Two Page CV—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

Submit a too-short CV, and they won’t think you’re worthy.

But—

They won’t read a too-long CV.

But how do you know?

Don’t worry.

There’s a quick way to know how long to make your CV.

In this guide:

• When can a CV be two pages?
• A 2-page CV sample that fills your voicemail box.
• How to write a two-page CV they’ll notice.
• How to shorten your CV if it’s too long.

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Two-Page CV Sample You Can Copy and Use

Should you write a two-page CV? See our guide: How Long Should a CV Be? One-Page CV vs Two Page

Looking for CV samples for your career? See our CV examples for every profession.

Can a CV Be 2 Pages?

Yes, a two page CV is OK if you can't cut it shorter without hurting the message. Professionals with lots of experience in technical professions often need a two page CV. 

So, yes it can.

But—

Not always.

Write a 2-page CV if:

1. You’ve had the same job title for 7+ years or
2. You’ve got so many blistering achievements they won’t fit one page and
3. All your great achievements match the job you want.
4. You are going to use it to apply for grad school, scholarships, or positions in acadamia (although technically you'd use a CV not a CV).

Expert Hint: Can you guarantee that anywhere they look, you’ll blow their minds? Then write a two-page CV.

Here’s how to write a 2-page CV that works:

1. Choose Your Two-Page CV Format

Hold up.

A 2-page CV is different from a 1-page CV.

Use these tips for the right CV format:

2-Page CV Format

• Start with reverse-chronological CV formatting.
• Put your contact info on both pages.
• Pick one of the best CV fonts like Georgia or Cambria.
• Add 1-inch margins and white space. Nobody wants two pages of fine-print.
• Use these core CV sections: Heading, Objective, Experience, Education, and Skills.

Expert Hint: Save your CV in the PDF format. PDFs stay legible no matter what device they’re viewed on. Bonus: ATS hiring software can parse them. But not all CVs are ats friendly: check out our list of ATS-friendly CV templates that are guaranteed to make it past the bots. 

2. Write a CV Summary

Will the hiring team read your two-page CV?

Most don’t.

So—

Give them a reason, with an attention-grabbing career summary.

Include:

1. An adjective (engaging, talented)
2. Your job title (graphic designer, engineer)
3. Years of experience (8+, 10+)
4. Who & how you’ll help (delight clients at Maximum Woolf)
5. Best 1–2 achievements (slashed production costs 18%...)

These 2-page CV examples show how:

Two-Page CV Examples—Summary

Engaging graphic designer with 8+ years of experience. Seeking to delight clients at Maximum Woolf. At Argy Bargy, led production in design firm with annual revenue of £2M per year. Slashed production costs 18% in 6 months with strong Agile and Scrum skills. Raised client transactions 20% and satisfaction 25% through improved communication.

Experienced graphic designer, highly skilled in cost-cutting, Agile, and Scrum. Has a proven track record of raising client transactions and increasing customer satisfaction. Excellent communicator and team player. Photoshop expert and well-versed in illustrator.

Compare.

The first of those two-page CV examples says who you are and how you’ll help.

The second is hot air.

Expert Hint: Write your 2-page CV summary after you’ve written the rest. It’s easier to write a summary when the rest is finished.

3. Tailor Your Two Page CV Job Description and Skills Section

This is so important.

Anyone can write a 2-page CV.

But why should employers read it?

The answer:

Because everything in it matters to them.

So—

Tailor your CV to their needs.

Here’s how:

1. Find the CV keywords in the online job offer.
2. Put those CV skills in your job description.

Look how these two-page CV examples do it:

The job ad wants these skills: (1) leadership (2) Agile (3) training (4) communication.

2-Page CV Examples—Experience

Experience

Senior Graphic Designer

Argy Bargy Inc., Manchester

2013–Present

• Led daily production in design firm with £2M+ per year in revenue. In charge of team of 7 designers. Managed team goals and metrics.
• Used Scrum and Agile skills to cut production costs 18% in 6 months.
• Onboarded and trained 15 new hires, focusing on Photoshop, Illustrator, print, layout, typography, and logo design.
• Communicated with clients to gather requirements and make edits. Presided over a period of 25% increase in client satisfaction.
• Instrumental in design of a site that won a 2015 Shopify Design Award.

• Managed daily production in busy design firm.
• Responsible for keeping production costs low.
• Handled multiple design projects every day for six years.
• In charge of training and onboarding.
• Helped raise client satisfaction by a significant amount.
• Increased client satisfaction through strong skills in client interaction.

Wait...

The second of those 2-page CV examples lists the “training” keyword.

But—

It lacks details. The first says “15 new hires” and shows specific subjects.

Here are the most wanted CV skills to start:

Key CV Skills

Technical Skills	Soft Skills
MS Office	Interpersonal Skills
Google Drive	Communication
SEO	Collaboration
Graphical Skills	Time Management
Enterprise Systems	Organisation
Programming Languages	Problem Solving
Research	Leadership
Quickbooks	Critical Thinking
Writing	Detail Oriented
Presenting	Creativity

Expert Hint: A 2-page CV needs hard skills and soft skills. Soft skills work for any job. The right technical skills are different for each job opening.

4. Turn Boring Education to a Reason to Hire You

Where does the education section go in a 2-page CV?

After work experience.

But if you want them to remember you—

Add additional achievements.

These 2-page CV examples show how:

Two-Page CV Example—Education

Education

BA Graphic Design, Leeds Arts University, Leeds

2005–2009

• Awarded Eustis Fellowship for graphic design study.
• 1st Prize — IIDA Student Design Competition.

That’s great.

Achievements make that 2-page CV sample stand out.

Expert Hint: Are you writing an academic CV? You can write a two-page CV for academic purposes if you’ve got two pages of relevant projects.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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Nail it all with a splash of colour, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Use the ResumeLab builder now.

5. Add “Other” Sections to Your Two-Page CV

Argh.

Your CV is 1.4 pages.

That’s not good.

A 2-page CV should be more than 1.5 pages. If not, add more text or cut it to one page.

But consider this:

Adding “other” sections to a two-page CV can get you interviewed.

You can add sections for:

• Clients
• Projects
• Volunteer work
• Freelancing
• Conferences
• Professional associations
• Licences and certifications
• Awards & honours
• Groups or clubs
• Publications
• Portfolios
• Exercise
• Additional activities
• Interests

These two-page CV examples show how:

Two-Page CV Examples—Other Sections

Portfolio

www.ConnorFranz.com

Clients

• Airbnb
• Dropbox
• Sonos
• Rogue Ales
• Red Cross
• Underground
• Ralph Lauren
• Nike
• CrossFit

Projects

App Design

• Created designs for 50+ mobile apps for iPhone and Android.
• Provided graphic design for KardioSpy wearable ECG app, including 25 different screens, logos, layout, flow, icons, and typography.

Web Design

• Created website design for new Nike product launch with 200K monthly visits.
• Redesigned website for BikeBikeTrip.com. Result: 20% rise in UX scores.

Awards and Honours

• 2019 — 2nd Place, 50 Books / 50 Covers competition, AIGA
• 2017 — Oklahoma Star — nominated by OK Commerce Group as one of Oklahoma's outstanding business leaders.

AIGA

• Active member, AIGA.
• Volunteer mentor to new members, AIGA

Certifications

• Adobe Certified Instructor — InDesign, Photoshop 
• Adobe CS5 Certification

Conferences

• 2019 SXSW — Spoke on panel about mobile design.
• 2018 AIGA Design Conference — Led session about typography.

Additional Activities

• Excellent golfer.
• Hard-working dad of two.

No contest.

The first of those 2-page CV examples drops jaws at every bullet.

Expert Hint: Enclose a cover letter with your two page CV. Use it to show your passion for the job. The hiring team will read your CV with extra interest.

Shorten Flabby Two-Page CVs

Too long?

Always shorten an overstuffed 2-page CV.

Cut out:

• Repetitive accomplishments
• Items that don’t match the job
• Things this employer doesn’t care about
• Weak achievements that just take up space

Here’s how to cut a two-page CV to make it stronger:

Let’s say the job ad wants leadership, training, and communication.

2-Page CV Examples—Cutting

That’s drastic.

But—

Cutting “extras” makes the important parts of your CV stand out.

Expert Hint: Not sure whether to cut your two page CV down to size? Look at each bullet as if it’s the only one. Will it wow this employer? If not, lose it.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

For a 2-page CV worth reading:

• Use the 2-page CV template up top. It wastes no space on filler.
• Write a two-page CVif you’ve got too many mind-blowing achievements to fit a single page.
• Put your contact info on both pages. That way they’ll know it’s you, even if the staple fails.
• Include a cover letter with your two-page CV. Nearly half of all employers insist on them.

Got questions on how to write a great 2-page CV? Only worked for three years, but still think you need a two-page CV? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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