Resume Page Length
By Steve
Burt
Certified Professional Resume
Writer
______________________________
You may have heard that a resume
should be no longer than 1 page in length, but in today's competitive
environment this advice is not always valid.
In fact, 2-page resumes are currently
more common, and readily acceptable, particularly when potential employers
are dealing with qualified (i.e. experienced) candidates.
The reason for this shift is that
people change jobs more often now than they did years ago. This is due to a
variety of reasons including technological advances (easier access to
positions in a global market), greater opportunity for advancement,
corporate downsizing, mergers, decrease in company loyalty, etc.
During the 60's, 70's, and even the
80's, workers may have stayed with one or two companies for their entire
career. But the 90's and the new millennium brought greater challenges and
more competition. It's no longer enough to show you have the necessary
skills. Employers want to see how you've applied these skills and
they want to know the benefits of your efforts (your
achievements).
It's still important to keep your
presentation concise, so don't think that the elimination of the 1-page
"rule" gives you free reign to write your career autobiography. You should
design your document to make a powerful presentation while recognizing the
value of your readers' time (and attention span.) Any pages in excess of 2
may not be read (so let's hope they don't contain anything
important).
Take as many pages as you need to
concisely, honestly and accurately present your qualifications for the
specific position being targeted, and then read through your document again
and remove anything that doesn't directly relate to the job.
______________________________
I'm a charter member of the Professional Association of
Resume Writers. I earned the designation of Certified Professional
Resume Writer in 1992 and have helped 1,000's of people reach their career
goals. I'd be happy to help you do the same. Read
more about my services.
Thanks,
Steven M. Burt
Certified Professional Resume Writer
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