Your resume should market you effectively. This is a lot to ask of a few pages of paper. Your resume should contain enough information about you to show that you are qualified for your job without being overwhelming. The length of your resume will determine how far back you should send it.

The length of your resume is how many pages it takes up. The length of your resume can vary depending on your experience, the field you work in, and the job that you are applying for. How long should your resume be?

We will be discussing a few exceptions and the secrets to success that professional resume writers use to create a resume that is the right amount of pages.

You can have a one-page resume

If you are:

• You’re writing your first resume-congratulations!
• A single page is recommended by your industry or job target.
• Just graduated college.

Your resume should only be one page

If you are only looking to market yourself, your resume should not exceed one page. A one-page resume can be easily scanned by the human eye. This means that a one-page format resume may appeal to people who are looking for work at job fairs or networking events.

A two-page resume without any work experience is likely to contain filler words and other information that aren’t pertinent to your job application. Your resume can be reduced to one page by adapting it to reflect your relevant experience.

Your past experience may not be relevant to your new job target if you are making a career shift. If you are in this job, it is better to focus on your transferable skills and capabilities than your experience. You might prefer a functional resume format.

This is true even for recent graduates. There is a good chance that you don’t have more than one page of relevant experience. Some graduates have more than one internship, volunteer work, or publication.

Two-page resume

Two pages are the optimal size for most resumes. This is to include your keywords, work history, and skills.

These are just a few examples of situations where a 2-page resume is recommended.

• You are not an entry-level applicant.
• Two pages are the optimal size for most resumes. This is to include your keywords, work history, and skills.
• Online submission of a resume is possible.
• A resume is handed to a hiring manager.

A two-page resume can slow down a hiring manager’s six-second resume review. However, this figure is based on a review of your resume after an ATS scan has confirmed that you are suitable for the job. A study found that recruiters prefer a two-page resume when they don’t have to deal with time constraints.

To show your career progression, most likely your resume will need to be two pages. Your resume should include a professional summary, and perhaps a section highlighting your career highlights if you have more than 10 years of experience. Both of these are excellent ways to include more keywords.

A two-page resume is ideal for highly-skilled applicants. It will include all of your relevant experience, education, certifications, and training.

Three-page resume

A resume should not exceed three pages. A three-page resume will be more than sufficient for a multi-page resume format.

What a three-page resume should contain

If you are a senior executive or in a technical field, more pages may be needed. Scientists, for example, may require more pages to show their education, publications, and research. A resume for an executive usually shows a clear progression in responsibility and job titles, with many similar experiences.

If you’re actually creating a Curriculum Vitae (CV), your professional document may be up to three pages. This is especially true if you are applying for jobs in the USA.

Length for a resume

Our advice on how to create a resume is helpful if you are just starting out. After you have your draft, follow the 10 tips below for enhancing or decreasing your resume’s length.

1. Only focus on the most recent experience

Employers want to see your most recent skills. It doesn’t matter if you have an internship from 15 years ago. These skills are not necessary to get the job.

This also applies to your work experience descriptions. Consider if you have the same responsibilities in multiple entries. If so, you should only include it under the most recent position.

Your most recent professional experience should be the main focus. You should not include jobs that were held more than 15 years ago. This will allow you to keep your eyes on the future and minimize age bias.

Exception: education. No matter how old you are, your hard-earned degrees will still be relevant.

2. The most relevant experience

You can downplay or exclude positions that don’t fit the job description if you have moved around in your career. You don’t have to list every job or place you worked that’s a common misconception that doesn’t do you any favors.

To avoid having gaps in your resume or establishing a career path, you can limit the information that you include about the less relevant jobs. Increase the impact of your most recent job and add three to five bullet points for any other information.

3. Remove graphics

While some content is current, it doesn’t belong on your resume. You should also remove any logos and graphics from your resume when you apply online. These cute images can become confusing lines of code to an automated system, so keep them for your LinkedIn profile or printed resume.

A headshot or selfie is not necessary for your resume. You can save that image for your online profiles, but keep it professional.

4. Don’t use any photo alternatives.

“I’m stumped about this trend,” Caitlin, Marketing Manager, says. Bitmoji is cartoons. I love creative displays of personality on resumes. You can stand out from the rest of the applicants in other ways that will gain you more respect.

Bitmoji, like other graphics, can be seen as jumbled nonsense from an ATS technical perspective. Bitmoji is not like logos and artistic headers, which can be suitable for printed graphic designer resumes.

Your professional resume is not for cartoons.

5. Using bullet points

Multiple lines can be combined from the same work experience to make one statement

Example:

• We ensured that our marketing was a positive ROI.
• To maximize ROI, use marketing tools
• Assist in the management of the marketing team to ensure that projects are executed smoothly and efficiently

VS.

• I implemented and managed a marketing campaign that involved extensive A/B testing. It resulted in a 190% ROI.

These bullets can be easily combined to create a statement that will impress employers. You should also convert paragraphs into bullet points.

6. Remove a section titled “References”

References are not required and should not be included on your resume. You should not list them and include the line “References available upon request”.

Instead, create a separate reference document that you can provide to the hiring manager when asked. This is not necessary for a hiring manager at the beginning of your application process. Your goal with your resume is to get you a call and schedule an interview. Focus on your strengths and what you can bring to the company.

Pro tip: Take a printed copy to the interview. Keep an electronic draft of your email, including your contact information and names, with you.

7. Take out the hobbies & interests section

You can include your hobbies and interests in your summary section. But, don’t put them in their own section. Stick to the ones that will make you stand out as a candidate and co-worker.

You can have safe hobbies and interests that will set you apart from other applicants.

• Music talent: If you are a musician, singer in a band, or songwriter,
• Physical Activities: You can hike, swim or kayak
• Volunteering for community-focused causes: If you are involved in Eagle Scouts, local theater, or charity work

Avoid any affiliations that are religious or political.

You can also join LinkedIn groups that are related to your topic or write about your interests on LinkedIn or other blogging forums. Reddit or Quora can help you establish yourself as a thought leader and expert, which is likely to be noticed by hiring managers who are looking for candidates before inviting you in for a job interview.

8. Active voice

It is important that your resume reads in an active voice. This shows that you are self-motivated and can relate what you did to the impact it had on your previous jobs. It also makes your experience more tangible.

Use the active voice to highlight your career highlights. Mention achievements that are financial or special awards or recognitions, or simply initiatives for which your leadership was recognized.

Traditional resumes don’t use any pronouns. So the active voice includes anything that would follow “I achieved …” or “I am proud to …”

You will notice a shorter, more effective resume if you use active language and quantify your achievements.

9. Modify the format of your resume

You’ll have trouble fitting all of the information on two pages if your resume has large margins and large font. After you have clarified the content, we recommend that you read our advice about resume margins, font size, and the top 10 resume fonts. This will make your resume more balanced, relevant, and easier to read.

Templates that are available online are popular choices for many people. Templates found on Etsy, Canva and other sites can be very appealing. They often use a lot more white space than others. However, multiple columns can cause confusion for ATS scans so be careful.

10. Keep tailoring

You will look great in a tailored outfit. This can only be achieved by removing the excess. You must trim any unnecessary material from your resume to make it fit each job.

Take a look at your resume from the point of view of a hiring manager. Does each line prove that you are the right fit for the job? If so, cut it!

CONCLUSION

When it comes to “How many pages should my resume be?” there is no set rule. It is important that your resume is relevant to the job you are applying for. You will need to have a reference point to help you measure your resume. Your resume should be no more than two pages long. If you need help with your resume, reach out to one of our experts that will help you upgrade your resume and land that dream job!

Good luck in your job search!