Results tagged “two-page resume” from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Vince writes:

I have a question about resumes. I am a manager with several years of experience with one company. I have been approached about a couple of interesting job opportunities that I want to explore, so I am working on my resume. I am having a hard time keeping my resume to one page and I was wondering if you could tell me whether it was OK to go to two pages. Thanks.

The Career Doctor responds:

It used to be there was a hard-and-fast one-page resume rule, but no longer — and especially not for someone with your experience.

Better than cramming all your information on one page, go to a second page. I recently saw a resume that was written in 9 point type (very small) with almost no margins… it looked like some densely worded document (which it was) that no one would want to read.

So, revert those page margins back to standard levels, and push that type size back up to normal viewing (typically 10-12 pt.), and go to a second page. Just remember two rules about doing so. First, make sure you have a header on the second page that identifies that is your resume (Vince Smith, p. 2) and make sure that you use at least half of the second page.

In fact, some resume experts now say that a resume should be as long as necessary, and the more senior a job-seeker, the longer the resume.

Other resume tips:

• If you are a seasoned job-seeker, remember that you should really not include work experience older than 12-15 years. While the experience is valuable, the process to do the work has probably changed dramatically in that time.
• You do not need to include every single work experience you’ve ever had; instead, showcase the experiences that best showcase the skills/accomplishments for the job you are seeking.
• Always focus on accomplishments and how you contributed to the employer rather than on your duties and responsibilities. And quantify those accomplishments whenever possible.
• If you’re a new college grad, a two-page resume is acceptable if you have a lot of internships and other work experience, although I still prefer to see most new grads with a one-page resume.

You can find lots more suggestions, tools, and helpful advice about resume preparation in this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Mark writes:

I have been with a company for 6 years, in which time the owner has made frequent changes to the direction of the company. I have had 4 job/titles and assignments during this time. I would like to leave this company, but I am concerned that a potential employer will negatively look upon the frequent changes in job assignments/title. My title has always included the word “manager” of such-and-such program, but my assignments were very different.

I have wrestled with how to best portray this “busy” work history with this company on my resume. Can you offer any advice?

As a side note, I was with another company for over 20 years prior to taking a job with this company. In those 20 years, I held 3 positions.

The Career Doctor responds:

I would not worry at all that prospective employers might think twice about your different job titles. Over the last couple of years, many organizations have reorganized at least once, and numerous workers have had new or multiple titles to compensate for employees who were fired and not replaced.

I think your resume will show two strengths: the first that you are someone whom management at your two employers greatly respects, and the second that you are a loyal, long-term employee.

The only problem I see with your situation is that your resume might look a little cluttered if you are not too careful. You have two options. You can have separate bullet points for each of the four job titles you have held with your current employer, or, you can simply show the different job titles and do one set of bullet points for your entire tenure there. The method you choose will depend on how different the jobs are — and how different the work and accomplishments are.

You can also showcase your versatility in a qualifications summary section that goes at the top of your resume (after your contact information). The qualifications summary includes the three or four things that make you a better candidate than anyone else — your competitive advantage. I like to think of the qualifications summary as the “executive summary” of your resume; another way is to think of it as your key selling points.

Finally, remember that someone with your experience can obviously have a two-page resume. And remember to leave off the dates from your education, and do not include any other job or employer other than these two — because they are already dating you.

For more resume advice and tools, go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.