Resume Length
News Flash: Resume Length No Longer Set in Stone!
Once upon a time, the golden rule of resume length was one page: no more, no less. Recently Accountemps, a temporary staffing agency for accounting and financial professionals, reported on two national polls showing that not only is resume length increasing, but a large number of executives expect resume length to be longer than one page. In fact, of the 150 executives surveyed, 53% said they prefer to receive one-page resumes from those applying for staffing positions; 44% prefer two pages. Just ten years ago 73% of executives preferred one-page resumes; only 25% preferred two pages. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps.While this may appear to offer applicants more freedom in their resume writing, it really requires more thought and craft, because length should be determined by both the position you’re applying for and a combinations of your background and experience. Marnie McCown-Guard of Profile Career Services explains, “I have written one-and-half-page resumes for senior-level people with 20+ years of experience, and I have written a three-page resume for a recent college graduate.”So how do you determine the length of your resume? Here are a few things to think about:
Consider the One-Page Resume if . . .
- You’re applying for an entry level position.
- You have less than 10 years experience.
- You’re changing careers, and past experience doesn’t apply to the position.
- You’ve only had a couple jobs with one employer.
Consider the Two-Page Resume if . . .
- You have more than 10 years experience.
- You’re applying for an executive-level position (the above survey showed more than 60% of executives, 10 years ago and presently, expect two-page resumes for executive-level positions).
- You’re applying for a position requiring technical skills and need the space to prove your expertise and experience.
Consider the Three-Page Resume if . . .
- You’re applying for an executive-level position and have a long history of crucial leadership roles and experience.
- You’re applying for an academic position and must include a list of all your publications and presentations (generally applicants are asked to submit a vita rather than a resume).
Accountemps offers more advice on resume writing, asking applicants to remember the following:
- List significant contributions you made to employers and how they impacted the bottom line.
- Include specialized certification or training you’ve received (for example, the Professional Bookkeeper Certification, the Professional Tax Preparer Certification, and/or the QuickBooks Specialist Designation).
- If possible, use the same terms included in the job posting.
- Detail software expertise.
Don’t:
- Write an autobiography. (Do: Keep personal information at a minimum, and avoid lists of hobbies, unless they apply to the position in some way.)
- Embellish your educational or job history. (Do: Be honest and accurate in everything you include on your resume.)
- Include a long list of your references’ names and addresses. (Do: Include a note that “references are available upon request.”)
- Include a lengthy objective. (Do: Be concise.)
- Use long, complete sentences. (Do: Use bulleted statements.)
Remember that employers often have stacks of resumes they thumb through in order to pick interview candidates. In order to stand out you should make sure that pertinent and strong points are easy to spot and close to the top. And don’t drone on simply because the one-page rule is out. Employers are still looking for applicants who know how to market their skills in a succinct way. Good luck and happy job hunting!
