Answers to the Main Questions / Write a resume
How long should a resume be?
InsightGuidanceAI amplification
Insight
One page if you have under about 10 years of relevant work. Two pages is normal for a longer or more senior career. Do not go to three pages unless a posting, an academic CV, or a federal application asks for that format.
When to use this. You are writing a U.S. industry resume and need a default, not a special format.
When not to. Federal USAJOBS resumes and academic CVs follow different length rules.
Guidance
- Count years of work that is relevant to this reader, not every job you have ever had.
- If you are under ~10 relevant years, cut to one page: fewer roles, shorter bullets, no hobbies.
- If you are more senior, two pages is fine. Put the strongest evidence on page one.
- Do not shrink fonts below about 10pt or use tiny margins to fake one page.
AI amplification
Optional. Copy this into ChatGPT or a similar tool if you want a first draft. Replace the [PASTE] sections with your own material. The work stays in that tool; we do not save it here.
Prompt to copy
Rules: Do not invent employers, job titles, dates, metrics, team sizes, or outcomes. If something is missing, ask me or write [unknown]. Keep hedges such as "approximately" and "more than" exactly as I stated them. Never turn a qualitative result into a number. I will paste my current resume (or notes). Recommend one page or two, in one sentence, then list what to cut or keep to hit that length. Do not rewrite the whole resume unless I ask. Resume or notes: [PASTE]