Resume size Forum

[quidprobono]

What's the recommended resume size? I've heard 1-2 pages, but I want to hear what others think. What do you consider excessive? What are your strategies for condensing several years of work and academic experience into such a short space? Can you point to any successful examples?

[elibrarian]

The all important Ivey book says one page unless you have a ridiculous reason (curing cancer, twenty years work experience, etc) to make it longer. I think it is doable to limit it to a page. I actually like the examples in the book as well and I believe Harvard's website has a few examples as well.

[quidprobono]

HLS has sample resumes for current students (--LinkRemoved--). Are these what you're talking about?

[MumofCad]

Harvard has several - 2 are 1 page, another is 2 pages. 1-2 pages is fine. There is no way I could include all of my relevant work experience, degrees, and awards on a single page unless I didn't give any indication of what I did in those jobs, cut out prestigious awards, or took out one of my degrees. I am a non-trad though. Its not like I'm including stuff from high school.

I think you just need to be judicious and realistic and keep it to 2 pages. No more than a few bullet points for each job (some of my positions have none, because they are self-explanatory like being a teaching assistant). I showed it to a friend that does pre-law advising and he said, "Normally, I would recommend 1 page, especially for those coming out of undergrad directly, but in your case I can't see anything that I would cull." So I think it varies. Use your best judgement about whether the stuff you are including is actually useful and prestigious. If its not, then take it out.

[094320]

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