One of the biggest resume mistakes that you can make is to have the document too long. While you might feel that it's necessary to devote several pages to explaining your qualifications, few managers will have the time or interest to read the entirety of this document — and are more likely to find a candidate with a succinct resume. Writing concisely can be difficult, so one strategy to consider is to write your resume however you want it, and then begin to carefully trim unnecessary bulk from it. Here are some tips for doing so.

Remove Irrelevant Details

One of the best ways to reduce the length of your resume is to look for details that aren't relevant. Generally, these are entries that are either extremely dated or that don't relate in any manner to the job you're applying for. For example, if you're applying to work as an administrative assistant and your resume includes that you worked in the fast food industry in high school, you can safely remove this section without worrying that its removal will hinder your ability to get hired.

Cut Down On Wordy Sections

You should also look at each section on your resume and begin to cut down on wordiness. Start by looking at sections that have just one or two words on their own line — this occurs often in a resume, and can quickly add to its length. Generally, you can change or omit a word or two to get a sentence onto a single line. By the time you take this approach throughout the entire resume, you may be able to reduce it by a considerable percentage of a page. Look specifically at your longest sections, as they may be so wordy that whoever reading the resume gets bogged down. By trimming these areas, the entire resume will feel lighter and easier to get through.

Eliminate Bulky Formatting

In many cases, the manner in which you format your resume can make it longer and bulkier than it needs to be. People set up their resumes in different ways, and your approach might be contributing bulk. For example, if you put the title of a previous role that you held and the name of the company on separate lines, you're quickly increasing the size of the document. This is especially true if you have an extensive work history. In many cases, combining these details to one line will be effective.

For more information, contact companies like JWC Professional Resume Services.