How Long Should Your Resume Be?

You may think that a 6-page resume looks impressive.  You have every accomplishment you’ve ever achieved since your High School elected you the best Junior Entrepreneur, and you may think that a long resume will show your future employer how much you have done and how much you can do. However, the reality is that when a recruiter is busy, he will be looking for resumes to throw out before even reading them and your 6-page resume will be one of the first ones discarded.

Why are long resumes ineffective?

It shows a lack of ability to prioritize.

Your resume should show not only your best accomplishments but the ones that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. If you have a long and accomplished career, consider tailoring your highlights to the job that you’re applying for with the ones that you feel are most relevant.

It shows a lack of consideration.

Recruiters are busy. They don’t have time to read your entire work history, they want to know why they should hire you and what makes you the best candidate for the job. Just showing them that also shows them that you value their time and understand what they are looking for.

What should you do?

Make it concise and specific.

It will help you showcase the most important parts of your experience and keep them from being buried. It also shows your new employer that you know how to relay information efficiently. Your work history can and should be limited to just the past 7-10 years, and keep volunteer work and other accomplishments relevant.

Keeping it short and to the point will make sure recruiters always see what needs to be seen. If you have trouble figuring out what you should and shouldn’t include, look to professionals for help. The professional writers at Modern Tailored Resumes are experts in creating the perfect job documents for you. Get started today with the Career Support Bundle!