You know the story of Goldilocks. She was in search of edible porridge, a comfortable chair, and a cozy bed. In the end, after trying three different versions of each item, she found the one that was just right.
Your goal as a job seeker is to create a resume that’s just right—neither too long nor too short, and perfectly suited to your needs.
The One Page Format
In a world of short attention spans, you might assume that a one-page resume is sufficient. Consequently, you use a nine-point font and cram everything you’ve ever done onto a single page.
This approach, in effect, defeats the very purpose of a resume—a personal marketing tool that recruiters can easily read. By forcing potential employers to squint, you are turning them off rather than winning them over.
The only people who need a one-page resume are brand new graduates with little or no experience or someone who’s worked at one company. The latter case, however, is quite rare today.
The Three Page Format
If you have extensive experience, the temptation is to make your resume three pages long. The thinking is: I need to document everything I’ve ever done because at least some of my experience is relevant.
This time, you irritate recruiters by making them read too much detail. They’re turned off after the first page. And again, instead of an effective marketing tool, you have a useless tome.
The Goldilocks Resume
A “Goldilocks” resume is ideally two pages long and highlights only the last 10 or 15 most relevant years of your career.
It also contains:
- An easy to read typeface in at least an 11-point font
- A background summary showcasing your personality and talents
- Bullets highlighting your quantifiable accomplishments
- Your education, training and other marketable skills
By creating a two-page, accomplishment-focused resume, you’ll attract the right audience and find a job that’s just right for your career goals.