How Long Should a Resume Be?

I get this question all the time. My favorite quick answer is what my middle school teacher told me when I asked "how long should the term paper be?" Long enough to cover the subject but short enough to keep it interesting.

For most people, one single page is more than enough to cover all these points. Recruiters or hiring managers have very short attention spans. Help them.

However, for people with extensive experience (over 7-10 years) with multiple employers or many roles within the same organization and positions that have involved varying skills and responsibilities, it's appropriate to go to multiple pages.

Remember the wise words of my middle school teacher: "keep it interesting;" do not overwhelm or bore them with redundant detail.