If you research “resume writing tips” online, chances are great that you will discover that your resume should be 1-2 pages. But what if you’ve been working for 20 years or so and in order for you to get all the relevant experience included, it takes you 3-4 pages?
Sorry, you’re going to have to learn to edit. Some of it just won’t be relevant. Unless you’re at the highest levels (CEO, CIO, CFO, etc.), you must keep your resume down to 1-2 pages.
What should you consider cutting?
Jobs that are insignificant to the job you want. Yes, you worked there, and you should include it rather than have a gap, but it should be a much smaller section of your document. The biggest part of your resume should be dedicated to your experience that is similar to the job you want. It’s the work you’ve done that will lend itself to success in the new job.
A generic, overly long summary. If you’ve filled the space between your contact information and your work history with a lot of fluff about your drive, desire, motivation, business acumen, or communication skills, that’s wasted space. Everyone writes those things, and it gets skipped over by recruiters and hiring managers who don’t really see that as significant information and want to get to the meat of what you’ve accomplished.
Overall, look for areas where you can take out information that’s not selling you, or experiences that aren’t relevant to the skills you need for this job. Get that resume shortened up to a 2-page document so that it will be considered when it comes across a hiring manager’s desk.
If you’re still in doubt, think of this: How much stronger will your resume be if it’s two pages of powerful, concentrated evidence of your fit for that particular job, rather than 4 pages of job history that must be sifted through for the facts that matter to the employer?
Peggy McKee has over 15 years of experience in sales, sales management and recruiting. She knows how hard it can be to land your dream job, and can help you with what you need to do to succeed. Her website, Career Confidential (http://www.career-confidential.com) is packed with job-landing tips and advice as well as the practical, powerful, innovative tools every job seeker needs to be successful.