill. In this case, you could combine them into a single sentence.
- Remove redundant words. Instead of starting a sentence by writing “Collaborated effectively,” just write “Collaborated.”
- Consider rounding up numbers instead of mentioning the whole figure, e.g., “20%” instead of “19.974%.”
You can also refine your bullet points automatically by using our AI Bullet Point Editor. Simply highlight the sentence you want to improve and click “Rewrite Bullet.” Our AI tool will provide three alternative suggestions based on the best resume writing practices.
8. Adjust your resume formatting settings
Making a few tweaks to your resume format and layout can make a huge difference when it comes to condensing your resume.
Here’s what to adjust:
- Font size: set the main body text to 9–10pt and section titles to 14–16pt.
- Margins: reduce the margin size to no lower than 0.5 inches.
- Line spacing: use line spacing between 1.0–1.15.
- Font style: go for professional fonts that are more narrow, like Source Sans Pro.
Summary
Let’s recap on when your resume should be one page long:
- Use a one-page resume when you can clearly present all relevant experience, achievements, and qualifications.
- Go for two pages when one page forces you to cut out valuable context and information.
- Tailor your resume based on the specific job description you’re applying for. Focus on only highlighting relevant contributions and competencies.
When trimming your resume down to fit a single page, it mainly boils down to using an optimized layout, refining your writing, and adjusting formatting settings without sacrificing readability.
FAQs
Can my resume be two pages long?
Yes, absolutely. Your resume can be two pages long when you have more relevant achievements and extensive experience to justify the extra length. If you’re going for a two-page resume, I would suggest aiming to fill up the second page so that your resume looks more complete, but don’t add fluff. That said, a one-page resume is enough for most professionals with less than 8–10 years of work experience.
Does my resume have to be one page?
Keeping your resume to one page isn’t a hard rule. A one-page resume is usually sufficient for professionals with less than 8–10 years of work experience. Only extend to two pages if absolutely necessary, like when you have further relevant credentials, experience, and achievements to highlight.
How many pages should my resume be if it’s for my first job?
For your first job, your resume should be one page long. Focus on highlighting relevant skills, education, internships, or volunteer work, and keep the content concise and easy to scan. Employers for entry-level roles typically expect a brief resume that shows your potential without unnecessary details.
If I have years of experience, is my resume still supposed to be one page?
If you have less than 8–10 years of experience, aim for a one-page resume. However, if you fall into this category and still have further achievements to mention that require a second page, then a two-page resume can be justified. When you have 8–10 years of experience or more, it’s likely you have enough accomplishments and qualifications to extend to two pages.
