How long cv should be

You can use many techniques to decrease the length of your CV. Decreasing the length of your CV indicates that you provided only vital information that warrants consideration from the hiring manager. Your CV's personal profile serves a similar purpose as a resume's summary statement, where you discuss personal traits, the type of employee you are and relevant work experience that summarizes why you're qualified for the job. Cut down your CV's personal profile to a couple of sentences so the hiring manager can easily transition to reviewing your work experience.

Note the most important skills you have, how you can use them and the ambitions you have for your career path. Cut down your work experience to make room for additional elements on your CV. Exclude work experience if it's more than 10 years old. Include the names of your previous employers, your job title for each position and the dates you worked on one line to save more space on your CV. You can replace some of your work experience with a skills section if they relate to the position you're applying for.

If you choose to focus more on your skills, write a brief paragraph on how you earned them. For instance, if you're applying for an entry-level graphic design internship, underline the graphic design skills you've learned and give evidence on how you improved them. So, let's say you worked on a project that earned praise from a professor or a client.

The explanation of your skills and how you developed them can indicate your potential for future success to your prospective employer. List only the degrees you earned during your academic career to keep your CV concise.

You might need to delete information about your dissertation, committees you served on and training you received while getting your education.

Add this information to your educational background if it directly applies to the employer. It can also be used by freelancers and contractors who need the space to cover their range of projects and assignments.

If you're a decade or two into your career and have written a three-page CV filled with relevant information, chances are you could cut some of the details. Remember that prospective employers want to see the skills that you have obtained and developed most recently. Therefore, your current position of employment should contain the most detail as it's the height of your career so far. Jobs older than 10 years can be reduced to employment dates, your job title and the company, or even removed completely as they're not as important at this time, even if they are relevant.

Remember that your CV isn't a document of your entire career history. Rather, it's just the best, most recent bits to show that you're able to do the job the employer is hiring for. Is your CV a proper length? Get a free CV review and we'll tell you where you stand. Does your CV pass the 6-second test?

How do I know if my CV is working? Make your CV strong by using the right words. Should you disclose a disability on your job application? Your CV is a marketing tool designed to sell your candidacy to the hiring manager, not be your autobiographical chance at winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Turn long, run on sentences into bullet points to stick to the important information. An added benefit is that it makes the CV much easier to read. Job seekers often have a natural tendency to go particularly overboard on their CV profile. Keep your CV profile short and snappy , urging the recruiter to read on.

If you still feel an itch to elaborate on key points in your job experience, do that in your cover letter. Make sure that the points mentioned in your CV are all individual points that demonstrate your value to the employer.

Recycling the same experience or skills over and over will get your CV thrown out faster than flat Pepsi. Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:. See more cover letter templates and start writing. There are no absolute rules that govern how long a CV should be. But now you have the necessary advice and information to judge how long your CV needs to be.

See good CV format examples and templates. Learn how to structure a CV to give recruiters what they want and land more interviews. Read more! State your most recent qualifications and briefly cover older, less relevant ones. Work experience : most recent first and go backwards; unless using a functional CV. Extra-curricular activities : if relevant to job being applied for. Please note: some other countries do require photos. Contact us if you are unsure as to whether you should use a photo.

Extensive academic information : we often see clients who include every GCSE and grade but have 10 years employment experience. Unless your qualifications are recent, a brief overview is fine. Reasons for leaving a job : this sort of information is not needed on a CV and can potentially be looked upon negatively.

Salary information : again, not needed. Unnecessary personal information : date of birth and nationality are fine, but details, such as weight, religion and health are not needed.