So you’ve put out a job advert and ended up with a pile of CVs on your desk. Great, but now you face the daunting task of whittling down the candidates to three or four to call in for an interview.
A standard CV is maximum two pages long and only provides an outline of the candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications. Although this is useful when you have a lot to get through, it also makes it difficult to gauge person’s ability, personality and suitability for the role. So how do you decide who to invite for a job interview?
Experience and qualifications
It is a good idea to know what experience, skills and qualifications are essential for the job. This enables you to immediately reject those that don’t match these requirements. You should have explained what you are looking for on your advert so that any candidates serious about the job can ensure that they include this information on their CV if they meet these requirements.
Obvious mistakes
Next, look for obvious mistakes. Spelling and grammar should be accurate. Also make sure that the font type and size is consistent (unless it has been changed for style reasons). A candidate will have had a lot of time to perfect their CV, so if they are making mistakes here it is likely that they will be making errors on the job too.
Cover letter
The cover letter provides an opportunity to job candidates to give additional details about their experience and to show that they are serious about the job. Does it stand out? Is it original or formulaic? If a candidate has put effort in preparing his covering letter, it tells you that he really wants the job. The cover letter is also a chance for the candidate to catch your attention. If you are not interested in the candidate after reading their covering letter then he is probably not the right person for the job.
Inconsistencies
It is estimated that a significant number of applicants lie on their CV. Those who are not honest can be found out by looking for inconsistencies in the CV – dates that don’t add up, unexplained gaps in employment history, and vague or incomplete information.
History
Look at the candidate’s work history. Did he stay in one job for a significant amount of time or did he job hop a lot? Also look to see if he has left job within the normal three to six month probation period. This is a red flag that you need to probe during the interview.
Structure
Look at how the candidate has structured his CV, namely is it clear and organised? A well-structured CV should enable you to glance through it and get the information you need quickly and easily.
Remember to follow laws
What you must do when sifting through piles of CVs is ensure you follow discrimination laws. There are many legal ways of deciding which candidates are suitable for a job. Rejecting candidates based on their ethnicity, age, gender or other discriminatory methods is not only illegal, but will not get you the best employee for the role.
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