The Fast First Scan

Recruiters rarely read a resume top to bottom on the first pass. They skim for role fit, recent titles, recognizable signals, and keywords that match the opening. In that tiny window, your resume either earns a closer read or gets set aside. Design and hierarchy matter as much as content.

The biggest mistake is burying your strongest material on page two. Put your sharpest proof in the top third of the page: a role-matching title, a quantified result, or a recognizable tool. Anything lower risks never being noticed.