When is it ok to have a resume more than one page?

[evident]

I am currently updating my resume and I'm finding it very difficult to limit it to one page. I am currently at my first job out of college (3 years at this place)and i had had three very significant internships and a very interesting senior design project, all which take up major space on my resume.

I'm left with a very awkward 1.5 page of resume, and if i try to stretch it to 2, it's going to be alot of fluff.

Is this something i should be sweating? From my understanding you should only have more than one page if you're older or applying for more senior positions.

edit: I'm not really applying for a specific job, just a company in a location that i want to potentially move to w/ a company that I really would like to work for. I just randomly met this guy who works at said company. he saw that I had a camera he was going to get and started talking to me about it.

I haven't updated my resume in 3 years and even though he's not in the dept that I want to work in, he said he'll definitely pass my resume on to some people who will take a look at it. Whether or not he will do it I dont know, but at least I'm whipping my resume into shape and that's a great exercise and review on my professional experience these last years, especially since I haven't touched it since college.


edit: to clarify, i'm applying for a tech job doing probably systems engineering or software development for navy or contractors

 

[xeemzor]

I've always thought that the rule was 1 page per 10 years of experience. Though really, you almost never want more than a page unless you are someone like a college professor.

 

[AFurryReptile]

It's the cover letter you want to keep on one page. If you have relevant experience, and you can't fit it all on one page, you absolutely can use a second. To not do so is only going to hurt you.

Source: My neighbor, who is an IT Headhunter/Job Recruiter

 

[Matthiasa]

Bullet points are your friend, there is no need for full sentences.

 

[Firebot]

If you have too much stuff for 1 page and all the info is relevant then make it 1 1/2 or 2. I've always had a page and a half and never got a problem getting a job or interview. Heck 2 out of my last 3 jobs I only had to send in one resume and got that job.

BTW, for the most part school projects don't matter in the real world. Leave if for an interview rather then a resume.

 

[Gothgar]

never?

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

When you have enough relevant information for 2?

 

[Nik]

when you have 30 years experience in electrical engineering

 

[Ns1]

When you are so goddamn gangster that you can't possibly fit all your gangster-ness on 1 page

//edit

This does not apply to you if this is your first job out of college

 

[DAGTA]

I've gone through hundreds of resumes in hiring over the past year. It's fine to go past one page, but try to keep it clean and focused. A 7 page novel doesn't leave a great impression. I think 3 or even 4 pages is fine if it's all worthwhile content.

 

[Hyperblaze]

5-6 years of professional experience.....

3-4 pages long.

And I cut out things which are not irrelevant.

Those who say to keep it all on one page either don't have much to say, or they get burnt without realizing it.

Reason I have so many things to say: I have experience in Unix System Administration, Windows System Administration and Web Development. For my current employment, I completely cut off the windows system admin stuff, since it was not relevant.

Granted I wasn't in the most stable positions for a while (ie, got laid off), so I have quite a few placements under my belt.

If I went for a position that all my background/experience was needed in my resume, I'm guessing my resume would be approximately 6-7 pages long.

 

[QueBert]

Who has a link to the ATOTer who said his resume was something like 55 pages and that's how big a good resume should be lol. One of the all time best threads cos he really thought he had done enough shit to warrant a resume that was longer than most short stories.

 

[gaidensensei]

I always thought it was one of the exceptions if you were writing a CV.

Since that applies to mostly those working in the health field or research related.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Your internships should be cut to Date, Company Name, and 1 bullet point describing what you did.

Your senior project should be about the same as above.

All that stuff you did in college was necessary to land your first job, get rid of it on your resume and shrink it to one page.

If you have more than 10yrs experience I can see making it more than one page but you best have solid points and no fluff if your gonna make it more than 1 page.

 

[rchiu]

5-6 years of professional experience.....

3-4 pages long.

And I cut out things which are not irrelevant.

Those who say to keep it all on one page either don't have much to say, or they get burnt without realizing it.

Reason I have so many things to say: I have experience in Unix System Administration, Windows System Administration and Web Development. For my current employment, I completely cut off the windows system admin stuff, since it was not relevant.

Granted I wasn't in the most stable positions for a while (ie, got laid off), so I have quite a few placements under my belt.

If I went for a position that all my background/experience was needed in my resume, I'm guessing my resume would be approximately 6-7 pages long.

Heh, I have 10+ years of experience and still keep my resume on one page. And yes, I got 2 6 figure offers in 3 weeks a few years back when I was in the job market with that 1 page resume.

My suggestion, don't focus on you and what experience you have and try to put it all on the resume. Focus on the job and the job description and only put relevant info on the resume.

The only time you want to have a 1+ page resume is when you apply for academic position and need to put all your research, papers on the resume.

Finally, your resume is attention getter, not a medium to tell all your experience, that's what interviews are for. You will be better off having a concise, attractive resume rather than a boring 10 pager that basically tells people that you are lazy, don't want to think and organize and just put everything for every job on one resume.

 

[evident]

Heh, I have 10+ years of experience and still keep my resume on one page. And yes, I got 2 6 figure offers in 3 weeks a few years back when I was in the job market with that 1 page resume.

My suggestion, don't focus on you and what experience you have and try to put it all on the resume. Focus on the job and the job description and only put relevant info on the resume.

The only time you want to have a 1+ page resume is when you apply for academic position and need to put all your research, papers on the resume.

Finally, your resume is attention getter, not a medium to tell all your experience, that's what interviews are for. You will be better off having a concise, attractive resume rather than a boring 10 pager that basically tells people that you are lazy, don't want to think and organize and just put everything for every job on one resume.

The "job" im applying for is tricky. I just randomly met this guy who works at a company I am interested in working for. he saw that I had a camera he was going to get and started talking to me about it.

I haven't updated my resume in 3 years and even though he's not in the dept that I want to work in, he said he'll definitely pass my resume on to some people who will take a look at it. Whether or not he will do it I dont know, but at least I'm whipping my resume into shape, especially since I haven't touched it since college.

 

[Epic Fail]

Three words are enough.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

imo never

 

[Engineer]

A job placement and outplacement service came in and did a workshop at my former employer last week. She said if you are a professional, especially with "relevant" experience, it is OK to have two pages. Stated that you should never have more than two pages. Stated to place "what you are selling" (experience or education or whatever) on the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the resume. Said that most employers skim the first section and if you don't look good in the first part, it usually goes to the trash. Also stated to not make the font smaller to make it fit on one page. Would be better to have a size 12 on two pages than a size 9 on one page.

By the way, my resume was 1 page. I did not use a cover letter. I did have a smaller font size as the resume was made before I did the training above. Should get the position offer in the next day or so as the HR department is working it up (was told that I was chosen on Friday out of 500 applicants).

 

[DaveSimmons]

> i had had three very significant internships and a very interesting senior design project, all which take up major space on my resume.

It sounds like you're going into too much detail for a resume, but it's hard to say for sure without reading it.

 

[DaWhim]

for business folks, 1 page is enough.

I met a post doc guy in the chemistry field, he told me the longer CV, the longer you penis in his field. longer CV with all the craps like publication, research papers, published books, etc.

 

[Corporate Thug]

you gotta have a pretty long and illustrious career to justify > 1 page.

 

[JMapleton]

On my current job, where I started at $10.00 an hour several years ago (I have been promoted several times since =p ), my original resume was 2 pages plus a cover letter.

 

[BigToque]

Just as an FYI, my uncle is really good friends with one of the wealthiest men in Canada and I got to speak to him for a while about the investment market before I took the Canadian Securities course. When I was speaking with him about applying for jobs, he flat out said he always takes the stack of resumes, cuts it in the middle, and throws one half out.

 

[Engineer]

Just as an FYI, my uncle is really good friends with one of the wealthiest men in Canada and I got to speak to him for a while about the investment market before I took the Canadian Securities course. When I was speaking with him about applying for jobs, he flat out said he always takes the stack of resumes, cuts it in the middle, and throws one half out.

LOL. Well, you've got a 50% chance of losing the best candidate for the job that way, don't you! :awe: