How Long Should a Resume Be?

How Long Should a Resume BeKnow what time-pressed hiring professionals really prefer in a resume.

Are you having a hard time figuring out how long your resume should be? Perhaps you have so many accomplishments and skills that you can’t fit everything in a single page.

Hiring professionals prefer candidates with a single-page resume, because it’s easier for them to scan for credentials, skills, experience, and so on. Resumes should ideally be concise to increase your chances of getting through the selection process.

The Shorter the Better

A concise resume should never fail to grab the attention of the person reading it. Keep your resume focused. Highlight the most valuable information and get rid of unnecessary details and fluff.

Does it mean that you’re automatically getting the cut if you hand in a two-page resume? Not necessarily. But you’ll want to get the attention of the reader by the middle of the first page so that your resume won’t meet the shredder.

Don’t throw everything in your resume. Just pick the relevant details connected to the job you’re applying for. Have your resume in an easy-to-scan font and format to increase your chances.

Remove the Clutter

Resumes with multiple pages usually aren’t advisable — a long resume can give the recruiter the impression that organizing information is not your strong suit.

As much as possible, focus on your skills, talents and experience that are relevant to the position you are after. Use space wisely, and don’t include anything that won’t help put your resume in a good light.

Customize your Resume

If you really want to change your unemployed status, strive to customize your resume. Keep a basic resume at all times and make small revisions as needed to more tightly fit job descriptions. Taking the time to make relevant edits will help the resume stand out to the company you are applying for.

Match your skills to what the company requires. Doing so will increase your chances of landing that job interview.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.