Guy Kawasaki's 1-2-3 Rule of Resumes

In Reality Check Guy Kawasaki urges people to "think of your resume as pitch for you, the product". Here's Kawasaki's 1-2-3 rule of resumes and my comments:

1 page long. When some job candidates read this, they will think, "Guy is referring to the hoi polloi and unwashed masses, not me. I have ten years of experience at four different companies covering five different positions. My resume needs to be two--maybe even three--pages to adequately explain the totality of my wonderfulness. And the more I mention, the more the company might see things that they like." As a rule of thumb, if you can't pitch your company or yourself in one page, your idea is stupid and you suck respectively.

When you apply to a job your resume is usually uploaded into an applicant tracking system. Most create a short list of candidates based on keywords. Ensure that your resume has the right keywords by including keywords from the job description. Keep your resume short but it's fine to have more than one page. Just make sure the first page of your resume is "eyeball" friendly in case an human being actually looks it.

2 key points. Your resume (and interview) should communicate only two perhaps three key points. Key points include pertinent work experience, applicable education, or a love for what the company does. One key point is too few, and three is on the edge of too much.

Employers also want to know about your accomplishments and results with previous employers. Include 3 to 4 bullets points of your results for each position.

3 sections. "Two key points" means that your resume should have only three sections: contact information, work experience, and educational background. This specifically excludes "objectives" (do you really think that a company cares what you want to be when you grow up?), "references upon request" (duh, of course you'll have to give references if you're asked), and "outside interests" (that Lamaze class training will come in really handy when he company stops delivering software by C-section, but not right now).

If you include an "objective" on your resume make sure it is the job you are applying for. Outside interests are valuable if it's volunteer work or if you were a semi-pro baseball player and the company has a softball team. Your outside interests are conversation starters and may provide a common ground between you and the interviewer and differeniate you from a candidate with similar qualifications.

Comment by Tim Dineen on April 9, 2010 at 2:20am: Link to the original article by Guy please?

Comment by Tim Collins on April 9, 2010 at 9:43am: The question seems to rising as to what jobs or how much experience warrant more than a one page resume?
I think a key factor is the reader of the resume as well. I believe if you have enough valid experience your resume should be more than one page. We often coach more experienced candidates that the 12 page resume is not always necessary either. Unless you are applying for a executive level position anything that is more than 12 years old can be summarized.

Comment by Tim Collins on April 9, 2010 at 10:10am: Hi Tim,

It is actually from a chapter in his book:

Here's the reference for Guy Kawasaki's 1/2/3/ Rule of Resumes:
Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging and Outmarketing Your Competition(Hardcover) by Guy Kawasaki, Chapter 72, page 327

Comment by Gregg Colson on April 9, 2010 at 10:13am: I disagree with the one-page concept too; however, I believe the first page needs to have big impact. If it's not, the recruiter or hiring manager won't turn the page to even look at any others. I will generally make a quick decision on the first page, but if I'm interested or on the fence, I'll keep looking through it. One page is definitely not enough for PMs or IT employees.

Comment by Tim Collins on April 9, 2010 at 10:38am: I agree Greg. The first page needs to be like a great book to engage the reader to go to the second page. I think there has to be some work experience on the first page. If somebody just lists there functional or technical skills on the first page, my resume radar goes up and I think maybe they have been off work for a while.

Comment by Sajith Vasudev on April 9, 2010 at 11:40am: It seems like lot of people disagree with you Tim ! It's little bit disaapointing that you pulled in Guy into this.He might have mentioned it in a different persepective .Your interpretations can be little bit misguiding too. My organisation might have to shut down soon if we follow the 1-2-3 rule as interpreted by you.I agree to your interpretatons to some extend but it might not be applicable to everyone across all industries.

Comment by Tim Collins on April 9, 2010 at 7:56pm: It's true. The one page resume did not go over well with any of the commenters. Guy Kawasaki's recommendation was intended for people who are pitching for a job in Silicon Valley. It's probably not a good idea in most other environments. Thanks for your comments!

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