CV’s can be deceiving – Is it time to ditch them?
Traditional CV’s have always been the go-to when it comes to recruitment, but they do have their limitations.
Are they outdated?
Let’s find out…
CV’s are an integral part of the recruitment process. It allows a candidate to give a positive first impression by presenting key skills, work experience and knowledge as well as a bit about themselves.
A recruiter on average spends 6 to 7 seconds…. YES you read that right, 6 to 7 seconds looking at a CV before making a decision to shortlist or reject.
That’s if you are one of the 75% who made it past the recruiter technology (ATS system) in the first place. An ATS scans for keywords, so even the best recruiters that use this practice can miss a good applicant.
So is this good recruitment practice? Let’s take a look.
Unless a CV contains all the keywords needed and tailored to a specific job advert and industry. It is unlikely an ATS will rate a CV highly.
It will then be reviewed by a recruiter in 6/7 seconds, often with assumptions being made with an unconscious bias and a shortlist made.
Let’s say from the shortlist, the best 3 candidates ‘on paper’ are chosen to progress to interview, at interview they just don’t give you a great feel, or think they will be the right fit for your customers or team. After all, a bad hire is expensive, so you are back to the drawing board. Where do you go from here.
Is back to basics the way forward?
We speak with clients and candidates daily, we pride ourselves in taking an honest and consultative approach to match the perfect candidate in a role where they can thrive and in turn be an advocate for the company. This is proven to add value to a company.
When doing this we consider a number of factors;
- Skills
- Experience
- Are they the right team fit?
- Do their values and future plans align with that of the role and company?
How many of the above can be found on a CV….. 50%?
Understanding what makes a candidate tick is the key here. Just because a CV says a candidate can do something, doesn’t mean they want to. The only way to find that out is through thorough screening and conversation.
CV’s do not enhance candidates core values, you cannot tell if a candidate will fit the company culture or fit in with the team without actually speaking to them. After all, people are drawn to people!
So now, let’s go back a step, why are CVs overlooked and rejected?
Lack of keywords, experience and detail in a CV is a key contributing factor.
Have you ever considered writing your own CV? If you have been in a job for 5,10 maybe 15 years, it may not be something you have done before, or for a long time. Try writing your key skills and work experience down on paper. It isn’t that easy and doesn’t come naturally to some people. An excellent applicant can often have a poor CV, just as a nervous interviewee may not perform well in an interview. These employees could be the best skilled, loyal and perfect match for the job. So it is important they are not overlooked. More importantly, why are we trying to squeeze all these attributes of a person into one small document and making such quick assumptions.
Another reason for rejecting a CV is because it looks ‘jumpy’. My favourite with clients.
A good candidate that has excellent experience but has had 2 or 3 jobs over the last year would be seen as a job hopper and potentially unreliable.
What isn’t taken into consideration is the following;
- the candidate being mis-sold the role.
- the company not being a nice environment to work in.
- the candidate not receiving the training or support required and promised.
Yet the candidate would be deemed via a CV as ‘jumpy’. This is why it is essential to take the time to screen, understand and get to know candidates in detail.
This might all be well in some cases, but it is impossible to recruit a junior/entry level candidate in this way. Without speaking to every applicant, how, without unconscious bias do you create a shortlist of candidates with no experience?
With 70% of employers checking social media, is this the way decisions are being made? Once again, is this a fair and effective way of making assumptions about someone? We would always advise that LinkedIn profiles are up to date and any reviews and recommendations support your work.
With all this to consider, how do we conclude?
As a candidate, CVs are still your best chance to get your foot in the door. Your job is to get your CV to the top of the pile!
As a recruiter, speak to candidates and really get to know and understand what makes them tick. The best candidate for the job is not always the best on paper!
So the moral of the story is; CV’s are deceiving, but should we ditch them? NOT AT ALL!
Sadly though, the current approach taken by recruiters towards a CV is outdated. Fair and effective recruitment requires a recruiter to make non bias assumptions currently held when looking at a CV, and be open minded to having conversations with candidates that may not have the best-looking CV. You never know, you could employ the perfect employee…… isn’t that the main goal?!
