The two-page rule, and when to break it
Recruiters spend under a minute on the first read. Length is a judgment signal, not a formatting preference.
For most professionals under fifteen years of experience, two pages is the correct length. Not because of a universal law, but because the first read of your resume lasts forty to sixty seconds, and every line that does not earn its place dilutes the lines that do.
What earns a line
A line survives if it contains a number, a decision, or a scope marker: book size, team size, revenue, risk limits, mandates closed. "Responsible for managing client relationships" earns nothing. "Grew mid-corporate book from ₹180 to ₹310 crore with zero slippage" earns everything.
What to cut first
- Objective statements - the employer knows why you applied
- Software everyone has - Excel is not a differentiator in 2026
- Full descriptions of famous employers - the panel knows what HDFC Bank does
- College achievements after your second job
When three pages are right
Break the rule for genuinely senior mandates: CXO track records, board roles, published research, regulatory appointments. Even then, the first page must carry the whole argument, because for many readers the first page is the whole read.