It depends.
You will be hard-pressed to find a single answer to this question because most experts agree that the length of a resume should be determined by each individual's situation. Gone are the days of a standard length. As Katharine Hansen writes in her article "The Scoop on Resume Length": "The fact is that very few 'rules' exist today in the world of resume writing. Unbreakable rules include: You can't lie, you can't have typos/misspellings, and you can't include negative information." Beyond these items, it seems, the options are endless.
But even without a definitive "rule" on resume length, it is still possible to have a resume that is too long or too short. To help decide on the appropriate length of your resume, here are some helpful tips.
Hit the Highlights
The rule of thumb regarding how much work experience to include calls for your last five positions or your last 10 years of work experience, whichever is more relevant to the job for which you are applying. Ask yourself: Do each of these positions showcase an important skill or experience that is not being showcased by any other entries? If not, consider removing older positions that have little relevance to the position you are seeking. Do you have enough work experience to demonstrate stability in your employment? If not, consider including work experience that is not as relevant to your job search if it will exhibit longevity with an employer or additional years of steady job experience.
Stay Focused
Your resume is a marketing tool; it is not a forum to tell your life story. Employers are pressed for time and, unfortunately, cannot devote the amount of time and energy to reviewing resume that they-or we as job seekers-would like! Your resume should include enough information to entice the employer to contact you for an interview but should leave you room to elaborate in an interview. Showcase your key skills and accomplishments in an easy-to-scan format and save lengthy explanations for a face-to-face meeting.
Too Much "White Space"
When determining how to separate sections, avoid headings that are listed down the left side of the page with the pertinent entry listed in a block to the right, leaving huge blank areas below each until the next heading is listed. resume with this format can often be reformatted to fit onto one page. Also, consider dividing bulleted lists with short items into columns so that they fit into smaller sections. This approach saves space while still allowing the list to be easily scanned.
More Resume Tips
For more tips to help you create a resume that is the right length for you, check out the following articles:
http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_length.html
http://resume.monster.com/article_length/
http://www.enetsc.com/ResumeTips17.htm
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