How long should my resume be? What size font should I use?

The most frequently asked resume question is; "How long should my resume be?" It was once common knowledge that a resume be no longer than one page; this philosophy has changed.

YES, you read correctly. Now it is conventional to use more than one page if necessary. Remember to still keep it clear and concise, but long enough to entice hiring managers to call you for the job interview.

Use a one page resume:

• When you have less than 10 years of experience
• When you’re pursuing a radical career change and your experience
  isn’t relevant to your new goal
• When you’ve held one or two positions with one employer

Use two pages:

• When you have 10 or more years of experience related to your goal
• When your field requires technical or engineering skills and you need space
  to list and prove your technical knowledge

Put the most important information at the top of the first page. Lead your resume with a career summary so your key credentials appear at the forefront of the resume. On the second page, include a page number and include your name and contact information.

Use three pages or longer:

• When you’re a senior-level manager or executive with a long track
  record of leadership accomplishments
• When you are in an academic or scientific field with an extensive list of
  publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses or patents

Multiple-page resumes can use addendum pages after page two. A job seeker can decide whether or not to send the full document or just the first two pages to a potential employer, based on the job opportunity requirements.

Font Size:

The font size should be no smaller than 10 point; standard serif or sans serif fonts. Stay away from intricate fonts that are hard to read. Keeping your fonts standard will help combat conversion issues from PC to MAC and from one program version to another.