How Long my perfect resume should be? What are the examples?

In the world of Resume Writing this question is the subject of a lot of debate. How long should a resume be? 

The reason why there is a debate is that there is no real answer and any answer you will receive will most probably be a subjective, expert or otherwise, opinion.

The general consensus though is that your resume should be no longer than 2 pages at most. In other words, the one-pager resume applies to 99% of all applicants.

In this article, I will try to answer a few questions related to resume length. Use resume examples to make my case. Additionally, I will be giving my take as a career expert on how I’d make my perfect resume.

• The aforementioned questions are:
• What length should a regular resume be?
• When it comes to resume length does, experience level matter?
• Why can’t you fit your resume on one page?
• Which one is longer CV or Resume?

What length should a regular resume be?

If you’re reading this then chances are you’re just a regular person like me. You’ve had a decent enough education, had a few jobs here and there and picked up a skill or two along the way. It just so happens that those are very things that go into making a resume and for most people it depends on how you make your resume using these elements that increases the chances of success. 

In short, as a regular person between the ages of 18 to 40, if you stick to the tried and tested method of resume making, it’d be very difficult to get past the one page mark. 

So, while making your resume don’t fret about how long it is, if you follow simple guidelines to resume making, your resume will turn out perfect regardless of the number of pages.

When it comes to resume length does, experience level matter?

We’ve discussed the rule, now let’s talk about the exception. We’ve already established that for most people a resume doesn’t really go to page 2, even with effort but then there are those who have specific jobs that they’ve held for more than 10+ years. What if you’re a 4 Star General and are going for a 5th or maybe you’re a Senior Executive well renowned in your field and have been for quite some time now and are looking to change companies. Surely, then you qualify for the infamous 2 page resume? To that I say Yes, if that is indeed the case then obviously a decades long specified and relevant work history probably can’t fit on one page and you should go for the 2nd page.

Let’s be honest though, how many of us actually fit in that category?

Just to put my point into perspective, Elon Musk’s resume examples are one pagers (with room to spare)

If he can live with it then my perfect resume is perfect even if it is 1 page.

On the other hand if you’re a recently graduated student and want to make a resume, there is no conceivable reason why your resume should be longer than 1 page. Don’t elaborate about your role as cheerleading captain in highschool and how it was crucial for your professional development. It wasn’t. Stick with the most relevant information regarding the job. Otherwise, your resume may not be taken seriously.

Why can’t you fit your resume on one page?

Let’s say you’re going for a mid/entry level job but you just can’t seem to get your resume down to 1 page and ask me for my help. I would just ask one question “Do you think you might be overdoing it?”. As a professional of 5+ years in the career development field I don’t think I could reach the 2nd page of my perfect resume, even if I tried. Therefore, the answer to that question is always Yes.

That being said, if you are in fact having trouble fitting your resume on one page then these are most likely the things that you’re doing wrong.

Fitting a Resume on 1 page  

If you’re a recent graduate or are looking for an entry level position most likely you don’t have enough work experience which would make your resume that would go against the 1 page rule. However, if you have a significant work experience and are still having trouble fitting everything on one page here are a few reasons why and how you can make adjustments

• You might be focusing too much on irrelevant information. Resumes should be targeted towards the job, with only the most relevant information being added.
• Put the Spotlight on your achievements and don’t dwell on the day to day stuff. So if you were in sales, don’t dwell on your sales duties, about contacting leads etc instead focus on achievements in the field like “Led sales team at X to the result of breaking all time performance records, last quarter”.
• Play around with the format and the font size on your document. Adjust the margins and lower the font size to try and make your resume fit on one page.
• Make the content of your resume brief. Use bullet points and be precise instead of relying on anecdotes to increase the length of your resume.
• Checkout Resume Examples from professionals to see how they’ve made their resume. Read them carefully and follow their lead. Resume Examples are also a great confidence boost for those job seekers discouraged by their 1 pagers..
• Finally, if all else fails use a Resume Builder. A quick and easy tool for any job seeker. No matter what you put into a Builder it will fit your resume on one page. Services like My Perfect Resume and My Resume Lift provide such a builder. 

Which one is longer CV or Resume?

For the most part CV and Resume are interchangeable terms. So, if you hear the words either of the words don’t get confused. They mean the same thing in the practical sense.

That being said, technically CV is the term used for a document consisting of an individual’s entire work history . A CV is required when applying for academic ventures and can be more than one page. 

A CV can be even longer depending on the requirement of the job or position. For example, if you’re applying for a PHD and need to attach a Letter of recommendation for a Research proposal. This can add to the length of a CV significantly.

Protips 

• For further information regarding Resume Length check out Resume Examples and see the practical application of the one page rule 
• Check out My Resume Lift and My Perfect Resume. Make a resume on their  builder to see how to make a resume fit on one page.