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Resume Length Marketability Debate
We often see “rules” about job hunting that include statements about resume length. A resume longer than 2 pages often is described as too long and a very bad idea.
The subjective nature and mythology of page-length rules has a reverberating effect on job seekers’ nerves. My opinion: deliver a resume, customized to the opportunity or employer, that tells your compelling story, and “darn the torpedoes” in regard to page length.
After all, most resumes are being read online now, so scrolling downward is not a painful process. As long as the above-the-fold resume’s Profile section (first half of the first page) provides a compelling value proposition snapshot (thus, not forcing the reader to read the entire resume for an initial impression), then the impact of page length is negligible.
In the article, “5 Fatal Assumptions of Job Seekers,” Julie Rains sums it up well.
The defense of the extremely brief resume is often that hiring managers won't read a long one. But there needs to be enough information to allow the reader to judge whether the candidate has 1. minimum qualifications and 2. enough talent and proven experience to contribute to the hiring organization. Otherwise, the sought-after interview will never happen.
Following is a before and after example illustrating why pithier resume stories with strong sales language add teeth and personality to the message.
Before:
Implemented business development to strategic partners throughout Latin America.
After:
Key Challenge: Advance operations, execute business development in Mexico and Caribbean / Central / South American countries and improve corporate, division, regional sales and international distributor base communications.
- More than doubled sales during tenure (to nearly US$6 million from $2.9 million) by nurturing tighter business relationships with distributors, providing formalized technical and pricing training and developing and presenting written reports.
- Initiated and closed million-dollar contract by phone with ABC Company. Expertly managed complexities of communicating, negotiating and closing the deal long distance to avoid business travel expenses and ensure higher profit margin.
- Expanded Key Company’s Latin America Group business operations and trained in-country distributors and potential clients on features, benefits and pricing of engineered product line.
Bottom Line
Always remember that the reader is thinking: ‘what’s in it for ME?’ Beyond that, realize that everyone reading your resume is not going to love you and your resume, so loosen up, write from within, then deliberately edit and reshape your story to illuminate the power you felt during the challenging career battles you fought and won.
© Copyright Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, 2010. Used with permission.
---------------------------------------------About This Author:
Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter is 1 of only 26 Master Resume Writers in the world and the owner of Career Trend, a boutique career strategy and writing firm serving a global market. Jacqui composes career positioning documents for forward thinking executives and professionals, unearthing and translating their 'value into words.' For more about Jacqui, visit her website at CareerTrend.net or her blog Career Trend's Blog or you may follow her on Twitter at @ValueIntoWords.