I'm currently revising my CV and I'm not sure how many pages it should be. I've got quite a bit of work experience by now and I've done various training courses. Should I really put everything in there or is it better to cut it down?
Don't try to fit your entire work history into your CV - that's the biggest mistake. Instead of just listing everything chronologically, make a quick list before each application: What from my experience is actually relevant for this specific position? Then you put in exactly that and leave the rest out. That way your CV stays sharp and you show the recruiter that you really understand the job. With several years of experience, the relevant positions usually fit on one to one and a half pages.
One to two pages is basically the standard, no matter how much experience you have. Sure, with several years on the job and continuing education, it gets packed pretty quick, but recruiters scan that thing in seconds. If your CV is three pages, important info automatically ends up in the void. So: throwing everything in there isn't the solution.
Better to focus on jobs that are relevant to the position you're actually applying for right now. Old internships or trainings that have nothing to do with the role? You can skip those. When listing jobs themselves, don't just say what you did - say what makes you relevant for this specific role. Your most important qualifications belong in there, but not every single one you've ever done.
Pro tip: write your job descriptions snappy, not like novels. "Led project" instead of dragging it out over three sentences. And for older jobs, you can include less detail than for your current positions. That saves space and looks more professional.
The thing is: recruiters want to know within two minutes max whether you're a fit - and that only works if your CV stays punchy. So only include what's relevant to the position, not just everything you've ever done. If you've got several years of experience, you can keep older positions brief or even leave them out if they don't match the job. Further training is cool, but again, only mention the stuff that really counts.
When I revise my application materials, I keep noticing the same thing: the most important part is keeping the job in mind and only writing what actually fits - not just listing everything chronologically. The others are right that two pages should be the maximum, but the most common mistake is people describing old positions way too elaborately or listing trainings that nobody cares about! Cut ruthlessly - if a position takes three lines, two usually does the trick. And this is really important: don't throw everything away, but keep a longer version so you can quickly adjust it depending on the job!
Don't just write everything down chronologically - that just bloats your CV unnecessarily. Two pages are completely sufficient if you focus on what fits the position: relevant experience, skills, and training that actually matter.
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