A one-page resume is a useful starting point when your relevant experience fits comfortably. MIT recommends one page with exceptions for extensive experience or advanced degrees. Follow the application’s limit and keep the type readable; years of experience alone do not decide the right length.
Who a one-page resume suits
Start with the evidence this application needs. Students and people with limited experience can often present it concisely on one page, while extensive relevant work or an academic application may need a different approach. There is no universal ten-year boundary. Use the employer’s instructions and the strength of the material to decide.
Cut content and keep the page readable
Cut repetition and low-priority content before changing the layout. Keep relevant achievements, qualifications and clear dates. MIT recommends type no smaller than 10 points and margins of at least half an inch; treat these as readability guidance and inspect the exported file. Do not shrink text until the page count becomes the only thing that works.
Tighten every bullet
Remove filler such as “responsible for” or “assisted with”. Start with a strong verb, then say what you did and what changed as a result. If a bullet runs onto a second line by only one or two words, cut a word and you get a whole line back.
- Use readable margins, with half an inch as MIT’s minimum recommendation, and inspect the exported and printed file.
- Keep body text between 10 and 12 pt.
- Put your contact details on one line, separated by a simple divider.
- Shorten bullets that spill one or two words onto a new line.