Resume Word Count: With Spaces vs Without Spaces Guide

Confused about word counts in resumes? Learn the difference between "with spaces" and "without spaces" and get tips for optimizing your resume length.

Hello! This is Cheetset, your productivity partner.

When writing a resume or cover letter, one of the first hurdles you face is the "Word Count Limit". You might have seen instructions like:

"Maximum 1,000 characters (including spaces)."
"Around 2,000 bytes (excluding spaces)."

Different companies and platforms have different standards, which can be confusing. What exactly does "with spaces" mean? And why does this small difference matter for your application?

Today, we will clarify everything about Word and Character Counting.

1. With Spaces vs Without Spaces

1-1. With Spaces

This counts every character, including spaces, line breaks, and tabs.

Example: "I am hired"

Letters: 'I', 'a', 'm', 'h', 'i', 'r', 'e', 'd' (8 chars)
Spaces: 2
Total 10 characters

1-2. Without Spaces

This counts only the visible characters, excluding spaces and line breaks.

Example: "I am hired"

Only letters are counted
Total 8 characters

💡 Key Point

The character count drops significantly when spaces are excluded. Make sure you check the requirements carefully!

2. Characters vs Bytes

Some systems use Bytes instead of character counts. This is common in legacy systems.

English/Numbers/Spaces: 1 character = 1 Byte
Korean/Chinese/Japanese: 1 character = 2 or 3 Bytes (depending on encoding)

3. Why Length Matters

Recruiters read thousands of resumes. Adhering to the length limit shows your attention to detail and sincerity.

Too short: Lacks effort. (Aim for at least 80%)
Too long: Lacks summary skills. (Never exceed the limit)

The ideal length is 90% ~ 99% of the limit.

4. Solve it in 1 Second

Counting manually is impossible. Different software calculates differently. You need an accurate Word Counter Tool.

🚀 Solve complex calculations instantly with Cheetset.

Check characters, words, and bytes instantly.

Go to Word Counter

Cheetset Word Counter offers:

Real-time calculation: Counts as you type.
Multilingual support: Supports English, Korean, and Japanese.
Secure: Text is processed in your browser, never sent to a server.

Conclusion

A perfect resume starts with following the basic format. We hope this guide helps you craft a clean, professional resume.

Cheetset cheers for your success!