On the subject of resumes, many job seekers cling onto outdated concepts and practices, corresponding to together with a road handle, that includes an “Goal,” or assuming the doc ought to be just one web page. On this put up I’ll handle the query, “How lengthy ought to a resume be in 2025?”
(After all, the reply will apply to 2024, and past 2025 as properly.)
Lately, I’ve learn survey after survey confirming that the majority recruiters favor to obtain a two-page resume, until the place is entry degree.
Why the change? It could be for a similar purpose that interview and hiring processes are longer and extra complicated than they was once: as a result of employers are more and more involved in regards to the excessive value of a hiring mistake. They wish to ensure they’re interviewing and hiring the best individual, and so they hope that getting extra info might assist them do this.
Who ought to take into account a resume longer than one web page?
Anybody with various years of labor expertise ought to take into consideration together with an extra web page. When you have lots to say for your self, it’s seemingly it is best to transcend a web page.
Why ought to your resume be two pages (in all probability)?
There’s a whole lot of worth you’ll be able to convey, given this additional house.
Accomplishments along with job duties: Obligations present what you’ve performed, however accomplishments present the outcomes and affect of your work. That may imply naming the initiatives you’ve accomplished, initiatives you’ve led and issues you’ve solved, amongst different objects. In every case, remember to convey outcomes–quantified if potential–and the way your work benefited the corporate.
Context: Recruiters prefer to know perceive what sort of corporations you’ve workd for. It’s normally useful so as to add a line above every job description (proper after the corporate, location, job title and dates) stating the character of the enterprise, corresponding to World chief in skilled staffing and consulting providers, with greater than 700 places of work worldwide, or Main on-line retailer in swim items, identified for cutting-edge e-commerce advertising and marketing. Placing this description in italics helps differentiate it from the encompassing info. This line also can present what was prestigious about your employer, which displays properly on you.
Core Competencies and Expertise: Many fashionable resumes embody a “Core Competencies” part close to the highest, highlighting important talents corresponding to “Social Media Advertising,” “Group Management & Growth” or “Associate Relationship Administration.”
The heading “Expertise” is extra generally used for technical expertise and instruments, which might be equally necessary or extra so, relying in your occupation.
LinkedIn suggestions and different kudos: Social proof is more and more highly effective in our reviews-driven world. Why not have earlier bosses and/or co-workers vouch for you, proper there in your resume? This cutting-edge approach can increase your resume’s credibility, to not point out the way in which these quotes pop off the web page and seize consideration.
Branding: Ought to a recruiter must learn your complete resume earlier than they perceive what’s particular about you? Why not make that clear throughout the first third of the web page? Craft a compelling introduction that features any of the next components:
- Headline, which succinctly communicates who you might be and the kind of position you’re searching for. For instance, “Increased Training Administration Skilled,” “Advertising Chief,” or “High quality Assurance Engineer.”
- Subhead, which might be both a tagline corresponding to “Dynamic Ends in Enterprise Course of Enchancment,” or just a few key expertise or promoting factors, corresponding to “Networking | Safety | MacOS/io.”
- A 3- to five-line paragraph, or three to 6 bullets, conveying a few of your key promoting factors.
And extra: learn my put up, 7 Shocking Issues You Can Placed on Your Resume.
What about three pages, or 4…?
Though two pages is the “candy spot” for many job seekers, you could wish to take into account further pages in case your work is very technical, if you’re a C-level govt, or for those who’re a professor, a health care provider, or in another occupation the place a curriculum vitae (CV) is predicted as a substitute of a resume.
So, how lengthy ought to your resume be in 2025 and the foreseeable future?
In the end, you need a resume size that works. For all the causes above, there’s an excellent likelihood which means two pages. And for extra assist with what to place in these pages, learn my put up, 10 Resume Should-haves.