Two Page Resume: Templates, Examples, and When To Use

“Resume length anxiety” - that’s an actual term!

I recently spoke to someone who was getting conflicting information when it comes to one page vs a two page resume. That led me to write this post, leveraging my experience of looking at thousands of resumes.

Let’s get into it.

Can a Resume be Two Pages?

Yes, a resume can be two pages if it meets any of following conditions:

• You have more than 15 years of relevant work experience.
• You are applying for an academic position.
• You are a very accomplished professional within your field.
• You are applying for a federal job.

It should be noted that there are cases where we observe two page resumes to be a fit. Noticeably, mid-career professionals who primarily apply to jobs that use ATS systems stand to gain an advantage as they can place ATS keywords with the right frequency.

However, when you create a resume that’s two pages - consider the flow of information and see how easy it is for a recruiter to locate the right information.

The golden rule for crafting a two page resume - optimize for ATS but make it very easy for hiring managers to read your resume.

Don’t be a keyword spammer while writing your two page resume.

Should an Entry Level Resume be Two Pages?

No, entry-level resumes should not be two pages.

Here’s why:

If your entry level resume is impressive enough to be more than a page - you probably impressed the hiring manager in your first page. Do you really need a second page?

We reviewed 500+ entry level resumes last month through our professional resume review service - we found that only two entry level resumes were worthy of more than a page in length.

If you got an entry level resume page that’s more than a page, trim it down to one page.

Given the amount of spammy/irrelevant resumes a hiring manager receives for an entry level position - you’ll stand out.

Is a Two Page Resume Considered Bad?

A two-page resume isn’t necessarily considered bad. Hiring managers spend as little as six seconds scanning a resume, and when a resume is long for no reason - they don’t prefer going through an extra page.

A hiring manager has to go through 100+ resumes in a day.

And, they are more likely to shortlist resumes that are easier to scan and read.

Okay, so now we understand who should, and when to use a two page resume. Let’s take a quick look at the top two page resume formats.

Two Page Resume Format

There are 3 two page resume formats:

• Reverse chronological two page resume format
• Combination two page resume format
• Functional two page resume format

Reverse Chronological Two Page Resume Format

A two page resume that follows a reverse chronological order can be highly impactful if you have outstanding and relevant skills + experience.

A two page resume following reverse chronological order allows you to do the following:

• Show the most recent roles and responsibilities first. Building relevance to the role that you are applying to.
• Get sufficient space to list your skills, education, research work, certifications, and any awards that you’ve received.
• More flexibility between selecting your preferred resume layout (one column vs two column).

Functional Two Page Resume Format

A functional format for a two page resume should be used with caution.

Imagine a hiring manager looking at a two page functional resume. They see your skills, they see a summary, some experience, etc - all of it should add up and be relevant.

That’s why if you are planning to apply using this two page resume format, ensure that you are applying to highly relevant roles.

If you wish to transition to a new role with no relevant past experience, we recommend that you skip a two page long functional resume format.

Combination Two Page Resume Format

A two page combination resume format puts equal focus on skills and experience. It is an ideal two page resume format for mapping skills and existing work experience to the role that you are applying to.

One Page vs Two Page Resume Format

If you meet any of these conditions, keep your resume to one page: less than 15 years of experience if you are an entry level candidate, or when you lack relevant skills for a career change attempt.

If you are still unsure, you can ask coworkers you trust, your mentors or friends to see whether they feel about the length of your resume.

You can also request a professional resume review here.

Two Page Resume Templates

The issue with a two page resume is…no one really starts a resume assuming it would go two or three pages.

Most would just start writing and end up with a longer resume.

Sometimes it is a 1.5 page resume with a 50% whitespace on the second page making everything appear unprofessional.

Imagine using a two column resume template and the second page only has 1 column filled up and the other remains empty. Wouldn’t be professional enough, right? That’s why, you need to be careful while selecting the best two page resume template.

How to Select the best Two Page Resume Template

Select the best two page resume template by following these tips:

• Decide whether a two column template or a one column template is better for your two page resume.
• Assess a template based on how you can display the following sections: summary, work experience, skills, education, and certifications.
• Ensure that the two page resume template can handle an unequal amount of text on the second page. Ideally, expect a good template to allow you to place other relevant information.
• Make sure the two page resume template follows the right font size, has no more than three font sizes, and that your resume’s content is highly scannable.

Two Page Resume Template - Two Column

Two Page Resume Template - Single Column

Two Page Resume Template with Photo

We have 20+ other resume templates that are a great fit for a two page resume, try them out for free.

How to Format a Two Page Resume Header?

To format a two page resume header, you got two options:

1. Add the header once on the first page of your resume with your full name, current job title, your contact information and links to portfolio/Linkedin.
2. Repeat the header on the second page.

We would recommend picking a two page resume template that has the resume header only on the first page.

How to Print a Two Page Resume?

To print a two page resume, do the following:

• If you are using MS Word, go to File > Print.
• For Google docs, go to File > Print > Print using system dialogue
• Using VisualCV download either the MS Word or PDF format and then print in it.
• While printing the resume ensure that you are selecting both pages to print and not just one.
• Make sure to print your resume in A4 size page.

How to Convert a Two Page Resume to One Page?

To convert a two page resume to one page, try:

• Using a two column resume template that can reduce the length of your resume.
• Using bullet points under your resume experience and keeping them precise.
• Reducing your resume summary to two lines.
• Removing any irrelevant experience from your resume. Any experience more than 20 years old should be trimmed or removed.

How to Create a Modern 2 Page Resume?

To create a modern two page resume, follow these steps:

• Select a modern resume template that fits your personality.
• Use modern fonts. They could be serif or sans-serif.
• List your portfolio, website, or relevant social profiles like Linkedin on it.
• Use modern colors or keep the resume minimalistic. Remember a minimalistic design can also be considered modern.

Job titles Where a Two Page Resume is More Preferred

If you have more than 15 years of experience in any of these roles, a two page resume can be better than a one page resume:

1. Operations Manager
2. General Management
3. Supervisor
4. Finance
5. Accounting
6. Academic Jobs
7. Supply Chain Management
8. CEO
9. CIO
10. CTO
11. COO
12. Director
13. Vice President