Introduction
“Can you send over your CV?”
It sounds simple. But behind that request sits a fast decision-making process most candidates underestimate.
The average recruiter scans a CV for just six seconds. Not because they’re lazy, but because they’re human. Faced with a long list of applications, instinct kicks in. They’re looking for immediate signals of relevance, clarity, and fit.
So if your CV doesn’t work at first glance, it probably won’t work at all.
What gets ignored?
In short: anything that slows the reader down.
We see it all the time – strong candidates hidden behind CVs that are hard to read, hard to follow, and hard to believe. Here are the biggest culprits:
- Five pages of waffle: Long CVs don’t show experience. They show a lack of editing.
- No white space: A wall of text is uninviting. Busy layouts make it harder to find what matters.
- No company context: Don’t assume the reader knows every business. A short line on size, sector or structure can give important clarity.
- Duty-based bullets: Listing what you did isn’t the same as showing what you achieved.
- Buzzword soup: “Results-driven team player with strong communication skills” tells us nothing.
- Generic summaries: If your opening paragraph could apply to anyone, it weakens your pitch.
Your CV isn’t a biography. It’s a pitch.
Think of your CV as marketing material – not a full career history. The goal isn’t to impress with volume. It’s to spark interest. Make the reader want to meet you.
That means focusing on what’s next, not just what’s been. Tailor it to the roles you’re targeting. Position your experience in a way that connects with what hiring managers actually care about.
What a good CV does well
Strong CVs have a few things in common:
- Easy to scan: Clear formatting, logical flow, enough space to breathe.
- Focused on outcomes: Not just what you were responsible for – what you delivered.
- Contextualised: Brief overviews of companies or roles where needed.
- Aligned to the next step: The tone and content are shaped by where you want to go, not just where you’ve been.
- Grounded in proof: Stats, scale, specifics. Real numbers beat vague claims every time.
Final Thought
You don’t need a perfect CV. But you do need one that’s readable, relevant, and reflective of the value you bring.
In a market where first impressions are made in seconds, clarity is key. Don’t let a poorly structured document cost you your next opportunity.
At We Do Group, we know what gets attention and what gets ignored. If your CV needs a refresh or you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help.
