One size doesn't fit all, but how do you determine how long your resume should be? Follow these resume-length tips. Show
If you run a Google search about how long a resume should be, you're bound to come across a number of different opinions. I've heard some people declare that an ideal resume should be one page long, regardless of their years of experience, while others have no problem sending out a three-page resume chronicling every detail of their professional journey. I'm here to set the record straight. When it comes to the ideal resume length, size does matter. Here's everything you need to know to answer the question, "How long should a resume be?" How long should a resume be: The one-page mythContrary to popular belief, you do not have to squeeze 15 or more years of work experience into a one-page resume. In fact, until recently, only entry-level candidates were urged to keep their resumes to one page, as most employers assumed someone who was new to the post-college workforce wouldn't have enough information to justify more than one page of resume real estate. But, thanks to new data, this resume-length rule may no longer apply to most job seekers at any level, as career experts claim. According to a study that involved nearly 500 recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals and nearly 8,000 resumes, recruiters are 2.3 times as likely to prefer two-page resumes over one-page resumes, regardless of a candidate's years of experience. So, why the change in opinion? I think there are two factors to consider. 1. Graduates have more opportunitiesFirst, unlike the graduates of 10 or more years ago, today's young professionals are entering the “real” working world with more experience to boost their resumes and impress employers. From internships to co-ops to freelance gigs and even contract work, students are encouraged to secure opportunities throughout their collegiate journey to help explore potential career paths, build their skills, and meet the one to three years' experience requirements that many “entry-level” jobs now demand. They're also more likely to have personal blogs or online portfolios, group projects, volunteer work, leadership programs, and relevant campus activities to boost their resumes without adding any unnecessary fluff. 2. Hiring managers want clear career storiesSecond, a study by TopResume on professional vs self-written resumes found that employers value resumes that provide a strong career narrative. In other words, recruiters want to see more than merely a timeline of your professional and educational experience; they want to be able to read your resume like a story. In order to create that story, your resume requires additional components such as a professional summary, a section to list your relevant experience, skills etc. — all of which take up more space. But is the one-page resume dead?Not exactly. While entry-level candidates should no longer feel pressured to cut their resumes down to one page, they should not try to stretch their resume to a two-page resume if it doesn't make sense. For example, if you recently graduated from college and did not participate in many of the resume boosters mentioned above (e.g. internships, co-ops, volunteer work, extracurricular activities), then you likely won't have enough material to warrant a second page. The last thing you want to do is add irrelevant details, include outdated information, or get creative with your format in order to extend your resume to a second page. That's a waste of your time and will not impress employers. You're better off sticking with a one-page resume. So, if you're a recent college graduate, remove any references to your high school awards, scholarships, and extracurricular activities. Employers are more interested in the internships you completed, odd jobs you held, relevant experiences you had, and activities you participated in on campus while pursuing your degree. In addition, if you're further along in your career and have decided to make a major career change, your resume may be reduced to only one page that highlights your transferable skills and parts of your experience that are relevant to this new job goal. How many pages should a resume be: the golden ruleIf you have been in the workforce for a number of years, you're entitled to a maximum of two full pages of resume real estate. This rule applies to most senior professionals, whether you've been in the workforce for seven years or 27 years. The reality is that most recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume before deciding whether the applicant should receive further consideration. With so little time to make the right impression, it's important to present a succinct document that highlights the recent — and more relevant — parts of your professional experience, skills, and education. Exceptions to the resume-length rulesWhile I strongly encourage you to limit yourself to a two-page resume, there will be instances where this is near impossible. This often happens to professionals who have never-ending lists of technical skills and proficiencies, a large number of consulting gigs to explain, or a series of published works to include. If you fall into one of these categories, you may need to use the first part of a third page. However, try to avoid this if possible since there is still a limit to how many pages a resume should be. There are three additional scenarios when your resume length is likely to exceed two standard 8.5" x 11" pages:
How to make your resume fit the appropriate page lengthIn order to help you meet these resume-length tips, limit the amount of experience you include to the last 15 years and tailor your resume to a 15-year window. Employers care most about the recent work you've been doing and how it ties back to their role's requirements, so place the emphasis of your resume on your current and relevant experience. There are a number of ways you can incorporate your earlier experience into the resume without spilling over into a third or fourth page. Include a “Career Note” in a senior-level resumeIf you only held one or two positions before the 15-year cut-off, you can provide a short career note that mentions the roles and titles you held. This format gives you some flexibility, as you may decide to summarize a few very similar roles into a short blurb to keep your resume length under two pages. For instance, you may say that your earlier experience includes “... executive assistant work for companies including Company A, Company B, and Company C.” If you worked with some name-drop worthy clients, you have the ability to work those details into a blurb like this as well. However, the rule of thumb is to keep this note short and sweet, so eliminate unnecessary details such as employment dates. Click on the following link to see the entire two-page sample resume for a senior professional. Create an "Earlier Work History" section for a senior-level resumeIf you have 20+ years of experience or changed jobs frequently at the beginning of your career, you may need more than a one-liner to cover the work experience. An alternative is to add an “Earlier Career History” section at the bottom of your professional experience that lists the job title, company name, and location of each role. Experiment with different format techniques to meet the appropriate resume lengthThere are a number of additional resume-length tips and tricks professional resume writers use to help their clients meet these length restrictions. If you're having trouble making your resume fit within a specific number of pages, try messing with the font size, the spacing between paragraphs, and the margins. When experimenting with different design elements, make sure it's still easy for a reader to quickly scan the resume and identify the most important selling points.
Did these resume-length tips answer your question about how long your resume should be? If not, hire a TopResume writer to help you write the next chapter of your career. Recommended Reading:
Related Articles:Who will likely have a one page resume?The one-page resume is ideal for entry-level workers, new college graduates, and those who have a few years of work experience. Additionally, you should consider a one-page resume if you're looking to make a career change and don't have much experience relevant to your new goal.
What is the most important information to convey in the employment section of your resume?The work experience section of your resume should contain information about your professional history including previous titles, employers, dates of tenure, responsibilities, skills learned and accomplishments.
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