How Long Should Your Résumé Be, Really?

If you’re like us, you’ve got several versions of your résumé. Maybe you’ve been changing it periodically over the years as you get a new position or promotion.

As these things happen, that résumé tends to grow. So it should make sense that the longer you work, the longer your résumé should be, right? Not necessarily.

When you type “how long should a résumé be?” into Google, the results say that it should be one page. Okay, fine. That’s a standard that a lot of people seem to agree on. But does that still apply if your career is 45 years long? Probably not!

According to the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC), there is no universal standard for résumé length. The length of a résumé depends on the amount and quality of its content.

In other words, résumé length should be handled on a case-by-case basis. If you’re fresh out of college, or you’ve just had a couple of jobs, there’s a good chance your résumé can be condensed to fit on one page.

On the other hand, if you’re a doctor with decades of work experience, four degrees, board certifications, residencies, and dozens of publications written, you could not reasonably expect to fit that on a single page. (Maybe consider a medical CV format if this is you).

Here are CareerPulse’s suggestions:

1. Formatting is key for a résumé. You should not sacrifice aesthetics to squeeze all of your information onto a page. There are industry-wide conventions for font size, spacing, margins, and overall appearance.

2. If the last page of your résumé is less than 1/2 page long, consider shortening the document to end at the bottom of the previous page.

3. Ask yourself honestly if you have too much information on your résumé. “Time management”, “attention to detail”, and “Microsoft Office” may sound good as skills, but they don’t really differentiate you from the pack.

4. Ask yourself honestly if you have enough information on your résumé. Have you clearly explained your responsibilities for each of your jobs? Did you leave out any group affiliations, volunteer experience, or special projects? Have you captured all of the relevant skills that someone might look for in a candidate?

5. Get a second opinion. Have a friend or family member read over your résumé before you send it anywhere. Make sure this person is someone you trust and who will give you honest feedback.

Of course, the team of certified writers at CareerPulse would be happy to help as well. Résumé writing is our specialty, and you can learn more about it here:

Résumé Writing