How résumés have shifted over the past 5 years
Posted 12th September 2024 • Written by Eric Ciechanowski for Livecareer on fastcompany.com • • • • • •
Rumor has it that if you travel in space for 5 years, it’s 50 years passing on Earth.
Whether this is true or not, consider the job market the cosmic journey. Within five years, technology, the pandemic, and market trends have had a dynamic impact on the workplace that has propelled us light-years ahead.
To help better understand the shifts that have taken place specifically in résumé writing, analysts at LiveCareer have extracted data from 50,000 résumés from its internal database and compared résumés built in 2018 to résumés from 2023.
LiveCareer’s Résumé Evolution Report covers how résumés have changed in the past five years, specifically examining:
- New résumé length and word count standards
- Popularity of different résumé sections
- Top 10 soft skills job seekers list
- Top 10 hard skills job seekers list
- Shifts in the most common job titles
- Remote/hybrid phrases
- Number of résumés created per person
Résumé length
In 2018, a typical résumé created in LiveCareer’s builder was about 312 words. In practice, this means that the majority of users prepared single-page documents.
However, the landscape changed notably in 2023. Résumés turned toward greater detail, with the average length surging to 503 words, equivalent to almost two pages.
The evolution of the length of résumés between 2018 and 2023 signifies a departure from the one-page norm. Recruiters wanted extensive narratives, and this is what they got. Contrary to popular belief, one-page résumés have long ceased to be okay.
A 2018 ResumeGo study proved that recruiters are 2.3 times as likely to prefer two-page résumés to one-page résumés. Moreover, they take almost double the time to review two-page résumés compared to one-page résumés.
Conclusion: Résumé length (pages and word count) has nearly doubled. Two pages are now the norm.
Top sections used
Some sections on résumés are nonnegotiable. The top five must-have sections have not changed in the past five years. These are personal information, education, skills, work history, and professional summary or objective.
But two additional sections have seen a noticeable jump. Over the past five years, there have been roughly twofold increases in the number of people who included information about certificates (18% vs. 10%), languages (14% vs. 6%), and additional accomplishments (17% vs. 9%) on their résumés.
The rise in certifications indicates a commitment to skills development and a proactive approach to staying competitive in the job market. Similarly, the emphasis on languages signifies the increasing value placed on global communication and collaboration in today’s diverse workplace. Additional accomplishment sections help ensure that a fuller picture of candidates’ value is properly communicated. This reflects a shift in candidate priorities toward a more holistic representation of their abilities.
Conclusion: You cannot skip must-have sections, but you can include one or two additional ones. Be sure that this trick will make you stand out from the competition.
Don’t have time to learn languages or get certificates? Attend conferences or online courses. Showcase your unusual interests and passion.
These sections go beyond the traditional focus on work experience and education, providing an opportunity to demonstrate continuous learning, adaptability, and a proactive approach to skills development. In a dynamic job market, employers increasingly value candidates who show a commitment to personal and professional growth.
An additional note—only 2% of résumés in 2023 include references, down from 6% in 2018.
Some 66% of job seekers include at least one additional résumés section.
Over the past five years, the employment landscape has changed, and so has the way job seekers write résumés. During the period we studied, we experienced a global pandemic—which took a huge toll on some industries while others thrived—so it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that job seekers have changed their approach to résumé writing to meet the changes in the job market.
Top 10 most common soft skills listed on résumés
While technical skills and experience showcase your expertise, soft skills provide a more holistic view of your capabilities. Employers are interested in what you can do and how you work with others, handle challenges, and contribute to the overall work environment. They also tell much about the candidate’s alignment with the company’s culture.
The top 10 soft skills candidates mentioned in their résumés:
The top three soft skills in 2023 were time management, customer service, and critical thinking.
In 2018, the most popular soft skills were self-motivation and team leadership, followed by customer service.
The transition in the most cited soft skills reflects a nuanced response to the changing demands of the workplace. As organizations continue to evolve, candidates, too, adapt by emphasizing a broader and more varied set of skills essential for thriving in today’s dynamic work environments.
Top 10 most common hard skills listed on résumés
Comparing the most common hard skills listed in résumés in 2018 and 2023 was quite difficult because five years ago, candidates mentioned skills that were almost completely different from those in 2023!