More notes on writing a CV that a hiring manager wants to read

So the last post described what I wanted.

Now some tips about how I read a CV. So make sure you write your CV to support my reading of it.

Contrary to some advice - I don't really mind how many pages the CV has. I care about the relevancy of the information and that it demonstrates to me what you will bring to the role.

I have a multi-pass approach to CVs:

• pass one: Is this CV even worth reading?


• pass two: Who is this person?


• pass three: Could they meet my needs?


• pass four: Are they lying?


• pass five: Do I want to speak to them?

Is this CV even worth reading?

Should I even bother to read this CV?

• A quick scan to see if the CV contains the basic information I want to know.


• Will I learn anything from reading the CV.


• Does it look like a lot of cut and paste text between the roles?


• Does the person know how to communicate in writing?

Some CVs don't make it past this stage.

Who is this person?

I look for the general summary of the person.

• You do have one of these right? At the start of your CV? A description of you and what you do.


• An elevator pitch that sells yourself to me the recruiter?


• What makes you unique?

If not - write one. Amend it. Edit it. Get it right. The hardest part of the CV to write. But a good sales pitch here can really add to the summary details against the roles.

I scan for statements of learning and unusual things.

I have a quick look to see how you keep up to date and if you have any hobbies relevant to the role.

Could they meet my needs?

I start to look at the detail in the roles.

• Do the descriptions tell me about the transferable skills that you bring to my role from those roles?


• Do you meet the basic description that I slaved over for the job spec?

I tend to make a lot of notes on the CV at this point which I review in pass five.

Are they lying?

• At this point I've probably spent about 20 minutes on the CV. So I start to look critically at the CV.


• Does the CV claim to expertise without the CV giving me the feeling that they have it? Just description and lists of skills (all talk), or does it detail results (walk the walk?)


• Valid dates? Could they do all this in the time period? Could they have done more in the time period? Any gaps?


• Did they work with anyone I know? I check.


• I'll look you up on the Internet. I'll read your blog if you have one.


• Do you have a LinkedIn profile?   (normally positive)


• Do you have a Facebook profile? (sometimes negative)

Do I want to speak to them?

I look at my notes.

I list my doubts.

Do the positives outweigh the doubts?

I make a decision about a face to face interview.

I write up my notes about what I want clarification on in that interview and write questions to help me dispel my doubts and confirm my positives (or not).

Time Invested

At this point I will probably have spent about 30 - 40 minutes with your CV. I would rather waste my time in the review process than waste all our time on phone interviews, or worse, on face to face interviews.

I expect the CV to help me

So a good CV will have:

• bullet points and summary statements.


• items in bold that you want to draw out,


• URLs to find out more information


• an effective layout


• numerous edits to make the text as concise as possible