You have amazing work experience. You have crafted it into a beautifully-written narrative that tells the story of your professional life. You're confident that it will leave the reader anxious to invite you into their office to interview. But, you have one concern - your resume is two pages long. Or even three. Or four.
Is this okay?
What's better, a 2-page or 1-page resume? It depends.
There are fewer and fewer cases where a one page resume rule is absolute. In terms of its style, two-page resumes are increasingly becoming a smart option for many applicants. This does not mean however, that a two-page resume is the surefire approach for every resume because there are still cases where a one-page resume is the best choice.
The real estate on your resume is precious. Consider going to a two page resume if you really think that it is critical to communicate the depth and breadth of your skills, not because you have stacked your most recent work experience on top of your previous resume content.
A two page resume is smart when the situation merits it. This is primarily the case when your depth of experience warrants a two page resume. A general rule of thumb is that the applicant should be able to fit 10 years of work experience onto each page of your resume.
A resume should also be tailored for the specific role and industry, including the number of pages for the resume. Certain types of roles expect a one page format; for example, consulting firms would be surprised by a two-page resume. On the other hand, executive roles often anticipate multi-page resumes given the depth of work experience required. Resumes in medical and academic fields can often span dozens of pages. Do your research for templates and example resumes in your field to understand the unique elements of the resume that your reviewer might be expecting. If you're considering a resume outside of the norm, ensure that the content merits it.
How to bring two-page resumes on interview day
On interview day, you want your resume to be frictionless for the interviewer. Said differently, your resume should not require extra work to read. Do not plan on stapling a two-page resume, requiring the user to flip back and forth so that only half of their work history is visible at any given time. For similar reasons, do not print on the front and back of one sheet of paper either. Instead, paper clip a two-page resume on separate pages so that the interviewer can remove the paper clip and view both pages at the same time. Resumates uses these as best practices for resume deliveries and includes a handful of premium paper clips to ensure the detail are covered in your professional presentation. If you don't use Resumates for your printing services, purchase nice paper on your own, we tend to like Magnum Opus Resume Paper
About Resumates
Resumates is an online resume printing service: we print your finished resume and deliver it to your door in two days, saving you precious hours to prepare for your upcoming interview or career fair. Our resume printing options are on premium paper, including multi-page resumes. Skip the copy shop and relying on that old dusty old printer - simply upload your resume, select your favorite paper, and receive 25 prints of your finished resume within two days.