Question about resume length:

Question

I know it is generally desirable (for employment) to keep resumes to 1 page, does the same apply for MBA applications? How vital is it not to exceed the 1-page limit?

CalStep20 · Answer

I believe it should be kept to one page and they're pretty adamant about it (someone correct me if I'm wrong). I remember seeing a post by an admissions officer from a top 25 school that listed sending a resume that's over one page as being one of their top 10 pet peeves during admissions season. They know a lot of people have accomplished enough to fill 2 or even 3 pages, but they don't have enough time to read through it all and would rather see it limited to one page. Also, you can write about other accomplishments not listed on your resume in your essays. I hope this helps.

GMATaddict · Answer

It certainly does help, thank you.

Does anyone else have 2nd/3rd opinions?

billyjeans · Answer

I believe one page is the standard any where. Although you might consider use two, if you have significant achievement in life that really cannot cram into one page.

GMATaddict · Answer

Follow up question: Does font size & style matter?

Obviously I wouldn't want to use tiny fonts to fit in an excessive amount of info, but it wouldn't hurt to maximize my limited space. So far I'm using size 10 Arial (on MS Word), I hope that's not too small.

Skitalets · Answer

10 point font is definitely too small.

The one page limit is a very basic, hard and fast rule. Don't try to game it. 11-12pt font, normal margins. Start from there and edit, edit, edit.

GMATaddict · Answer

Actually I was editing yesterday, size 11 Arial worked out well, I cut the resume down to 1 page without significant losses. I revised to size 10 just for a little extra space, but I could easily go back to 11 point font I suppose.

CalStep20 · Answer

One trick would be to change the font size on any blank/spacer lines. You can change that font down to 4 or 5 and it still leaves enough space so you notice a break. But of course, each resume is unique and it must "flow" ie. Draw the readers eyes to the next bullet point. You don't want to have a long line/short line/long line format the whole way down. I would focus more on content though, rather than working about what font size the adcom is looking for.

AlexMBAApply · Answer

A business resume is a one-page business card.

The 10-second ESPN highlights.

Not a complete dissertation of everything that you've done. It actually hurts you more if you have say 2 or 3 years experience, and your resume overflows to 2 or 3 pages chock full of text. It makes you look insecure - that you're trying way too hard to show that you've done so much in what little time you have.

EyeOfTheTiger · Answer

A one page resume is what adcoms look for in general. If it helps write your resume as a "LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS" instead of penning down all your work experience and extra curriculars

ddm682 · Answer

I would hate to think I left out key achievements to fit into an assumed, unwritten rule. A common theme I see in these forums is "just be yourself" and a resume that is more than one page may be needed to accomplish that.

Posted from my mobile device

Posted from my mobile device

boogs · Answer

I have read resume advice that the default Word margins are too wide and it makes sense to decrease margins slightly. My question has to do with contact info/header in an application resume. While a standard job resume should include name/address/phone/email, is all of that necessary on an application resume? Presumably you need all 4 on a job resume since the resume may be all they have in your file, but in the context of an application, they already have your contact info. I have looked in MBA Game Plan, and some of the sample resumes have just name, while others have one line for each of the 4 items. I currently have 4 lines in my header, but it makes it quite a challenge to fit the rest in one page - the font is smaller than I would like.

Question about resume length:

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