There is no longer a rule about the length of a resume; it used to be said that a one page resume is the best, but times have changed and that notion is now outdated. The new guideline is that a resume should be long enough to entice hiring managers to contact the applicant for job interviews. Many factors will play into the length of a resume including experience, career goals, occupation, industry, education and development, as well as the breadth and scope of career accomplishments.
If the resume is well-written, well formatted, is enticing to read and has valuable content, relevant facts, figures, and information then the length is secondary.The resume is a marketing tool; it should be concise and focused on the job seeker’s top selling points. The headline should entice the reader to the next section (Summary) which should then cause the reader to want to continue on...each section leading the reader to the next because they are interested in learning more about the applicant.
A kid fresh out of college with very little or no experience can get by with a one-pager. A one-page resume is also appropriate for those making extreme job or industry changes and most of the experience they have acquired is no longer relevant in the new career path. A professional resume for an individual with up to about 7 years experience should have a resume that is 1.5 – 2 or even 2.5 pages long. An executive level person should have a resume that is 2 to 3 pages in length (not counting the reference page and cover letter).
Other articles of interest:
- The Scoop on Resume Length: How Many Pages Should Your Resume Be?
- Resume Length Is Crucial for Selling Yourself in 2011
- How To Decide on Resume Length
- One or Two Page Resume?
