How long should your resume be? Rules of thumb and tips

While content is the most important component of a resume, its length can greatly impact whether an employer is willing to consider you for a job. It should be long enough to convey your credentials and accomplishments but not so long that it feels excessively demanding to the human resources associate tasked with reading it. Hitting that sweet spot before a resume qualifies as overlong can be especially difficult for experienced candidates, who have a lot of ground to cover if they want to be comprehensive about their qualifications.

Here, we answer the question, "How long should a resume be?" With the rules of thumb and tips below, you should be well-equipped to submit an application that a hiring manager can quickly scan to determine if you're qualified for the job.

How long should your resume be?

Assuming a document is in 10-, 11-, or 12-point font and has reasonably spaced margins, the standard acceptable resume length would be one or two pages. Candidates with up to 10 years of experience should stick to writing one-page resumes, while those with more experience can get away with two pages. One study suggests hiring managers are more likely to hire candidates who submit two-page resumes over those with one-page documents because it may imply greater experience or allow applicants to include more keywords.

Efficiency may be the reason why employers insist on the one-to-two-page standard. Shorter resumes take less time to read than longer ones, which helps human resources departments process applications and fill vacancies more quickly. Also, remember that hiring officials are ordinary people with limits to their patience and attention spans, which longer resumes will tend to challenge. 

When is it OK to write a longer resume?

Even though most employers would prefer that applicants limit their resumes to one or two pages, a three- or even four-page resume may be appropriate in certain instances. Here are some scenarios in which it could be OK to write a longer resume:

• You're applying for a leadership position: Executives and other senior professionals may benefit from including sections that cover areas that highlight their leadership potential, such as projects and professional development.
• You're submitting a medical resume: A medical professional may produce a four-page resume to cover their professional credentials, fellowships, or residencies.
• You're vying for an academic position: Candidates for professorships or research roles often submit curriculum vitae, which are more comprehensive than ordinary resumes because they may cover areas such as publications and research projects.
• You're in the running for a government job: Roles with the federal government usually require some level of security clearance, so your resume may need to present a thorough detailing of your professional history and qualifications.

Resume length guidelines and rules of thumb

Here are some guidelines and rules of thumb to optimize your resume and improve your odds of earning serious consideration for the job:

Concision is key, no matter the length

Concision means cutting out any superfluous detail, which is crucial when writing a longer-format resume. Wherever you can, remove elements that don't serve your intended purpose of impressing the hiring manager with your qualities and achievements. Remove or combine bullet points, delete unnecessary words such as relative pronouns and articles, and reconsider whether certain experiences or qualifications pertain to the job you're applying for.

Not all of your experience is relevant

The most extensive section in almost every resume is the work history section. If you're a highly experienced candidate, this section could take up two pages if you don't exercise discretion. With that in mind, limit your work history to the past 10 to 15 years. 

If you feel that some of your most outstanding achievements came earlier in your career, feel free to mention them, but either relegate them to a separate "Achievements" section or remove a more recent employment listing from your work history. If you choose the latter option, be prepared to explain the apparent employment gap to the employer.

Content matters more than length

Though we're talking about the ideal length for a resume, you should remember that your resume's content is more important than its page count. After all, if you cut out content in the service of brevity, you may be removing valuable information that demonstrates to the employer why you're the ideal candidate for the job.

To avoid over-excision, begin by getting your most important experiences, responsibilities, achievements, credentials, and keywords onto the page, allowing you to assess how much space you have left. From there, you can experiment with formatting, organization, and rephrasing so that everything fits as it should without sacrificing critical information.

"Though we're talking about the ideal length for a resume, you should remember that your resume's content is more important than its page count."

Tips for keeping your resume to a reasonable length

Below are some tips to help you minimize the length of your resume:

Reduce the font size (within reasonable limits)

The font size you choose often determines whether your resume contents spill over into an additional page. A smaller font size allows you to fit in more content, but you don't want to shrink the text to the point that it's hard to read. The general rule is to stick with 10-, 11-, or 12-point text, which would spare the hiring manager from straining their eyes.

Remember, the typeface makes a difference in what qualifies as the ideal font size. Arial, for example, is slightly larger than Calibri and Times New Roman so it could take a 9-point size instead.

Shrink the margins (again, within reasonable limits)

The margins are another area of formatting that can help you reduce your resume page length. The standard margin size is 1 inch on all sides, which may cause your resume to expand to another page. Adjust the margin sizes to fit your content appropriately, but avoid going under 0.5 inches. Tiny margins cause the text to appear overstuffed and are harder to read. Also, keep your margins equal (or roughly so) on all four sides so the text is balanced and more appealing to the eye.

Adjust the layout

A basic resume layout presents your name, contact information, experience, skills, and education in a straightforward top-to-bottom sequence. The problem is that this may not optimize the space on the page. A more thoughtful layout may divide the page into sections across both vertical and horizontal planes, as in the following example:

Creating tables with transparent borders may achieve this format in a word-processing application. You can also reorder the sections if you want.

There are other resume layouts, and some are novel and attention-grabbing. Look online for inspiration and craft a layout that meets your needs and desired effect.

Using what you've learned here, you can move forward with writing a resume that facilitates easy reading and quick processing. Then, once you've written it, upload your resume to CareerBuilder so you can conveniently apply to the jobs you want while helping prospective employers identify you as a qualified candidate.

More tips about writing eye-catching resumes

Length isn't the only area in which you can optimize your resume. Highlight your key skills to show employers what you're capable of.

Many employers also like to know that you're capable of professional growth, and there are few better ways to do so than by highlighting your promotions on your resume.

Even if the employer rejects you for a position the first time, that doesn't mean you can't submit your resume again. All it takes is the right approach to reapply to a company and land the job.