Ideal CV length to create an impact

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.