A lengthy document is one of the most common CV mistakes among job seekers. Often afraid of not having added enough reasons to be hired, candidates tend to overdo it and end up with several pages of finely-written paragraphs that are packed with words and hard to read.
A CV that is too long is actually counterproductive. You don’t want to bore the reader and you don’t want the recruiter to feel like they’re wasting their time. But most importantly, you don’t want crucial information to get lost in a sea of irrelevant details.
But what to do when you have extensive experience and outstanding skills that can’t be left out?
In this article, you’ll find easy tips to shorten your CV and craft content that is effective and to the point.
How long is too long on a resume?
It depends. What works for a recent graduate may not apply to scientists with over 20 years in the field.
However, here some guidelines that most applicants will find useful.
Should my resume be 1 page long?
Some years back, most people would have told you that the perfect CV length was 2 pages. However, things have changed and the world is now increasingly focused on speed and efficiency.
That’s one reason why 1 page is ideal for many job seekers and is a favourite among recruiters.
Remember that HR professionals are busy people. If you save them time by keeping on one page what others take 2 or 3 to explain, you will have already made a great impression.
CVs of 2 pages and beyond
Of course, not everyone can write one page only. That is the case, for example, for senior managers and highly technical workers.
If you’ve been in the workforce for decades and have taken on a long series of responsibilities, then it’s likely that 1 page will work against you.
The same goes for highly skilled professionals like scientists and academics. In this case, the resume may even need to be extended over 2 pages and include specifics of the technologies the professional is well versed in as well as details of every academic position they have held in the past.
What to do if your CV is too long
So you’ve found an opening you can’t wait to apply for and you’ve looked into the company. You went over the job description and it’s basically describing you. But you’ve gotten a bit carried away and now your CV is around 3 pages.
How to shorten your CV and keep it just as impressive? Find 6 actionable tips below.
1. Make it more relevant
We can’t stress this enough. Your CV should be as tailored as possible to the position you’re applying to.
This applies to every section in your resume. The fact that you’ve supported yourself financially during your studies shows your grit, of course. But if that happened 8 years ago and the job is completely unrelated to your current industry, then you may want to consider freeing up some room.
Too many applicants focus on job descriptions rather than achievements and end up writing lines and lines of unnecessary details. Try to think of your impact rather than the tasks you carried out daily. Using numbers and percentages will also make your sentences shorter and give the reader an idea of what you could bring to their organisation.
Refrain from adding a long list of skills. Focus on those that will actually be a resource in your new job. Keep the obvious ones out: being able to work with Microsoft Office is taken for granted nowadays. What special technology can you use that the company could benefit from?
2. Avoid formalities
Some job seekers add information and phrases by default because they think that that’s what everyone does.
Contact details, for example, should be kept to a minimum. Your street address is considered personal information and is unlikely to be used by recruiters, who will contact you via email or telephone. If you have an online portfolio, on the other hand, you should link to that to showcase your work.
Many are confused about photos on CVs. In cultures like the UK, photographs should not go on your resume unless required by the industry standards (that’s the case, for example, for actors and models). Adding a photo of you will be seen as unprofessional and doesn’t go well with the current regulations against discrimination in the workplace. Moreover, it will occupy valuable space on the page.
3. Take a step back
For a moment, stop concentrating on the details and look at the document more visually as a whole. Does it seem crowded and cramped? Can your eyes find a white spot to rest on?
Your document should not only be informative, but also visually appealing and easy to navigate.
If design isn’t your forte, you may consider using a CV template. There are tons of formats out there that are suitable for different industries and are created with readability in mind. Moreover, following a premade model will make sure that you stay within the limits.
4. Rely on bullet points
Bullet points are an easy element to include that will make your CV both shorter and more pleasant to explore.
They can be used in several sections, for example:
- Work history
- Education
- Skills
- Languages
- Awards
By turning a sentence into a bullet point, you will naturally change its style and make it more concise.
5. Refine your summary
A summary at the top of your CV is always useful as it connects the dots for the reader allowing them to see at a glance how your skills, personality, and past positions all link well together to describe the perfect profile for their opening.
However, many writers miss out on this opportunity and end up with a trite or lengthy summary.
You don’t have to say it all. This is where you really need to pick a few essential points that you wish the recruiter will remember.
Don’t waste space listing what can already be found further down the page. Rather, write in no more than 2 lines what really makes you the right candidate.
6. Get some help
If you’re ready for some constructive feedback, it can be a good idea to ask a friend to read your CV. They will be able to highlight potential typos but also give you a general impression on your document.
Ask them to be ruthless: if they get tired by the second paragraph, they should tell you.
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