Where to Put Testimonials? (Sidebar vs. Footer)

The Real Estate Problem

A common formatting mistake is burying a testimonial inside the "Work Experience" bullet points.

Why it fails:

• It breaks the flow of your achievements
• It confuses the reader (and the ATS)
• Quotes look out of place between metrics

Testimonials need their own space. Here are two approaches that work.

Option A: The "Social Sidebar"

If you are using a modern layout with a left or right-hand column:

• Place 1-2 short quotes under a header titled "Endorsements" or "What Others Say"
• Use italics to visually separate them from your hard skills
• Keep each quote to one sentence maximum

This approach works well for creative and client-facing roles where personality matters.

Option B: The Footer Anchor

If you use a traditional single-column layout:

• Place a single, high-impact quote at the very bottom of the first page
• This acts as a "Footer Anchor"—it is the last thing they read before turning the page
• It leaves a lingering impression of quality

This approach suits conservative industries (finance, law, consulting) where layout restraint is expected.

Design Tips

Keep the attribution short. Name, Job Title is enough. You don't need the date or company if it's redundant.

Match the font style. Quotes should look integrated, not pasted in from another document.

One quote per page maximum. More than that dilutes the impact.

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For more on CV visual design, explore our Format & Layout insights.