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Length and layoutWriting your CV5 min read

How long should a CV be? One page or two

There is no law that a CV must be one page. There is a reader, though, and that reader is short on time. The right length is the shortest one that still proves you can do the job.

Updated 10 October 2026

A simple rule of thumb

  1. Early career: one pageWith under about five years of experience, one page is enough. A full page of strong lines beats two with filler.
  2. Experienced: two pagesWith a long record, two pages let you show results without squeezing. Put the strongest material on page one.
  3. Academic and research: longer is normalPublications, grants and teaching are expected, so a longer CV is fine. Check the norms of your field and country.

Country matters too. In the US a one-page “resume” is the default, while in much of Europe a two-page CV is common and expected, sometimes with a photo and a longer education section.

How to cut it down without losing impact

  1. Drop what is oldJobs from more than 10 to 15 years ago can shrink to a single line, or go.
  2. Trim the bulletsKeep three to five for recent roles and one or two for older ones. Remove duties that anyone in the role would have.
  3. Cut what the job does not needHobbies, “references available on request”, and the skills everyone has (Word, email).

Instead of

  • Skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, internet, email, teamwork, punctuality

Write

  • Skills: Excel (pivot tables, Power Query), Tableau, SQL

Basic tools are assumed. The second line says more in fewer words and leaves room for what is rare.

Layout is the last 10%, not the first

Only once the content is tight should you adjust the layout to fit. A little help is fine: slightly smaller margins, a line spacing of 1.1 to 1.2, and a body font between 10 and 11 pt. Shrinking the type to 8 pt to squeeze in more is not editing, and nobody wants to read it.

Avoid a second page with only three lines on it. Either tighten the first page to fit, or add enough strong material to justify the second.

Common mistakes

Avoid

  • Forcing everything onto one page with tiny type and no white space.
  • A second page that is mostly empty, or sections split awkwardly across pages.
  • Padding with generic skills, interests or a long objective.
  • Three or more pages for a standard job application.
  • Early career: 1 page
  • Experienced: 2 pages
  • Body text 10–11 pt
  • No near-empty page 2

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