Making it to the shortlist is your first aim. But in reality, many applicants waste their time by not understanding or responding to what the recruiter needs. When asked what really frustrated them about the CVs they received, recruiters were fairly clear – here a just a few of their comments.
“There is nothing more guaranteed to spoil a candidates chances of being shortlisted than not telling us what we need to know”.
“The last thing I want is pages and pages of waffle – I just want them to get to the point”.
“I don’t have time to work out what they’re trying to say – to get me interested candidates need to be clear and precise”.
“Take notice of what we’re asking for; if you don’t match up, don’t apply”.
“The most frustrating and ultimately destructive thing candidates can do is not answer the questions”.
Recruitment specialist Emma Coker says: “If I have 200+ CVs to read, I need to be able to find the details I need quickly and easily. I need to see where a person has worked, when, and in what capacity, plus some reference to what they have achieved. CVs which are too long, unclear or poorly presented don’t make it past an initial sift.”
Sam Roberts, a personnel professional agrees: “CVs of more than two pages are just too much work. A recruiter’s time is limited therefore we need to ascertain quickly and easily how you match the job requirements, with examples of relevant achievements, quantified where possible.”
Covering letters also create a lot of frustration. “I don’t need to know a person’s life story. I just want to know why they want the job and what they can offer,” says Emma Coker. “It’s important to state what sort of salary you’re looking for, plus any location preferences. If you’re not currently in work, don’t try to hide the fact. Simply state your reason for leaving. Be sure to include current contact details, preferably a daytime number. If I have shortlisted 8 or 10 candidates, there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to reach them quickly, or having to spend my free time chasing them up”. Sam Roberts says, “Speculative letters are often the worst. If you send your CV speculatively, be specific about what you’re looking for. Don’t pass the buck to the employer”.
Finally, recruiters gave us these five top tips:
“Show how your experience matches the job requirements and demonstrate this with one or two examples of achievements.”
“Keep your CV and letter short; maximum three pages for a CV and one page for a letter.”
“Make sure your CV is easy to read, incorporating all the details we need - in particular where and when you’ve worked, and your job title. Include a very brief description of the employer’s business to help us understand the environment you’ve operated in.”
“If you’re not currently in work, give a brief explanation in your covering letter, including the reason for leaving your last job.”
“If a job advertisement asks for salary details, give them; 90% of recruiters will reject outright CVs which don’t include that.”
So, there you have it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Follow these tips to give yourself the very best chance of getting past the recruiter and on the shortlist for the job of your dreams.
Tom Hackforth
Principal Consultant
Comments