I (very) recently wrote about Eight Reasons Why You Need a One Page Resume. As an example of how you can cut down your resume, I wanted to provide an illustration of how you can, in fact, fit a lot of content on one page - without making your margins tiny. Here’s what I manage to fit on one page of my resume (view here):
- Three internships at Microsoft
- One internship at Apple
- Three years at Google
- One year at a start-up
- Founder / CEO of CareerCup
- Founder / Co-CEO of Seattle Anti-Freeze
- Author of Cracking the Coding Interview
- Author of The Google Resume
- Masters in CS from UPenn
- BSE in CS from UPenn
- Minor in Mathematics
- MBA from Wharton
- Former instructor for 1 CS course as an undergrad at UPenn
- Former instructor for 2 CS courses at the University of Washington
- Various activities: Principal at Wharton Ventures (VC Group), Yearbook Chair, Social chair of cohort, Finalist in venture capital competition
How did I fit all this on my resume? By being very, very selective:
- CUT: College projects. They’re coding projects. I’ve demonstrated that I’m highly technical by having other software engineering positions. It just doesn’t matter any more – particularly as I’m not applying for coding jobs.
- CUT: TA / Head TA at Penn for 4 years. While being a TA / Head TA does show some valuable communication and other skills, I have already demonstrated that through other activities (such as being an instructor at UPenn / UW).
- CUT: Hobbies. It’s not that no one would care that, say, I enjoy playing squash, but a lot more people will care about almost anything else still on my resume. Any that goes for most people - don’t waste time with your hobbies.
- CUT: Advisor to various start-ups. Again, it’s not that it doesn’t matter at all, but it doesn’t matter as much as other stuff.
- REDUCED: Microsoft and Apple jobs. Although I’ve already demonstrated technical skills through my position with Google, there is something compelling about the fact that I’ve worked at Microsoft, Apple and Google. I don’t need to spend a ton of time discussing these jobs. Just listing them is enough. I put one bullet under each company, covering four internships total, and that’s enough.
See my “one pager” resume: Technical College Resume (2005); Non-Technical Professional Resume (2011)
Sure, it hurt a bit to cut that stuff. But by removing or reducing those less impressive accomplishments / roles, I ensure that everyone who glances at my resume will see the most impressive things.
Again, if you need more convincing if you aren't convinced of why you can and should have a one page resume, read this post Eight Reasons Why You Need a One Page Resume.