CVs Come Under Fire in the Hiring Process - What is the Value of a CV, asks MRINetwork
18 November 2008 – Before an interview, someone – or several people within a company - reviews CVs of potential candidates and impressions are created before candidates even engage. Sometimes when the candidate arrives for the interview, there is apparently little connection between the CV and the person. This works both ways, says MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organisations.
“Often the CV does not truly represent the candidate,” says Gregg Nettleton, Chief Operating Officer of MRINetwork Worldwide. “It’s disappointing, of course, when candidates are less qualified or suitable than they appear on paper, but it can also mean that viable candidates (maybe even the best candidates) may have been overlooked because their CVs did not stand out.”
Historically, CVs have always been vital to the hiring process. Candidates labour over their CVs or purchase professional versions to attract employers. Recruiters gather them to populate their databases. Hiring managers insist upon them and use them as their first method for screening out candidates. However, technology allows us to gather CVs off the internet easily, so the value of the CV has decreased. Even so, no one is willing to do without it during the hiring process.
Nettleton says rather than dismiss the CV entirely, it should be recognised for what it is - a useful tool. “Having a conversation with the candidate is the only way to verify that the person matches the CV,” he says. He cautions that there are numerous things a CV will not tell you:
- If candidates are being truthful. A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study of 2.6 million applicants found that 53 percent of their CVs contained omissions or misrepresentations. Degrees or certifications, length of employment and titles are areas that are commonly embellished. Since a CV is not signed like an application, many candidates feel they are just stretching the truth and not really doing anything wrong by doing this.
- If the candidates are motivated to do this job. Even if they have the necessary qualifications, their CVs will not reveal whether they are willing to do the work. The only thing you know for sure is that they are seeking a change.
- If the candidates seek to excel. Many candidates detail every employer, task, and duty they've performed, but they don’t show how their efforts benefited their employers. You need to know what they really accomplished. They can deliver the minimum expectations, but will they excel?
- If the candidates have good communication skills. Did they write their own CVs or buy them? Did someone coach them through producing their CVs? Many job seekers obviously enlist the help of colleagues or mentors in developing their CVs. The employer should not place undue importance on the form and presentation of the CV.
- If the candidates will fit the culture. It's almost impossible to judge from CVs whether candidates will be a good fit culturally for the company and the department, but the cultural fit may be more important than the skill match.
As flawed as CVs can be, though, they do provide a starting point. “Assuming the candidates are truthful, CVs let us know if they have the basic, required qualifications,” says Nettleton. “They can also be used to screen in candidates instead of out, but employers should not risk dismissing good candidates solely on the basis of their CVs.”
About MRINetwork Worldwide:
MRINetwork is one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organisations with over 1,000 offices in more than 35 countries. MRINetwork has been a leader and innovator in recruitment for more than 40 years and its proprietary Accelerated Recruitment™ approach is a customised combination of its streamlined methodology and the knowledge of its industry experts from all major business sectors, all over the world.
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