What is a "Top of Fold" on your CV?
The “Top of Fold” refers to what a recruiter or hiring manager first sees when opening your CV - typically the top 50% of the first page, whether viewed on LinkedIn or a browser.
This space is crucial for the initial scan where decision-makers quickly assess whether your application deserves a closer look.
To succeed, your CV’s “Top of Fold” must clearly communicate these three critical pieces of information:
- Location
- Job Titles
- Industry
If your application aligns well with the role, don’t make the reader hunt for this information. Make it easy for them by including it prominently in the top section, either as part of a summary or by jumping straight into your Work Experience.
Why does this matter? Hiring managers and recruiters often receive hundreds of applications, and while we’d like to think they review each one thoroughly, the reality is different. Studies suggest you may have as little as seven seconds to capture a recruiter’s attention. Whether or not this statistic is exact, one truth remains: the faster you make your value clear, the better your chances of making the shortlist.
Remember: “Top of Fold” optimisation won’t land you the job, but it will ensure your CV doesn’t get overlooked in the initial screening. Make those first few seconds count!
Here’s how to optimise this critical real estate:
1. Make Contact Information Work Smarter
Ensure recruiters can easily find your details, but don’t clutter your CV.
Tips:
- Use a single line for your name, city, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile.
- Skip your full address; city and postcode are sufficient.
- Avoid headers or footers, as applicant tracking systems (ATS) often ignore these.
2. Define What You Want
Your CV should tell the reader where you fit in their organisation without making them guess.
Tips:
- State your target role clearly, ideally use the exact job title that you are applying too (this ensures the reader knows your CV is highly relevant)
- If transitioning roles, focus on transferable skills and how they align with the desired role.
- Avoid generic sentences - the less fluff the better, make it highly relevant, highly specific and highly impactful.
3. Prove You’re Qualified
Make it clear from the start that you meet the job’s core requirements.
Tips:
- Highlight years of relevant experience: “e.g. 10+ years driving sales in pharma.”
- Sell your reader on the value you bring to the table. The best way to do this is by telling them how you've helped previous companies in the past (and doing it in a way that resonates with their goals): "e.g. grew product X by 30%"
- Keep it concise: 3–4 lines that use keywords relevant to the role to ensure ATS optimisation.
4. Show How You’re Different
Readers want to know why you’re a better fit than equally qualified candidates.
Tips:
- Focus on your unique contributions or perspective.
- Make it tangible: e.g. instead of “Strong communicator,” say “Built trusted relationships with 50+ healthcare professionals, driving a 20% increase in repeat business.”
- Quantify impact whenever possible - numbers stand out.
5. Start Your Experience Without Delay
Readers will scroll to check your work history. Make it easy to find.
Tips:
- Begin your professional experience immediately after the summary.
- Structure work history to show progression and results: e.g. “Launched new healthtech product, achieving £1M in sales within 12 months.”
Final Touches for Maximum Impact
- Use professional fonts, at least size 10.5.
- Stick to a clean layout, avoiding photos or heavy formatting.
- Use consistent, ATS-friendly formatting: align company names on the left and dates on the right.
- Avoid abbreviations and write clear, compelling bullet points that focus on outcomes.
If you need any support with your CV, or would like us to take a look then check out our free CV review service here.
