What are the downsides of the CV?
The traditional CV approach hasn’t moved in line with the current needs of recruitment. Is it still a valid approach?
Here we look at some of the main downsides/shortfalls of the CV. We then go on to justify and draw conclusions as to why alternative approaches should be adapted for successful talent recruitment.
1. Firstly, the CV creates a subconscious bias
Studies in the US have reached some worrying conclusions on how the traditional CV and covering letter are assessed subconsciously.
A person’s name, gender, places of education and where they are from/live can influence their chances of success. As humans we naturally stereotype, which works against the CV approach to candidate selection. It’s worth noting that you could be ruling out some candidates for the wrong reasons, missing out on the possible opportunity of finding the right person for the role.
2. Stereotyping causes unconscious discrimination
Again, stereotyping can cause us to lose sight of developing an understanding of an individual’s attitude, behaviors or abilities. As a consequence of this we maybe selecting the wrong people for the wrong reasons. It’s therefore important to find out about the ‘real’ person, to make an informed decision that works towards hiring talent sucessfuly. The best outcome for a recruiter is to get the right candidate that grows and develops with a business, and contributes towards overall growth as well as the development of others.
3. CVs are inefficient and time-consuming
Picking out a shortlist of candidates from an enormous pile of CVs is tricky, laborious and time-consuming. Plus, who knows how many of the CVs are a true reflection of the individual?
4. A CV doesn’t guarantee that you will find what you are looking for
CVs display the same information – exam results, where the candidate went to school or university, and where they used to work. They’re therefore unlikely to provide a true feel for how much the role is right for an individual.
A CV won’t tell you how customer orientated a candidate is, what drives them, if they have the right attitude, can work in a team, or if they’re open to developing. They don’t cover those all-important soft-skills, vital for employers in making sure they are investing in the right candidate.
Attributes like problem solving, abstract thinking and motivatiosn are difficult to quantify or prove with a CV, we suggest finding alternative ways to discover what an individual’s attributes are.
5. CVs aren’t always accurate
One of the main issues with the CV is that you cannot get a sense of the candidate’s personality. The problem with shortlisting candidates based on their CV alone could result in you missing out on someone that is a far better cultural fit for the role.
A further problem with CVs is the fact that they are often unverified, they can be exaggerated and may even have been written by someone else. Around 1/3 jobseekers have discrepancies on their CV. To overcome such shortfalls we recommend having a conversation with each candidate to check/validate claims, that way you will be shortlisting the right candidates.
6. CVs don’t show potential
Unfortunately, CVs don’t provide an indication of the true potential held by a candidate. They show where people have worked and what they’ve studied. They are not a reliable predictor of future performance. Again a conversation with the candidiate, followed by an assessment will indicate what potential lies within.
Matching a CV to a job description is about as good as hiring with a blindfold and a dartboard. Talent is situational. You want to know what someone can do for you over the next 5 years, not what they’ve done in the past. It’s about the ‘real’ individual.
To find out more on hiring talent in the right ways with a ‘real’ approach, request a copy of Raw Talent’s latest Whitepaper:
Why you shouldn’t recruit off the back of a CV
Raw Talent structure recruitment around abilities, behaviors and competencies. We are truly passionate about getting recruitment right for organisations to get their future champions. And, match the right people to our partners’ profiles through a rigorous assessment of the widest possible talent pool to establish a candidates’ motivations, desires and levels of commitment.
Raw Talent Academy – showcasing ability, nurturing success
Raw Talent are passionate about challenging the norms of recruitment and do not use CVs. We assess candidates on their ability, behaviour or and competencies for the best fit and investment for our partners.
If you’d like an initial discussion about partnering with us please call: 01753 910 383 or email: info@rawtalentacademy.com
RECENT ARTICLES
What are the downsides of the CV?
The traditional CV approach hasn’t moved in line with the current needs of recruitment. Is it still a valid approach?
Here we look at some of the main downsides/shortfalls of the CV. We then go on to justify and draw conclusions as to why alternative approaches should be adapted for successful talent recruitment.
1. Firstly, the CV creates a subconscious bias
Studies in the US have reached some worrying conclusions on how the traditional CV and covering letter are assessed subconsciously.
A person’s name, gender, places of education and where they are from/live can influence their chances of success. As humans we naturally stereotype, which works against the CV approach to candidate selection. It’s worth noting that you could be ruling out some candidates for the wrong reasons, missing out on the possible opportunity of finding the right person for the role.
2. Stereotyping causes unconscious discrimination
Again, stereotyping can cause us to lose sight of developing an understanding of an individual’s attitude, behaviors or abilities. As a consequence of this we maybe selecting the wrong people for the wrong reasons. It’s therefore important to find out about the ‘real’ person, to make an informed decision that works towards hiring talent sucessfuly. The best outcome for a recruiter is to get the right candidate that grows and develops with a business, and contributes towards overall growth as well as the development of others.
3. CVs are inefficient and time-consuming
Picking out a shortlist of candidates from an enormous pile of CVs is tricky, laborious and time-consuming. Plus, who knows how many of the CVs are a true reflection of the individual?
4. A CV doesn’t guarantee that you will find what you are looking for
CVs display the same information – exam results, where the candidate went to school or university, and where they used to work. They’re therefore unlikely to provide a true feel for how much the role is right for an individual.
A CV won’t tell you how customer orientated a candidate is, what drives them, if they have the right attitude, can work in a team, or if they’re open to developing. They don’t cover those all-important soft-skills, vital for employers in making sure they are investing in the right candidate.
Attributes like problem solving, abstract thinking and motivatiosn are difficult to quantify or prove with a CV, we suggest finding alternative ways to discover what an individual’s attributes are.
5. CVs aren’t always accurate
One of the main issues with the CV is that you cannot get a sense of the candidate’s personality. The problem with shortlisting candidates based on their CV alone could result in you missing out on someone that is a far better cultural fit for the role.
A further problem with CVs is the fact that they are often unverified, they can be exaggerated and may even have been written by someone else. Around 1/3 jobseekers have discrepancies on their CV. To overcome such shortfalls we recommend having a conversation with each candidate to check/validate claims, that way you will be shortlisting the right candidates.
6. CVs don’t show potential
Unfortunately, CVs don’t provide an indication of the true potential held by a candidate. They show where people have worked and what they’ve studied. They are not a reliable predictor of future performance. Again a conversation with the candidiate, followed by an assessment will indicate what potential lies within.
Matching a CV to a job description is about as good as hiring with a blindfold and a dartboard. Talent is situational. You want to know what someone can do for you over the next 5 years, not what they’ve done in the past. It’s about the ‘real’ individual.
To find out more on hiring talent in the right ways with a ‘real’ approach, request a copy of Raw Talent’s latest Whitepaper:
Why you shouldn’t recruit off the back of a CV
Raw Talent structure recruitment around abilities, behaviors and competencies. We are truly passionate about getting recruitment right for organisations to get their future champions. And, match the right people to our partners’ profiles through a rigorous assessment of the widest possible talent pool to establish a candidates’ motivations, desires and levels of commitment.
Raw Talent Academy – showcasing ability, nurturing success
Raw Talent are passionate about challenging the norms of recruitment and do not use CVs. We assess candidates on their ability, behavior and competencies for the best fit and investment for our partners.
If you’d like an initial discussion about partnering with us please call: 01753 910 383 or email: info@rawtalentacademy.com