One page or two? Choosing the right CV length
A simple rule for students, fresh graduates, experienced professionals and academic applications, and how to cut a CV down to size.
The simple rule
- Students and fresh graduates: one page.
- Up to about five years of experience: one page, or a little more if every line earns its place.
- Experienced professionals and managers: two pages.
- Academic, research and scholarship applications: two pages or more, with publications and teaching listed in full.
Why shorter usually wins
Recruiters often skim a CV in under a minute before deciding to read more. A focused one-page CV puts your best material where they will see it. Extra pages of old, unrelated details make the strong points harder to find.
How to cut a CV down
- Remove personal details employers do not need: CNIC number, father's name, full address.
- Shorten roles older than ten years to one line, or remove them.
- Keep two to four bullet points per role, starting with the strongest.
- Merge small sections such as certificates, languages and activities.
- Reduce margins and spacing slightly, but keep body text at 10 points or more.
When two pages are right
If you have several relevant roles, major projects or a technical skill set that matters for the job, two full pages are fine. Make sure page two is as strong as page one.
Tools that help
CVfor99 shows page-break markers in the preview and can fit your CV to one or two pages by gently adjusting text size and spacing. The Scholar template is designed for two-page academic CVs.