Resume Tips

How to Write a One-Page Resume That Gets Interviews

Recruiters spend 6-10 seconds on each resume. Learn how to make those seconds count by crafting a powerful one-page resume that highlights exactly what matters.

Sproutern Career Team

Regularly updated

18 min read

Resume Statistics

6 secaverage initial resume scan time

75%of resumes rejected by ATS before human review

85%of recruiters prefer one-page for freshers

3xmore callbacks for quantified achievements

Key Takeaways

One page is mandatory for students and entry-level candidates
Every bullet point should show impact, not just responsibility
Use numbers wherever possible—quantify everything
Tailor your resume for each application (ATS keywords matter)

"My resume is two pages—how can I fit everything in one?" This is one of the most common questions we hear. Here's the honest truth: if you're a student or fresher, you don't have enough relevant experience to justify two pages.

A well-crafted one-page resume forces you to prioritize what matters and makes it easier for recruiters to find your best qualities quickly. Let's learn how to create one.

1. Why One Page Matters

Recruiters review hundreds of resumes daily. They've perfected the art of quick scanning:

6-10 seconds: That's all you get for the first pass
One page = one view: No scrolling, no flipping, no missing info
Forced prioritization: You include only what's truly impressive
Respect for reader: Shows you value their time

When Two Pages Are OK: Only if you have 10+ years of experience OR are applying for academic/research positions that require publications. For freshers and students, stick to one page.

2. Optimal Resume Structure

Recommended Order for Freshers

Header: Name, contact info, links (2-3 lines)
Education: Degree, college, CGPA, relevant courses
Experience/Internships: Most recent first
Projects: 2-3 impactful projects with tech stack
Skills: Technical skills, tools, languages
Achievements: Competitions, certifications (optional)

Space Allocation

With Internship Experience

• Header: 10%
• Education: 15%
• Experience: 35%
• Projects: 25%
• Skills/Achievements: 15%

Without Internship

• Header: 10%
• Education: 20%
• Projects: 45%
• Skills: 15%
• Achievements: 10%

3. What to Include/Exclude

✅ Include

• Relevant technical skills
• Quantified achievements
• GitHub/Portfolio links
• Relevant projects with impact
• Leadership roles (if significant)
• Relevant certifications

❌ Exclude

• Photo (not needed in tech)
• "References available upon request"
• Hobbies (unless remarkable)
• High school details
• MS Office (unless specifically needed)
• Generic objectives

The Bullet Point Formula

Action Verb + What You Did + Quantified Result

❌ "Worked on the company website"

✅ "Rebuilt homepage using React, reducing load time by 40% and increasing user engagement by 25%"

4. Formatting for Impact

Space-Saving Tips

Margins: 0.5-0.75 inches (not more)
Font size: 10-11pt for body, 12-14pt for headers
Fonts: Calibri, Arial, Lato (clean, readable)
Line spacing: Single or 1.15
Columns: Use for skills section to save space

Visual Hierarchy

Bold job titles and company names
Use consistent date formatting (right-aligned)
Clear section headings with subtle lines
White space between sections (but not wasted space)

Pro Tip: Print your resume and read it from arm's length. If you can't quickly identify key information, your formatting needs work.

5. Beating ATS Systems

75% of resumes are rejected by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) before a human sees them. Here's how to beat them:

ATS Best Practices

Keywords: Mirror exact words from job description
No graphics: Avoid tables, images, fancy formatting
Standard headings: "Experience" not "My Journey"
File format: PDF (unless asked for Word)
Simple fonts: Stick to system fonts

Keyword Strategy

Copy the job description
Identify repeated skills and requirements
Include exact phrases in your resume naturally
Don't keyword stuff—make it readable

6. Before/After Examples

Experience Section

❌ Before (Weak)

• Worked on various frontend tasks
• Was responsible for bug fixing
• Helped team with different projects

✅ After (Strong)

• Built responsive dashboard using React/TypeScript, reducing load time by 35%
• Fixed 45+ bugs in 2 months, improving app stability score from 85% to 98%
• Led migration of legacy codebase to modern stack, improving developer productivity by 20%

Project Section

❌ Before

"E-commerce website using MERN stack"

✅ After

"ShopEasy: Full-stack e-commerce platform with 50+ products, Stripe payment integration, JWT auth. Features: cart, wishlist, order tracking. Tech: React, Node.js, MongoDB, Redux. [Live Demo] [GitHub]"

7. Frequently Asked Questions

What if I really can't fit everything on one page?

Be more ruthless. Ask yourself: "Does this help me get THIS specific job?" If not, cut it. Focus on your top 2-3 experiences and top 3 projects.

Should I include CGPA if it's low?

If it's below 7.0, you can omit it (unless the job specifically requires it). Focus on projects and skills instead.

How many projects should I include?

2-3 substantial projects is ideal. Better to have fewer impressive projects than many mediocre ones.

Should I use a resume template?

Simple templates are fine. Avoid overly designed ones—they often break ATS parsing. Clean and readable beats fancy every time.

Your One-Page Starts Here

A one-page resume isn't a limitation—it's a feature. It forces you to show only your best work and makes life easier for recruiters. That's a win-win.

Start trimming, start quantifying, and watch the interview calls roll in. 📄✨

📚 Related Resources

ATS Keywords by Industry Showcasing Projects on Resume 200+ Resume Action Verbs Free Resume Score Checker

Written by Sproutern Career Team

Based on analysis of 5,000+ successful resumes and feedback from 100+ hiring managers.

Regularly updated

Resume Tips

How to Write a One-Page Resume That Gets Interviews

Recruiters spend 6-10 seconds on each resume. Learn how to make those seconds count by crafting a powerful one-page resume that highlights exactly what matters.

Sproutern Career Team

Regularly updated

18 min read

Resume Statistics

6 secaverage initial resume scan time

75%of resumes rejected by ATS before human review

85%of recruiters prefer one-page for freshers

3xmore callbacks for quantified achievements

Key Takeaways

One page is mandatory for students and entry-level candidates
Every bullet point should show impact, not just responsibility
Use numbers wherever possible—quantify everything
Tailor your resume for each application (ATS keywords matter)

A well-crafted one-page resume forces you to prioritize what matters and makes it easier for recruiters to find your best qualities quickly. Let's learn how to create one.

1. Why One Page Matters

Recruiters review hundreds of resumes daily. They've perfected the art of quick scanning:

6-10 seconds: That's all you get for the first pass
One page = one view: No scrolling, no flipping, no missing info
Forced prioritization: You include only what's truly impressive
Respect for reader: Shows you value their time

When Two Pages Are OK: Only if you have 10+ years of experience OR are applying for academic/research positions that require publications. For freshers and students, stick to one page.

2. Optimal Resume Structure

Recommended Order for Freshers

Header: Name, contact info, links (2-3 lines)
Education: Degree, college, CGPA, relevant courses
Experience/Internships: Most recent first
Projects: 2-3 impactful projects with tech stack
Skills: Technical skills, tools, languages
Achievements: Competitions, certifications (optional)

Space Allocation

With Internship Experience

• Header: 10%
• Education: 15%
• Experience: 35%
• Projects: 25%
• Skills/Achievements: 15%

Without Internship

• Header: 10%
• Education: 20%
• Projects: 45%
• Skills: 15%
• Achievements: 10%

3. What to Include/Exclude

✅ Include

• Relevant technical skills
• Quantified achievements
• GitHub/Portfolio links
• Relevant projects with impact
• Leadership roles (if significant)
• Relevant certifications

❌ Exclude

• Photo (not needed in tech)
• "References available upon request"
• Hobbies (unless remarkable)
• High school details
• MS Office (unless specifically needed)
• Generic objectives

The Bullet Point Formula

Action Verb + What You Did + Quantified Result

❌ "Worked on the company website"

✅ "Rebuilt homepage using React, reducing load time by 40% and increasing user engagement by 25%"

4. Formatting for Impact

Space-Saving Tips

Margins: 0.5-0.75 inches (not more)
Font size: 10-11pt for body, 12-14pt for headers
Fonts: Calibri, Arial, Lato (clean, readable)
Line spacing: Single or 1.15
Columns: Use for skills section to save space

Visual Hierarchy

Bold job titles and company names
Use consistent date formatting (right-aligned)
Clear section headings with subtle lines
White space between sections (but not wasted space)

Pro Tip: Print your resume and read it from arm's length. If you can't quickly identify key information, your formatting needs work.

5. Beating ATS Systems

75% of resumes are rejected by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) before a human sees them. Here's how to beat them:

ATS Best Practices

Keywords: Mirror exact words from job description
No graphics: Avoid tables, images, fancy formatting
Standard headings: "Experience" not "My Journey"
File format: PDF (unless asked for Word)
Simple fonts: Stick to system fonts

Keyword Strategy

Copy the job description
Identify repeated skills and requirements
Include exact phrases in your resume naturally
Don't keyword stuff—make it readable

6. Before/After Examples

Experience Section

❌ Before (Weak)

• Worked on various frontend tasks
• Was responsible for bug fixing
• Helped team with different projects

✅ After (Strong)

• Built responsive dashboard using React/TypeScript, reducing load time by 35%
• Fixed 45+ bugs in 2 months, improving app stability score from 85% to 98%
• Led migration of legacy codebase to modern stack, improving developer productivity by 20%

Project Section

❌ Before

"E-commerce website using MERN stack"

✅ After

7. Frequently Asked Questions

What if I really can't fit everything on one page?

Be more ruthless. Ask yourself: "Does this help me get THIS specific job?" If not, cut it. Focus on your top 2-3 experiences and top 3 projects.

Should I include CGPA if it's low?

If it's below 7.0, you can omit it (unless the job specifically requires it). Focus on projects and skills instead.

How many projects should I include?

2-3 substantial projects is ideal. Better to have fewer impressive projects than many mediocre ones.

Should I use a resume template?

Simple templates are fine. Avoid overly designed ones—they often break ATS parsing. Clean and readable beats fancy every time.

Your One-Page Starts Here

A one-page resume isn't a limitation—it's a feature. It forces you to show only your best work and makes life easier for recruiters. That's a win-win.

Start trimming, start quantifying, and watch the interview calls roll in. 📄✨

📚 Related Resources

ATS Keywords by Industry Showcasing Projects on Resume 200+ Resume Action Verbs Free Resume Score Checker

Written by Sproutern Career Team

Based on analysis of 5,000+ successful resumes and feedback from 100+ hiring managers.

Regularly updated