Clients ask how long a resume should be as if there is one correct page count. There isn't. Length should follow relevance, not habit.
When you review a draft with a client, use these questions:
- How many years of relevant experience do they have? Under 10 years, lean one page. More than 15 years of related work, lean two.
- Do they have substantial volunteer, leadership, or community experience that supports the target role? If yes, a second page can earn its keep.
- Do they have conferences, presentations, publications, awards, or patents? Those lists can fill a second page, or rarely a third, in a hybrid resume-CV. That is the only time a third page is warranted.
If a two-page resume is packed with unrelated early jobs, cut first. A tight one-page document that matches the posting will outperform a longer one that makes the reader hunt.
For career-changers, page count matters less than whether the first half of page one already sounds like the job they want.