Picture this: two great professionals with outstanding qualifications, talents, and expertise on the hunt for their dream job. Except that one of them is receiving different job offers and calls on a daily basis, whereas the other, just as skilled and ambitious, is being left in the dark and not acknowledged at all. Does this sound familiar? Has this ever happened to you? We’ll tell you why. The secrets lie in a simple layout. A one page resume that embodies everything that needs to be there in order for you to thrive.
This article will expand on the importance of the resume layout, it will give two examples of a simple resume template, each for a different type of position and we’ll also teach you how to make one.
Where and how to write your one page resume?
Keep your resume to one page
How to fit your resume to one page?
Examples of one page resumes
Where to create a one page resume?
So why should it be only one page? Because time is money and you only have one chance at a great first impression!
Where and how to write your one page resume?
It’s easy to think of your profile as a rundown of your job experience. But its true value is more than just simply listing out your professional experiences. Rather, it’s a strategic tool to market your true authentic self. The one page resume format gives you the chance to boil everything down to a few pieces of information that will reflect who you truly are as a professional.
Consider the point of view of the potential employer. The employer is looking for a candidate who fits the job description and can bring value to the organization. They often don’t have the time nor the energy to dig into your career history and figure out who you are. Everything needs to be crystal clear when they first glance at it, which is precisely why understanding how to write your resume is so crucial. That’s the beauty of it!
Similar to that, you’re not going to have a lot of luck sending out dozens of the same job applications to different employers. Instead of treating your resume poorly, tailor it to each job application you’re looking for. It’s the little details that matter!
Keep your resume to one page
Yes, keep that in mind, especially when it comes to a student resume. A resume format is supposed to be concise, often limited to one page. This ensures clarity and brevity, highlighting the most important aspects of their academic and extracurricular achievements.
A recent study by Novorésumé revealed that about 60.6% of job-seekers use a one-page resume. One page resumes are preferred for candidates with only a few years of work experience and those who are only starting out in the working world. Your layout can be longer than one page, only if you have 10+ years of experience or a lot of appropriate professional accomplishments.
Think of your resume as a movie trailer. Trailers don’t usually last longer than three minutes. And if they do, we eventually find ourselves munching on popcorn rather than actually watching the trailer. The same goes for your profile as well. The reasons for a one page resume are clarity and simplicity of use.
How to fit your resume to one page?
There are a couple of strategies and tricks you may use to create your own simple one page resume format.
Resume checklist:
- Tailor it to the position: Include only the information that will be useful to one specific employer. For instance, tailor a list of hobbies to showcase skills and relevant interests for the job. Remember, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all sample for every position; customization is key.
- Choose a compact layout: It needs to be clean, ordered and easy to read. The double-column might work great for you. For example, you could list skills on a single line, or in a sidebar.
- Use bullet points and graphs: A visual representation of your hard and soft skills could save you from writing a couple of paragraphs.
- Choose and appropriate font: Of course, make sure it’s still legible enough. Reduce paragraph or bullet point indentation and use narrower spaces between sections.
In conclusion, crafting a concise, one-page resume requires strategic decision-making and prioritization of information. By focusing on essential details, aligning with the job requirements, and utilizing formatting techniques, you can effectively showcase your qualifications while keeping your resume streamlined and impactful.
Examples of one page resumes
Just to get you properly started on the path of creating one, we’ll give you two examples. One for a senior and one for a junior candidate.
Senior one page resume layout
Junior one page resume layout
As you can see, both resumes have a great format for displaying a lot of information, with an emphasis on the personal details, great structure of the “Achievements” section and a visual display of the skills section. The only difference between the two is that where the senior one features “Certifications” the second one substitutes that section (for lack of a comprehensive work/studies experience) with an “About me” and “Proud of” section. For example, this is common when the candidate is just starting out on their professional or academic journey.
Where to create a one page resume?
You may think: “Okay, that’s great, but where can I boil it down to just one page?”
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. And the good thing is, we’ve got many resume examples that will work for you.
You also want to leave aside basic text editors such as MS Word and Excel, for example. Needless to say, they have a variety of potential problems that may hamper you before you even start.
At Reedact, we’ll make sure that your resume template stands out without a doubt. Not fully convinced yet? Feel free to contact us anytime.
We’d love to prove you wrong!