1 Page Resume: REALLY?!?!?

[BeanDip4All]

Is the following statement true, "in the health field, you have to have a one page resume. Nobody will ever read a two page resume."

I'm a career changer from finance and about to begin looking an ER Tech position. For those of you in healthcare, you agree with the 1 page resume statement?

This confounds me. 1 PAGE??? REALLY?? I'm used to looking through applicants with detailed resumes and long skill sets. We never ruled out anyone for having a two-pages, in fact for people with experience it was better because we could tell more the types of things they've done.

I'm going to have a real bear of a time cutting it down. My education alone takes up half a page. Ack.

Sooo... what say ye? 1 page? 2 pages? Please advise.

Many thanks.

[lionelhutz]

Legal field- 1 page.
Law School, including journals and awards
Undergrad- including awards
Clerkships
Last employers until you reach one page.
maybe something in there about vol. work if it fits.
Never two pages.

Only in finance do they have resumes longer than 1 page.

[mrw]

I don't know about the health care industry but my wife runs retail stores and was told the same thing.

[JoeStrummer]

If I get a one-page resume I assume you haven't been out of school long enough to be of any use to me. Perhaps health care is different.

[Daywalker]

I just send in head shots.

[hop]

Resume = 1 page. For my marine bio stuff, I list education, work experience, and publications. I have a format that works and as I add more recent stuff, older stuff falls off the bottom. Or, depending on what I'm going for, I put in more relevant stuff even if it's older and leave out something newer but less relevant.

CV = I put education, work experience, awards, publications, dickwaving, and so forth until it's done, leaving nothing out.

[RaccoonFace]

Make your resume 1 page, then make a note in your cover letter that you have a full CV available. Put everything in the CV. The resume is, just for highlights so make them good. If you "WOW" them with your resume they'll be interested in your CV or not care about the CV and just advance you in the process.

okbye

[Downbound Train]

Hard and fast rules are Bull. If you need 2 pages, take 2 pages. Make sure you aren't writing a fucking blog though. Minimal wordage!

[Rideski]

I just send in head shots.

Which one?

[Dromond]

FWIW: Animation = 1 page resume (which barely anyone looks at) and a 60 second demo real.

Is your career change motivated by the recession, moving or just wanting to try something new? Good luck!

[Hook]

I'm not in the health field anymore but I can tell you down here it was all about the certifications. If you were an EMT-B, they assumed you didn't know anything and if you were an EMT-P ( Paramedic ) you were hired just because Paramedics are hard to find.

Just out of curiosity, why an ER tech? Don't you want to ride the "stretcher fetcher"?

[DerJaeger]

Whoah. Wait. BeanDip, that sounds like a huge change in career direction for you?

And here I was thinking you were all set on he Evil Overlord/Hedge Fund Tycoon career-path.

On topic: I have often heard the one page rule, but as someone who as been on both sides of the hiring equation, I have always thought that rule was stupid. The most effective type of resume depends completely on the context and the type of job being applied for.

A good cover letter is even more important, and that's definitely one thing where limiting it to one page is a very useful guideline.

Of course, the best situation of all is to try to avoid being in a situation where your resume is being compared with others... after a certain number of them it's just a lottery to some extent.

[highangle]

yep
spit it in 1 page

make it fast, make it sexy

simple declarative sentences

a list of things that will interest the reader: experience, tools, and education

make it a .pdf so your formatting stays the same no matter where you send it

proofread the shit out of it

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

In these times I would figure you'd want to downplay any connection to the finance industry. You might have the staff doc or head nurse asking you why their stock portfolio is in the shitter.

Like someone said keep it one page and put a note about a CV on request. If you are trying to get hired in the medical field they are going to be most interested in any medical training/qualifications/experience. Where you got your mba or what trading desk you worked at may not wow them when all they want you to do is start an IV or put in a catheter. You might ask trackhead for some advice too.

Good luck and enjoy it. My mom was an ER and then ICU nurse and my older brother was an er doc before he started teaching more and they both always said the variety and excitement of the er was what made it so interesting.

[MakersTeleMark]

I agree with the 1 page rule. If you are changing fields, they will likely find all the minutia incomprehensible and/or uninsightful.

[13]

C,

Yes, really. Outside of certain fields, 1 page is standard and detailing minutiae of your previous career in Finance is probably not going to do you any favors.

They're looking for the quick & dirty: Any education or job experience(s) that would lend themselves to proficiency as an ER Tech. Certifications are a must. Additionally, if you have spent any time volunteering in a health care setting, that will only help.

Good luck!

[Woodlandclown]

Is the following statement true, "in the health field, you have to have a one page resume. Nobody will ever read a two page resume."

I'm a career changer from finance and about to begin looking an ER Tech position. For those of you in healthcare, you agree with the 1 page resume statement?

This confounds me. 1 PAGE??? REALLY?? I'm used to looking through applicants with detailed resumes and long skill sets. We never ruled out anyone for having a two-pages, in fact for people with experience it was better because we could tell more the types of things they've done.

I'm going to have a real bear of a time cutting it down. My education alone takes up half a page. Ack.

Sooo... what say ye? 1 page? 2 pages? Please advise.

Many thanks.

1 page--times have changed. you may want to have a professional resume company help you pare down, especially considering the drastic change. people dont read resumes anymore. as for education, cant you put just the education that was needed to be qualified for the position you are applying for? not sure you need EVERYTHING. good luck!

[mock vomit]

I have nothing of value to add to this thread...

[gretch6364]

I agree with the 1 page rule.

The job of the resume is to get you an interview. You can detail all your qualifications then. It should be quick and easy to digest. Short and to the point.

[schuss]

Mine is 2 pages. If you aren't in a focused field, 1 isn't enough.

[Platinum Pete]

the one-page "rule" is a myth across indstries. Lay your shit out in an easily accessible, compelling design where prospective employers can jump to what is important to them and you'll be fine. It's not like you're only sending it to employers with hook hands and they sure as shit ain't reading every word like a resume is a compelling novel. Clean layout, knowing your audience, and cutting copy are the keys.

[Danno]

Legal field- 1 page.
Law School, including journals and awards
Undergrad- including awards
Clerkships
Last employers until you reach one page.
maybe something in there about vol. work if it fits.
Never two pages.

Only in finance do they have resumes longer than 1 page.

???

disagree; that has not been my experience in the legal field. That may be true for a young lawyer, but not once you have some experience (or came to the law with lots of experience).

However, for someone in Beandip's position, changing fields where most of her education and experience is not relevant, she should probably have all the important current stuff on one page, and all the other stuff on page 2.

[AKPogue]

Is the following statement true, "in the health field, you have to have a one page resume. Nobody will ever read a two page resume."

I'm a career changer from finance and about to begin looking an ER Tech position. For those of you in healthcare, you agree with the 1 page resume statement?

This confounds me. 1 PAGE??? REALLY?? I'm used to looking through applicants with detailed resumes and long skill sets. We never ruled out anyone for having a two-pages, in fact for people with experience it was better because we could tell more the types of things they've done.

I'm going to have a real bear of a time cutting it down. My education alone takes up half a page. Ack.

Sooo... what say ye? 1 page? 2 pages? Please advise.

Many thanks.

ER tech? That is a hell of a change. You might want to see if you can volunteer at an ER before you make that decision if you haven't all ready.

Yes a 1 pg resume is all that is needed. Either you are certified or not. Doesn't take up too much space to say you have whatever medical qualification. Then work experience shouldn't take up too much room. So being new to the field, it doesn't really matter what other job experience you have if it isn't medical.

[Ringo]

Regardless of what you do, I think the point is to cut the bullshit and get to the good stuff. Or at least make the bullshit look like good stuff.

[Core Shot]

I just got a 4 page rambling resume for a job I posted. worthless.
One page is plenty unless you are the most amazing person to ever breathe.

Give your "2 page" resume to someone with a red pen and let them go to town on the editing.
chances are it becomes one page in no time.

I will read a 2 page resume, but chances are that you are boring me with useless crap or excess verbiage that you do not need.

Long winded crap hurts you more than you think. It makes you seem self important and boring.
If I have a focused succinct candidate, they win every time.

As Barack once told me "NO BLOVIATING"