Still looming within the employment world is the age-old question of whether or not your resume should be one page, two pages, or more. According to society’s standard, the general consensus is to keep a resume condensed to one page to avoid annoying hiring managers. Many hiring managers simply don’t want to peruse two pages of material when searching for a quick, efficient hire. Recruiters and hiring managers alike prefer an expeditious hiring process. Yet, as that statement holds true, there are people who simply have an exorbitant amount of accomplishments to fit into a one-page resume. This begs the question; when is a two page or more resume ever okay? Is it ever acceptable?
The answer is yes. Yet, it is only okay in certain instances, which we will explain in today’s Simple Resume Insight.
More Experience
Two-page resumes are deemed acceptable for job candidates with significant experience in their respective fields. In these cases, a one-page resume may not be enough to highlight the candidate’s lengthy history of accomplishments and projects. Typically, condensing information down to a page can damage these specific candidates’ chances of getting hired. If you have more than 10 years of experience in your field, it is best to plan to create a two-page resume.
Federal
The information required when applying for government positions ordinarily transcends the amount of information needed for professional resumes. Federal resumes are notoriously longer than two pages and may even require one to create five to ten pages of detailed, targeted information (dependent upon years of experience). Government HR specialists religiously dig deeper into the resume content of federal job candidates. Thus, this resume should be able to exude the talent, trust, and professionalism of the candidate.
Management Level
If you’re applying for a management-level position, you will definitely want to have a two-page resume. Management level positions require one to have a massive index of accomplishments and process improvements, extraordinary interpersonal skills, and specific projects. Generally, these experiences extend the one-page mark. Thus, job candidates should be prepared to provide a two-page resume.
Executive Level
Writing a resume for a C-Suite position is no easy task. These resumes require a high level of complexity and typically result in an extensive resume writing process. You must flood your resume with results, business/financial impact, and career highlights. Thus, a two-page resume is okay when gearing your resume towards an executive-level position.
