One-Page Resume Template Guide

Modern resume best practices highlight the advantages of a concise resume. However, depending on your career journey, you may be wondering if a one-page or two-page resume is more appropriate. Find out when a one-page resume makes the most sense, and see sample single-page resume formats in this guide.

Why Choose a One-Page Resume?

A one-page resume is ideal for those with less formal work experience, such as recent graduates or entry-level professionals. It can also work for some mid-career candidates or those changing industries. A single-page resume is more concise and often has better readability — both are important when the average recruiter only spends about 10 seconds per resume. The length also forces you to focus on the most relevant and impressive accomplishments from your whole career journey.

A two-page resume is generally only necessary when an individual has an extensive work history (15+ year) and needs to demonstrate a career progression for management or executive roles.

How To Create a One-Page Resume Template That Stands Out

Step 1: Choose the right one-page resume layout

The right resume format makes a difference when condensing your skills and experience into one page. Recent graduates or those early in their careers can benefit from functional or combination formats, while chronological format is best for those with more relevant experience.

For those with a long career journey, it might be tempting to expand beyond a single-page resume, but a well-structured layout can help you keep it concise. Only consider a two-page resume when critical details can’t be omitted.

If you’re unsure which to pick, look at one-page resume examples to see what fits your background best.

Step 2: Start with a strong summary or objective

Good one-page resume examples start with a concise summary or objective statement that captures the reader’s attention and summarizes the candidate’s experience.

Step 3: Highlight key skills and achievements

To ensure a concise one-page resume, prioritize your most relevant skills and achievements based on the job description. Include the relevant skills from your background in your resume summary, a key skills list, and in the work experience bullet points. This sort of skill assessment is useful whether you’re crafting a single-page resume or a two-page resume for more complex roles.

Step 4: Use action-oriented language and keywords

Use a resume builder to identify job-relevant keywords and craft impactful sentences with strong action verbs to highlight your relevant skills effectively in a single-page resume format. You’ll also want to use an ATS resume checker to ensure your resume is properly formatted and uses relevant keywords to help you pass an applicant tracking system (ATS) scan.

Essential Tips for Fitting Your Resume Onto One Page

Prioritize recent and relevant experience

A one-page resume doesn’t leave much room to detail years of work experience. Instead, focus on the most recent or relevant positions. Generally, a resume shouldn’t go back more than 10 years, but you can include even less for entry-level positions.

If your career journey spans over a decade, condense your accomplishments into a single-page resume by focusing on roles that showcase your most relevant skills. A two-page resume is typically only necessary when seeking senior management or executive roles.

Limit education details to essentials

List relevant degrees or certifications and the institutions that awarded them. Leave off extra information, such as your GPA or a list of classes, unless they are extremely relevant to the position.

Condense skills and additional information

A simple bulleted list is one of the most efficient ways to highlight your skills. To maximize space, this list can be in a sidebar. Limit the list to the top five technical and soft skills.

Tools like a resume builder can help you organize your relevant skills, ensuring your single-page resume is easy to skim.

Use an applicant tracking systems-friendly font and a one-page resume layout

The best ATS-friendly fonts are Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri. Use a clean, straightforward layout without extra graphics or formatting that take up space or create visual clutter.

If you’re transitioning to a two-page resume, ensure both pages remain ATS-friendly by maintaining consistent formatting and focusing on your relevant skills.

One-Page Resume Examples and Layouts

Tips To Find Sample One-Page Resume Formats for Different Platforms

One-page resume template for Microsoft Word

Navigate to the template section by clicking File and then New. Depending on your document history, basic resume templates may already appear. If not, use the search bar at the top to search for “resume.” When you find a resume that matches what you’re looking for, double-click it to open and customize the file.

If your career journey requires additional space, consider using Word’s customizable tools to extend to a two-page resume while keeping the layout clean and professional.

One-page resume template for Google Docs

Open up Google Docs and click on the Template Gallery at the top right of the screen. Browse a variety of customizable one-page resume templates. Clicking on one opens it up in a Google Doc where you can get a better look and input your background and information.

Google Docs also allows you to transition from a single-page resume to a two-page resume if your experience and relevant skills require more room.

Common Mistakes To Avoid With One-Page Resume Layouts

• Overcrowding a one-page resume layout with too much information: It’s easy to make a one-page resume look too crowded, so pay attention to white space. Leave enough blank space in the document to support readability, and use a large enough font that hiring managers can easily see the text. If your career journey includes numerous roles and accomplishments, a two–page resume can help maintain readability by avoiding overcrowding while still containing all your relevant skills and experience.
• Key information left out in the one-page resume layout: Even on a condensed resume, it’s important to include all the main resume sections, such as professional experience, skills, and the profile summary. A resume builder can guide you in deciding what to include and what to leave out, possibly helping you trim a two-page resume down to a single-page resume.
• Using complex formatting in the one-page resume template: All resumes, regardless of length, should avoid tables, images, and other graphics that can cause issues with the ATS. Look at one-page resume examples to get ideas on how to format these documents.

Frequently Asked Questions About One-Page Resumes

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).