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With a busier market, more and more employers are using technology to enhance their recruitment methods to deal with the current influx of applicants.
And although you could say that applying for jobs is easier than ever before, for candidates, this technology can feel like a barrier.
After all, over 70% of CV’s will get rejected by parsing technology.
And although we understand that not every recruiter has the time or functionality to view every single one, it can be frustrating not knowing why you didn't quite make it through the threshold.
But, as a tech provider ourselves, we can provide some useful tips and tricks to do just that, get you through the threshold.
Pump your CV full of relevant keywords, but note, the key there is relevant, do not overdo it. It all has to make sense and be used in the correct context. This technology will look for certain keywords that represent the ideal candidate. In particular, look at the job description and job specifications. Keep note of particular phrases and include them on your CV and application forms. Remember though, no porky pies. This will only backfire on your later on in the journey. You can also do general keyword checks by searching them and looking at the results. If a keyword is busy, with lots of content and activity that is relevant to the context you want to use it in, it’s probably a good keyword.
When listing your previous titles, ensure they are known. ‘Brand Warrior’ may be used to describe a Marketing Manager, and although it may sound cooler, it will not help you get the job. Again, keywords. Is the term searchable and recognisable to technology? Yes, it is clever, but not that clever. Parsing technology is told what it should look for and we can tell you ‘Brand Warrior’ is not it. If you do change your title slightly, make sure it truthy represents the seniority of your position.
What qualifications and skills do they require? If you have them in some way shape or form, include them. Discuss the skills, experience and qualifications which most relate to the spec of the role. It can be frustrating to do, but enhancing your CV for every position that you apply for can really make the difference. Again, use the acronyms, keywords or phrases which are regularly used within the market to increase the chance of parsing technology picking it up.
CV’s can often be dull and boring, but they are there to do a job. Do not get carried away by making it too creative, especially if the role does not warrant it. Including lots of graphics and symbols may make it hard for parsing technology. Bullet points are fine. Then try to keep continuity by using the same fonts, sizes, and colours. As a rule of thumb, use no more than two. If you can use tabs instead of tables and capitalise headers and important information, great. Also, stray away from using an image of yourself, unless you’re a model or going for a big acting job, this is probably not necessary. They are not recognised well by parsing technology, and it causes less discrepancy and discriminative behaviour based on age, race, sex and so on. And importantly. Make sure the document can be opened from various devices and applications and showcased in the same format. For example, if you use a bizarre font, it may automatically get replaced with something completely different when someone else views it.
As we just said, continuity. Make sure to keep your CV consistent throughout. It can be good to make sure it translates well alongside your LinkedIn profile. And of course, always be honest, do not exaggerate or lie. Yes, we want to market ourselves attractively, but there is a difference. You can easily be caught out, cause damage to your credibility and ruin your chances of getting that dream job, regardless of whether you are the best candidate or not. And remember, yes you do want to build your CV so that it works well with the algorithms, but it still needs to impress a human being.
