Next to ‘do I really need a cover letter’, is the other most popular question ‘how long should my resume be?’. I probably get it just as much as the cover letter question. The answer isn’t a standard one it is more along the lines of ‘It depends’. There are different standards for different situations.

Here is a general guideline to follow:

Entry-level: one to two pages at most.
Professional: one to two pages at most.
Executive: two pages
Federal/KSA: one to two pages for the resume and one to two pages for the KSA document.

If you’ll notice a resume should NEVER be three pages. It is hard enough to get a recruiter to read 1-2 pages never mind adding a third. A resume should be concise, not too wordy but not too short. There is a fine line between detailed statements and too much information. What you have to do is tell the reader the most information in the least amount of words.
There are of course exceptions to the rule for example; a third page would be okay to include if you are in Sales and it is a brag sheet with your accomplishments and awards only, or if you are in Academics/Science/Medical fields and have been published and the third sheet is a list of all your publications or abstracts.

Only in these rare circumstances should your resume exceed the two page limit. And no, your resume does not have to be only 1 page. I have lots of clients who worry about this, but if you’re a professional with more than 5 years experience you need a little room to tell the hiring manager about your background and expertise. Consider two pages the standard across the board and adjust as needed.

Jessica Holbrook is a former Hiring Manager and a professional resume writer with Great Resumes Fast. She creates powerful, customized, and targeted resumes that are guaranteed to get her clients interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706.

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