Resume length: the actual rule behind the myth
The "one page or else" rule is half-true, and the half matters. The real rule: length must match evidence. A page you fill with substance beats two pages padded with adjectives — and ten years of real accomplishments legitimately need two.
One page when…
You have under ~7 years of experience, are changing careers (old-field detail is dead weight), or are applying somewhere with high application volume where skimming is brutal. Most people reading a resume guide are in this group.
Two pages when…
You have 10+ years with real progression, a technical/academic role where projects, publications or certifications carry weight, or a senior position where scope itself is the story. Page one must still stand alone — assume page two is read only if page one earns it.
How to cut a page honestly
Kill the objective statement (the summary replaced it years ago); collapse roles older than 7 years into title lines; cut any bullet that repeats another's point; delete "references available upon request" (assumed); merge Languages/Certifications into compact lines; and drop the street address — city and country are enough everywhere.
What never justifies a second page
Bigger margins' opposite — cramming via 9pt font and zero whitespace makes one page unreadable, which is worse than two clean ones. If it doesn't fit at 10.5pt with normal margins, cut content, not legibility.
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Frequently asked questions
Do recruiters really reject two-page resumes?
No — they reject padded ones. Surveys consistently show recruiters accept two pages for senior candidates; what they punish is thin content stretched.
Is a CV the same as a resume?
In the US/Canada a CV is the long academic document; in the UK, Europe, India and most of the world "CV" simply means resume. Match the local term, keep the content tight either way.
What font size is acceptable?
10–12pt for body text, 14–20pt for the name. Below 10pt reads as cramming on screen and in print.