How long should your resume be?

In partnership with

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Upgrade your news intake with 1440! Dive into a daily newsletter trusted by millions for its comprehensive, 5-minute snapshot of the world's happenings. We navigate through over 100 sources to bring you fact-based news on politics, business, and culture—minus the bias and absolutely free.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

If you like our content, clicking the ad is a good way of supporting us at no cost to you (it only takes a second to click the ad).

In case you missed it…

• Get the lowdown on ATS scanners

• Is your resume reaching recruiters?

• Signs you did well in a job interview

How long should your resume be?

Ever wonder if your resume is too long? You're not alone.

Last week, a senior engineer DMed me asking if she should cut her resume down to one page — even though she has 12 years of experience.

Here's the thing: Resume length isn't about following some rule someone made up. It's about making recruiters want to learn more about you.

And trust me, recruiters have strong opinions about this.

In fact, I recently chatted with a tech recruiter who told me something that might surprise you: "I don't care if it's one page or two. I care if I can find what I need in 30 seconds or less."

That got me thinking about all the outdated resume advice floating around out there.

So today, I'm breaking down exactly what the data says about resume length in 2025 — and why most of what you've heard is probably wrong.

Remember that recruiter I mentioned? Well, there's actual data backing up what they told me.

Recent eye-tracking studies show that recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds on their first scan of your resume.

Yeah, you read that right. 7.4 seconds.

But here's where it gets interesting: Those same studies found that two-page resumes don't hurt your chances at all. In fact, for experienced pros, they might even give you an edge.

And in 2025, the "one-page-only" rule is about as relevant as a fax machine in a WeWork.

The numbers don't lie: Recruiters are 2.3 times more likely to prefer two-page resumes for experienced candidates. Turns out they actually want to see your career progression.

So what does this mean for you?

Starting out? (0-5 years of experience)

Your resume should be one page, max. Not because of some arbitrary rule, but because that's genuinely all you need. Think highlight reel, not documentary series.

Mid-career? (5-15 years)

This is where it gets interesting. Two pages isn't just okay — it's expected. You've got multiple roles to showcase, and cramming them onto one page is like trying to fit your entire Netflix watchlist into a tweet.

Executive level?

Those three-pagers everyone warns you about? Sometimes they make sense. But only if you're gunning for C-suite positions or specialized roles like federal jobs.

But here's the thing nobody tells you: It's not really about the number of pages.

What matters is how you use the space. And that's exactly what we'll talk about next.

So how do you make every inch of your resume count?

First, let's kill those space-wasters:

• That "References available upon request" line? Delete it. It's 2025 — they know.

• Those three similar bullet points about your project management skills? Combine them into one to avoid redundancy.

• That summer internship from 10 years ago? Unless it's incredibly relevant, let it go.

Here's what actually works:

Keep your margins between 0.5-1 inch. Anything smaller and you're basically asking the recruiter to squint. Not a great first impression.

And about those bullet points — here's my rule of thumb:

• 6 bullets for your current role

• 4 for your last role

• 2-3 for anything older

Test your resume with the "glance test." Can you spot your biggest achievements in 7 seconds? If not, neither will they.

In 2025: It's not about the pages — it's about the story you're telling.

Think about it this way: Netflix doesn't make every show the same length. They make them exactly as long as they need to be to tell the story right.

Your resume should follow the same principle.

I see too many talented people self-sabotage by trying to follow outdated rules. They cut valuable experience to fit an arbitrary page limit, or worse, cram 15 years into one page with 8-point font.

Don't be that person.

Instead, do this one thing this week:

Open your resume and ask yourself, "If a recruiter had just 7.4 seconds, would they see my value?"

If the answer is no, it's time for a rewrite. Not to fit some random page count, but to tell your professional story in the clearest way possible.

Because at the end of the day, that's what gets you the interview.

How to avoid looking overqualified on your resume…

Speaking of resume length, I saw an interesting question on Reddit yesterday.

This question comes up a lot: “How do I avoid looking overqualified?”

It's a smart question, and one that hits home for a lot of people in 2025.

Maybe you're looking for better work-life balance. Maybe you want to switch industries. Or maybe you just want to focus on the parts of your job you actually enjoy.

The goal isn't to hide your experience — it's to reframe it.

Think of it like curating a portfolio.

You don't destroy old work; you just highlight the pieces that match what your audience wants to see.

Here's how to do it right:

• Focus your resume on the skills relevant to the role you want, not the roles you've had

• Replace leadership-heavy terms like "managed" or "directed" with action words like "contributed" or "executed"

• Highlight your hands-on work rather than your strategic oversight

Should you leave off senior-level experience entirely? Usually, no.

Gaps look worse than being overqualified. Plus, that experience proves you can handle complex projects and work independently.

Instead of downplaying your experience, emphasize your genuine interest in the role. Use your cover letter to explain why this specific position appeals to you.

Remember: Being "overqualified" often just means you're qualified with bonus skills. Frame it that way, and suddenly it's not a liability — it's an asset.

How to make the case for keeping your WFH gig

Let's talk about the RTO wave hitting tech companies in 2025, because I just spotted an interesting FastCompany headline about Dell going all-in on a 5-day return to office policy.

If you want to keep your WFH job, there’s a case to be made….if you’re a top performer.

The key isn't just being good at your job — it's about making your value visible regardless of where you work.

Think about it: Companies like Dell aren't really mandating RTO because they don't trust remote work. They're doing it because they want better collaboration and culture. And that's your negotiation leverage.

Here's how top performers are making their case:

• They document their impact with clear metrics and outcomes

• They maintain strong communication channels with leadership

• They've built systems that demonstrate their productivity isn't location-dependent

• They show how their remote work actually benefits the company (cost savings, expanded coverage hours, etc.)

The reality is, RTO isn't going away. But if you're consistently delivering value, you've got more negotiating power than you might think.

Instead of fighting the RTO wave, smart professionals are building their case for flexibility based on performance, not preference.

Remember: Companies will always make exceptions for employees they can't afford to lose. Your job is to become one of them.

Worst interview question of the week

The Question: Do you think it would be easier to milk a cow or shear a sheep and why? (Real question asked in a product manager interview at a tech company. Because apparently, farming skills are crucial for building apps.)

Overthought Answer

Well, considering the ergonomic challenges of milking and the seasonal nature of sheep shearing, I'd say milking a cow is more straightforward. You see, cows have a predictable twice-daily milking schedule, while sheep shearing requires annual scheduling and specialized equipment. Plus, the cow provides immediate feedback through milk production metrics, allowing for agile iteration of the milking process...

What They're Actually Looking For

How you approach unfamiliar problems. Or maybe the interviewer just binged too much "Farmer Wants a Wife" last night.

What You Should Actually Say

I have exactly zero experience with either task, but I'm guessing milking a cow might be easier since you don't need special tools. Though I'm more interested in telling you about how I actually handled ambiguous situations in my last role...

Tip: If an interviewer asks you to compare two random tasks you'll never do in the actual job, they're probably testing your problem-solving approach. Or they're just bad at interviews. Either way, pivot to relevant experience as quickly as possible.

Speaking of questions, last week, here’s how you answered last week’s question.

Last week, I asked you whether they’d rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses.

67% said they’d rather fight 100 duck sized horses.

This week’s poll…