How many pages should a CV be?

Many job seekers wonder how many pages should a CV be, and it is rightfully so. Some have read it on the internet can be as long as needed because that’s what reflects them best. Others talked to a friend whose relative is a recruiter, and they said the only acceptable number of pages is 1. And what about you? What brings you here today?

If you’re confused regarding the topic of how many pages a CV should have, you’re not alone! There are literally thousands of jobseekers wondering the same. To be honest, it’s not even jobseekers only. People who regularly update their CVs are also met with this problem.

In our line of work, we often have to explain the CV structure, the number of pages, and the like. So, we decided to write an article about it – to help you and others like you. Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned since 2015 and our logic behind it!

The shorter, the better

You probably know where we’re going. When it comes to the number of pages in a CV, we follow “the shorter, the better” approach here at Linking Lines. Why? Because we want recruiters and hiring managers to actually read our clients’ CVs.

Think about it: recruiters go through dozens of CVs every day. They simply don’t have time to read long documents. Actually, they don’t have the time even properly to scan them. What does this mean? It means that all the hard work that you put into writing all those pages of your CV is in vain. No one will read it (besides you and maybe your friends/family if you ask them for advice).

Ideally, your CV will be a 1-page document, but oftentimes that’s not realistic if you have a rich career and/or extensive educational background.

So, the answer to the question of how many pages a CV should be is – up to 2 pages.

Don’t compromise quality!

One very important thing you need to keep in mind is: never to compromise the quality of your CV! Sure, it would be great if you could fit everything that makes you the perfect candidate on 1 page, but if you can’t – write a 2-pager.

As long as you include all the relevant information and don’t go over the 2 pages, you’ll be fine.

How to shorten your CV?

If you’re struggling with the length of your CV and don’t know how to make that 3-4-5 pager shorter, we’ll share a few tips.

1. Include only relevant information that makes you the perfect candidate. “Relevant” can be the course you just completed or your last work experience. Focus on describing that, and only mention the things that are not related to what you want to do now.
2. Exclude any personal information. This means no hobbies, interests, activities, high school achievements, or personal data. Once you strip your CV of those things, it’ll become shorter.
3. Use bullet points. Avoid using blocks of text and focus on providing the reader with concise bullet points. Remember, you can say everything you want differently. If need be, rephrase your original thought.
4. Remove tables, photos, icons, diagrams… Keep your CV neat and tidy, and don’t waste valuable page space on any of these.

Still feeling stuck?

If you feel like this article wasn’t enough, try browsing through our Blog page here. You can always get in touch and we can help you out with a professional CV writing service. We’ll do all the heavy lifting, and shorten your CV while ensuring you’re represented properly!

However, if you’re determined to write your own, we recommend checking our CV writing guide. If you follow the principles outlined in this guide, you’re bound to improve your CV writing skills and boost your job search. Try it out today.

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