Resume Length: How Long Should a Resume Be

How To Achieve The Ideal Resume Length

Condensing your skills and experience to a single page can be difficult, especially when you have any relevant skills and knowledge. Here are some essential tips to keep your resume at the right length.

1. Be clear and concise.

   Review each line of your resume for repetitive statements. You can make your resume more concise by removing these phrases. You might find that most redundant words come from your experience section. For example, you may have repeated the same activities for multiple jobs. Instead, state achievements that were unique to each job you’ve had.

   Another tip is to limit how many bullet points you put under each position. Review the skills and responsibilities listed in the job description. Then, tailor your resume to it. You may even tailor your cover letter to match the new job. Also, avoid any fluff and filler words that may result in a longer resume. Short, sweet phrases are preferable to long-winded paragraphs.

2. Adjust the formatting.

   Have you gotten rid of all unnecessary information but still can’t quite fit it in a single-page resume? Try making your resume margins smaller, but not below half an inch. This will allow you to utilize the white spaces along the sides of your resume. You can also use a smaller font size. But don’t go below 10pt font as your resume should remain legible.

   If just two or three lines of your resume spill over to the next page, then try shrinking your resume header. You can also remove unnecessary graphics. Another tip is to reduce the number of bolded words in your resume. Instead, replace them with italics. You should also consider a two-column layout for your resume, leaving more room for your skills.

3. Only add relevant education.

   Minimize the length of your resume by adding only the relevant forms of education. For example, if you have a university or college degree, there’s no need to add a high school education. But, if you’re a recent grad or entry-level candidate, then you may add more details about your education. This can include extracurricular activities and internship opportunities.