Many job seekers send out resumes that are three or more pages long while applying for job openings. However, hiring managers have limited time to spend on each resume they receive. You’ll likely make a positive impression if you shorten your resume to focus on the key skills and experience related to the job you’re applying for.

Throughout this guide, we’ll provide insights on how many pages a resume can be and how to trim down your document effectively while preserving the most compelling aspects of your professional experience.

How Many Pages Should a Resume Be?

Resume length is a common question for applicants during the job search process. The standard rule for how many pages should be in a resume is that it should always be two pages at most, regardless of the years of experience. Although there are some exceptions, it is best to follow this rule in most cases.

The hiring manager has limited time to spend on each resume they receive, and a four- or five-page document might be a turn-off. Instead, give a concise yet impactful document that captures your most substantial career achievements and skill sets.

How To Shorten Your Resume’s Length

Shortening your resume requires prioritizing content based on impact and relevance to the position you’re applying for. If an achievement doesn’t match the job description, ask yourself two things. Does this accomplishment demonstrate other qualities the company seeks, such as people management or leadership skills? Is the achievement objectively impressive?

If the answer is no, remove it. Assess the overall impact of each bullet point and whether it genuinely captures the hiring manager’s eye.

1. Remove outdated content

Hiring managers often decide on candidates based on the experience featured on the resume’s first page, so focus on enhancing the quality of your most recent positions. If you held a position 20 years ago in a different space, either remove the job or list it without bullet points on the resume.

Depending on the situation, preserving your professional timeline may be worthwhile even if it creates additional resume length, as this will provide prospective employers with a complete overview of your career. Consider creating an Additional Work Experience section on your document if you plan to include older jobs without bullet points. This strategy will help you save space while maintaining your professional timeline.

2. Change your template and font size

Using an inefficient template that wastes page space is often the cause of an overly long resume. In many cases, transferring your content to a new template that uses a more traditional top-down design can significantly shorten the length of your document.

For instance, if you’re using a template that incorporates unnecessary graphics and large borders, this may be the reason your resume exceeds the recommended two-page length. The resume showcases your achievements and professional experience, so using a more straightforward template is okay if it helps you preserve more of your content.

3. Avoid paragraphs and long-winded bullet points

You’ll need to aggressively edit your resume to ensure your document meets the acceptable length requirements. If your document contains lengthy paragraphs, consider cutting them down and reorienting the content into concise bullet points.

As a rule, a bullet point should never exceed three lines; keep them to two or less whenever possible. Less is more on the resume, and you’ll improve your chances of landing the interview if your content is straightforward and to the point.

4. Limit your associations and volunteerism

While associations and volunteer work can be helpful to add to your document, never prioritize them over relevant achievements from your professional experience. Unless the association is significant within your industry, consolidate and remove this information from your resume to create more space for your work history. Consider including this information on LinkedIn instead, as most hiring managers review candidate profiles before requesting an interview.

5. Avoid repetitive bullet points

As you build your resume content, analyze your bullet points carefully to eliminate redundancies. There may be some cases where you want to reinforce a particular skill set across multiple positions. Create as many unique bullet points as possible to showcase different aspects of your professional experience for the hiring manager. If two bullet points provide similar details, consider combining them or omitting one from your document to create space for other content.

6. Hire a resume writer

Using the services of a professional resume writer can help identify the ideal content to include on your document. Job seekers often need to be closer to their resumes, limiting their ability to evaluate the content objectively.

Seeking help from a professional editor specializing in career consulting can be extremely useful in creating a concise yet compelling resume for the job hunt. For more information on editing services, see our list of the top resume-writing companies throughout the U.S.

Build an Accomplishment-Driven Resume

Crafting a resume focusing on your professional achievements rather than your job responsibilities is the key to generating traction during the job search. Limiting your content to accomplishments and omitting mundane job duties allows you to create a much tighter document that guides the reader’s eye toward your most impressive qualifications.

You have a limited window of opportunity to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Your chances of making a positive impression are much greater if your resume only includes the necessary information.

Here are two examples of professional experience sections in accomplishment-driven resumes.

Example 1


Professional Experience

Senior SEO Specialist, PNC Bank, Philadelphia, PA
August 2016 – present

  • Developed and executed search engine optimization (SEO) strategy for the website of a leading national bank, redesigned sitemaps, integrated backlinks, and enhanced keyword optimization to improve unique, organic traffic by 140% year-over-year (YOY) across product pages for banking services
  • Managed a team of over 15 digital marketing professionals to conduct in-depth research on industry keywords, perform SEO audits, and refine sitemaps
  • Reduced bounce rates from 45% to 34% by optimizing content relevance for audiences and identifying opportunities to improve page load times

Analysis 

For marketing professionals who work in SEO, metrics are essential for generating traction during the job hunt. You’ll see in these bullet points the candidate has broken down complex industry metrics while providing enough context for the reader to understand how they got from point A to point B. One of the most important aspects of crafting bullets on the resume is providing enough detail and metrics while ensuring that your content is accessible to a wide variety of audiences.

Example 2


Professional Experience

Business Intelligence Analyst, Manhattan Finance Firm, New York, NY
June 2018 – present

  • Managed data analytics initiatives valued at up to $1.5 million, served as the business intelligence subject matter expert (SME), transformed key performance indicators (KPIs) into business insights, and identified data trends to inform business decision-making for the organization
  • Improved data visualization for senior leadership and finance teams, which included developing a new dashboard to provide key insights on financial performance
  • Identified opportunities to automate manual data entry processes for business results, reducing over 400 work hours per year

Analysis 

When applying for an analyst position, you must ensure that your data is precise and clear to the hiring manager. This type of role involves deep and complex analysis of data sets, and the job seeker is highly effective in showcasing how they translated these findings into reports for management using data visualization techniques. The numbers in this example are substantial. But they wouldn’t have the same impact if the job seeker didn’t provide details on how they executed these initiatives and why they were important for the company on an operational level.

One-Page Resume Examples

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  • Dental Assistant
  • Account Manager
  • Director
  • Six Sigma Greenbelt, 2015 Interior Designer
left

Allison Rosenberg
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Seattle, WA 12345

Profile

A Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) with three years of experience specializing in intra-oral techniques, patient care, dentistry, and communication. Adept at delivering medical support to dentists and keeping patients calm during oral surgeries and procedures.

Key Skills
  • Intra-oral techniques
  • Oral care
  • Patient education
  • Surgical support
  • X-ray exams
Professional Experience

Dental Assistant, Rockstar Smiles, Seattle, WA
October 2021 – present

  • Conduct panoramic dental X-rays to diagnose cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, and other dental conditions and provide education to patients on findings
  • Support dentists during root canals, extractions, and other dental procedures, including sterilizing instruments to prevent infection
  • Create dental impressions, mix compounds in the laboratory, assist with denture fittings, and maintain inventory levels for dental equipment and supplies

Dental Assistant, Smile Better Dentistry, Seattle, WA
June 2020 – October 2021

  • Delivered support to dental teams for a variety of oral procedures, including wisdom teeth extractions, fillings, and root canals
  • Educated patients on proper dental hygiene, brushing, and flossing techniques to prevent cavities and gum disease
Certifications
  • Certified Dental Assistant, DANB, State of Washington, 2020
Education

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Dental Assisting
Seattle Central College, Seattle, WA September 2018 – June 2020

Mike Williams
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Baltimore, MD 12345

Profile

A dynamic account manager with eight years of experience developing new business for premiere technology startups. A proven track record of defining overarching sales strategies to grow customer accounts and build long-term relationships. Adept at leading teams of sales representatives and identifying opportunities to enhance performance and improve close rates.

Professional Experience

Customer Account Manager, Jericho Finance Solutions Inc., Washington D.C.
March 2015 – present

  • Manage over 40 major accounts generating $5 million in annual revenue, serve as the point of contact for clients, identify solutions to complex issues, and achieve a 97% customer satisfaction rating
  • Generate and track sales reports, evaluate contract terms, analyze sales metrics, and conduct forecasting to define overarching sales strategies based on market indicators
  • Develop long-term client relationships, build rapport with customer stakeholders, ensure product alignment with business needs, and identify opportunities to drive customer success

Account Manager, Alexandria, VA
July 2010 – March 2015

  • Delivered education to customers on product offerings and services, served as the point of contact throughout the sales cycle, and coordinated cross-functionally with customer success teams
  • Analyzed market studies and focus groups to develop new sales strategies and identify opportunities to upsell products, contributing to a 10% increase in annual sales
  • Provided training to five customer support representatives on client relations, consultative selling, upselling, and customer service standards
Education

Bachelor of Business Management, Devry University, Downers Grove, IL, 3.86 GPA
August 2006-June 2010

Key Skills
  • Account management
  • Business development
  • Client relations
  • Salesforce CRM
  • Sales strategy

Ben Bergsen
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
New York, NY 12345

Profile

An operations director with over 10 years of experience within the health care industry, specializing in operations management, executive leadership, and program management. A proven track record of defining enterprise goals and clinical workflows to ensure operational excellence. Adept at partnering with diverse teams and C-level executives to lead change management initiatives.

Professional Experience

Director of Operations, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
July 2016 – present

  • Oversee all aspects of operations and department functions for a leading hospital with 450 beds, conduct financial planning, manage a $15 million operating budget, and identify strategic direction for the organization
  • Liaise with the vice president, CEO, and the C-suite executives to identify strategic direction for the organization and assess hospital policies and procedures to enhance quality
  • Lead matrixed teams in a dynamic clinical environment with a high-patient volume and drive quality improvements to ensure the delivery of patient-centered care

Operations Director, New York Medical Center, New York, NY
June 2011 – July 2016

  • Managed operations for all clinical programs for a 300-bed hospital, analyzed profit and loss (P&L), and oversaw an operating budget valued at $8 million
  • Collaborated with five department heads to identify staffing needs, determine resource allocation, and refine hospital procedures to improve clinical outcomes
  • Developed a collaborative and inclusive work culture centered on empowering employees to have a voice in the decision-making process for operational changes
Education

Master of Science (M.S.) Healthcare Administration
Columbia University, New York, NY  September 2009  – May 2011

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Healthcare Administration
Columbia University, New York, NY  September 2007 – May 2009

Key Skills
  • Cross-functional leadership
  • Hospital administration
  • Operations management
  • P&L management
  • Program management
  • Strategic planning
Certifications
  • Six Sigma Greenbelt, 2015

Maria Dillon
(918) 123-4567
[email protected]
Tulsa, OK 74114

Profile

An innovative interior designer with seven years of professional experience delivering transformative designs and concepts for residential and commercial spaces. A proven track record of managing high-value projects and delivering balanced interior designs.

Professional Experience

Interior Designer, Tulsa Interiors, Tulsa, OK
December 2016 – present

  • Conceptualize, visualize, and realize design ideas and objectives for high-end commercial and residential clients, manage projects valued at up to $300,000, and ensured compliance with budget restraints and timelines
  • Create client pitch presentations, including detailed working drawings, designs, plans, models, and schemes using AutoCAD and Photoshop
  • Coordinate with clients to achieve unified and balanced designs, conduct space planning, and increase usable space by up to 20% for residential homes and offices

Interior Designer, Dewbury Architecture & Design, Tulsa, OK
July 2012 – November 2016

  • Collaborated with clients and contractors to execute interior design projects valued at $200,000 to $400,000, visited project sites to establish the scope of work, and provided elegant, modern interior designs in alignment with business requirements
  • Created sketches, drawings, and designs and delivered presentations to clients
  • Negotiated pricing with vendors for furniture, materials, and equipment
Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design
University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, September 2008 – May 2012

Key Skills
  • AutoCAD
  • Client relations
  • Interior design
  • Project management
  • REVIT
Certifications
  • Registered Interior Designer – Oklahoma Board of Architects
  • Current NCIDQ certification

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Length

How long can a resume be before it’s too long?-

If your resume is too lengthy, it may prevent hiring managers from quickly scanning your resume for the key skills that relate to a position. While in some industries, a longer resume is acceptable, it should typically be, at most, two pages. Condensing your resume to fit within two pages will highlight your most relevant experience and skills.

How do you condense resume bullet points?-

Crafting concise bullet points can help you cut down your resume length. Keep resume bullet points brief by sticking to the primary facts, with each bullet point one or two lines. Longer bullet points stretch out the overall length of a resume. Shorten each bullet point so it focuses on one important fact and states it as simply as possible.

How many pages should a resume be for 5 years of experience?-

In general, a resume should go back, at most, 10 to 15 years. Five years of experience can generally fit on one page. However, include older jobs if you feel those have relevant work experience. If your resume is going onto a third page, it is best to eliminate some of your older work experience. Include any work experience you cut from your resume on your LinkedIn profile. Many hiring managers also look at applicant's LinkedIn profiles during the hiring process.

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