The "Paragraph-Then-Bullet" Rule

The Wall of Bullets

A common formatting error is listing everything as a bullet point. When a recruiter sees 15 bullet points in a row, their eyes glaze over.

Everything looks the same. Nothing stands out. The reader loses interest.

The Visual Split Rule

To make your CV readable, you must separate Scope from Impact.

1. The Scope (Use a Paragraph)

Use a short block of text (2-3 lines) right under the Job Title to describe:

• Your day-to-day responsibilities
• Team size
• Budget or P&L ownership
• Reporting line

Visual Role: This acts as a "floor" for the reader—it establishes context before the achievements.

2. The Impact (Use Bullets)

Use 3-5 sharp bullet points underneath the paragraph to list Results:

• Revenue generated
• Costs saved
• Speed improvements
• Awards or recognition

Visual Role: These are the "spikes" of high performance—the numbers that prove your value.

The Golden Ratio

Paragraph: 20% of the space Bullets: 80% of the space

If a detail doesn't include a number or a result, move it to the paragraph. Keep the bullets for the wins.

Example Structure

Head of Operations | TechFlow Solutions (2020–2024)

Led a 45-person operations team across three UK sites, managing a £12M budget and reporting directly to the CEO. Responsible for supply chain, logistics, and customer fulfilment.

• Reduced order-to-delivery time by 38% through warehouse automation
• Cut operational costs by £2.1M annually via supplier renegotiation
• Achieved 99.2% on-time delivery rate (up from 87%)

Scope in the paragraph. Impact in the bullets. Clean and scannable.

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