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One column or two column resume?
Resumes play an essential role in the hiring process. As an employee seeking a job opportunity, the course of your career path will rely on the kind of resume you submit.
Some organizations emphasize a specific resume format. However, other organizations or employers accept any resume format, whether one-column or two column resume format.
Therefore, an interviewee must design a resume format that suits the desires of an interviewer. Nevertheless, in the modern world, the two column resume layout is slowly replacing the traditional one-column resume layout for various advantageous reasons, as discussed in this article. Despite this, the two resume layouts are equally important.
In this blog, we will walk you through:
- One column resume layout and its advantages and disadvantages
- two column resume template and its advantages and disadvantages
Let us talk about in brief the advantages of one page and two-page resume:
Advantages of one column resume:
- One column resume are ATS-friendly
- Interviewers prefer one column resume
- One column resume does not distort if converted to another format
Advantages of a two column resume:
- Two column resume have less content and focused on the job
- Two column resumes are aesthetically pleasing
- Two column resumes have enough space to format information
One-column resume layout
The most common and traditional resume layout is the single-column resume.
This resume format allows an individual to write all the personal information beginning from biodata, academic qualifications, skills, employment history, and hobbies, among others, in one column.
Single column format is arguably the most detailed resume format as it gives the applicant room to exhaust all the information needed from a broader perspective. The figure below illustrates an example of a single-column resume.
Advantages of Single Column Resume Template
Here are the advantages of a single column resume:
They are ATS-friendly and work well with the Applicant Tracking System
Keeping in mind that ATS systems are designed to scan standard resumes, they scan from right to left, picking important information, including contact details and skills.
Therefore, developing your resume in a one-column layout will ensure that the ATS system clearly scans the relevant information.
Interviewers will always look for standard resumes
Traditional one-column resumes are easier to skim through and get the valuable information they are looking for. Therefore, applicants must consider designing a single-column resume, making the hiring manager's job easier when skimming through them.
One column resume is not subject to distortion when received by the end-user
This means that one-column resumes are convenient to read as a word document and a PDF file, unlike the 2 column resume format, which may only be interpreted as PDF.
Disadvantages of Single Column Resume Format
Here are the cons of a single column resume:
One column resume consumes a lot of space
This can lead to paper space wastage. Whenever an applicant is designing a resume, it is advisable to list skills and other reasonable components such as hobbies by the use of bullets. This will waste a lot of space in a single-column resume as only a little space will be covered by content, and the rest left blank.
The applicant focuses on a detailed description.
The hiring manager always looks for specific items in a resume. Writing too many words makes it difficult for them to navigate the resume easily.
In this way, recruiters may end up missing essential points in an applicant's resume, which could potentially reject your resume.
One column resumes require a lot of time to read through
Reading one column resume is laborious.
Consider an organization that receives a thousand resumes per day, and the hiring manager has to review all of the resumes. Naturally, the hiring managers only skim through resumes in seconds to find the key skills they are looking for that will determine whether they will come back to your resume later for interviews or not.
One-column resumes are not attractive and appealing to the eye.
An attractive and well-designed resume will catch an employer’s attention, giving it a chance to be considered.
Single Column Resume Template Sample
- Monitored computer networks for security issues and investigated security breaches & other cybersecurity incidents
- Managed and administered operating systems while working on virtualization software and networking
- Installed security measures like firewalls & data encryption programs to protect systems & information infrastructure
- Conducted research & stayed updated on IT security trends & news to develop company-wide best practices for IT security
- Implemented the strategies to perform VAPT activities on networks, web servers, websites, and mobile applications
- Collaborated with the security team of 15 to develop security policies, perform tests, and uncover network vulnerabilities
- Documented & fixed detected vulnerabilities to maintain a high-security standard & assessed the damage they caused
- Communicated vulnerabilities to clients networks & websites while aiding the Security Development team in patching
- Detected intrusion & deployed software technologies like C, C++, PHP, Perl, Java & Shell while performing malware analysis
- Aided with multiple vulnerability scanning technologies & packages while identifying new tools to improve security posture
- Installed server software, configured database servers, and designed backup processes for server & associated data
- Scheduled & performed regular server maintenance and monitored & maintained system health and security
- Created accounts for 200+ users, assigned security levels, and provided end-to-end technical support & problem resolution
- CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA | Mar '18
- GPA: 4.7/5.0
Two Column Resume Templates
A two column resume template also referred to as a one-page two column resume, is a brief resume layout that focuses on presenting all the information on a single page.
Also known as a double-column resume layout, it is suitable for those individuals who are well versed in technology. Such individuals may include graphic designers and Information Technology experts. The figure below is an example of a double-column resume.
Advantages of a Two Column Resume
Two Column Resume Templates are Always Less Wordy and Specific.
For instance, when an individual who has been an Information Technology expert for several years in a certain company decides to apply for the same job in another company, it is unnecessary to focus much on the job description. However, the individual will focus much on skills. This will be more presentable in a double-column resume template.
One Page Two Column Resumes are Attractive and Presentable
An employer will always find a two column resume format appealing to the eye. This may give an applicant's resume some sense of uniqueness, hence being considered.
It is clear and brief
This ensures that the applicant focuses on career qualifications and experiences other than unnecessary information that may be tiresome to read.
, A Two Column Resume, Offers an Applicant Room to Format Information
You can easily format your sections and neatly and flexibly arrange the resume in presentable subsections.
Disadvantages of a Two Column Resume
Two Column Resumes are not Compatible with Most ATS Systems
As 2 column resume templates are not compatible with ATS systems, they may get rejected during the screening process.
Many Recruiters do not like Two Column Resumes
Most candidates use the one-column resume template to apply for a job. That's why recruiters, in general, are familiar with the one-page resume template. And they often find it difficult to find key information from a 2 column resume template.
Two Column Resume Template Sample
Key Takeaways
Here are the key takeaways from the One column vs. two column resume blog:
- The choice of the resume should depend on both the applicant's and employer's preferences
- Before choosing a resume format, one should consider the outcomes of a one-column resume vs. a 2 column resume whenever used
- However, it is advisable that whenever applying for a job, the default format should be the one column resume format
- For graphic designers and IT experts, it is advisable to use a two column resume format
- Individuals should ensure that they apply resume builders for perfect format results
- When coming up with a one-column resume format, it is good to use a one-column resume builder
- Likewise, when coming up with a 2 column resume builder, it is advisable to use a two column resume builder.
- You may use Hiration's online resume builder with both single column resume builders and double column resume builders
If you want to build your one-column or two column resume, go to Hiration Online Resume Builder and get your ATS-optimized resume.
Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at support@hiration.com and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.
