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How Long Should a Resume Be? (And How to Make It Fit One Page)

• Julia Mlcuchova , 
• Updated January 10, 2024 13 min read

How long should a resume be? You must've wondered about this at some point in your life. Let us assure you, you're not the only one. 

The golden rule is to keep your resume to a one-page format – concise, focused, and easily digestible. But, as it's often the case, nothing is set in stone. 

The length of your resume depends greatly on a number of factors, such as: where you are in your career; or which field you wish to make your career in. 

In this article, we answer the following questions:

How many pages should a resume be?

Can a resume be 2 pages, how far back should a resume go.

• How to make a resume fit one page?

But first...

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is a resume? 

How long should a resume be for an entry-level position, how long should a resume be for a mid-level position, how long should a resume be for a senior-level position, resume vs cv: what is the (length) difference, when can you leave out a job entry, how to make your resume fit one page.

• Key takeaways: How long should a resume be?

The chances are, you most likely know the answer to this question. But just in case, let's refresh your memory. 

A resume is the most important element of any job application. It is the initial point of contact between you and the recruiters. 

Resume offers prospective employers a brief overview of your career history . It showcases your professional background and skill set by providing a concise summary of:

• Who you are as a professional;
• Your work experience (accompanied by descriptions of your responsibilities and achievements) ; 
• Your education ;
• Any relevant skills you possess (including certifications, awards , or other acknowledgements) . 

The tricky part is finding the right means of presenting all this information in a clear, organized, and professional manner .

One way to achieve this is to make sure your resume has the right length.

Given all the information your resume needs to communicate to the recruiters, you might ask yourself: “Should resume be one page?” .

Your resume needs to hit the sweet spot. Long enough to highlight your achievements and skills, yet concise enough to keep recruiters engaged. It’s a delicate balance.

As far as the general consensus goes, keeping your resume to only one page seems to be the best way of achieving this balance.  

This overwhelming preference is mainly due to a very pragmatic reason – it saves time. And time is a precious commodity. Why?

Because recruiters spend about 6 seconds on each application. 

On average, hiring managers are said to need only 6 seconds to determine whether you'd be a good fit for their company or not. 

In this brief moment, a recruiter scans for key info: your past jobs, education, and skills that match the job they're trying to fill. This is why having a resume that's clear, to the point, and well-organized is indispensable. 

If you don't have your resume yet, visit our AI Resume Writer which can automatically generate the entire resume for you. It'll take only a few seconds.  

As we've said, a one-page resume is the standard. But that doesn't mean that you can't deviate from this standard and still succeed. In fact, there are cases where choosing a two-page format would be more fitting . 

One way to find out if a two-page resume is the way to go for you is to look at where you currently are in your career . Different stages call for a different approach to resume length. 

Which category do you belong to?

• Entry-level (0-2 years of experience)
• Mid-level professional (3-10 years of experience)
• Senior-level professional (10+ years of experience)

It goes without saying that you should definitely stick to a one-page resume. 

If you're looking to fill an entry-level position, you're probably either:

• Still a student
• A recent graduate
• A job hopper
• Or a career changer

In any case, the lack of practical work experience is your Achilles heel. But there's a way around it...

You don't have an extensive work history or a high level of expertise. And that's okay – the tasks and responsibilities of an entry-level job position are generally more basic compared to higher-level positions. 

Still, there's a way you can make the most of the many skills, hard and soft , that are already in your arsenal. We advise you to consider opting for a different resume format altogether . 

Different resume formats can draw the recruiters' attention to different resume sections. Simply by visually emphasizing, or de-emphasizing, their importance. 

Why use a chronological resume (the one that is mostly concerned with your work experience), when you can highlight your transferable soft skills and hard skills by choosing to write a skills-based resume instead. 

Here's where the waters start to be a bit muddier. Nevertheless, our recommendation is: try to stick to a one-page resume. However, if you feel that you simply can't fit all your relevant contributions and achievements into one page, don't be afraid to stretch your resume to two (full) pages. 

Friendly warning though, if you do use a two-page resume, make sure your second page is filled in its entirety!

This doesn't mean that you should try to artificially inflate the size of your resume. There's hardly anything more unprofessional than padding your resume with fluff . 

It can make you look unfocused, haphazard, and unconscientious. Believe us, the recruiters can always tell.

Need help fitting a resume to one page?

Our resume builder allows you to customize resume templates to make sure everything fits.

If you're a senior-level professional, your involvement in the workforce might span 10+ years . Given the depth of experience and range of skills typical for senior roles, a two-page resume is not only possible but sometimes necessary. 

Just remember, a resume should never exceed two pages!

Should you submit a three-page resume, you're risking losing the reader's attention. And in the world of job hunting, that is an act of self-sabotage. Don't forget the 6 seconds rule! It applies to resumes of all lengths. 

This two-page resume should highlight all your strong suits, like:

• A deep knowledge of your area of specialization;
• Strong leadership abilities;
• The ability to manage complex projects; 
• Strategic decision-making;
• Conception and implementation of long-term strategies;
• Development and guidance of others. 

You might've done a double-take just now. 

Yes, there is a difference between the two . 

In Europe, Asia, or the Middle East the two terms can be used interchangeably. However, in Northern America (the U.S.A. and Canada) there's a clear distinction between the two documents, mainly in their: purpose, content, and length. 

• Resume: Resume is used as a part of job application across most industries . It presents information that is the most relevant for the position you're applying for. Each resume is custom-tailored to specific job postings. 
• CV: CVs are used in academia, scientific, and research fields . Unlike a resume, a CV isn't usually customized for each job application. 
• Resume: The core of a resume consists of your professional summary, work experience, skills , and education. Other sections may include: volunteering, certificates, or awards. 
• CV : It extensively details your academic history, such as: description of your degrees; your teaching experience; involvement in research projects; lecturing at conferences; list of your publications; or professional references . 
• Resume: Resumes are brief and targeted. Their length is between 1-2 pages . We strongly advise against anything longer. 
• CV: As CVs cover your entire academic career, there really is no limit to its length . CVs can span several pages – sometimes even 15 and more. 

You may ask yourself: “How long should a resume be for 20 years experience?” .  As your experience in the workforce grows, so does your potential resume content. The more time you spend working, the more deliberate you'll have to be about which information to keep and which to let go off.

There is an unwritten rule for how far back should a resume go – the work experience on your resume should not be older than 10 or 15 years . This is more than enough to showcase your career growth and relevant skills without overloading your resume with outdated information. 

The work landscape changes fast , and the skills you've picked up 11 years ago may not be so relevant to the corresponding job position now. 

There's a way how to describe the work experience on your resume properly. It entails quite a lot of information:

• The name of your employer
• The name of your job position
• Dates of employment
• What you learnt
• What value did you bring to your employer
• How did your skills impact your team

Do what you can, you'll only manage to fit around 3-4 job entries a page . 

If you need help weeding out unnecessary job entries, consider the following questions:

• Is this job entry older than 10-15 years? Older job entries don't necessarily reflect the level of your current skills and capabilities. Recruiters are interested in your most recent jobs anyways.
• Is this job entry relevant to the position I wish to fill? Relevancy is key! Focus on jobs and roles that highlight your qualifications for the position you're applying for. Omitting irrelevant job entries keeps your resume concise and focused. For example, if you're applying for a mid-level position in marketing, you don't have to mention the part-time babysitting gig you did while in college. 
• Does this job entry involve the same achievements and duties as my other entries? Keep in mind that a resume is just a summary of your career. In your work experience, you've probably held similar positions in different companies. If this is your case, choose to highlight only the most significant or recent ones.

In short, anything that doesn't add value to your resume must go. 

Remember, the goal of your resume is to present the most compelling and relevant experiences and skills . It's a strategic selection that should convince the recruiters that you are the right person for the job.

Keep your resume focused, relevant, and concise to make the strongest impact.

If you're still scratching your head over how to fit your resume to just one page , here are five tips you may find useful.

Anything that doesn't add value to your resume must go.

Avoid flowery descriptions; use bullet points instead of full sentences; use action verbs.

It takes only 3-5 sentences to pen an effective and eye-catching summary.

Watch out for work experience entries with the same job descriptions.

Make your resume more compact by reducing or removing unnecessary sections.

Now, let's look more closely at each of these 5 tips and explain in depth what you should do to fit a resume into one page.

1. Tailor your content.

You should custom tailor your resume to fit a specific job description each time you're sending a new application. This will help you eliminate any unnecessary information that might take up precious space. 

Make the content of your resume align as closely as possible with specific job requirements. Emphasize the skills and experiences that showcase your suitability for the particular position:

• Go back to the job posting. 
• Identify keywords and phrases related to the job description and candidate requirements.
• Select your job entries based on which best connect to the said keywords.
• In your work experience descriptions, go into detail about specific achievements and successes that make you the perfect candidate for the job. 
• Every piece of information should add value, focusing on outcomes and impacts rather than just duties.
• If possible , use quantifiable metrics for stronger impact. 

2. Word economy.

Sometimes, you can shrink the text volume in your resume just by rephrasing it better. 

The aim here is to convey the maximum amount of information with the fewest words.  

• Avoid flowery descriptions. Keep your sentences straight-to-the point, free of any unnecessary digresses. 
• Use bullet points. Writing in full sentences can also be a waste of space . Instead, use bullet points to get the message across. It will make your resume more digestible, organized, and easier on the recruiter's eye. 
• Use action verbs. Instead of “ I did this ” and “ I did that ” start your bullet points with action verbs like 'managed', 'developed', 'led', etc. This makes your accomplishments sound more impactful and cuts down on word count.

Look at this example of a candidate's work description:

“As a Marketing Advisor at XYZ Corp, I was deeply immersed in the intricate world of strategic marketing, where I embraced the challenge of crafting compelling narratives to enhance brand visibility and foster meaningful customer engagement. In this role, I also played a pivotal part in analysing market trends and consumer behaviour. I took great pride in collaborating with cross-functional teams, where I offered my expertise and creative vision to elevate every project. My tenure was marked by a passionate commitment to excellence and innovation, consistently seeking new avenues to enrich the customer experience and strengthen the company’s brand presence in a competitive landscape“.

Pretty exhausting isn't it? Descriptions similar to this are the surest way to annoy and bore the hell out of any recruiter. Your resume will go directly to trash. 

The same job description can be easily fixed and rewritten. Following our tips you can go from boring and lengthy description, to something like this:

Marketing advisor | XYZ Corp

• Led 5 major marketing campaigns, increasing brand visibility by 30%
• Analysed market trends across 10+ industries, driving strategies that resulted in a 20% increase in market share
• Collaborated with 4 cross-functional teams, enhancing project outcomes by 40%
• Implemented innovative marketing techniques that boosted overall profitability by 15%
• Developed and executed 3 key customer experience enrichment strategies

3. Keep your professional summary short. 

Your resume summary can be another word trap. Many people make the mistake of trying to include too much information into their summaries. 

Remember, this is supposed to be a short text . It's meant to be just a teaser of what the recruiter can find in your resume, not the whole resume itself. It takes only 3-5 sentences to pen an effective and eye-catching summary. 

Take this as an example of an effective resume summary:

“Experienced Marketing Advisor with 6 years of proven success in enhancing brand growth and market share. Skilled in utilizing analytics to drive strategic campaigns and improve customer engagement. Recognized for creative problem-solving and effective team collaboration. Committed to innovative, impactful marketing solutions that resonate with diverse audiences and achieve business objectives.“

4. Avoid repetition. 

This one is pretty self-explanatory. It directly ties to what we've talked about in previous paragraphs. Once you've finished writing your resume, check it again for any unnecessary repetitions, such as:

• Work experience entries with the same/similar descriptions
• Repetitive use of the same adjectives   
• Repetitive daily tasks descriptions

If you feel that you need to include several similar roles, focus on how you've grown or what new responsibilities you took on in each position. This can show career progression.

5. Don't be afraid to reduce sections. 

While each resume section serves its unique purpose , sometimes the best way to make your resume more compact is to reduce or leave some of them out :

• Education details . If you've already spent several years working in a specific industry, it's not necessary to go into great detail in your “education” section. Avoid writing about your coursework, GPA, or academic awards. Listing just your degree, name of the institution, and the dates of study will suffice. 
• Hobbies and interests. Unless your hobbies or interests relate directly to the job you're applying for, you can remove this section altogether. 

Key takeaways : How long should a resume be?

The ideal resume length is typically one page . Two-page resumes are also acceptable in certain cases, but keep in mind that a resume should never be three pages or longer .

Resume length by career stage:

• Entry-level : Stick to a one-page resume, highlighting skills and education.
• Mid-level : A one-page resume is recommended, but two pages can be acceptable if needed to adequately showcase your achievements.
• Senior-level : A two-page resume is acceptable given the depth of experience, but it shouldn't exceed this length.

Include up to 10-15 years of work experience on your resume . Older positions may not be as relevant and can be omitted to save space and maintain relevance.

Tailoring your resume for each specific job application is key . It will help you keep your resume to one page by removing any information that doesn't connect to the job requirements. Always highlight the experiences and skills which are the most relevant to the position you're applying for. 

If you need to make your resume fit into one page , you can use strategies such as word economy, avoiding repetitions, and removing less critical sections. 

When trying to fit your resume into one page, don't just cram all the information together without any forethought. For your resume to be truly impactful, you need to pay attention to its readability and clarity . We have a solution! With our resume templates you'll find the right layout to elevate your resume. 

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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How Long Should Your Resume Actually Be? Here’s an Easy Guide to Follow

“How long should my resume be?”

Between my experience as a career coach and running a college career services department, this is a question I’ve heard a lot. And as a recruiter, I’ve seen resumes that run the gamut in terms of scope—from a simple Word document with just a few lines to a full-on multimedia package including video and audio.

Many people will say that a resume ought to be a single page—that this is an incontrovertible fact of resume writing. But the reality is more nuanced than that. There’s no single correct answer because it’s entirely dependent upon your experience, background, and the types of roles you’re applying for right now.

It’s a dated myth that you have to stick to one page no matter how many years of experience you have or what the situation is. Conversely, there’s absolutely no reason you need a resume that is pages upon pages long, detailing every single experience you’ve ever had. Like a lot of things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Here’s what I’ve seen work best for different job seekers.

When to Use a One-Page Resume

A one-page resume is ideal when you want to be succinct and get your point across quickly. The most common instances of using a one-page resume effectively arise when:

You’re a New Grad or Early in Your Career

If you’re a new graduate looking for your first professional job or you don’t have a lot of professional experience (say, less than five to eight years), the reality is that there likely just isn’t enough information or experience to warrant a longer resume.

For example, let’s say Jane just received her BA in marketing and is looking for her first post-college job. She had a few part-time positions while in school, and completed a few relevant internships. But she doesn’t yet have much professional experience working in her field. In this case, I’d recommend that Jane focus her resume on her relevant academic work and internships. And she could stick to the one-page resume even once she’s been working in marketing for four or five years. She can start to build out her professional experience section, including examples of accomplishments and projects she’s worked on. In order to make room for some of this new information, she’d remove internships, extracurricular activities, or even earlier or less relevant entry-level positions if she’s held several roles by now.

You’re Changing Careers

If you’re making a career shift or looking to enter a new industry or land a new type of role, a lengthier resume listing all your professional accomplishments wouldn’t necessarily be relevant to your target job. A recruiter or hiring manager is likely to discount your application, since they won’t be able to pinpoint the relevant connections. If you focus only on the most salient transferable skills and experiences, however, you’ll be able to tell a more focused story and make a much stronger case as to why you’re a great candidate for this particular role. 

You Haven’t Moved Around Much

You may have several years of experience, but perhaps it’s with the same one or two companies, or in a role without much change. If your experience has been fairly steady, then the reality is that you may not have enough to fill in more than a page, even if you’ve been working for several years. In this instance, the single-page resume allows you to call out key accomplishments and achievements without getting too wordy.

When to Use a Two-Page Resume

This is the sweet spot for most resumes. Two pages allows you to dig into your accomplishments in more detail, and to include different sections that can give the resume context and depth. This is ideal for someone who has eight or more years of professional experience, or someone who is very active in their community service or volunteering endeavors.

Let’s take the example of Jane from above. She now has about 10 years of professional experience, including working at an ad agency, followed by a few years as a brand manager, then leading an in-house marketing team. Now she’s applying to a position as a creative director for an agency. Each of her three previous roles is relevant and going to have some weighty experiences and distinct accomplishments she can dig into. Maybe she’s also served on a board or done some volunteer work in her community. When you add her academic background to this list, it’s clear that one page won’t do her justice.

A two-page resume isn’t an excuse to cram all your experience in. When you’re thinking about how far back to go, the general rule of thumb is to include the last 10-15 years of professional experience, with the caveat that you should still tailor your resume for the specific role. This allows you to focus on your most recent experience, highlight your recent accomplishments, and feature the most relevant skills. This means that it’s OK to leave off part-time jobs you had in college, any short-term or temporary positions, and any full-time roles that simply aren’t related to the job you’re applying for.

And if you’re worried about creating what appears to be a gap in your work history because you’re only including the most relevant roles, there’s an easy solution for that. Change the name of the section heading to “ Selected Professional Experience” or “Relevant Work Experience,” which will alert the reader that what you’ve listed is not all-inclusive, so they won’t be put off by any gaps. It also shows that you’ve curated your resume to only highlight what’s most relevant to the job you’ve applied for.

When to Use Three Pages or More

A resume of this length should be reserved for a few very specific cases, including candidates with academic backgrounds, government employees, or senior-level executives. This type of resume is appropriate for those with extensive experience who want or need to list speaking engagements, publications, patents, licenses, or other information in addition to their work history, education, and skills.

In some cases, you’ll actually need a curriculum vitae, or CV —which is a more comprehensive document that can be several pages long—instead of a resume.

Focus on Substance Instead of Length

At the end of the day, the length of your resume is not the most important thing. It should be a continually evolving document based on where you are in your career at any given moment and what role you’re applying to. For that reason, your bigger focus should be on ensuring there is relevant content, that you clearly articulate your accomplishments (as opposed to simply listing your tasks), and that the information is current and accurate. Other questions you can ask yourself include to be sure your resume is just right:

• Does the resume tell a compelling, coherent story about your experience and who you are as a candidate? How does that story fit with this role in particular?
• Have you provided enough detail to help you stand out against the competition? This includes optimizing the resume with keywords so that you can get past the applicant tracking system, or ATS .
• Does it look clean and neat and is it easy to read? Ensure you have appropriate margins, font size, and that it’s not all crammed together.

How to Cut Down Your Resume If Needed

If you find that you do want to trim your resume down a bit , here are a few easy ways to go about it:

• Remove irrelevant information . This includes hobbies and any personal information like date of birth, citizenship, or marriage status (which I’ve seen a lot, especially from candidates who may not know that this information shouldn’t be included on a resume in the U.S.). Plus, you don’t need to list your full street address on a resume these days—just a city and state will suffice.
• Drop references and “References available upon request.” It’s unnecessary at this point to share your references or even to mention them. It should be obvious you’ll provide them when it comes time and you can use this space for other things.
• Remove filler words.  Words like “a,” “an,” and “the” may seem small, but removing them across the entire document will save you a lot of space. Take the following bullet point: “ Oversaw a full-cycle recruitment program, which included identifying strategic talent acquisition opportunities, interviewing the candidates, and scheduling all interviews.” It could be rewritten as: “ Oversaw full-cycle recruitment, including strategic talent acquisition, candidate screening, & interview scheduling .” (Note also the use of the ampersand instead of spelling out the word “ and” —just another simple space-saving tip!)
• Streamline the information you have included. For example, if you’re a mid- or senior-level employee, you should still list your education but there’s no need to include your extracurricular activities, GPA, or other details, particularly when they’re taking up valuable space.
• Play with the font type and size. Pick a font that is clear and easy to read, without extra ornamentation. Don’t go too small, though, just to fit a lot into the page. Best practice is to keep it between 10- and 12-point fonts.
• Change your margins and line spacing. Sometimes something as simple as spacing your lines differently can have a huge impact on the length and overall look of the resume.
• Start over. With some clients who have a lot of experience but struggle to cut down their resumes, I’ve tried another strategy. We remove almost everything and then start building from the foundation back up. Once you’ve got your resume down to the bare bones, you can think strategically about what elements to add and which sections to flesh out—and that can be easier than deleting piecemeal from what’s already there. Think of it as an elimination diet for your resume!

A hiring manager won’t discount a qualified candidate because their resume was slightly too long or too short. It’s far more important what you say in the space you do use. If you demonstrate how your experience is relevant to the position and craft a compelling story, chances are the reader will be too focused on what a great find you are to even notice the length of the resume at all.

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Optimal Resume Length in 2024: How Long Should A Resume Be?

Should your resume be one page or two? How many words per page? What about more experienced hires? This guide will answer those questions and more.

3 years ago   •   8 min read

Phew — you finished writing your resume! It has action-based accomplishments, relevant keywords, and sections to highlight your education and hard skills. It’s also three pages long … so how big a problem is that, really?

In this guide, we'll answer all your questions about resume length, including:

• How long should a resume be?
• How important is a one-page resume?
• What needs to be on your resume — and what doesn't?
• How do you cut your resume down to one page?
• How do you fill out a resume if it's less than one page?
• What's the difference between a resume and a CV?

How many pages should a resume be?

While it's a lot more common to have a two-page resume than it was 10 years ago, a one-page resume is still the standard. But this isn’t an absolute rule — it’s flexible depending on how much experience you have.

As a general rule of thumb, you can get away with one page for every 5-10 years of relevant experience you have. Which means that as an entry-level or early career hire, you'll want to stick to one page. If you’re a mid-career or more experienced applicant , you may need to expand your resume to two pages . More than two pages is pushing it, even for high-level positions.

So, when should you stick to the one-page rule, and when is it okay to have a two-page resume (or longer)?

The ideal resume length for all situations

Remember how we said that a one page resume isn’t a hard and fast rule? Here’s when you should follow that rule — and when it’s okay to break it.

Entry level job seekers

If you're a current student or recent graduate, you should always stick to a one-page resume. This also applies to anyone with less than 5-10 years of experience. Recruiters value resumes that are short and to the point, so give them what they want.

Career changers

If you’re considering moving into a new industry or completely different role , you should generally stick to a one-page resume. This is still true even if you have extensive experience in your previous field — most of that experience isn’t likely to be relevant to the jobs you’re now applying for, so you don’t need to include it in detail. It might be okay to go up to two pages if you’re including a lot of transferable skills, but do make sure they’re all actually relevant.

Experienced hires

For mid-level hires — people with around 8-15 years of experience — two pages is an acceptable resume length . That doesn’t mean you need to use a two-page resume — if everything fits onto a single page, there’s no need to stretch things out just to emphasize your depth of experience. Two pages will usually suffice for more senior roles, too. It’s rare that you’ll ever need a three-page resume ; while sending one won’t immediately disqualify you on its own, recruiters are also more likely than not to simply ignore a third page.

Industry-specific resume conventions

In certain industries — like banking, finance, and consulting — standards for resume length tend to be a lot stricter. If you're in one of these industries, stick to a single-page resume unless you have more than 10-15 years of experience.

In other industries, like medicine or academia, longer resumes are a lot more common. You may even be asked to submit a CV instead of a resume (more on that later).

International resume standards

The one-page resume is a U.S. standard. If you’re applying for jobs overseas, other countries will have their own expectations for resume length and format. For example, two or even three-page resumes are more common in countries like Australia and the U.K., so be aware of local customs before you apply.

What to include in a one-page resume

Not sure what information actually needs to be on your resume — or what you can safely cut? A standard one-page resume should include:

• Resume title
• A brief header with your contact information
• Up to 3-5 jobs in your work experience section
• Other relevant information (e.g. essential skills, languages, or certifications)

When you boil it down like that, it's clear that you won't usually need more than one page to fit all that in. But what if you've gone over 1-2 pages and need to trim your resume down?

How to cut your resume down to the right size: A step-by step guide

Follow these steps to cut your resume down to 1-2 pages:

1. Leave off older work experience. Anything older than 15 years is unlikely to be relevant.

2. Remove excess bullet points . You can include 3-6 accomplishments under your most recent roles, but older positions may only need 1-2 bullet points .

3. Eliminate duplicate bullet points . If you already have a similar accomplishment elsewhere in your resume, you don’t need to list it again under a different position.

4. Minimize your education section . Unless you’re a current student or recent graduate, your education only needs to take up 1-2 lines underneath your work experience. Mention your degree, institution, and any major awards, but get rid of things like your GPA, coursework, and extracurricular activities. Including the year you graduated is optional, especially if you want to reduce the chance of age-based discrimination.

5. Cut the resume summary . Most resumes don’t need a summary at all, but if you do choose to include one, keep it to 2-3 lines max.

6. Get rid of unnecessary sections . Things like volunteer work, projects, hobbies, and skills only need to be included if they’re actually relevant to the job you’re applying for. Otherwise, they don’t belong on your resume.

7. Don’t list references on your resume . Potential employers will ask for your references if needed once they hit the appropriate stage of hiring.

8. Trim your contact info . This only ever needs to be a single line at the top of your resume.

9. Don’t include images or graphics . This includes a photo — this may be standard in some countries, but not in the U.S.

10. Reduce your font size , margins , and line spacing — but only a little . This can be a last resort if your resume spills over by a line or two, but don’t overdo it in the name of fitting in one last bullet point.

If you’re not sure if your resume needs to be one page or two, upload it to the tool below — it’ll evaluate your resume and give you feedback on resume length and other key areas hiring managers care about.

How to fill out a one-page resume

What if you have the opposite problem — you've written your resume but it still doesn't cover a whole page?

• Enhance your education section. If you're still in school or graduated recently, you can include extra information here, like academic awards and honors , extracurricular activities , study abroad , and even relevant coursework.
• Include other kinds of work experience. Internships, student activities, and volunteer work can all go in your work experience section if you're applying for your first professional job.
• Emphasize transferable skills. Even if you've never held a similar job to the one you're applying to, you can still write bullet points that highlight relevant accomplishments.
• Don't sweat it. Especially if you're new to the workforce , your resume doesn't need to cover a full page. It's better to leave some room at the bottom than to cover every available inch of blank space with information that isn't relevant.

On the topic of skills, use the skills search tool below to get a list of hard skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Why you need a one-page resume

You want recruiters to focus on the most important parts.

Keeping your resume concise is key — but why? The answer is, hiring managers just don’t have enough time to read every resume in detail. Most recruiters will spend only 15-30 seconds on each resume they read — and that’s a generous estimate.

This number doesn’t magically increase if you send in a two- or three page resume, which means that the longer your resume is, the less time a recruiter will spend on each page, and the higher the chances that they’ll miss a key piece of information.

It keeps your resume relevant

Having a short resume isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. Setting your resume length at one or two pages forces you to evaluate what information is really essential and leave out unnecessary details. Everything in your resume needs to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Every bullet point should be impactful, every skill one you need for this job in particular. And always make sure your key accomplishments are at the top of your resume, especially if it’s longer than one page.

Resume vs CV: How long should a CV be?

The difference between a resume and a cv.

Most jobs in the U.S. ask for a resume, which is usually one page. In some situations, you may be asked for a CV instead. A CV — short for curriculum vitae — is a longer, more comprehensive document. A shorter CV could be 2-3 pages long, while a more extensive CV may be as long as 7-8 pages.

When to use a CV instead of a resume

Never submit a CV instead of a resume unless you actually need to — you'll likely already know if you're in a role or industry where this is the case. You may need a CV if:

• You work in an industry (like academia) where CVs are more common
• You’re applying for jobs overseas in a country where a CV is standard

Frequently asked questions

Will i get rejected if my resume is longer than one page.

No. You won’t be automatically rejected if your resume is longer than one page. But if you’re a recent graduate with a two-page resume, or you’re a mid-level hire sending out 3-4 page resumes completely out of line with industry standards, it may cause recruiters to wonder about your professional judgment.

How many words per page should a resume have?

Between 450-650 words per page (or around 800-1200 words for a two-page resume) is ideal. Less than that means you risk your resume looking a little empty, while more means that it’s too difficult for a recruiter to scan. If you avoid tiny margins and 0 line spacing, your resume should easily fall within the ‘readability range.’

Do I need to stick to full pages only?

No. If you’ve been told that it’s never okay to leave the second page of your resume half empty, that’s a silly rule and you should feel free to ignore it. A one and a half page resume is fine — never pad your resume with unnecessary fluff just to take up more room or make your resume look more attractive. That said, if you only have 1-3 lines spilling over onto the next page, it’s a good idea to cut it down so it falls neatly onto a single page.

Is it ever okay to send a resume longer than two pages?

There are some exceptions to the 1-2 page resume rule. One of these is for very high-level positions — think C-level positions, not just any management position. The other is for academic jobs, which have their own set of industry standards and often require a full CV and list of publications.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• Whether or Not to Use a One...

Whether or Not to Use a One Page Resume

10 min read · Updated on February 14, 2024

Sometimes, a candidate only gets one page to make their case

In the recent past, the standard advice was that all entry-level professionals should have a one-page resume, max. However, that's not necessarily the case today, since many recruiters and hiring managers expect to see a two-page resume regardless of the level of experience. 

One reason for the outdated standard that a one-page resume is the goal for entry level graduates is the notion that, when you've just graduated college, there probably won't be much to put on your resume. However, that's no longer true, given that graduates today have more opportunities to gain relevant experience while in school. Internships, assistantships, co-ops, part-time work, and even leadership roles in extracurricular activities are opportunities many college and entry-level candidates can access to add value to their resume.

Still, for some entry-level candidates and other types of job candidates, a one-page resume is sufficient. Thus, the quandary remains, should a resume be one page or two pages?

In this post, we cover

When should a resume be one page

How to make a resume fit on one page

When to use a two-page resume

When to use a three-page resume

Additional recommended reading

So, how many pages should a resume be? Read on to find out. 

When should a resume be one page?

There are indeed some instances where a one-page resume is appropriate and preferred, including:

High school students who have little to no experience and few activities to highlight

College students and entry-level candidates who have not participated in any of the activities mentioned above

Career changers who need to focus their resume on transferable skills that relate to their new target industry or career, due to not having enough relevant experience

So, should a resume be one page? Yes, when you fall into one of the above scenarios. Now, you're likely wondering how you can cram all the information you need in your resume onto one page. What should you include? What can you remove? 

Below are 10 techniques to help you achieve a one-page resume that will help you to keep to the page limit and still wow a recruiter.

Highlight only internships and relevant work experience

While it's great to show you've had a job since you were 16 and can commit to a company, unless it's relevant, it's not necessary. Keep the focus on relevant work experience and any internships you may have held recently or while in college. 

You can still show you had previous jobs, and how long you were with those companies, in an “additional experience” line under your highlighted positions. This will show you have longevity and loyalty without taking up valuable space.

Combine similar experience under one position

"Similar experience" could be things like several work-study positions in different offices or cashier work at more than one store. The duties you completed are going to be nearly the same, so combining the roles on your resume is the most efficient and effective way to save space. You can showcase achievements for each position separately in bullets below the daily functions.

Remove short-term positions

Unless the short-term position you held is relevant, remove it. Positions held for a short time can communicate that you're a job hopper who can't commit and that you won't stay in a role long term. Highlighting short-term positions can be a screen-out factor, so don't do it.

Include only necessary skills in descriptions

Necessary hard and  soft skills  are the qualities a company is looking for in a candidate; they are usually listed in the position description. For example, if you're applying for an entry-level sales position and have past experience as a gas-station clerk, you will want to highlight your customer service, sales, product support, and communications skills. You probably also cleaned the facility, stocked supplies, and managed inventory, but those are not necessary skills for a sales position, so they can be removed.

Shorten your work accomplishment and experience list

You should use  bullet points  over paragraphs in the Work Experience or Relevant Experience section of your resume. Keep the bullet points concise and short - no more than 1 to 2 lines each.

Focus on valuable achievements and combine where appropriate

Review the bullet points you've included for each experience and ensure they only highlight your most notable and quantifiable achievements. Remove any points that don't add value or are merely tasks you did vs accomplishments you achieved. Each position should include 3 to 5 bullet points, max.

Many bullet point achievements can be combined and shortened. You don't want to tell the whole story of how you achieved it - recruiters want to know what you've done. If they have questions, they'll ask about the how during an interview.

For example, if you increased sales by 15% by building relationships and improving customer satisfaction, you can reduce this to one bullet that says “Increased sales by 15% and improved overall customer satisfaction.” You can go into detail during an interview about how you built and leveraged relationships to increase both simultaneously.

The summaries of previous positions are a common aspect of the resume that gets fluffed. When you include summaries, keep them as short as you can while showing what you can do. Don't get too into detail here - simply list your areas of expertise and the skills you have.

Do not fluff achievements either! Recruiters will know, and it will not leave a good impression.

Trim your Education section

One area where you can often cut some content is in your  Education section . This section can include many items, like:

The degree issued

The issuing institution

City and state of institution 

Relevant coursework

Graduation date (or expected graduation date if the degree is still in progress)

At a minimum, include your degree and the institution that issued it - this is most important to employers. You can also choose to include your GPA or any honors you received, as long as you can keep them on the same line as your degree. Any other details are unnecessary when you're working to trim your resume to a single page. For example:

Bachelors of Art - Filmmaking (cum laude), New York State University

Tighten your resume summary

Generally, a  resume summary  should be no more than 3 to 5 punchy sentences that highlight your top achievements relevant to the job. Review your summary and see if there's any way to tighten it up and reduce it to get your message across succinctly in 2 to 3 sentences. 

Leave off unnecessary information

The information recruiters are not interested in can take up valuable space. If you are about to (or have) graduated college, high school information is no longer relevant. It's assumed you graduated high school since you were able to get into college, so leave off the clubs, graduation date, sports, and other achievements from your youth.

Also, it's no longer standard to put “References available upon request” on your resume. Most applications ask for references, and everyone knows a reference check is a part of the process, so including this line is unnecessary.

Here are a few more items that you should leave off of your resume to keep it to one page (and in some instances, regardless of the number of pages!).

High School: If you have a college degree, forgo listing your high school information. It's unnecessary and doesn't add value for the hiring manager. 

Irrelevant work experience: Mentioned previously, only include work experience that's relevant to the job posting or that adds value to your resume in some way.

Address: The only piece of location information employers want these days is your city and state or zip code. Leave off your full mailing address - including it will show you're not up to speed with today's US resume standards. 

Unnecessary resume sections: Though additional sections, like Hobbies and Interests, can add value in some scenarios, if you're aiming for a one-page resume, leave sections like this off.

Reformat font size and spacing

Changing margins can give you so much additional space! You can go as low as 0.5 inches on all sides — just not any smaller. After you've everything you need on the document, start adjusting your margins. When you achieve your one-page resume, leave the margins as they are. You want the page to look full and appropriately spaced.

If you change the margins to the smallest permissible size and still need help,  reduce the font  by point five until you get to one page. It's not recommended to go below 10-point font on a resume, however, because any smaller font is too difficult to read.

Can a resume be 2 pages?

As you ask, “when should a resume be one page?” a natural second question to follow would be, “when should a resume be two pages?” 

A two-page resume is the most common resume size and makes sense for:

Entry-level professionals with sufficient relevant experience and activities that speak to their ability to succeed on the job

Seasoned professionals

Career changers with ample transferable skills, certifications, and experience that relate to their new target industry or career

In most instances, your resume should not go beyond two-pages, even if you're a seasoned professional with 15 or more years of experience under your belt. With that said, bear in mind that you don't want to aim for a two-page resume for the sake of having a two-page resume. 

What matters most is the content of your resume - not the length. If you're able to use a one-page resume to emphasize and highlight your career history in a way that shows you're an excellent candidate for the job, then by all means, do so. The last thing you want to do is to force your resume onto a second page by including irrelevant and unnecessary information. If a recruiter sees your resume as “fluffed,” it increases your chances of being passed over, regardless of your level.

Again, there's no rule of thumb that says a resume has to be two-pages, so if you feel good about your one-page resume as a seasoned professional, use it!  

In most instances, a three-page resume is strongly discouraged - stick to a one or two-page resume whenever possible. However, there are a few instances where a three-page resume might be appropriate, including:

You're a professional with a long list of proficiencies and technical skills

You have several published works to include

You have several contract, consulting, or other types of gig work to highlight and explain

You're seeking a job in the sciences or  academia , where your resume should be over two pages (and, sometimes, over 10!)

You're seeking a  US Federal Government job , which means your resume could be 3 to 7 pages long to include all required information 

Should a resume be one page? Yes, in certain situations 

Now you know the answer to, “should a resume be one page?” You also know how to get it to fit on one page if that's the best option for your circumstances. 

Fitting your resume on one page may seem like a daunting task, but when you take the above tips and techniques and apply them, you'll find it's easier than expected. What's most important is that your resume makes you stand out in the best possible light. Remember to start with relevant information and have your job goal in mind at all times. This will help you to focus your skills and showcase how great a fit you'll be for that dream job!

How did you do making your one-page resume? And should your resume be one page for sure? Why not submit it for a  free resume review  today for feedback?

This blog was originally written by Felicia Tatum and has been updated by Ronda Suder.

Recommended reading:

6 Ways to Rock Your First Entry-Level Job After Graduation

How Long Should Your Resume Be?

How to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College Job

Related Articles:

7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

Why a Simple Resume Layout is a Successful Resume

Software Developer Top Needed Skills

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How Long Should a Resume Be? Expert Insights for 2024

• The Ideal Resume Length
• Tailoring Your Resume
• Resume Length Best Practices
• Real Life Resume Examples

Resume Length FAQs

When you’re in the job market, your resume is one of the first things hiring managers review to learn about you. So, you want to optimize yours to ensure it’s as successful as possible. However, a common question is, how long should your resume be?

If you’ve reviewed resume templates from different sources, you may have realized there’s some debate on this topic. On one end, you have hiring experts recommending multi-page resumes to ensure you include enough relevant skills and experiences. Then, others favor a concise one-page resume to focus on your most essential abilities for fast-paced review processes.

What’s the ideal option? We’ll break down how to select the best resume length in this article.

Determining the Ideal Resume Length

The ideal length for your resume can vary depending on your field and level of experience. In this section, we’ll recommend the best resume length for most people, best practices to ensure yours is impactful, and instances where you might need a longer resume.

Should your resume be one page?

A one-page resume is usually recommended for most people. In the current job market, many job openings receive hundreds of applicants. That’s especially true with remote jobs becoming more common . Employers will have more job seekers reaching out when they’re open to hiring those located across the country or worldwide.

To give yourself the best chance of success in fast-paced hiring processes where you’re going up against hundreds of others vying for the same position, keeping your resume brief while highlighting the most relevant abilities in your resume skills and experiences sections will help you rise to the top.

In addition, when hiring managers review resumes consistently, they get quick at identifying qualified applicants. It’s estimated that hiring managers make a first impression on resumes within six to eight seconds. That’s why using a resume outline that provides a professional structure and optimizes readability is essential to making it through those fast initial reviews.

For example, consider someone who’s applying to a customer service role at a company that emphasizes skills in Zendesk, Microsoft Office, and multi-line phone systems.

The applicant with everything neatly tied together on one page will likely have a better chance of getting the hiring manager’s attention immediately since they’ll clearly see examples like how you used Microsoft Excel for 56% more accurate customer data management.

Compare that to the applicant who has similar relevant experience buried on a second page, which will probably get missed since the hiring manager doesn’t have enough time to review it all.

One-page resumes are also great for entry-level applicants to concisely portray their most relevant education and abilities.

Even if you don’t have much experience, fill out a full page so your resume looks complete. You can add more details about education, projects, hobbies & interests , or non-traditional work like volunteering to provide a well-rounded overview of what you bring to the table.

When to extend beyond one page

While keeping it to one page will create a good standard resume for most people, there are some cases where extending it beyond a single page would be a good idea. The two most likely scenarios would be if you have extensive experience that’s all relevant in the hiring process or when you’re applying to a highly technical position.

Extending your resume beyond one page is best for job seekers with ten or more years of experience in their field. Plus, certain types of high-level jobs may require you to show an extensive amount of experience. That can include:

• Executive roles like CEOs or CFOs often require a long tenure of effectively managing corporate finances or operational procedures.
• Senior finance roles, like senior accountants, where you must showcase long-standing compliance and accuracy.
• Lead scientific roles, like a head medical researcher, that require an accurate and effective history in the lab.
• Senior criminal defense roles, such as senior attorneys, where you may want to display lots of successful litigation and cases managed.
• High-level law enforcement, such as police captains, would want to show a long tenure of safety and accuracy in the field and managing teams.

Highly technical positions like software architects, engineers, or electricians, where you may need tons of skills to be successful on the job, could also benefit from longer resumes. For example, a software engineer may need to know several coding languages, design and data management software, and be able to follow strict industry regulations.

Balancing detail with brevity

While some instances require extending your resume beyond one page, you still want to ensure it’s as concise as possible and includes only the most essential details for fast-paced hiring processes. Some tips to help you achieve the ideal balance are:

• Only include your most relevant experiences: Even if you have ten or more years in your field, consider if all your work history is still relevant. For instance, if you’re applying to a management role, you can probably remove entry-level jobs like internships and apprenticeships to emphasize advanced roles that show leadership abilities.
• Limit work experience bullet points to one sentence: Detailed examples of work achievements are essential. However, you don’t need to go over one sentence in most cases to show your impact. For example, saying you used solution-focused service to maintain 96% customer satisfaction scores is sufficient to show great customer service skills.
• Use a resume checker: When you’re unsure if everything on your resume is necessary to land the job, try using a resume checker to help you review its structure and effectiveness.
• Add a summary: This is a great idea when you have a lot of experience. It’ll help you detail two or three sentences about your most relevant skills and experiences so they immediately stand out to hiring managers.
• Use your cover letter to fill in the gaps: Your cover letter can fill in details you leave off your resume to help you round out professional experience while keeping things brief. Using cover letter examples or cover letter generators as a guide will help you do that successfully.

Tailoring Your Resume by Experience Level

When you’re wondering how many pages a resume should be, you want to consider different levels of experience. After all, the contents of your resume should evolve to provide the best representation of your current abilities as you gain new skills and industry standards shift. Here are some tips to optimize length and effectiveness at different experience levels.

New graduates and entry-level professionals

A concise one-page resume is the best fit for entry-level professionals with 0-3 years of experience in their field. As mentioned earlier, you should still fill out an entire page to showcase enough relevant experience. Here are some tips to do so:

• Put a bigger emphasis on education: Your education has prepared you to join the workforce, so use it to stand out in the hiring process. Did you get an excellent grade on a project while applying relevant skills or maintain a great GPA while balancing extracurricular activities? Include those experiences/achievements on your resume.
• Transferable skills matter too: Experience in other fields can still give you transferable abilities you can discuss. For example, if you worked in retail, it likely helped you build customer service and teamwork abilities that apply to many roles.
• Add non-traditional work: Non-traditional work like volunteering still counts as work experience. For instance, being a volunteer youth baseball coach could show your potential for a teaching job.
• Use a career objective: A resume objective can help you emphasize details about your most essential skills or career goals when you don’t have much experience.

Mid-career professionals

Mid-career professionals (3-9 years of experience) should usually stick to a one-page resume. You’ll want to balance showing growth and relevant experiences without providing too many details that lose a hiring manager’s attention. Here are some quick tips to optimize:

• Keep it to three or four jobs: Three or four jobs should be enough to show relevant skills and experiences for most mid-career roles. Focus on the most recent jobs using a skill set that applies to the position you’re seeking.
• Remove irrelevant details: You can likely remove some details you included on entry-level resumes. For example, many mid-career professionals can remove entry-level jobs and internships. You can also limit your education section to simply list your degree rather than detailing class projects or your GPA.
• Use three to five work experience bullet points for each job: While you may have achieved a lot in each role, limit your work experience bullet points to three to five examples of your most relevant accomplishments.

Once you’ve entered the necessary information and hit save, you’ll be prompted to make a post and share the news with your network.

Senior professionals and executives

As mentioned, some senior or executive professionals with 10+ years of experience may benefit from a resume that is longer than one page. That said, keeping it as concise as possible to present your most relevant experiences and accomplishments is still important. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Focus on leadership for management roles: Many senior or executive positions require overseeing teams or taking on a lead role. Therefore, condensing your resume to focus on previous jobs where you showcased leadership can be a good idea to present your most relevant abilities.
• Eliminate outdated experiences: Some of the previous software and processes you used may have become outdated if you’ve been in your field for a while. For example, if you work in the medical industry, treatments and patient safety standards are always evolving. You’d want to eliminate any experiences using outdated treatment methods in favor of showing your abilities with current standards, equipment, and protocols.
• Get industry-specific: If you’ve worked in multiple industries, try to focus on experiences in the industry you’re applying to. For instance, if you’ve had multiple roles managing medical IT systems and corporate banking IT systems, you could focus on one or the other to make your resume as relevant as possible.

Resume Length Best Practices and Formatting Tips

How you format your resume can have a significant impact on its length and your ability to showcase a well-rounded overview of your knowledge and experiences in a condensed space. Let’s review the essential components of effective resumes and formatting tips to help you get the most out of what you’re working with.

Essential components of an effective resume

When considering resume size, it’s important to understand the essential components to provide a compelling overview of your skills. The most important sections will be:

• Experience: Whether you’re an entry-level applicant detailing projects and transferable skills or more advanced with years of technical work in your field, you must have a solid section with your work experience. Aim to include three to four previous jobs. Then, beneath those have three to five bullet points detailing achievements for each.
• Top skills: Each resume should include a brief section of bullet points with six to nine top skills. Try to tailor the skills listed in each resume to the company’s needs outlined in the job description.
• Education: Many positions have minimum education requirements, so you should list relevant education in the margin or toward the bottom of your resume.
• Your name, contact information, and job title: You should list these details at the top of your resume. Match the job title with the exact title displayed in the job description to ensure you pass ATS systems that look for specific keywords and to make your details appear relevant when a hiring manager first glances at your resume.

Utilizing design to fit more onto less space

Now that you know the essential components, let’s review some strategies for condensing as much information as possible in a short space without sacrificing readability or impactfulness.

• Use the margins: One of the best tips for condensing information on a resume is to use the margins rather than leaving them blank. You can typically put sections like your top skills, education, certifications, and hobbies/interests into the left or right margins. This saves space in the middle to prominently highlight career experiences and achievements.
• Manage font sizes: When you feel low on space, you can reduce font sizes slightly. Typically, the minimum fonts you should use to maintain readability are 11-point font for body text and 12-point font for headings.
• Adjust line and paragraph spacing: You can reduce line spacing slightly to get more information onto one page. Most resume templates use 1.5 line spacing as the standard, but you can get away with lowering it to 1.15 spacing or even single spacing if you’re in a crunch. Just make sure you maintain clearly defined sections throughout your resume to keep it readable.

What to include and what to omit

As you progress throughout your career, you must adapt your resume to appropriately present your current skill set. Here are some tips on what to include and omit for different scenarios.

As mentioned, your resume should include relevant education. However, what you should include about your education can evolve.

When applying for entry-level roles as a recent grad or college student, you may want to include more details about educational achievements and skills gained to make your resume applicable to the role you’re seeking. That said, once you gain experience, you can eliminate a lot of those extra details in favor of emphasizing real work achievements.

You might also gain new education that impacts what you should list. For example, if you started with an associate’s degree and later got a bachelor’s degree in the same field, you can get away with just listing your bachelor’s degree since it presents your highest level of education completed rather than taking up space listing both.

Hobbies & interests

When you’re an entry-level applicant, listing hobbies & interests can help show interest in your field or how you’ll fit a company’s culture. However, if you have years of experience with lots of essential education, skills, and certifications you want to pack into your resume, you can safely eliminate this section without impacting your chances of success.

Certifications

A certifications section can be an excellent idea to expand on your skills and knowledge, especially if you’ve gained more advanced or technical skills that will improve your performance on the job.

That said, you can limit this section to two or three prominent certifications you possess. For example, in the finance sector, you can get tons of certifications, like a CPA, CHA, EA, or ChFC. Narrowing it down to just a few that’ll be the most applicable to your current job duties will avoid overwhelming hiring managers with too much information.

Real-Life Resume Examples by Industry

How you structure your resume and the ideal information to include can vary by industry. To provide you with a good template and structure, here’s an overview of real-world resume examples that are getting job seekers hired in today’s job market while managing resume length effectively.

Example 1: IT and Tech Industry

In some tech roles like web or product development, you might work on a freelance or contract basis. The example below does an excellent job showcasing how a freelance front-end developer can showcase top experiences and achievements while condensing several technical skills like semantic HTML5 and jQuery on a single page.

Freelance Front-End Developer Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• In a nutshell, focus more on what you have achieved than your roles in past jobs. You can detail the actual processes of your responsibilities during an actual interview but not on your resume.

The IT industry has no shortage of technical abilities you need to be successful. However, when you’re an entry-level applicant, it can feel more challenging to present your skills while filling out your resume.

Below is a great example of effectively using education, projects, and transferable experiences to fill out entry-level IT support resumes. The applicant portrays how experiences like their time as a cashier equipped them to perform accurately on the job and how completing a project at a seminar helped them build skills in diagnosing MacOS systems to present well-rounded abilities.

Entry-Level IT Support Resume

• While you want this statement to emphasize how your educational background equipped you for the role, don’t let past internships and college projects remain unnoticed. Conclude your career objective with your intention for the role and the hiring company.

Example 2: Sales and Marketing Professionals

When you’re trying to land a high-level management role in sales, a stronger emphasis on leadership can be an excellent way to showcase your ability to plan strategies and oversee teams.

The senior inside sales manager example below does an excellent job of that. The applicant’s work experience has been narrowed down to three managerial positions, from junior inside sales manager to senior management, showing growth in their leadership skills.

Senior Inside Sales Manager Resume

• Perhaps, Smith best grasps the power of this strategy. For his resume, he leverages a reverse chronological format to illustrate his career progression; from a junior inside sales manager at Comcast to an inside sales manager at Dick’s Sports and then a senior inside sales manager at AmeriSource Bergen.

When you reach a mid-career point with three or more years of marketing experience, you’ll typically have a few jobs you can list on your resume that showcase how you’ve used your primary skills effectively.

The example below for an influencer marketing manager does a terrific job of that. It lists three previous influencer and social media marketing jobs that will be highly relevant to their current duties. Plus, it showcases highly relevant achievements, like boosting impressions and engagement on social media content.

Influencer Marketing Resume

• Achievements such as – 44% increase in social media engagement, 7.8K increase in weekly referral traffic, 4% increase in ROI over a quarter, and more—are what potential employers will be excited to see in your influencer marketing resume .

Example 3: Executive Resume

When applying for executive roles, you must showcase a long tenure of experience. The CEO example below highlights how to fit four key job titles on one page while detailing how you worked your way up the ladder.

Experiences like working up from VP of Operations to CEO at Avis Budget Group while effectively managing interns and training new employees show the exact impact this applicant will have while using their hiring and operations management skills.

• Highlights like “Increasing international interns and employees by 48%”, “reducing onsite accidents by 11%”, and “improved by 16% with clearer, measurable objectives” are textbook tricks to flaunt your wins with some serious number game.
• Using punchy action verbs like “directed”, “monitored” and “analyzed” do more than add energy to your resume; they underline your leadership acumen, signaling to recruiters you’re worthy of the open role.
• A tailored CEO resume is a gem that could catapult you right at the top of the shortlisted pile. The “partnering with CFO to lend financial guidance and advice to executives” highlight in Christianne’s resume makes for an excellent example of resume customization.
• And don’t miss a beat in weaving in descriptions of key skills within your resume’s work history. Features like “hiring”, “problem-solving”, and “operations” are certain to snag the recruiter’s attention.

Example 4: Education Resume

While applying to roles in education, you must show high levels of industry knowledge and top teaching skills.

The example below for a college professor is an excellent outline of how to neatly display all of that on a resume. The applicant presents three jobs they held as they worked their way up from assistant professor to full college professor. They also display key education with their Ph.D. in economics and current skills using prominent software like Blackboard in the margins.

College Professor Resume

• And don’t just name-drop the tools, show how they assisted students’ learning and comprehension processes.

Example 5: Healthcare Industry

In healthcare, you need to ensure compliance, use technical skills with medical equipment, and provide excellent patient care throughout your job duties.

Below is a top-notch example of how an experienced EMT can effectively demonstrate those capabilities. The applicant showcases key achievements like conducting trauma assessments in 60 seconds or less to reduce blood loss while also detailing their EMT certificate and patient care abilities on a single page.

Emergency Medical Responder Resume

• Opting for a  resume summary  can lay the groundwork for your emergency medical responder resume, but not every resume needs one. We recommend including one if you’re well-seasoned in the field and have some specializations. You can include a resume summary if you’ve been in the industry for 10+ years—just make sure it’s tailored to the specific job you’re seeking.
• Use our EMT resume examples to give you a personalized look at what great resume summaries look like.

Example 6: Retail Jobs

Not having much work experience while applying to entry-level retail jobs is common. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still showcase relevant abilities on your resume.

Take a look at the food cashier’s resume example below. The applicant does a great job detailing their achievements from their one previous experience as a food cashier. Plus, they included relevant projects in their math club that will help them manage numbers accurately and how their time as a contestant in a cooking challenge will help them perform well in a fast-paced food service environment.

Food Cashier Resume

• If your resume looks so small that you’re thinking about upping the font size to 30-point, please stop. When the font is too large, it will be obvious that you had trouble filling the page. The key here is subtlety. 
• Try including a  resume objective , which both fills in some empty space and gives hiring managers a better sense of who you are.

Example 7: Creative Roles

When you’re applying to creative and production roles, they may have different requirements than your typical job.

You can use the actor resume example below as an overview of adapting a professional resume to unique career requirements while keeping it concise. The applicant does an excellent job with this, providing performances they were in, awards they earned, and technical training they’ve had. Plus, notice how they adapted what’s in the margins, listing their physical attributes and special skills that will be relevant to landing acting roles.

Acting Resume

• For example, this resume highlights a performance in West Side Story , which required the actor to speak in a trained New York City dialect.

Example 8: Engineering Professions

Most engineering roles require several technical specialties and lots of knowledge in the field. To manage length, it can be helpful to focus on specific job titles that are relevant to the position you’re aiming for now.

Review the power electrical engineer example below. The applicant did a great job focusing on recent power electrical engineering roles they’ve held while highlighting top industry skills like high voltage systems and multi-rail operation that will grab a hiring manager’s attention.

Power Electrical Engineer Resume

• For example, if you have knowledge of voltages, currents, or multi-rail operations, include them either in your skills section or work experience bullets. 
• Always  double-check your resume  before submitting it. If you can, get a fellow engineer to check it over to spot any mistakes you might have missed.

Example 9: Maintenance Positions

Working your way up through maintenance careers usually begins with an apprenticeship. Then, you work up to more technical roles, where you take on more responsibility.

The automotive technician example below is an excellent overview of how you can detail that on a concise one-page resume. The applicant displays their experiences in reverse chronological order, with their most recent automotive technician role displayed first to highlight relevant skills. Then, as you look through the rest, you can see how they’ve grown from first taking on an apprenticeship.

Automotive Technician Resume

• Highlighting your impact in reducing repair turnaround time would go a long way to boost your chances of getting hired.

A one-page resume is ideal for most professionals, and you should aim to fill up at least one full page even if you don’t have much experience. However, if you have more than ten years of experience or are in a highly technical field, you could increase your resume’s length to two pages.

In 2024, a one-page resume is still the standard for most industries and levels of experience. It provides a well-rounded overview of your skills while avoiding overloading with too much information that will lose a hiring manager’s attention during quick review processes.

When you have extensive experience, aim to limit your resume to a maximum of five to six previous jobs that are the most recent and relevant to ensure you don’t go over two pages. You can usually eliminate entry-level roles, internships, and projects at this point in your career to keep things concise.

A one to two-page resume will be ideal for someone with 20+ years of experience, as it will give a concise and relevant overview of their abilities. Aim to focus on specific job titles, such as previous management positions when applying for leadership roles, and skills that are current with today’s software and needs.

A resume can be too short. If you aren’t filling up an entire page, it can make you appear underqualified for a position. So, even if you’re applying for an entry-level role or don’t have much work experience , fill in educational achievements, projects, or non-traditional work that still shows your capabilities.

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How Long Should A Resume Be in 2024? (With Tips to Fit on One Page)

Keeping your resume on a single page keeps it focused and straight to the point. But sometimes it might not be easy to fit it all on one page. When should you use two pages versus trying to fit it all on a single page?

The resume has long been the key component of any job seeker’s application process. 

It’s the first impression of yourself when you apply for any job. 

Since it’s impossible to sell yourself in person for every job you apply to, your resume sort of does this for you.

On paper, this seems like a simple process. 

However, the problem is that simply creating and submitting a resume just isn’t good enough. 

You need to submit something that will tell your story and capture the attention of the hiring manager, enough to be granted an interview.

Just remember to focus on telling your story. 

It’s not listing out a bunch of facts and responsibilities. 

This is your chance to showcase your value to the company you are applying to. 

Each section of your resume should talk about what you bring to the table and how you are going to make the company you are applying to better.

In this article, we’ll learn how to map these sections to your resume length.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

How Long Should My Resume Be?

Here’s the quick infographic cheatsheet:

• Entry-Level (1 Page)
• Mid-Level (1-2 Pages), ideally one.
• Senior-Level (1-2 Pages)
• Skill-Based Candidates (1-2 Pages)
• Healthcare-Based Candidates (1-2 Pages)

Keep reading to see why these resume lengths might be dictated by your experience.

1) Entry Level (1 Page) ‍

The first question most new job seekers with little to no experience — usually pertains to how long their resume should be.

The general rule is that entry-level candidates or anyone with less than 5 years of experience should limit their resumes to one page.

It is important to understand that the person looking at your resume has to review dozens if not hundreds more by the end of the day.

A hiring manager or HR rep will not take the time to read a multi-page resume that has been submitted for a non-executive position.

2) Mid-Level (1-2 Pages) ‍

If you are a mid-level candidate and have 5-10 years of experience, you are entitled to a second page if you need it.

However, it is key to still be as concise as possible.

TIP: Emphasize your key points across on the first page in case they do not both read both.

Remember, the goal at this step is not to win the job.

The goal is to simply convince the reader that your experience warrants an interview

That is where you can go in-depth about each stop in your career.

3) Senior-Level (1-2 Pages)

Senior-level employees are considered anyone with over 10 years of experience.

This includes executives and managers who have a long list of past positions and accomplishments they have to list.

It is also important to remember that these jobs are high-paying and require an industry veteran with plenty of experience.

Therefore, it is acceptable to submit a more detailed resume highlighting your experience — that is up to two pages.

Once again, it is key that each page of your resume tells an important story.

4) Skill-Based Candidates (1-2 Pages) ‍

The page rules stated above may be broken if you are applying to a tech-based job like Full-Stack Developers , IT Specialists , and Graphic Designers . 

This is due to the number of skills and certifications you need to list.

Also, you may have several projects that you need to list out in order to demonstrate your competence in those skills.

If this is the case, you can expand your resume to two pages regardless of career length. 

However, once you are done, scan your resume to confirm you are not being repetitive.

5) Healthcare-Based Candidates (1-2 Pages) ‍

Similar to tech-based candidates, those applying for healthcare-based jobs like Nursing and Physical Therapy , can be expected to submit a longer resume as well.

The reason here is that most of these candidates will need room to list and explain their various accomplishments .

This includes things like licenses, research papers, patents, and publications.

Can you use a two-page resume?

To summarize the above — yes, you can.

You just need to make sure that your most critical pieces of information are highlighted on the first page.

If you're an entry-level job seeker, than you won't need an additional page.

Continue reading our tips and suggestions below to see how you can condense your resume space to stand out on the first page.

Can you use a three-page resume?

We’d strongly recommend you don’t add more than 2 pages to your resume.

The chances of a recruiter reading the second page is already fairly low.

And that’s only if you’re someone with 10 or more years of experience.

But, a third page? Slim to no chance. We don’t advise it.

Choosing Resume Formats for Appropriate Lengths

Formatting your resume can be incredibly overwhelming.

This is one of the reasons so many candidates use our resume-building software.

Because they don’t need to ever worry about formatting issues.

Overall, there are several different types of formats that are out there with no real guidance about which one would work best for you.

For example, the three most common resume formats are:

• Reverse-Chronological. If you have mid-senior level work experience, then you’ll most likely use this.
• Functional. If you’re an entry-level candidate, you might need to highlight other areas like skills since you lack work experience.
• Hybrid/Combination . If your occupation requires you to demonstrate technical skills and proficiencies along with work experience, then use a hybrid resume format.

Now, while several of these templates can work, it is important to understand how your format can both tell your story based on your experience and limit your resume to the most appropriate length. 

You have to assume that the further down the resume you go, the fewer hiring managers are going to read it.

So regardless of the resume format , it is actually more important to start your resume with a brief summary statement.

Why? Because usually the resume summary will be the first thing a recruiter reads besides your name, and this is common across every resume format.

Here’s a tip: One of the most common mistakes people make is to write a generic overview statement with played-out buzzwords. Avoid doing this.

Instead, use this space to write something engaging that makes the reader want to learn more about your story and your objectives.

It also allows you to use the space below to list other accomplishments and keep your resume to the desired length.

How Do I Shorten My Resume to Fit on One Page?

As proud as you may be about your career, it still needs to be kept to the recommended length. 

Remember, the hiring manager has plenty more resumes to go after yours.

After you have listed out your past work experience and history, you may find yourself needing to shorten it down to your desired length.

Below are a few key tips to help you condense your resume length.

1) Be Clear and To The Point ‍

When trying to reduce your resume, be sure to review each line for repetitive statements.

For example, you do not need to point out you did the same thing at every job you have had. 

Also, remove statements that do not directly refer to a skill you have or an accomplishment you’ve completed.

Tip: Remember, you can always expand on certain items in the interview. No need to list every detail on your resume.

Another trick involves how many bullet points you assign to each position.

Review the skills they are looking for and tailor them to the job description.

What past jobs demonstrate those skills the most?

Those are the positions that should be 4-5 bullet points because it’s most relevant .

The first couple of positions on your resume can be limited to 2-3 bullet points because they are not as relevant or because you are mentioning similar things with your other positions.

2) Use Legible Fonts at Smaller Sizes ‍

Choosing a good font for your resume that works in small sizes will make sure your resume is legible and easy-to-read.

Fonts like Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, and Calibri are safe fonts to go with that will still look good at smaller font-sizes.

Even though you might be used to seeing other documents using a size 12pt font, you may even need to reduce your font size to 11pt or 10pt to fit everything in.

The key is to make it small enough that it can still be read clearly when printed and on the screen.

3) Watch Your Margins ‍

The margins on your paper are not something you think a lot about.

This is because they are pre-set and work in most cases.

However, you can play around with them in order to utilize the white spaces on either side of your text.

As a general rule, you do not want to make your margins smaller than half-an-inch.

Also, we suggest making a copy of your resume before you start playing with the margins just in case you make a mistake you cannot fix by messing around with settings.

4) Use Italicized vs Bolded ‍

One last trick you can try is reducing the number of bolded words you have throughout your resume.

This may help if your resume currently has one or two lines that are spilling over to another page.

If you are trying to emphasize a point, try changing the bolded words to italicized to see how much space that saves you.

5) Show Less Education

You don’t need to trace back your entire student transcript.

You can minimize the length of your resume by reducing education details on your resume.

Depending on the position and education requirements, only list the most relevant forms of education.

For most mid-senior people, you can just show your recent colleges and universities that you’ve attended. No need to add high-schools. 

Instead, focus on your experience. 

If you’re an entry-level job seeker, then you might want to add more details surrounding your education, including volunteering and internship opportunities .

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

So how long should a resume be? Here are the key takeaways:

• If you’re a new job-seeker, use 1 page.
• If you have a lot of experience, use no more than 2 pages.
• Don’t use 3-page resumes.
• Resume format doesn’t matter as much, focus on your summary!
• Shorten your resume by cleaning up formatting, trimming detail, and removing irrelevant information that does not align with the job.

Just remember, the resume creation process is complex but completely manageable.

We try to make this as easy as possible for you by providing you with helpful content and an easy-to-use resume builder with customizable options and templates.

The key thing to know is that you are telling your story and showcasing your value.

You want the hiring manager to feel like they have no choice but to bring you in for an interview. 

This is accomplished by presenting a well-organized and appropriate length resume that clearly outlines your relative experience and the various ways you will improve the company you are applying to.

Browse more resume templates that fit your role

Ed is a co-founder of Easy Resume. His background in scaling teams at tech startups over the last decade has given him extensive experience and knowledge around how to hire top talent and build successful teams. He enjoys mentoring, coaching, and helping others reach their career goals. When he's not writing about career-related advice, he's playing with his dog, Lilo, or going on long hikes in upstate New York.

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How Long Should a Resume Be in 2024 [For Any Profession]

You’ve probably heard time and time again that a resume should be strictly one page. 

What if you have a TON of experience, though? What if you just can’t fit all the cool stuff you’ve done on a single page?

With that comes the dilemma:

How long should a resume be? 

Can you exceed the strict one-pager?

A simple Google search will reveal conflicting opinions. 

Some career experts emphasize time and time again to stick to the golden one-page rule. Others suggest this practice is preferred, but not mandatory. 

So, which one is it?

Here’s the thing - there’s no magic one-size-fits-all rule on how long should your resume be. It really depends on several factors.

Luckily, we’re here to help set the record straight. 

• How long should your resume be?
• What’s the ideal length for your resume depending on your experience level
• How to fit your resume on one page
• How long should a CV be

How Long Should a Resume Be

Short answer: it depends, but in most cases, you should stick to the one-pager.

The long answer?

Well, here’s the thing. There’s a very good chance that you don't actually need to get past one page.

Unless you have 20+ years of experience, a single page should be more than enough. Your resume should be a summary of your most relevant, most recent work experience.

It’s not supposed to be a detailed account of everything you’ve ever done in your life.

For a mid-level professional, here’s what you’d add to your resume (which would result in 1-page MAX):

• Contact information section
• 2-3 work experience entries
• 1 or 2 education entries
• Skills section
• Languages section

Now, if we turn this into a real-life resume, you’ll see that it’s going to be hard to go past one page.

If you do have a decade’s worth of work experience, though, or if you’re a senior executive, you can actually break this rule and go for 2.

Make sure to ask yourself, though, “am I aiming for quality over quantity? Are all the work experience entries I’ve mentioned relevant?”

Now, you might be thinking, “do I ever go beyond 2 pages?”

Well, you can potentially go for 3, but that’s only if you’re…

• A senior-ranking executive with a remarkable track record.
• Applying for a federal job that requests more information contrary to a civilian application.
• Have a long, lengthy background and you need to hand over case studies, testimonials, project highlights.

Never write above three, though. If Elon Musk's experience can fit on one page , so can yours. 

How far back should a resume go?

Your resume shouldn’t go back further than a maximum of 10 to 15 years . 

You want to keep the information on your resume relevant to the job you are applying for.

The HR Department is most likely not interested in what you were doing 20 years ago. Even if it’s very impressive, chances are, you've done much more significant things in your past 3 positions than whatever you did 18 years ago. 

• Not going back very far also sidesteps age discrimination. If your resume dates back more than 15 years, the HR department might guess your age. And if it’s a young applicant they’re looking for, your resume can be rejected right away.

Are there times you need to absolutely include more than 10-15 years ' worth of work experience in your resume ? 

Yes, occasionally.  

More specifically, you would want to include dated experiences if:

• You are applying for a job in a field you used to work for more than 15 years ago and you don’t have the recent professional experience to account for. In that case, old relevant experience is better than no experience.
• Your dated experience is actually of extremely high importance. Maybe you used to be president of the United States or CEO of Coca-Cola. You can choose to use that to your advantage since it speaks to your qualifications and prestige, even if it’s old news.

How long should a student resume be? 

If you’re a student, you should never, ever, go past the one-page limit. You barely have any work experience, so whatever information you’re adding that goes past one-page, it’s probably not that relevant.

If you’re having difficulty fitting everything into one page, look at every point in your resume critically.

Do you really need to let your prospective employer know about every single one of your volunteering experiences and extracurriculars, or make your summer lifeguard job occupy one-third of your resume?

The answer is no, not really.

Instead, focus on your most impressive qualifications, best academic achievements, and fields of study relevant to the job you are applying for, and you’ll find out you probably don’t even need a full page.

Want to learn more about how to write the perfect student resume ? Check out our complete guide with samples & tips!

Resume Length for Your Experience Level 

Still uncertain about how long your resume should be? Check out our cheatsheet to find out. 

The table below displays the recommended length of your resume, based on your years of experience.  

How to Fit a Resume on One Single Page 

Let’s get real. 

An entry-level applicant can insert all relevant information under one page because he/she doesn’t have much relevant experience. The alternative is appearing like they’re not making a serious enough effort to write a concise application. 

For folks with more experience, however, this can be a bit trickier.

Here are some tips on how to turn your resume into a concise one-pager:

• Use an online resume builder. Pick a free template resume that is optimized for length and let it do all of the work for you. You don’t need to mess around with the font and formatting: the resume builder will fit everything in one page for you.
• Focus on relevant information. Yes, this again. It’s crucial you carefully go through the job description and the main skills your employers are searching for. If you are applying for a job as a software engineer, don’t mention your internship as a social media manager. Cut your “yoga” from your list of interests. If the employer is not looking for it, you don’t need to have it in your resume.
• Achievements over responsibilities. Don’t list everything you were responsible for. That will not only prolong your resume and bore the employer, but won’t make you stand out. Your prospective employer knows what your main responsibilities were if you list “Sales manager” on your resume. They are the same as 50 other applicants that applied with the same work experience. Focus on tangible performance indicators instead. Instead of saying “did sales at X,” go for “Hit and exceeded department KPIs by 20-30% for 5 months in a row.”
• Customize spacing. You can always make room for more entries if you reduce the document margins space. You can, for example, customize the margins to 0.5” instead of the regular 2.5”. You can also mess around with the space between bullet points and sections.
• Smaller fonts . A 12pt font might have been the norm for university papers, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow it for your resume. Try out an 11 or 11.5 font to win some more room. Make sure everything is readable without zooming in, though!
• Bullet points. Instead of listing job or education descriptions as paragraphs, use bullet points instead. Keep your sentences short and to the point.
• Remove unnecessary headers. Contact information or the resume summary will do just fine without their own personalized headers.
• Don’t include your high school. Unless you used to study in a very specialized high school, or your employer went to the same high school as you, exclude it. It’s hardly ever relevant to the job you’re applying for.
• Exclude repeated bullets. If you undertook similar responsibilities in more than one company, don’t repeat the same job description. No need for the hiring manager to read how you “analyzed industry trends” three different times.
• Cut your resume summary short. Keep in mind that a resume summary is supposed to wrap up your most impressive qualities for the job. It doesn’t need a 6 line introduction and 10 bullet points. Cut it down to three text lines. For a better understanding of how to properly write your resume summary, check out this guide.

How Long Should a CV Be? 

We’re going to say it before you ask:

Yes, in the USA, a CV is different from a resume.

A resume is customized to each individual job you are applying to and is strictly one page.

A CV, on the other hand, covers the in-depths of your career and academic journey. It is usually used in Academia. 

Because the goal and nature of a CV are different than that of a resume, you shouldn’t necessarily strive for the shortest pitch possible.

Most recruiters agree that the average golden length for a CV is two or three pages . 

However, depending on your years of experience, accomplishments , training, and education, it can go up to eight pages .

Not sure if you need a CV or a resume ? Check out our guide that explains the difference between the two.

Key Takeaways

Now, let’s go through everything we’ve learned:

• For most candidates, a resume should be only one page . Be brief and concise with anything you write on your resume. Customize your resume for the job you’re applying for and include only relevant experience. If you’ve done everything right, you shouldn’t get past one page.
• If you have 10-15+ years of experience, it’s okay to write a 2-page resume as long as all the information presented is relevant to the job.
• You can play around with the spacing, margins, and format of the resume to make all your information fit on one page. If you want the easy way out, use a resume builder .
• For Americans, a CV is different from a resume. It is primarily used in Academia and serves as an academic and experience diary. Since it’s not a short pitch, the length of a CV is usually 2-3 pages but can go up to 8 pages depending on your background.

Suggested reading:

• How to Pick the Best Resume Format [+Examples]
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume [With Tips + Tricks]
• 340+ Resume Action Verbs And Power Words [Complete list]

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A Two-Page (or More) Resume is Ok! But Only in These Cases

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One of the most persistent pieces of job-search advice floating around concerns resume length: They should be one page.

Resumes are skimmed quickly, this idea goes, so you don’t want to turn off hiring managers or human resources (or the system) with too much information – or give the impression that you’re not aware of this “basic rule.”

But in fact, this well-worn piece of advice is simply incorrect for a lot of job-seekers.

Let’s say it clearly: a two-page resume is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it’s desirable for many job seekers!

One-page resumes are for folks in certain categories, such as entry-level job seekers, for example. One-pagers are also a good choice for professionals who have worked in the same position or company for many years, who can effectively show their experience and qualifications in that single page.

People who are making a  career change can also use a single page resume, because it may cover the information relevant to the sought-after career sufficiently. If you’re pivoting, you want to zero in on the most relevant information to help hiring managers quickly see why they should open the door for you.

In all these cases, a resume longer than one page might look padded – and that’s one thing that does turn off hiring managers and HR professionals. A resume should never read (or look) as if you’re laboring to fill up space.

Who Should Have a Two-Page (or Longer) Resume?

So what  categories of job seekers  should have a two-page resume? Everyone else! The following groups find a two-page (or more) resume especially helpful.

People with 10 or more years of experience.

If you’ve been working for 10 years or more, you likely need a two-page resume to highlight your achievements and experience, especially if you have a record of promotions and movement among companies.

Senior-level professionals.

If you’re seeking a senior level position, you need to highlight a series of quantifiable accomplishments, along with a record of promotions, significant experience, and (likely) multiple employers.

People in positions requiring extensive certification.

Job-seekers in academia, engineering, information technology, and similar occupations often need to show extensive professional qualifications, including advanced degrees, certifications, technical skills, and publications.

People seeking government positions.

Most government jobs require job-seekers to complete specific applications that ask for extensive detail about past jobs. The resulting resumes are often longer than two pages.

Benefits of a Two-Page Resume

Two-page resumes offer very specific benefits to contemporary job seekers as well.

Make it through the ATS.

First, a longer resume allows you to craft a resume that will successfully make it through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). ATS are used by the vast majority of companies. They are designed to choose only those that most closely match the job description and weed out the rest.

Your resume will only be seen by a human if it successfully makes it through the ATS scan. As a result, part of your goal needs to be ensuring that your resume meets ATS requirements.

What are those requirements? First, the ATS scans to ensure that resumes  match the keywords  in the job description. You must match the keywords to make it through successfully.

Second, they also scan for the  frequency  of keywords. As a result, successful applicants need to ensure both the existence of keywords and sufficient frequency throughout the resume. Frankly, ensuring keyword frequency without monotony may be hard to do without two (or more) pages.

Offer more in-depth information.

Additionally, longer resumes allow you to present your achievements and qualifications in a winning light. You should always highlight your most significant quantifiable achievements toward the top of a resume in a way that catches reviewer attention.

Remember as well that job seekers with a longer resume can include sections many employers find helpful in reviewing resumes of more advanced professionals, such as an executive summary and list of core competencies.

Improve your resume’s formatting.

Finally, a longer resume allows you to pay attention to readability and presentation. Some job seekers resort to small type and meager margins to make a resume fit in one page.

But small type and narrow margins are  not  good for readability and presentation. In fact, they make resumes hard to read. Many hiring managers may shrink from reading teeny-tiny type all, even if the resume has made it through the ATS.

Human personnel spend just a few seconds skimming resumes. Successful resumes need to incorporate that fact, and be very easy to skim. Easy-to-read type and reasonable margins contribute to readability, as do bullet points and lists.

Specifically, use at least an 11-point typeface in a standard business typeface, such as Arial or Calibri. Each margin should be at least one inch.

When you’re using a two-page resume, part of the presentation should consider the second page, too. Be sure to fill at least one-third of the second page. Why? Because if the second page covers less than that, it may strike a reviewer as a tacked-on afterthought. In fact, if it fills just a few lines on the second page, it may look like a mistake. Make sure it neither looks nor reads that way!

What If Your Resume Is More Than Two Pages?

What if you’re aiming for a two-page resume and it’s running three pages or longer? You’ll need to cut it down. Part of developing a great resume lies in the revision!

Remember, the most important goal of a resume is obtaining an interview, because an interview can actually get you the job. The most important goal-contributing part of a resume is thus the quantifiable achievements, because they tell a hiring manager “this is what I could do if you hired me.”

When you revise, focus on the goal of obtaining an interview. Any information that doesn’t contribute is secondary, and can be pared down. If your resume lists a number of early jobs that don’t contribute to your prospective role, for example, they can be streamlined.

Two-page resumes allow job seekers to present their qualifications, ensure readability, and successfully navigate the ATS. They are especially helpful to those with a decade or more of experience, prospective senior managers, and those in highly specialized fields.

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Rita Williams

Rita Williams is a freelance writer on a wide range of topics, including careers, human resources trends and personal finance. She works with both job-seekers and companies to educate and inform them about best practices – and shows humor and understanding while doing it.

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Should a Resume Be One Page? Pros, Cons, and a Debate

One of the most important decisions you have to make while crafting your resume is to choose how many pages to use. Many people believe a resume shouldn’t be longer than one page, but is that really the best option? In this blog post, we’ll try to answer the question “should a resume be one page long,” explore the pros and cons of this approach, and help you decide which option is the best for you.

What Is a Resume and What Is Its Purpose?

A resume is a document that provides an overview of a person’s experience and qualifications. It gives potential employers insight into the candidate’s skills and accomplishments. While you don’t have to prepare a resume for every job application, employers often expect it.

Resume Length

Most resumes are one or two pages long and include several sections, such as contact details, objective or summary statement, work history, education, and skills.

The most typical resume is one page long. Many candidates opt for this format because employers generally don’t have the time to review lengthy documents, especially when considering multiple candidates. In addition, this format also allows you to be more selective about the information you include.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you have a lot of experience or credentials in a particular area, you may need two pages. Moreover, certain professions, such as academia, typically require longer resumes.

If you are still unsure about the appropriate length for your resume, you can always consult a career counselor or use one of the resume builders we reviewed.

What To Include in One-Page Resumes

When creating a one-page resume, the key is to include only the most essential information. This means providing a clear and concise overview of your work history, educational background, and skills.

While you may be tempted to mention every detail of your career history, remember that your goal is to capture the reader’s attention and give them a snapshot of your most relevant qualifications. Therefore, try to focus on including only the experiences directly related to the job position you’re applying for.

Regarding your educational background and skills, again, only include the necessary information. For example, there is no need to list your high school diploma if you have extensive experience in your field. 

By following these tips, you can create a one-page professional resume that will leave a strong impression on your potential employers.

How To Make a Resume Fit on One Page

For most job seekers, creating a resume is an exercise in balancing between including too much or not enough information. How do you distill years of experience down to just one or two pages? Then again, if your resume is too long, it risks getting lost in the shuffle.

While both sides have advantages, you will most likely make a better impression if you can fit the resume on one page. Here are a few simple tips to help you achieve this:

• First, focus on relevancy . Include only the information directly relevant to the position you are applying for. This may mean leaving out older job experiences that are not directly related to your current career goals.
• Second, use white space wisely . A cluttered and crammed resume is hard to read and will likely be passed over. Use appropriate spacing to make your resume more readable and eye-catching.
• Third, be concise in your descriptions . According to statistics, recruiters need only seven seconds to scan your resume , so be as straightforward as possible. For example, you can use bullet points and action verbs to communicate your point efficiently.
• Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative . If you have to include plenty of information on a single page, you may need to get creative with formatting to make everything fit.

Pros and Cons of a One-Page Resume

A single-page resume has several advantages over the traditional two-page format:

• It’s more likely to hold the recruiter’s attention. 
• It’s easier to navigate, making the key information more accessible. 
• It highlights the most relevant information, allowing the reader to quickly identify whether the candidate is a good fit for the position.
• It conveys confidence and professionalism, which can help impress a potential employer.

While one-page resumes may seem like the easier option, you should consider the disadvantages before making the final decision.

One of the most common problems with single-page resumes is that they are sometimes too condensed, making it difficult for employers to get a clear sense of the candidate’s skills and experience. Moreover, the job seeker may have trouble including important keywords and details that could help them stand out from other candidates.

Ultimately, a single-page format does offer plenty of benefits, but it’s not always the ideal option. That’s why it’s vital to carefully weigh what information you need to include in your resume and check what format is the best for the job you want.

The One or Two-Page Resume Debate

There has been a lot of debate lately about whether a resume should be one page long. Some argue that you need to be able to effectively sell yourself on a single page in today’s competitive job market. They also say employers simply don’t have the time to read lengthy resumes while evaluating multiple candidates.

However, those who oppose the one-page limit claim that it doesn’t provide enough space to highlight a candidate’s skills and work history adequately. They also point out that specific fields, such as academia and research, require more detailed resumes. 

In the end, there is no right or wrong answer to this issue — it boils down to the specific job you’re applying for and whether you can efficiently condense your relevant experience into one page or not.

Should a Resume Be One Page? | The Takeaway

In the end, does a resume have to be one page long? This is ultimately up to the job seeker to decide. Regardless of the length, following general tips and advice from experts will help make sure that your resume is concise and easy to read.

If you’re having trouble condensing all of your experience onto one page, remember that it’s better to have a shorter, high-quality resume than one filled with unnecessary information. So don’t be afraid to trim extraneous details and focus on what matters most: the qualifications for the job you want.

FAQ on Should a Resume Be One Page?

You can start by condensing your work history into a few bullet points. Then, include the most relevant accomplishments from your professional and academic experiences. Finally, add any skills or qualifications that make you the ideal candidate for the position.

If your resume is two pages long, printing each page on separate sheets would be best. That way, the reader won’t have to flip over a single sheet while evaluating your qualifications.

If you’re wondering, “should a resume be one page or two,” try to fit your information on a single page, if possible. Still, you shouldn’t avoid using a two-page format if you have plenty of relevant work experience and qualifications.

Resume Length: Should Your Resume Be One Page?

Filter your job details, declutter your resume, remember your audience, condense your text further, tighten up format.

When writing your resume, one of the top questions on your mind is probably what length it should it be. But if you try to find the answer by consulting the many resume advice books and articles out there, you may feel a bit confused. Some people will suggest a resume that is a maximum of one page, and other sources will say that is too short.

The good news is that when it comes to resume length, there’s actually a pretty wide margin of success. For the vast majority of job seekers, a resume should be between the better part of one page and three full pages. Within that range, the best resume length will really depend on your particular job goals and experience.

You don’t need to think of resume length as a rigorous rule to follow. Instead, it’s the natural result of your following a precise process designed to filter out all but your most relevant details, with two key steps:

Step 1. Brainstorm all career details you’re proud of, and gather them into a single long document. You can name this document something like “Master Career Document.”

Step 2. Any time you’re drafting a new resume, save a copy of your master document. Then review all the information one item at a time, always asking yourself if it is relevant to your job search. If not, delete that item.

For the purposes of your resume, it doesn’t matter how recent or lengthy (or even how objectively impressive) any given career experience was. If the experience doesn’t have much relevance to your current job goals, it doesn’t need much detail at all on your resume. Strictly speaking, the only information you’re required to give on your resume is your name, contact information, and basic outline of recent work history. Everything else is optional and should depend on this “relevance filter.”

This process of filtering information has a surprising resemblance to the home decluttering method championed by expert organizer Marie Kondo. She recommends clearing your living space of clutter by holding one object at a time in your hands, asking yourself if it sparks joy — and tossing out anything that doesn’t. For your resume, the equivalent question could be: “Does this spark relevance?” In other words, does the detail describe an activity you’ve done that’s similar to the activities you’ll be doing in your next job?

Kondo’s approach resonates with resume variability because two different people can follow the exact same procedure yet arrive at completely different results. It’s acceptable if a resume reaches two pages, or even three, as long as all the information is truly relevant to the person’s job search.

Resumes are flexible, taking whatever shape and structure is needed to serve their sole purpose: getting you interviews for jobs you want.

Don’t let anyone tell you your resume is wrong because it’s a certain number of pages. The only way a resume is ever wrong is if it’s not getting you interviews. And that happens primarily because the resume is not providing or focusing on qualifications that matter to a hiring manager. For this reason, avoid adding irrelevant details to your resume just to reach a certain length, and never take out crucial details just to get it down to a number of pages. Give the hiring manager the information they need to make an informed call about your candidacy, and you’ll maximize the chances that your resume gets you traction in your job search.

If after completing the filtering process your resume is well above three pages (or just seems too long), some additional pruning may be in order. Here are three types of relevant information that you may safely take out:

• Early career details. All other things being equal, your older work experience is less relevant than your newer roles, so try condensing those early positions first.
• Standard job duties. Under any given job description, your standard duties are less important than your results and achievements. Try paring back your task-based information for a more concise look.
• Repetitive details. When you have a long list of similar items that are all equally relevant to your goals, it’s often a good idea to select just a few of them to highlight on your resume. A common example of this is presentations. If you’ve given a lot of talks and seminars, consider removing all but the most important ones and naming the section “Select Presentations.”

If you’re still looking for ways to shorten the look of your document (or if your text runs just a couple lines over the last full page), consider adjusting these formatting areas:

• Font style . Some fonts occupy more space on the page. If you’re looking for a font style that takes up less space, try Arial Narrow. It can tighten up the overall format while retaining a clean, professional look.
• Font size. Many assume that their name and section headers need to be a large font size on their resume. But if you’re already setting off those elements with different formatting (such as bold, italic, or all caps), they don’t need to be much larger than the body text.
• Headers and footers. These are optional, and can add unnecessary space at the top and bottom of the page. Consider taking them out entirely.
• Character spacing. You’ll find this in the Advanced tab of the font dialog box in Microsoft Word (to access, just click Control-D on a PC or Command-D on a Mac). This lesser-known tool lets you reduce the amount of space between letters. Try setting it to “Condensed” by as much as 0.3 points.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

Build a Resume to Enhance Your Career

• How to Build a Resume Learn More
• Basic Resume Examples and Templates Learn More
• How Many Jobs Should You List on a Resume? Learn More
• How to Include Personal and Academic Projects on Your Resume Learn More

Essential Guides for Your Job Search

• How to Land Your Dream Job Learn More
• How to Organize Your Job Search Learn More
• How to Include References in Your Job Search Learn More
• The Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview Learn More

Resume Length: How Long Should a Resume Be in 2024

In This Guide:

How long should your resume be in 2023, why are there so many opinions about resume length, how far back should a resume go, should a resume be one page, case study: gal’s one page resume, case study: daniel’s two page customer support resume, case study: mia’s three page research assistant resume.

What's the ideal resume length for the hiring manager?

How to shorten my resume?

How long should your resume be – key takeaways.

Resume length is one of the great mysteries of the job application process. Because of it, you might be wondering, how long should a resume be?

Should it always be one page?

What if you have a lot of relevant experience and need more space to describe it?

If you have a work history that goes way back because you’ve been working for 25+ years, is three pages okay?

Well, it doesn’t help that you can find arguments for just about any length online if you look hard enough.

Fortunately, we’ve analyzed the resumes of real users hired at competitive companies such as Spotify, Booking.com, Verizon Digital Media Services, Amazon, Intercom, and more. Instead of throwing opinions around, all your questions about resume length are answered in this guide.

Alternatively, you can skip this whole section and find a PROVEN resume example for your specific job position. From there, building your resume and seeing what works is simple and easy. Best of all, it’s free to use!

BROWSE RESUME EXAMPLES

There is no perfect answer.

Depending on the job description and your work experience, your resume should be one or two pages long. If you have over 10 years of relevant experience, a multi-page resume works better than a one-page.

(Related: One-page resume: 3 Powerful Examples )

However, there are a few things you should keep in mind if your resume does go over several pages long. So, be sure to keep reading on!

Unfortunately, there’s no best answer.

The hiring landscape has changed considerably in recent years. Not even 20 years ago, keeping your resume down to one page was both a strategic and cost-effective move (i.e., cutting down on printing costs).

Going even further back in time (as far as Kiplinger’s Changing Times 55’ issue on job seeker advice) you’ll read that keeping your resume to a single page is your best option.

Two pages are also acceptable.

But, anything longer makes it too difficult for employers to go through.

Today, these worries are less pronounced. In fact, there’s a growing trend of recruiters preferring two-page resumes over single-page ones.

According to a study by ResumeGo , it’s found that hiring managers are 2.3 times more prone to select a two-page resume format over the one-page resumes. No matter what the candidate’s professional level is, it doesn’t make a big difference.

So why do people still argue for a one-page resume?

In one word: relevance.

Every resume has an audience. But, not everyone will have the same opinion.

And, that’s why it’s difficult to assume what the ideal resume length is.

Some recruiters and hiring managers will follow the one-page rule to the letter while others will think the rule is useless. To help overcome this difficulty, it’s best to research the hiring practices of the organization you’re applying to and see the common traits associated with page lengths.

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One question on your mind might be how far back should a resume go for work history.

As mentioned, it depends on where you are in your career and how much work experience you have. These are the factors that vary for every candidate which can determine how long your resume should be.

And, that’s why it can be difficult to assume the best answer.

To get a better understanding of how where you are in your career can match your resume length, see below!

One Page Resume:

• Your experience isn’t relevant for a specific industry
• You only have experience in one or two companies
• You have less than 10 years of experience
• You work in an oversaturated market (IE a recruiter is unlikely to take the time to read more than a page)
• You want to cut down on paper use
• Preferred by your recruiter
• You want to ensure the recruiter sees everything
• This is your first job or internship
• Your focus is on your skills and not on previous experience
• You’re making a career change that requires robust industry knowledge

Two Page Resume:

• You have robust technical knowledge
• You want to balance your work experience and culture fit
• You’ve made a significant impact in your previous role
• You have experience the company isn’t aware they need
• You have both extensive work and volunteer experience
• You have multiple relevant educations
• You’re applying for a mid-level position
• Certain sections are required on your resume

Three+ Page Resume:

• You’re applying to an Industry-specific (academia etc.,) role
• You’re an executive / high-seniority
• You’re using a portfolio style
• You’re certain that HR wants the amount of detail you can provide in this many pages

Are one-page resumes the best?

How about a two-page resume , when should you use which?

Before we take a closer look at the case studies for different resume lengths and why it works, your resume needs to answer four simple questions:

• Who are you?
• What relevant experience do you have?
• Why are you motivated for this position?
• How will you make an impact in your role?
• What are your accomplishments and qualifications?

These four questions will help you determine how long your resume should be and keeps the hiring manager’s perspective in mind. By answering who you are, the recruiter has someone to pair your work experience with. More than that, they learn about your personality and potential cultural fit.

Showing your motivation for your role ensures the HR can see you’re not just looking for any job, you want this one.

Most importantly, your potential impact is what will entice the recruiter most as it directly relates to their performance and business goals. To do this, always remember to quantify past experience.

That being said, let’s get into Enhancv’s case studies of how a one-page, two-page, and three-page resume got candidates hired in even the most competitive spaces.

With over a decade of experience, Gal was searching for a new job in business development.

From starting his own company to leading software solutions all the way to speaking three languages, you could say he was spoiled for choice.

Most people would say that 10+ years of experience = two pages.

But, Gal took a different approach.

On one page, he successfully told the recruiter who he was, why he was motivated for this job, the experience he’d bring, and how he would make an impact.

Amidst the fog like Gal, you will hear different opinions about how long your resume should be. For someone with over 10 years of experience, most professionals and job seekers around will expect to have a two-page resume.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

Since Gal’s resume was one page, it was completely different to the rest of the other applicants. In other words, it was a gateway to standing out from the crowd and getting his voice heard among the chaos.

Be like Gal and get hired for the competitive job posting at your dream company by using Enhancv’s free resume builder. Use the same one-page formula now below!

BUILD MY ONE PAGE RESUME

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Why was one page the right choice?

Catching attention.

Gal had all the experience in the world, but his aim wasn’t listing as much as possible in his work experience section, skills section or education section.

His aim was to catch HR’s attention.

Recruiters can look at resumes for less than 7.4 seconds . Having a long, drawn-out resume might be the difference between the ‘No’ and the ‘Maybe’ pile.

Gal’s one-pager gives a quick, non-exhaustive record of his work history and talents. He knew once he secured an interview he could get the job. Catching the attention of the recruiter with a succinct resume was therefore vital.

(Tip: You can include a short bio on the top of your resume in a bold color to quickly catch the recruiter’s attention and save space.)

Staying concise

There was no need to include multiple pages as Gal’s descriptions were concise and to-the-point.

He went into detail on his most recent job and kept other relevant experience down to two bullet points. His industry expertise was conveyed quickly using one-word visuals too.

Business development is rooted in your ability to communicate and do so as effectively as possible. Gal knew recruiters would be looking for a short few words on how he has led previous businesses to success.

(Tip: Describing your previous experience with one-two bullet points will allow you to focus on your key achievements and save space.)

Daniel had been involved in remote work for over two years.

Two years of experience doesn’t sound like a lot. But the impact he’s had during that time was huge, which left him with a lot to say.

The nature of his work requires more detail on who he is and his ability to fit company culture despite the distance. It was also necessary to explain the reasons why he’s gravitated towards remote working too.

His less than 10 years of experience would typically lead us to a one-page resume. However, in this case, two pages were needed.

The hiring manager wants to see the value you can provide for the company. Even if you don’t have as much experience as Gal does and you’re someone like Daniel, you want to talk about the results you were responsible for.

When the employer sees what you’re capable of, it’s more likely they’ll hire you for the job posting since they understand how valuable you are.

If you’re like Daniel and you want a proven two-page resume template to secure your new career, click the button below to get started for free!

BUILD MY TWO PAGE RESUME

It only requires minimal effort. It’s that simple!

Why was adding a second page the right choice?

Showing you who he is.

HRs are interested in culture fit to identify whether employees’ practices and passions align with the employer’s goals.

Daniel opens his resume with a short summary of his career, and later goes on to provide useful links where the HR can learn more about him (e.g., his website).

Using a two-page resume, he didn’t have to worry whether including these details would detract from his previous experience.

(Tip: You can use a Most Proud of Section with Enhancv to highlight aspects of your personality and your career experience all-in-one on your resume.)

Is it bad to have a 2-page resume?

Working in technical support and engineering obviously requires a certain level of technical expertise.

Hiring managers need to clearly see the extent of Daniel’s knowledge on his resume. This means exploring the projects he’s worked on and the technologies he has experience with. He dedicates just under two full pages explaining these and highlights his own projects under a Projects section.

This shows the extent of Daniel’s knowledge along with his initiative and ability.

(Tip: You can utilize Enhancv’s Technologies Section to briefly mention all of your technical skills, software, and languages you have used before.)

Mia has been working in immunology for many years.

From her undergraduate work to her current postdoctoral work… Her drive to make a difference in the world has produced publications, presentations, and awards.

In her pursuit of postdoctoral research, demonstrating her expertise in the field is an absolute must. There are also expectations of an academic resume – to put simply, having the correct style and streamlining your design.

To produce a resume to satisfy these conditions as well as discussing her previous work, a three-page resume was needed.

So far with all the case studies, have you noticed any similarities?

Firstly, they’re modern resumes which stand out. Above all, it’s the resume design and the way it highlights key information such as your certifications and different types of skills by using appropriate visual aspects. This is what makes them so compelling for the hiring manager.

Chances are, the recruiters at your company aren’t used to seeing a modern resume like this. So, making an impression and getting your foot in the door isn’t difficult.

If you’re unsure what to write and trying to cope with writer’s block, Enhancv makes the entire resume building process easier for you.

When you’re using any of these proven examples, you have a resume in front of you that’s gotten someone hired in the most competitive spaces. More importantly, they could just be like you.

Meaning, you can easily get ideas and replace the contents with your own work experience and tailor it for the job opening so it works for you.

These resume templates are free.

Why not get hired by spending only a few minutes building your resume with Enhancv? If you’re like Mia and need a three-page resume, get started now by clicking below!

BUILD A THREE PAGE RESUME

Building a resume has never been easier. On top of that, it’s free!

Why was a three-page resume the right choice?

Readable format.

Mia spaced her experience across the three pages to keep from overpacking text in one area while also facilitating detailed discussion where necessary.

Keeping a consistent format meant defined margins, bold headings, and a simple design.

There’s little room to cut down on details in a resume for postdoctoral research – every author, every long word, every reference is needed. Restricting her resume to one-two pages would have required leaving off key works.

(Tip: Enhancv’s Single Column template design gives your resume a clean-cut and sleek finish!)

Is it too long?

Discussing your expertise in immunology isn’t something that happens in a few bullet points.

Most publication titles alone are over 10 words long – you can’t just shorten them down. However, this doesn’t mean that Mia was frivolous in her space-usage. Her research has been grouped into eras (Undergrad / Ph.D.) with the main points discussed.

Mia keeps things short-and-sweet, but she has a lot to mention. Applying for a postdoc, it’s better to give them everything.

(Tip: You can include an industry experience section on an Enhancv resume that gives a quick visual indicator of all your key industry-specific abilities!)

What's the ideal resume length for the hiring manager?

CV length is the difference between an experienced candidate and an irrelevant candidate. If your resume is too long, it’s a complete waste of time to go through.

On the other hand, if a resume is too short they won’t get an overview of your suitability for the position. It’s good practice to scope out the hiring preferences of the company you are applying to. This will allow you to tailor your resume to the known preferences of your hiring manager to give you the best chance of getting noticed and called for an interview.

Let’s take a look at this a bit further by breaking down an entry-level resume and an executive-level resume.

Entry-level resume

As a graduate or someone who’s just finished high school with a solid GPA, it can be nerve-racking to think about applying for your first job .

Most of the time, your resume is going to be one-page. It makes sense since you don’t have as much work experience as someone else who’s been in the workforce might have. Though, you might still tell yourself to push for a two-page resume.

However, it’s not as effective as you think. In fact, a one-page resume is more powerful. It just depends on the approach you take and how you do it.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, it’s smarter to see what works.

So, first, open the resume examples page on Enhancv and search for an entry-level position resume.

Next, you’ll be taken to a page that has a complete guide for creating an entry-level resume.

But, I want you to click on the “use this example” button:

Great! You now have full access to a proven resume.

You can see what works and if you wanted to replace the content and make your own resume using this as inspiration, then go for it by all means necessary!

See the impact of this one-page resume?

While it’s not two-pages and might not seem to have a lot of information, it contains everything necessary. Since it’s fluff-free, minimal and straight to the point, it leaves a bigger impact on the hiring manager skimming through your resume.

While it’s important to be using the right keyword, it’s not just about what you say.

It’s how you say it.

With an entry-level resume, you should aim for a one-page resume. As long as you’ve included everything you need alongside the right resume sections and details, it’s way more compelling than a forced two-page resume.

Executive resume

This time, let’s look at an executive resume . You might be expecting this type of resume to be at least two pages long, right?

The reality is, a one-page resume also works.

When building your resume with Enhancv, we advise all job seekers and professionals to create a resume that’s one-page long. The reason being is that it’s more impactful and can say a lot more than a two-page resume.

For example, let’s take a look at Enhancv’s executive resume template:

Instead of just plainly telling, it’s more powerful to show.

If you’re able to keep your entire career and work experience concise and demonstrate that into a single page, it says a lot about you.

In the case of a one-page resume, you’re showing a high level of efficiency and expertise.

On top of that, it’s more effective and meaningful. Your resume is more likely to be more memorable because of how different it looks and how easy it is to identify key pieces of details (thanks to the visual features of your resume)!

Still wondering whether or not this will work? There’s only one way to find out.

Through our case studies above, we’ve broken it down and shown you why it worked. We also have candidates where Enhancv’s resume templates have gotten them hired at even the biggest companies such as Amazon and Tesla.

The best way to get started with anything is to see what already works.

So, if you haven’t already been actively following these steps, start now by browsing a proven example for your specific job using the button below!

It’s the best way to get started!

You might be thinking, how could I fit everything into a single page? One section of a resume might need more space than another, but then it restricts me from fitting everything into one…

For example, if you’re using a functional resume and have different skills such as:

• Computer skills
• Communication skills
• Language skills
• Soft skills
• Hard skills

Even if you’re using a different resume layout (e.g. chronological resume), there’s always that thought of wanting to include more things. It’s always good to mention additional experience but it can sometimes have the opposite effect.

To learn how to shorten your resume to two pages or one page, use the following key tips:

• Group your early career into one section
• Focus your previous work experience with one-two bullets
• Use a short bio in lieu of a personal resume summary or resume objective
• Use a Most Proud Of section to intertwine achievements with culture fit
• Choose an optimal font type – Rubik, Roboto, Calibri, and Lato take up less space compared to Arial
• Consider smaller font size – 10.5 p is still great for content, while headers can be somewhere between 13 and 15 p.
• Trim down unnecessary sections, such as references, and a lengthy address.
• Remove any filler words, such as “the”, , “an”, “a”, “like” or “that”.
• Experiment with the document margins until you optimize the use of the resume’s white space. You can decrease it to a 0.5 of an inch.

A good question to ask yourself when reducing your resume length is, will this significantly affect my chances of getting an interview if it were omitted?

If the answer is no, you can remove it.

Another underrated strategy is to proofread and edit your resume . Sometimes, you can rephrase and describe things better using fewer words.

Truth is, there’s no perfect answer. There are too many factors to be considered to allow for a simple determination. Nonetheless, the strategies and topics discussed will help you in making the decision.

Before submitting your resume, use the following checklist summarised from everything in this guide:

• I’ve looked at the typical traits of one page, two page, and three + page resume
• I’ve answered the who, why, what, and how questions of a resume
• I’ve ensured all of my experience is specific, relevant, and measured
• I’ve determined the significance of each item included on my resume and believe removing any section would negatively affect my chances of being hired
• I’ve consulted other successful resumes to see how others have crafted their resumes for inspiration
• I’ve used Enhancv’s builder to present all of this information in a sleek way and have capitalized on their unique sections to stand out

If you’ve followed these steps, chances are you have the perfect resume length for you.

As we’ve learned from Gal’s case study, sometimes rules-of-thumb do not fit your situation. Daniel’s story shows us that sticking to one page isn’t always an advantage, and Mia shows us that in some cases, the recommended length is the best length.

As long as you’ve done the research and followed this guide, there is no right or wrong answer.

Do you agree with our tips? How long do you prefer your resume to be? Share your own insights in the comments below.

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