Skip to main content
 

Stop Recruiting CVs. Start Recruiting People.

Stop Recruiting CVs. Start Recruiting People.
Click to enlarge
by
Managing Director

One of the biggest mistakes I see employers make is placing too much emphasis on finding the perfect CV.

It’s understandable why. A CV is often the first impression you have of a candidate, and it’s easy to become fixated on ticking every box. Have they worked in the same industry? Have they held exactly the same job title? Do they have every qualification listed in the job description?

The problem is that a CV only tells you where someone has been. It tells you very little about where they’re capable of going.

Over the years, I’ve met candidates whose CVs looked exceptional but who struggled to adapt, communicate or work effectively as part of a team. Equally, I’ve introduced people whose experience wasn’t an exact match on paper, yet they went on to become some of our clients’ most successful employees.

Experience is important and there are, of course, roles where specific qualifications or technical skills are essential. However, once those minimum requirements have been met, I believe employers should spend just as much time considering the person behind the CV.

Do they show enthusiasm for the opportunity? Are they curious and willing to learn? Have they demonstrated resilience when things haven’t gone to plan? Do they communicate well and genuinely want to contribute to the success of the business?

These are the qualities that rarely fit neatly into a CV, yet they often determine whether someone succeeds in the role over the next five or ten years.

I’ve also seen businesses reject candidates because they didn’t quite meet every requirement on the job description, only to spend months trying to find someone who simply didn’t exist. In the meantime, they lost valuable time, placed extra pressure on the rest of the team and sometimes ended up appointing someone very similar to the candidates they rejected in the first place.

Perfection can become the enemy of progress.

A good recruitment process should identify people with the right foundations and the potential to grow, rather than searching endlessly for someone who appears perfect on paper. Skills can often be developed. Product knowledge can be taught. Experience grows with time. Qualities such as attitude, integrity and a willingness to learn are much harder to instil.

At ASL Recruitment, we always encourage our clients to look beyond the document sitting in front of them. A CV should start a conversation, not end it. The most successful appointments are often made when employers recognise the potential in someone rather than simply matching words on a page.

Final Thought

The best employee for your business may not have the perfect CV. They may simply be the person with the greatest potential to make a difference.




Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash

 
Back to list