Modern resume best practices point to a more concise resume that’s quicker for hiring managers to skim. So, does a resume have to be one page? Find out when a one-page resume makes the most sense, and see sample one-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 one-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 your most relevant and impressive accomplishments.
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. 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
A one-page resume needs to prioritize your most important skills and achievements. Look through the job description to find the most important qualifications and skills for the role. Include those that match your background in the summary, a skills list, or the work experience bullet points.
Step 4: Use action-oriented language and keywords
Every word matters in a concise resume, so use strong action verbs and applicant tracking systems (ATS)-friendly keywords to maximize the impact of your sentences.
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.
Limit education details to essentials
List relevant degrees 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.
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.
One-Page Resume Examples and Layouts
Sample one-page resume format for recent graduates or entry-level roles
Sophia Rodriguez
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Los Angeles, CA 90024 | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sophiarodriguez
Profile
A highly motivated recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. A proven track record of supporting social media campaigns, content creation, and digital strategy as an intern at a premiere marketing solutions firm.
Professional Experience
Marketing Intern, Bright Media, Los Angeles, CA | May 2023 – August 2024
- Developed and executed social media campaigns that increased audience engagement by 30%
- Conducted marketing research and presented insights to improve campaign effectiveness
- Collaborated with the marketing team to develop blog content, contributing to a 20% increase in website traffic
Key Skills
- Social media marketing
- Content creation
- Data analysis
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Google Analytics
- Marketing research
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA | 2024
Certifications
Google Analytics Certified, Google, 2023
Sample one-page resume format for mid-career professionals
Allison Rosenberg
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | San Francisco, CA 12345
Profile
Investment banker with seven years of experience specializing in equity research, strategic investing, and financial modeling. Strong history of performing due diligence on investment opportunities to maximize return on investment (ROI) potential for high-net-worth clients.
Key Skills
- Client relations
- Economics
- Financial analysis
- Investment banking
- Portfolio management
Professional Experience
Investment Banker, Johnson & Goldman Inc., San Francisco, CA | October 2017 to Present
- Develop financial models and investment strategies for client portfolios valued at $300,000 to $1 million and provide recommendations for valuations, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and product offerings
- Conduct equity research, identify long-term investment opportunities in companies with best-in-class management teams and business models, and recommend investment opportunities in businesses committed to solving complex customer issues
- Conduct in-depth valuations of intangible assets for purchase price allocations by evaluating income, market indicators, and company financials
Investment Banker, Invest Today Inc., San Francisco, CA | May 2015 to October 2017
- Performed financial analysis and determined valuations for startup technology companies, which included providing recommendations to investors on business based on economic data, product use case, and organizational effectiveness
- Created in-depth financial models using data and long-term market indicators to inform investment decisions and establish long-term ROI potential
Education
Bachelor of Science (BS) – Economics, University of San Francisco, CA | 2015
Certifications
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | 2015
- Series 7
- Series 63
- Series 65
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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
Should a resume be one page?-
A one-page resume is best for entry-level positions or candidates without extensive relevant job experience. However, some positions require longer resumes to cover extensive qualifications and credentials. Senior — and executive-level candidates can expand their resumes to multiple pages.
How can I fit my resume on one page without losing essential details?+
One-page resume examples use strategic formatting to cover all relevant qualifications and skills concisely. A double-column format can maximize space, and bolding, italics, and underlining create visual separation in blocks of text.
What font size should I use for a one-page resume?+
Keep the font size small, so your resume is one page long. The minimum recommended font size for a resume is 10 points, but 12 points is better.
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