How Many Pages Should My Resume Be?

Dear Deb:

I have struggled to reduce my resume to one page and I can only get it down to two pages.  I have been working for 12 years for four employers and have earned a degree and  one insurance industry certification.  I don’t know what to cut to get to one page other than my profile.  Is the profile really necessary?  Or, would a two-page resume be alright? 

Thank you,

Ray

Dear Ray:

Thank you for writing.  Yes, a two-page resume for a professional with 12 years of experience is perfectly acceptable and common.  There is no rule regarding resume length. If you have a compelling story to tell, and you have the right balance of skills and achievements to merit a two-page resume then go for it! As an individual builds experience, resumes extend beyond one page.  As a person’s experience extends beyond 10 to 15 years, the early experience can be eliminated. With this strategy most candidates are able to maintain a two-page resume.  A two-page resume is a suitable length for most candidates.

Secondly, keep your profile. The profile is an effective way to give the reader an overview of your values and it sets the entire resume into context.  In other words, the profile communicates the skills, knowledge, and experience that make you an ideal candidate for your target job.

All the best,

Deb