A recruiter's first pass over a CV is fast - often seconds, not minutes. Knowing what they look for in that scan helps you put the right things where they'll be seen.
Your most recent role and title
They check immediately whether your level and recent experience fit. Make your latest role, title and dates easy to find at a glance.
The top third of page one
This is prime real estate. A clear profile and a relevant core-skills section here do more work than anything lower down.
Evidence of fit, fast
Recruiters scan for the requirements from the advert. If the key skills and a couple of strong achievements are visible early, you pass the first cut.
Clean, skimmable formatting
Dense blocks of text get skipped. Short bullets, clear headings and white space let a fast reader absorb your strongest points.
Obvious gaps or red flags
Unexplained gaps, titles that don't match the target, or a messy layout can end the scan early. Pre-empt the obvious ones.