How Long Should Your CV Be in 2024 for Technical Roles?

So, you’re crafting your CV for that dream software development or engineering role, and the age-old question pops up: “How long should this thing actually be?” You’ve probably heard the rigid “one-page rule,” but does that really apply to technical roles packed with projects, skills, and complex experiences? Let’s clear up the confusion for 2024.

As fellow tech enthusiasts navigating the job market, we know your experience is often rich and detailed. Squeezing it all onto one page can feel impossible, and frankly, it’s often unnecessary for technical positions.

The Myth of the One-Page Rule in Tech

While the one-page CV is great advice for some professions or those early in their careers, it’s not a hard-and-fast rule in software development and engineering. Recruiters and hiring managers in tech often expect more detail.

Why? Because they need to understand:

• Your Technical Skills: Specific languages, frameworks, databases, tools, methodologies.
• Your Project Experience: What you built, the challenges you faced, the technologies used, and the impact you made (quantify this where possible!).
• Your Problem-Solving Abilities: How you approached complex technical challenges.

Trying to condense significant project work or a long list of relevant technologies onto a single page can sometimes do more harm than good, leaving out crucial information.

So, What’s the Ideal Length for a Technical CV in 2024?

There’s no single magic number, but here are some solid guidelines based on experience:

• Graduates / Entry-Level (0-2 years experience): Aim for one page. Focus on internships, academic projects, key technical skills, relevant coursework, and any contributions to open-source projects. Keep it concise and impactful.
• Mid-Level Professionals (2-10 years experience): Two pages are generally acceptable and often expected. This gives you space to detail your work experience, showcase multiple significant projects, and list your expanding technical skillset. Ensure every point adds value – don’t just fill space.
• Senior / Lead Professionals (10+ years experience): Two pages are standard. You might stretch to three only if all the information is highly relevant to the specific roles you’re targeting and showcases significant achievements or leadership. Prioritize your most impactful and recent experience. Conciseness is still key – focus on leadership, architecture, strategy, and major accomplishments.

Quality Over Quantity: The Golden Rule

Regardless of length, the most important factor is relevance. Every single line on your CV should serve a purpose and be tailored to the job description.

• Cut the fluff: Remove outdated technologies (unless specifically required), irrelevant experience, or generic descriptions.
• Focus on impact: Use bullet points starting with strong action verbs. Quantify your achievements whenever possible (e.g., “Reduced API response time by 30%,” “Led a team of 5 engineers to deliver project X two weeks ahead of schedule”).
• Prioritize: Put the most important information first (usually your most recent, relevant experience).

Formatting Matters (Especially for ATS)

Whether one page or two, your CV needs to be easily scannable by both humans and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

• Use clear headings: (Work Experience, Projects, Skills, Education).
• Keep formatting simple: Avoid columns, tables, or excessive graphics that can confuse ATS.
• Ensure readability: Choose a clean font and use white space effectively.

Using a well-structured template can make a huge difference here. ThePerfectCV offers ATS-friendly templates designed to present your technical information clearly, whether you need one page or two.

The Bottom Line

For technical roles in 2024, don’t obsess over sticking to a single page if your experience warrants more detail. Two pages are often perfectly fine, especially for mid-level and senior roles. Focus on making every section relevant, impactful, and easy to read.

Ready to build a CV that perfectly balances detail and conciseness? Try building your CV with ThePerfectCV today and explore templates designed for technical professionals like you!