Since the past, the resume length is one of the essential attributes, which many job seekers consider. This is because a resume is a document which decides your entry into an organisation. Any carelessness can lead to the rejection of your job application.
On the other hand, an enticing resume format with the appropriate resume length can augment your chances of fetching the job opportunity. But the question is, how long should a resume be? What is the ideal resume length?
One page resume may make you feel that you lack the experience and the required skill set. On the other hand, you may think that the recruiter will avert reading a two-page resume or three-page resume.
But in the end, it is your job position, situation and overall content that matter and determine the resume length. Tailor your resume accordingly.
How Long Should a Resume Be? How Many Pages Should Your CV Hold?
Let us have a glance on various resume length which work for individuals of different job positions. You can formulate one or two pages long resume or maybe three page according to your situation.
One Page Resume or a Single Page Resume
Norine Dagliano, a nationally certified professional resume writer, opposes the myth of formulating one-page resume. She says that she does not have a definite proof in her 30 plus years of work experience for this.
Dagliano said that people cram their extensive experience into a single page. However, a single-page resume works for some people only.
If you can compel the recruiters and mention your skills in a single page then one-page resume is ideal for you. Hence, the students or people with less experience can formulate a resume of one page.
On the other hand, Cathy Sutherland, the managing director with ZRG partners, also makes a statement in this regard. According to her, there is an interlink between the background, expertise, career level and length of the resume.
So a one-page resume is applicable if-
- The work experience is less than ten years.
- You have already worked in one to two positions with the employer.
- The individual has opted for a career change. In such a case, the previous relevant experience of the individual should not comply with the new career.
Two Page Resume Length
A two-page resume is ideal for people with over ten years of professional experience. This is because, in such a span, it is challenging to incorporate all the information on a single page.
The recruiters consider the required skill set of an individual to fill a job vacancy. So, you initially fill your qualifications, work experience, education, skills and references on resume. Till this time, there is no space left for accomplishments.
Such accomplishments are vital as they verify the credibility of your skills. Hence, two pages proffer you extra space to incorporate these accomplishments.
However, there is one most important attribute while formulating a two-page resume. You should pay heed to incorporate compelling and crucial information on the first page. The second page should have some light component.
You can forge such a resume in following circumstances.
- With years of experience being ten or above.
- In case you cannot incorporate the accomplishments on the first page.
Three Pages CV
Formulating a three or more pages resume is possible under certain circumstances. A longer resume is ideal for professionals who genuinely require extra space.
Before forging such a resume, you should pay heed to specific tips. You should review the job description to have cognisance about the requirements. In this way, you should jot down only the crucial skills and experience in your resume.
Moreover, avert, including any past career experiences which do not align with the organisational needs. You should also ask yourself if this quantity is needful. Try to incorporate quality content on all three pages.
Create a three-page resume only if-
- You are applying for a federal job. Such federal job should require a vast plethora of information.
- You are a senior-level professional and have many accomplished records.
- You are applying for a scientific field. In such cases, you need to integrate various courses, patents or other licenses.
- You are applying in a field that emphasises more on technical skills instead of soft skills.
Resume Length Tips and Strategies
There are a couple of best resume tips which you can follow to maintain the ideal resume length relevant to the job position.
Relevant Details and Concise Content
The hiring manager has hundreds of resumes for a job position. So he or she is likely to reject your application in case your resume has irrelevant content. Hence, you should make sure to keep your content concise and brief to make it an effective resume for the job.
Incorporating each task and accomplishment of each job will augment your resume length. So, you can write 2 to 3 bullets for each specific situation. Such bullet points should align with the requirements of your job you’re applying.
Avoid the use of more helpful words or articles like “the, A or an.” Instead, integrate the keywords which can entice the reader at once.
Moreover, you should not assimilate the experiences or jobs which are unrelated to the job you are applying. Having a glance at the job description and the company culture of the organisation can help you in this regard.
Importance of Content over Length
The readability and quality of content are more important than the resume length. The recruiters tend to read an intriguing resume of two to three pages, rather than reading poor quality content of one page.
Hence, you can expand the quantity of your resume in case you have essential details to convey. Such information may be your accomplishment, experience or the required skill mandatory for the post.
Modify the Size and Fonts
You can modify the size and fonts of your content to cater to the specific resume length. Changing the fonts will help you to accommodate the material in a small space.
Fonts like Calibri, Agency, FB, Abadi Extra light, etc. require less space. Times New Roman requires less space than Arial. Moreover, the fonts of the heading and title also deduce the resume length.
Apart from the fonts, you can prefer changing the size of the information also. If the font size is 12, you can truncate it to 10 or 11. But make sure the font is easy to read.
Truncate the Margin Size
In case the few ending lines of your resume utilise the second page, you can try to curtail the margin size. This will help you to make a one-page resume.
But make sure to keep the margin size of at least half inch. This is because the margin size helps to proffer neatness and clarity in your resume.
Style
In case your resume exceeds the ideal length, you should not bold the words. This is because the bold words require more space than the italicised words. Hence, try to italicise the Headings and the title instead of using the bold style on them.
Spacing
The spacing before and after the paragraphs also infer the resume length. So, you should modify the spacing of the sections and the font sizes according to spacing.
Some font sizes utilise more space, whereas some use less space. For example, Algerian uses more space than Calibri.
Cover Letter
A cover letter is a one to two-page document which is attached with a resume. To maintain the ideal resume length, you can give a detailed insight into your required skill set and achievements in the cover letter.
However, the resume is always the first choice of recruiters. They pay heed to the cover letter only if the resume tantalises them.
Summing Up
While researching about resume, you must have heard that the best resume length is one page. However, this myth is trumpeted down across the hierarchical levels. The resume length depends upon several factors.
First of all, your experience and qualifications form the resume. Hence an entry-level candidate is likely to have a one-page curriculum vitae. On the other hand, a senior executive is expected to have a two or three page compelling resume.
