How to Identify an Excellent CV

When we see an excellent (and relevant) CV it smacks us in the face and we are motivated to meet the candidate quick smart. Sometimes we can overlook poor spelling and the lack of identifiable experience*, in lieu of the skills needed.

A 100% match in the skills we are looking for is often the utopia, however, there are also other traits we may need to establish to distinguish whether a further conversation or an interview would be the next step.  Read below to delve further into what a great candidate cv looks like and how to ascertain what your next move should be.

A strong CV will include contact details, a succinct personal profile, the candidate’s employment history in chronological order, a list of relevant skills, and their qualifications; education, and training plus an idea of their interests outside of work.

Part of the process when reviewing CVs is giving yourself time to get underneath the skin of the cv and look to see if the reasons behind a candidate’s decision to leave their present position (and what they’re looking for next) is clear.

Reading between the lines to understand the candidates’ potential, their ability to grow, and how well they’d fit into your company culture is just as important as the skillset being offered.

A helpful checklist when reviewing cv’s initially is:

• Is their personal profile and work history relevant to the job role you’re offering?
• Is their spelling and grammar up to scratch, will it align with the skills needed for the job role?
• Have they included contact details and used spell check?
• Are any gaps in employment explained?

A deeper delve might be the overall impression* you can glean from the cv:

• Does their cv showcase a positive attitude to learning and self-development?
• Are they open to continuing to learn / be coached?
• Do they have an optimistic outlook generally (does the cv highlight a can-do attitude)?
• Do the individuals outside interests show a commitment to teamwork (if this is important)?
• Does the cv provide any hints on their work ethic?
• Does the individual have the right set up to work based from home if necessary?

In order to widen the talent pool, it’s important in today’s market to delve deeper. If the skills you’re recruiting for are not 100% apparent, but the right attitude is jumping out of the page at you, it just might be that this is your person.

If you need recruitment support, get in touch with us today!  You can contact us via email, phone, or using the chat feature on our website.

*Identifying the right individual starts with a clearly defined job and person spec.