Times have changed and so have the rules about resume length.
It used to be the hard-and-fast rule that resumes were not to be longer than one page — under penalty of being ignored or tossed aside without a second glance. These days, recruiters are actually looking for substance much of the time, and this may not always be evident in just one page.
General rules about being concise still apply, but you should definitely highlight your experience and knowledge as it applies to the job you are seeking. If you are a professional with at least 10 years of experience, your resume should be at least two pages in order to convey as many of your relevant attributes as possible. Resume length will often depend on the type of profession or field you are in.
Your goal with a resume is to get in front of hiring managers and employers in order to land the job. The resume is the tool to get you there — to advance you up the ladder through the recruiter or human resources (HR) department. The length of your resume can determine whether or not you get your chance.
General Resume Length Guidelines
One of the most common resume mistakes is often that it is either too long or not long enough, CBS News publishes. Your level of experience and type of job you are seeking dictate about how long your resume should be. In general, if you are a recent college graduate, with less than 10 years of experience, or are seeking an entry-level position, you should stick to a one-page resume.
If you are a professional with 10 or more years of experience, your resume should be at least two pages. If you have a lot of relevant skills, experience, publications, or projects that should be included in your list of assets, your resume may even need to be three pages.
Typically, the following rules apply regarding how long your resume should be:
One Page Resumes
Entry-level positions
New college graduates and students
Those with less than 10 years of experience
Drastic career change so previous experience not as relevant
Two Page Resumes
At least 5 to 10 years of experience or more
Many skills that are pertinent to the job
Mid-level or high-level professionals
Three Page Resumes
Top executive or senior-level manager with many accomplishments or leadership accomplishments to list
Many publications, credentials, or academic accomplishments of note
What and How Much Recruiters Actually Read
The first page of your resume is usually considered the most important, so it should list the most important information. This is the first thing recruiters are going to see and will help them decide if they are going to keep reading or move on to the next candidate. You want to hook them early with a concise career summary, your personal information, and most relevant credentials. If your resume is longer than a page or two, you may wish to include the last page or pages as an addendum that can be requested.
According to studies published in Business Insider, hiring managers and recruiters actually prefer two-page resumes when looking to hire mid-level to managerial-level applicants. Anything less than that may signify that you don't have enough experience or the level of skills they are looking for.
It is still important to be concise and precise with your wording, and avoid fluff or excess words. Recruiters are not going to look at a resume that contains mostly filler for very long. They can usually tell when you are trying to make yourself look more impressive than you actually are.
Your resume should also reflect the job you are applying for. You don't need to list every single job you've ever had — just those you've held in the past decade or so that are relevant to the position in question.
Not enough information can make recruiters think you don't have what they are looking for, but list too much and recruiters can get bored. If they do, they may not fully read your resume.
The average length of time a recruiter will spend on a resume is only six seconds, per Time. To get them to stick with yours longer, hook them in with just enough — but not too much — information. Resumes should get right to the point.
Rules for Different Professions Regarding Resume Length
If you are changing careers and don't have a lot of experience in the new field, or you are just starting out and looking for an entry-level position, your resume should reflect this. Avoid the temptation to build yourself up on paper by exaggerating skills or accomplishments.
Typically, if you are looking for higher level position, and you have years of experience to back it up, your resume will need to be longer to reflect this.
Different jobs and types of careers can play a role in how long your resume should be as well. For example, if you are seeking a job in an academic field, you may need a longer resume (maybe three pages or more) in order to detail all your publications, courses, speaking engagements, and relevant accomplishments.
The same is true for highly skilled positions like engineering and technical fields that require a lot of experience; you will likely have a lot of certifications, skills, and licenses to outline. Scientific fields may require longer resumes to include patents and pertinent accomplishments and publications within the field.
Keep It Simple
Regardless of the type of job you are looking for, your resume is your personal marketing tool. Keep it relevant. Play with things like spacing, margins, font, and text size to make it easy to read, clutter-free, and pleasing to the eye. Keep your resume neat and cut out excess words.
Lead with your most valuable assets and experience that pertains to the job you are applying for. If you have held a lot of jobs that aren’t applicable, but you don't want to show gaps in your history, consider adding a short section detailing early history or notes.
Your goal is to keep the hiring powers engaged and interested in your resume. If you do, you’ll get the chance to nail that interview and get the job you want.
