“De-bunking the one-page-resume Rule”

How many of you have received advice like this?

“You need to cut your resume down”

“The recruiter won’t even read that far”

“One page resumes are the best way to go”

We say that this is nonsense! A Resume shouldn’t be one size fits all. The years of work experience and complexity behind your advancement should determine this. For instance:

If you’re a recent college graduate

Your resume will more than likely be one page, due to having minimal experience. You should focus on highlighting your education, skills, and awards and accomplishments made during your high school and college career. Lastly, no objective statements!

If you’ve been working 1-3 years

You will still most likely fall into the one page bucket. You should be able to fit at least 3 jobs you have had, as well as your day to day responsibilities. At this age, it’s probably time to remove anything from college that isn’t in line with the job you’re applying for.

You’ve been in the workforce for 4+ years

At this point, you’ve gained enough experience, so it’s unnecessary to try to fit it all on one page. It’s important to include all of the information that’s going to prove you’re the well-rounded worker you claim to be. Recruiters will want to see how you’ve worked your way up, and if you’ve explored other industries or career paths.

On the other hand, you should still ensure that you are being smart with your space. Check your margins, and that you’re font size is appropriate (Nothing smaller than 11 pt). Ask yourself if the content is customized to the job you’re applying for. If you’re still unsure, you can also ask an SSI Representative to send you our Resume Builder video! It’s common and totally okay to have different versions of your resume for different opportunities you are applying for. Most importantly, don’t stress about the length! It is important, but the grade of the content is what gets you in the door.

If you find yourself struggling with your resume, we are here to help! At Staffing Solutions Inc., we have developed a program called “Resume Builder” that helps you create and edit your resume till its achieved perfection. Come in and see us, and we’ll help you not only get that perfect resume, but that perfect job opportunity!