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One size doesn't fit all
Charlotte Booth • 23 December 2020
Why your CV has to be 'rewritten' for every job
However, in addition to having different CVs per job role, it is important that your CV is tweaked for each specific job application and job specification.
As insane as that sounds, this is just a sign of the modern technological world. Gone are the days of CVs being hard copy on a recruitment manager's desk (although that's not to say they are not still printed off by some). Instead, CVs are received electronically and then processed from there.
And that is precisely where the problem starts.
Some businesses have implemented a wonderful time saving device known as applicant tracking system (ATS) software.
By entering set parameters the recruitment process is automated by ATS, so only CVs matching certain keywords, particular skills, specific employers, roles or even schools will be selected. Although latest innovations in AI mean that the CV can be more carefully aligned with job specifications and requirements I find such means of matching people and roles a sad sign of modern depersonalisation.
ATS systems can misread PDF CVs, can reject great people because they don't have the right words in their CVs as well as automatic removal of every CV that the system can't read or interpret. This is bad news in general for both recruiters and jobseekers. According to InterviewSuccessFomula.com on average 50 percent of applications are rejected by these systems.
But what this means specifically to the job seeker is, that if their CV does not have a number of specific key words, or the right ex-employers an actual human may never actually see your CV and may not identify that you have all the required skills to excel at the job.
To ensure that your CV at least gets looked at if one of these applicant tracking systems is used, it is important to match your CV closely with the job specification and requirements for the job you are applying for.
For example, if you are applying for a Project Management role and have the experience, but not necessarily a matching job title you need to ensure 'project management' or 'project manager' is mentioned somewhere on your CV either in role descriptions or the personal statement.
They say job hunting is a full-time job, and such ATS systems ensures this is the case for the job seeker who has to essentially rewrite their CV for every job application.
For every job, the average number of applicants is 118 and of them only 20 percent (23.6 people) will get an interview. So it is hard enough finding work without failing at the first automated hurdle.
If you are job hunting and would like a master CV or a role-specific CV drafted then why not contact me today. It could be the first step to your dream job.
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