With resumes, think quality over quantity. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like to sift through much fluff and extraneous information. Keep your resume as concise as possible so that your best attributes, skills, and accomplishments stand out. For many people, that means sticking with a one-page resume template.
Though mid-career and executive-level professionals may warrant a longer resume that extends to two full pages, if you are earlier in your career and don’t have extensive experience, it’s probably best to aim for a one-page resume format.
Following a resume template is the best way to keep the document to one page. By including only the most pertinent sections, you will call attention to the top things employers need to know about you. These sections include:
It’s always important to put your most recent contact information at the top of your resume so recruiters know how to get in touch with you. Include your full name, phone number, email address, city/state, and a link to your online professional page or website.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
email@example.com
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
It only takes two to three sentences to summarize what makes you a qualified candidate for a role. Start by mentioning your job title (or the title of the job you’re seeking), then highlight your top attributes, relevant skills, and recent job accomplishments. Sprinkle in some keywords from the job description to demonstrate you’re a good fit for the role.
Strategic product manager with a track record of creating innovative products that drive business growth and solve customer problems. Seeking to leverage six years of product management experience for Nordstrom Inc. Strong communicator and collaborator dedicated to improving customer satisfaction.
Because you’re creating a one-page resume, keep it easily scannable. Also, make sure it passes Applicant Tracking System filters. To accomplish this, it’s a good strategy to list some of your key skills, carefully selecting hard and soft skills. When possible, align your skills with the requirements listed in the job posting. Here’s an example of 10 key skills for a nursing assistant resume:
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Dementia care | Communications |
Infection control | Compassion |
Medication administration | Patient relations |
Vital sign monitoring | Team collaboration |
Wound care | Time management |
When you’re writing a one-page resume, your word choice is very important. Choose impactful, strong action verbs to help tell your story. Here’s an example of action verbs that you might use if you were creating a graphic design resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Collaborated | Conceptualized |
Created | Designed |
Developed | Illustrated |
Implemented | Managed |
Produced | Revised |
This section is the bulk of your resume. To keep it to one page, summarize your job history in three to five succinct bullet points for each job you include. A professional experience section for a retail sales associate resume might look like this:
Retail Sales Associate, Sunflower Room Boutique, Memphis, TN
October 2018 – present
Retail Sales Associate, IKEA, Cordova, TN
May 2016 – September 2018
When possible, share the results of the work performance rather than simply listing your job duties. Numbers and data can be a very effective way to illustrate your value.
Having a master one-page resume template is the first step. But as you apply to various jobs, tweak your resume to align more closely with those specific positions. You can use some of the same language (target keywords) the employer mentions in the job posting and focus on any specific skill sets that are most in demand. This gives you the best opportunity of being selected to move forward in the hiring process.
If you are just finishing school or haven’t yet worked in your field of interest, you may be wondering how to fill a one-page resume. Even part-time job, internship, volunteer, and school-based project experience counts. Prospective employers like people willing to learn and adapt, take on new challenges, and you have developed various skills. Also, you can spare a bit more room to list relevant coursework you’ve completed or certifications you’ve earned.
Your one-page resume should include your educational background. List all of your degrees and certifications along with the institution name and date of completion.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing, September 2010 – June 2014
University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
Certifications
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
email@example.com
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
Results-driven account executive with over five years of sales experience. Looking to leverage a proven track record of exceeding sales quotes and building strong client relationships. Seeking a role with Walgreens, leveraging expertise in consultative selling and market analysis to drive revenue growth and achieve business objectives.
Account Executive, CVS Health, Alpharetta, GA
2020 – present
Sales Development Representative, Home Depot, Atlanta, GA
2016 – 2020
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Business Administration, 2013 – 2017
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
email@example.com
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation ZIP code
A digital creative director with six years of experience specializing in user experience (UX) design, brand graphics, and social media asset creation. A proven track record of designing engaging newsletters, social graphics, and other brand assets for health care clients to increase user engagement. Adept at collaborating with key organization stakeholders in marketing, sales, site development, and leading large-scale branding initiatives.
Digital Creative Director, Enterprise Healthcare, Atlanta, GA
August 2021 – present
Associate Creative Director, Blue Eagle Marketing, Atlanta, GA
February 2017 – June 2021
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Marketing, August 2012 – May 2016
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
email@example.com
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation zip code
Collaborative, analytical data science professional with seven years of hands-on experience using predictive analytics and classical modeling techniques to generate data insights to drive profitability. Specializes in artificial intelligence (AI), building models that emulate human intelligence through machine learning. Advanced programming skills in SQL.
Data Scientist, Alpha AI Enterprise, New York, NY
October 2019 – present
Data Scientist, GoGoTech LLC, Brooklyn, NY
June 2015 – October 2019
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Data Science and Analytics, September 2011 – June 2015
Columbia University, New York, NY
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