According to a recent report, the average length of resumes has surged by 61% over the past five years, with jobseekers striving to incorporate more details compared to 2018.
In 2023, the average word count of resumes spiked to 503 words, marking a substantial increase from the 312-word average noted in 2018. This data, analyzed from a pool of 50,000 resumes by LiveCareer, indicates a growing trend toward longer resumes, making two-page resumes the new standard.
This trend towards longer resumes coincides with 66% of jobseekers adding at least one additional section to their resumes, expanding beyond the traditional five sections encompassing personal information, education, work history, skills, and professional summary or objective.
In 2023, a notable uptick was observed in jobseekers including supplementary information such as certificates (18%), languages (14%), and additional accomplishments (17%) within their resumes. Additionally, the report highlights a growing emphasis on mentioning terms like “remote” and/or “hybrid,” reflecting the increasing prevalence of alternative work arrangements.
Job seekers are adapting their resume writing strategies to align with changes in the job market.
Conversely, the report notes a decline in the inclusion of references, with only two percent of jobseekers opting to include this section in their resumes.
Eric Ciechanowski, a career expert at LiveResume, attributes these shifts in resume trends to the evolving employment landscape, particularly influenced by global events such as the pandemic. Ciechanowski suggests that job seekers are adapting their resume writing strategies to align with changes in the job market.
In terms of skills highlighted in resumes, the report identifies time management as the most frequently mentioned soft skill in recent years, reflecting its growing importance in remote and hybrid work environments. This marks a significant rise from its previous seventh position in 2018.
For hard skills, coding languages dominate the landscape in 2023, with Python emerging as the most mentioned hard skill. Other prominent hard skills include JavaScript, C, CSS, and Project Management, indicating a demand for technical proficiency in various fields.
