What are the Rules for Resume Length?

Ask the Doctor Column
By J. Michael Worthington

Dear Resume Doctor,

Every book I read on writing resumes has a different theory. Some say a two-page resume is OK if you are a professional who has an extensive work history; others say under no circumstances should your resume be more than one page. What is the real truth?

Lisa McCall


Dear Lisa:

The time-old question of length! An entry-level candidate or someone who has just graduated from school should not have a resume longer than one page. For someone who has been in the workforce for a while, there should be no problem spilling onto a second page.

A big mistake many job seekers make is that they try and cram everything onto one page. Too often I see resumes that are written using a small font, or with such dense text that they offer no white space to help guide the reader. Immediately the job seeker is turning the reader off. Give your reader a resume that quickly and boldly states who you are with a "road map" to follow. You want your reader to quickly understand your expertise, skills, where you worked and your specific accomplishments.

However, keep in mind, a resume should never be more than two pages. James Cox, managing director at MES Search Company in Smyrna, Ga. told us, "I hate long resumes. If a candidate cannot adequately communicate the information in two pages or less, there is a problem. Situations that usually contribute to long resumes are: too many jobs, a career that is not focused, an inability to be concise, written communication problems, or something similar. All of which make for an 'unplaceable' candidate." No matter how tempting it is to go into detail about the first job you had 25 years ago, don't! Instead, let your resume showcase your most recent accomplishments. Recruiters (for the most part) are only reviewing the last five to eight years of your career, 10 tops. A recruiter is not gauging whether you are a viable candidate for that CFO position at a $200 million manufacturing firm based on your first accounts payable position 25 years ago.

For employment beyond 10 years ago, create a "Previous Employment" section. You can quickly list your older assignments by simply including title, company and dates. However, if you are applying to a position where a much older assignment is relevant and this experience is not covered by a more recent position, you can opt to elaborate further. You can also opt to include a quick bullet or two about this experience in your general summary so that the reader can immediately see this experience.

A note to those in academia, seeking a position in industry: do not include every publication or journal paper you have ever presented. I once received a 62-page resume/CV, (it got a few laughs here in the office and then went right in the recycling bin).

If you find yourself in a position where you have a lot more to say, prepare an addendum, which can be presented in the interview stage. Remember, a resume is a simply just a marketing piece designed to get you the interview - it must be short, concise and it must hit the "hot buttons" of the employer.

Best of luck in your job search,
The Resume Doctor

Contact Mike@ResumeDoctor.com . ResumeDoctor.com provides resume-consulting services and FREE resume evaluations for job seekers in all industries. ResumeDoctor.com also offers specialized job market expertise and content to media and employers.