How Long Should Your Resume Be?
The "one page" rule comes from the 1990s and doesn't fit most hiring today. Use the length the role requires.
Entry-level: one page
If you have less than three years of working history, keep the resume to one page. Cut volunteer work, college clubs, and high-school anything that doesn't tie to the target role. Density beats sprawl at this stage.
Mid-career: one to two pages
Four to twelve years usually fits in one or two pages. Two pages is fine when there's enough load-bearing work to justify it. If your second page is sparse, compress to one.
Senior and executive: two to three pages
Past about thirteen years of experience, recruiters expect to see scope. Don't compress senior work into two-line bullets. Three pages is normal for executive roles with advisory or board history.
Academic, research, federal: longer
CV conventions apply. Full publication list, grants, talks, teaching history. Length is determined by record, not convention. Federal resumes specifically require 3 to 6 pages with detailed duty descriptions and supervisor contacts.
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