Length of your resume or vita

View of Career Services Building from southeast

Career Services Building (0128)
Corner of Washington Street & West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
phone 540-231-6241 fax 540-231-3293 www.career.vt.edu

Career Services is for all students: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior,
and graduate level, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
> Our Mission and Core Values

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JOB SEARCH TOOLS & SKILLS:

Resumes and vitae

Cover letters & other letters

E-mail

Telephone

References

Researching employers

FINDING JOBS & EMPLOYERS:

How VT grads did it

Who hired VT grads

How to start your job search

Pros & cons of ways to job-hunt

Hokies4Hire & the On-Campus Interviewing Program

Job listing web sites

On-line job search advice & privacy protection

MEETING EMPLOYERS:

Handshakes

Career fairs / job fairs

Employer info sessions

Interviewing

Interview attire

Business casual attire

Dining etiquette

DECIDING ON A JOB OFFER:

Salary, benefits, negotiating

Responding to job offers

Acknowledging a job offer

SPECIAL INTERESTS:

International students

Students with disabilities

LGBT students

Graduate students

Length of your resume or vita
	Q: How long should my resume be? A: One page. And we can help you do it.

•	Employers spend about 15 to 30 seconds on a first read of a resume. Most employers won't take the time to read a second page. They're just not looking for that level of detail from your resume.

•	Students completing a bachelor's degree rarely need a resume longer than one page. An exception might be for those who have extensive professional experience prior to completing the bachelor's degree. If you are having difficulty fitting your resume on one page, even with adjustments to your format and careful, concise writing, see a Career Services advisor for assistance and a resume critique.

•	Graduate students may choose a curriculum vitae format, particularly doctoral students seeking positions in academia. Vitae typically extend to several pages, but are still written concisely. Common lengths for curriculum vitae are one to three pages for master's degree candidates; one to five pages for doctoral candidates; and five or more pages for an experienced academician or researcher. See curriculum vitae for more information. However, graduate students who are pursuing industry employment should do a concise one-page resume for that purpose. Again, Career Services advisors are available to assist you in tailoring your resume to your specific purposes through a resume critique.

•	If your background justifies a two-page resume, keep in mind that the most important information should be contained on the first page, and that the second page should include your name and page number, in case the pages become separated once they are out of your hands.