How Long Should Your Resume Be?

Your resume is often the first impression a company receives of you, so you want to make sure your resume length is ideal for the job. Consider your resume as a marketing tool for selling yourself. Several years ago, the recommended length was one page because a short resume had a better chance at being reviewed. Now that limitation is outdated. A one-page resume can be sufficient, but you should use more room to communicate your experience and skills if you need it.

According to the New York Daily News, your resume length will largely depend on how much job experience you have obtained. If you are a college student or someone who has just graduated from high school, you may want to consider a one-page resume. One page is plenty if you have had less than ten years of work experience or if you are considering a radical career change and your past employment is not pertinent to your current job search. A short resume is ideal if you have only had one or two employers. Be concise with your information, and don't try to add fluff to fill up the page. You can also list outside accomplishments and organization memberships if they are relevant to your job hunt. A resume workshop may be an option if you need help constructing your first resume.

Consider a two-page resume length if you have ten or more years of experience related to the job you are applying for. A longer resume length is also best if you are applying for a job in a technical or engineering field that requires space to list and prove your technical knowledge. This type of resume would command a career summary with bullet points at the top of the first page. This allows human resources to quickly view your key credentials and establish your qualifications for the position.

Your resume length should be three or more pages if you are a senior-level manager with an extensive list of qualifications and achievements or if you work in a scientific or academic field and have had various publications of research. When you begin compiling your resume, employers are looking for your last ten years of employment. You can include more if you have worked for the same company for longer than that and your experience is relevant, but you do not want to include too much on your resume. Typically, the further back you go in your work history, the less detailed you should be.

Your resume length will vary depending on the level of experience you have. It should be long enough to detail your skills and accomplishments, keeping in mind that you might be eliminated from consideration if it is too cumbersome.

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