Front-Loading the 'R': Flipping the STAR Model
In a story, the ending comes last. In a CV, it must come first. Learn the "Result-First" formatting trick that hooks recruiters instantly.
## Don't Bury the Lead
The classic STAR method teaches you to write in chronological order:
1. Situation
2. Task
3. Action
4. **Result** (The payoff)
**The Formatting Problem:**
Recruiters scan the left side of the page. If your Result is at the end of a long sentence, they might miss it entirely.
You did the hard work. Don't hide the payoff.
## The Mechanical Fix: "Result-First" Structuring
For your most impressive achievements, flip the visual structure. Put the **Result at the front** of the bullet point.
### Standard STAR Order
> "Created a new sales script (Action) which led to a 20% increase in conversions (Result)."
The result comes last. Easy to miss in a quick scan.
### Front-Loaded Order
> "Increased conversions by 20% by architecting a new psychological sales script."
The result comes first. Impossible to miss.
## Why This Works
It passes the **"skim test."**
Even if they only read the first 5 words, they see the value. The number jumps off the page. The achievement registers before they move on.
## When to Use This
Front-load your top 2-3 achievements per role. These are your headline wins—the bullets you want remembered.
For supporting details, standard structure is fine. But for the wins that matter, lead with the result.
## The Formula
**[Result/Number] + by + [Action/Method]**
- "Reduced costs by £1.2M by renegotiating supplier contracts"
- "Cut delivery times by 40% by implementing automated routing"
- "Grew team from 5 to 25 by building a scalable hiring framework"
Result first. Method second. Always.
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*For more on CV formatting, explore our [Format & Layout](/format-and-layout) insights.*