Blog Post: Stick with a Page, and Only a Page

The current statistic is that recruiters spend an average of 4 seconds (yes, 4 seconds) reviewing a resume before moving on to the next candidate. So your goal becomes giving the recruiter what they need in 4 seconds.

As a recruiting manager, I would never spend time on a resume. I've got to be honest--if I could not get the information I was looking for after glancing quickly at a resume, I was off to the next resume. Why spend time on a candidate that can't succinctly and clearly communicate their experience to me?

My advice: spend your 4 seconds wisely! Do not use difficult to read resume formats. Stick with one or two fonts and embolden text rather than put text in different fonts. A crisp, easy to ready, well-formatted resume is key.

1 page is still the rule. The only exceptions are senior leadership (C-suite folks and candidates that have been in their profession for more than 15 years or so) and candidates for positions in certain professions (i.e. education, engineering, laboratory sciences, etc.). General business candidates are still stuck with the dilemma of how to sum up their professional lives on one page (while maintaining plenty of white space).

Folks will sell you a 2 page resume, but remember the 4 seconds. If you do two pages, then it's really 2 seconds per page. Further, recruiters struggle to decide if you were truly a senior leader in your previous role or if you simply struggle with communicating a clear and concise message of what's important.

Remember, your resume is your first impression. You want it to be clear, concise, and relevant. Don't let sales folks sell you on a resume that you don't need. One page continues to be the best route for candidates, especially in this crowded job market.

For more help, feel free to check out our seminars. They're quick and they're almost free. http://www.careerdevelopmentaz.com/seminar.html

Most importantly, good luck in your search!