by Justin Bartz

Created on: May 03, 2010

There used to be a "rule" that your resume should only be a single page long. While the origin of this rule is unknown, a multitude of job seekers out there still go by this unwritten rule.

Aside from common sense rules you should follow, such as not lying on your resume and having proper spelling/grammar, there are very few "rules" when it comes to creating a resume - including how many pages it should contain.

In fact, many hiring managers will tell you that it is outdated and incorrect that they only want to see one-page resumes. Why? Because they're simply not effective in the competitive job market today for most job seekers.

Keep in mind that resume length is only an issue with traditional resumes that you will print out and send to potential employers. When it comes to your resume in electronic format (especially in keyword-searchable databases and job boards), the length of it is not as important.

So exactly how long should your resume be? According to members of Career Masters Institute and the Professional Resume Writers and Research Association, it depends on the level of your position and experience. While there are guidelines of how long it generally can be (which we will get into below), these rules certainly are not set in stone.

Are you a college student or recent graduate? If so, your resume will likely be one page long. Some college career centers even require students to stick to a one-page resume. The reason is because these entry-level job seekers don't have enough experience to justify a multi-page resume yet. However, there are exceptions for those who have internship experience, summer jobs, and other relevant and useful extracurricular activities. In these cases, a two-page resume can be justified. Some resume writers even indicate that a two-page resume indicates a motivated and active student. While the first page will usually contain one's job skills and abilities or previous work history, the second page may contain projects which the student made a difference on, or skills learned through extracurricular activities pertinent to the position for which they are applying. If you fall into this category, make sure that you have relevant information to justify having a second page. There's no need to create "filler" just to make it longer.

Maybe you're well past entry-level but not quite at the executive level yet? In this case, a two-page resume is best for the majority of job seekers who fit this criteria. Once you have the relevant

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