How long should a resume be
There is no single required length. A resume should be as long as it takes to show the experience that matters for this job, and no longer. For most people early in their career that is one page. For most people with a longer record of relevant work it is two. Very few resumes need more.
When one page is right
Students, recent graduates, people with a few years of experience, and people changing careers usually fit on one page, because only part of their history is relevant to the new job. One page also suits roles where hiring moves fast and a reader wants the essentials quickly.
If your page looks thin, that is fine. Add a projects, volunteering, or coursework section with real detail rather than larger fonts and wider margins.
When two pages are better
If you have about ten or more years of relevant work, led teams, or held several roles that each matter to the job, two pages is normal and expected. Squeezing that record onto one page usually means cutting the results that make you stand out.
A second page should earn its place. Put your name on it, keep the most important material on page one, and aim for a second page that is at least a third full, not a few stray lines.
The exceptions
An academic CV lists publications, teaching, grants, and talks, and can run many pages. That is expected for faculty and research roles.
Federal jobs in the United States have their own rules: resumes sent through USAJOBS are limited to two pages, and each announcement says what it needs, so read it before you trim. Executive search firms sometimes ask for a longer record of leadership roles and board work. Outside the United States a resume is often called a CV, and two pages is common in the UK and Australia, even early in a career, and norms vary across Europe. If a posting states a length, follow the posting.
What to cut first
Cut in this order: jobs from long ago that do not relate to this role, duties that every person in the job would list, an objective line, references and the line saying they are available, and skills nobody needs to be told, such as email.
Then tighten what is left. Merge similar bullets, start each one with a verb, and keep one line of result instead of three lines of task. Older roles can shrink to a title, an employer, and dates. Most readers care about roughly the last ten to fifteen years, so earlier jobs can go in a short list or be left out.
What not to do to save space
Do not shrink the font until it is hard to read, squeeze the margins to the edge, or move text into a header or a table that some application systems read poorly. A reader skims, and dense small text gets skipped.
Length also changes by job. A resume tailored to one posting is often shorter than a master resume, because it leaves out what this employer does not need.
Get your resume to the right length
Read the posting
Follow any length it states, and note what it asks for.
Keep what matches
Lead with the experience closest to this job.
Cut the generic
Old unrelated jobs, routine duties, and filler lines go first.
Tighten bullets
One line of result beats three lines of task.
Check it reads easily
Normal font size, normal margins, and plain text.
Examples of trimming a resume
Invented examples showing how the same experience gets shorter without losing the point.
Three bullets trimmed to one
Before: • Responsible for answering customer emails • Answered incoming phone calls • Helped resolve complaints After: • Resolved customer questions and complaints by phone and email
An older role cut to one line
Before: Sales Associate | Example Outfitters, Denver • Greeted shoppers and helped them find products • Restocked shelves and ran the register • Opened and closed the store After: Sales Associate | Example Outfitters, Denver | [Year] to [Year]
A second page that earns its place
Page one: header, summary, skills, and your two most recent roles with full results. Page two, starting with your name: earlier relevant roles with shorter bullets, education, and certifications.
Related reading
Questions
- Is a two page resume too long?
- Not if both pages hold relevant experience. Two pages is common for people with a long record of related work. It is too long when the second page is filler.
- Should a resume be one page for a student?
- Usually yes. Students and recent graduates rarely need more than one page, and a full single page with projects and part time work reads well.
- Does a longer resume look more impressive?
- No. Readers skim, and extra length hides your best work. A shorter resume that matches the job is stronger than a long general one.
Where ApplyASAP fits
A tailored resume is often a shorter one. ApplyASAP tailors your resume to each posting and sends the application for you.
ApplyASAP is one option when you want the sending done for you. It finds openings for the titles and places you name, tailors your resume to each posting, and does not invent employers, dates, degrees, titles, numbers, certifications, or people you managed. It answers the application questions, and the team sends and tracks each application. Skills it adds are ones your role and level usually carry, and you can take any of them off. The resume still has to be true.
Want to see how one resume lines up with one posting? Try the free resume keyword checker. It runs in your browser and saves nothing.