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One Page or Two?: A National Study of CPA Recruiters' Preferences for Résumé Length

Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant

Kelly Belanger

University of Wyoming, Laramie

This study investigates whether CPA recruiters are more likely to interview candi dates with one-page résumés or candidates with two-page résumés when candidates are highly and similarly qualified graduating seniors with accounting majors. One- and two-page résumés for four fictitious, entry-level job candidates were created and grouped in six combinations using a split-split-plot design. Packets containing the different combinations of the four candidates' résumés (two one-page and two two-page résumés in each case) were mailed to 570 personnel recruiters from Big Six accounting firms (now the Big Five).

Respondents were asked to read and rank the résumés as if they were those of real candidates for entry-level positions. Results indicate that recruiters ranked candidates with two-page résumés more favorably than candidates with one-page résumés, suggesting that graduating seniors with accounting majors and outstand ing credentials should consider writing two-page résumés if they apply for entry- level Big Five accounting positions. The paper also argues for industry-specific empirical testing of recruiters' résumé preferences, with its own methodology offered as an example.

Key Words: Resume • CPA Recruiting • Job Search

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