# How Long Should Your CV Be?

The honest answer on CV length for students and graduates in South Africa.

Category: CVs
Author: Tlangelani Khosa
Published: 2026-09-23
Tags: CVs, Job Search

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Short answer: **one to two pages.** That is it.

If you are a student or recent grad, aim for **one strong page**. You do not have twenty years to cover, and a recruiter spends about thirty seconds anyway.

Two pages is the ceiling, and only if every line earns its place.

## What fills the space

- Education
- Projects, part-time work, volunteering
- Skills that match the job
- One or two real results, with numbers

Cut anything that does not help. A tight one-pager beats a padded three-pager every time.

More: [what sections a CV needs](/insights/what-sections-should-a-cv-have).

## FAQ

### Is a one page CV too short?
No. For a student or recent grad, one strong page is often better than two padded ones.

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Canonical page: https://www.flyquest.co.za/insights/how-long-should-a-cv-be
Published by FlyQuest, South Africa's career platform for students and graduates.