One page resume : How to write it & more

There are certain benefits of a one page resume. Let's learn all about one page resume in this article. You may also want to check out our resume examples.

What is a one page resume?

What is a one page resume? Well, that's not rocket science, any resume with only page is one page resume. However, one page resume is also a medium to reflect your capabilities of presentation.

You might think that you have more information and you probably cannot have one page resume. Well, it is more than likely that there are ways to include your details in one page resume template.

You just need some tips on how to do it, which are given in this article. You might think but why write one page resume? You will get an answer to that questions and any other you might have as well. Keep reading.

What to write in a one page resume?

First question we will answer to is, what to write in a one page resume. A resume needs certain details which cannot be left out but how to write them when it's one page resume?

Contact Information

Your contact information is very important. It helps the hiring manager get in touch with you. You need to write your name, contact number and e-mail address in this section. You can also add your home address if you want.

Since you are writing one page resume, you can avoid multiple contact numbers and addresses. Only mention the ones where you will be easily reachable for the recruiter.📞

Summary

Summary is usually short even in two or three page resumes. In one page resume, you need to make sure it is exceptionally crisp and to the point and avoid taking more than required space.

You can mention your experience in number of years, followed by your top achievement clubbed with your relevant skills. Close the section with one line sentence stating your aim going forward.

Experience

In one page resume, you should avoid any irrelevant experience. You should write experiences in reverse-chronology beginning with your latest experience.

You can also choose one of the top most relevant experience and only mention that in your resume- if you feel it is sufficient to land the job you are applying to.

If you have multiple experience that ahs to be mentioned on the resume, you should write them as shortly as possible. Write about the major responsibilities and contributions. Use numbers wherever possible.

Education

In one page resume, you may avoid the details of education such as coursework and other extra information.

Mention your institution and the degree. Avoid any other extra details unless it is absolutely required and extremely relevant.

Key skills

While writing your key skills, you may want to use concise bullet points and describe the relevant skills in short. You may want to leave out any and every irrelevant skills.

Make sure the relevant skills covers the keywords and are accurate with the right terms.

Extras

In the other sections of hobbies/interests, language proficiency you can add details in short bullet points.

This section should be included only if it is necessary because of relevant content. Make sure you avoid if you don't have enough space left and the details are not all that relevant.

Tips to write one page resume

Font size

This one is a no brainer. If you want to include more in one page, you shrink the font size. Use smaller fonts to write the resume.

However, make sure the font size is not too small, it should be easily readable, visible and not make the resume look like filled with ants!

Infographics

To present some details such as your relevant skills or such, you can utilize infographics. Infographics take less space and still deliver the information in comprehensible manner.

Before using any infographics or other such visual elements in your resume, make sure you choose a format that is suitable for the same. It should not stand out as an odd part of resume.

You can also spruce up the whole resume with creativity if you want. Use more than one visual element.

Double column/ compact style

Another no brainer is the resume with two column structure. That way you can include more details in one page easily.

There are many resume templates out there. you can find many with compact style. Choose the resume template that fits the best for all the details of your profile that needs to be included in your one page resume.

Bullet points

Using bullet points is advised for all resumes because it is a short and direct way of describing information. Paragraphs are also disappointing for readers, most of which have short attention span and dread reading long details.

For one page resume, you should take bullet points as mandatory rather than just advised. Using bullet points will save you a lot of space.

Don't overcrowd

While you shorten your sentences and ensure that you save space everywhere. You may end up with extra space and then add extra details and then whole imbalance may lead to overcrowding of content on one page resume which will be far from visual appealing resume. It will also look chaotic.

Using small fonts may also lead to content overcrowding. Make sure you avoid all this. Balance the font size, content quantity and the format of your resume carefully.

Creative sections/ presentation

As mentioned before, you can opt for multiple visual elements such as graphics, infographics and such. You can get a little creative to make sure the important details are mentioned and the visual appeal is also intact.

You can get rid of all the irrelevant details from every section. These details will not be useful for you anyway.

A resume for every for every role

You may find it tiring but this can come very handy. If you are applying for multiple roles (which may or may not be of the same industry and/or similar nature), you can write up a resume for every role.

This way you can focus on relevant information (only) and get rid of everything irrelevant. Every resume will be specifically targeted for the role and have all the relevant information (only). This will help you include all the information on one page easily.

Make sure you save the documents with the accurate names and apply to the jobs with the right document. Label the documents properly and save them in a place where you can access them easily.

Why write a one page resume?

We talked about what is one page resume, how to write a one page resume but why! Why write one page resume? Is it necessary? Is there any upside to having one page resume?

Well, yes! Have you ever read a book? Or maybe research articles? If you have, kudos to you! You have more than attention span! But we all know that attention span is decreasing in masses on population all across the globe!

One of the prominent example is the popularity of the apps like TikTok and Instagram that have short videos (reels etc). They are popular because their content is very short and successfully holds the attention span of the average social media consumer.

In 2000, average attention span of human beings was 12 seconds, which has shrunk significantly! In 2023, that attention span is now 8.25 seconds, which is less than the attention span of a goldfish! One creature in the wild that is known for its shortest attention span. Source: https://www.wyzowl.com/human-attention-span/#:~:text=In%202000%2C%20it%20was%2012,or%20object%20for%209%20seconds.

All this means you need to make sure the hiring manager doesn't get bored and leave your resume! meaning, your resume needs to be as short as possible with all the important details properly highlighted and easily accessible for reader's eyes.

Hiring managers will be bored the resume is too long. taking in hands a resume of two or three pages may make them lose interest in the beginning itself. While seeing a single page resume make them want to go through it quickly.

Single page resume can be very convenient for multiple software. They can be relatively more compatible for various tasks such as viewing, editing, converting to other document type.

If you have many years of experience, education and other details that are required as a must in job description, do not skimp on them in your resume.

Carefully, decide if your resume can be of one page or requires more than one page. At the end, the details and presentation are both important. You can make sure that the presentation is absolutely visually appealing and your two page resume will also land your your dream job.

Key Take Away

Now you may have all the clarity about one page resume. make sure you follow all the tips given in this article and avoid all the mistakes.

• Write all the sections in your one page resume, but in short
• Use tips such as smaller font size, bullet points, infographics, two columns, compact style etc
• Do not overcrowd the content
• Maintain the visual appeal
• Create a resume for every role
• One page resumes are very effective because of decreased attention span
• Carefully decide if you need one page resume or two page resume

If you keep all these points in mind, you will write a one page resume that will get you all the interviews you wish for.

Your resume has one purpose- grab attention of the hiring manager and impress them enough so that they give you a call for an interview. The presentation of details is as important as the details themselves.

Make sure you do not miss any important information while writing your one page resume. If you are taking the creative presentation route, make sure you do not cross the limit of professionalism in your presentation.

Avoid anything that would make your resume look and seem unprofessional.

Focus on your skills and experience in your one page resume so that what you have to offer is presented clearly. Hiring manager should think that you have what they require and they should hire you.

While shortening the content, do not write in a way that will leave the recruiter with tons of questions of insufficient details.

Writing one page resume is a bit tricky and you need to make sure that you maintain balance in presentation otherwise you will end up with a chaotic mess. Make sure you keep in mind all the points covered in this article.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)