Prior to
speaking about CV length, it’s very essential to know what a good CV actually
comprises of. This allows one to get an
estimate of its ideal length. Precisely, CV is an overview of a person's experience and other qualifications; and is potentially the first
piece of information about you that reaches the recruiter. For this reason,
keep it short and simple such that the recruiter is able to know more about you
just through a glance.
This might seem astonishing but
recruiters do come across resumes as long as 30 pages wherein the candidates attach photocopied certificates along with the CV. Know that this is not
an autobiography so stick to what a CV is meant for. It’s a curriculum vitae
and it’s meant to be short and crisp! If feasible, it is recommended that the
CV should be of one-page.
If the relevant information
that you wish to convey via CV can’t be accommodated in one page, then two
pages are entirely acceptable. In certain circumstances, it may be acceptable
for a CV to run to three pages - but only for certain special cases, e.g. a
medical CV where multiple qualifications and experience must be provided in
detail and you just can’t skip on any of the qualifications.
Compact resume with more
impactful and strategically collaborated information is the key! People often
feel that a one-page CV is worth less than a two-pager but this is definitely
not true. It is much better to have a good, strong one-page CV than a two-page that
seems to be just stuffed with words. You should always be aiming to exclude
irrelevant information which may detract from other more important points.
And it is no big task to fit
the two pages CV into one. All it desires is a little careful tweaking. It is
of course important not to force a CV unnecessarily onto one page when two
pages would be better but a 1½ page CV tends to look incomplete and weak .
Regardless of the length, do
make sure that all your most important information is conveyed on the first
page or, for a one-page CV, in the top half of the page – because too many
recruiters simply won’t always look any further.

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