How to Get Your CV Noticed By Recruiters

By Andrew Fennell

In order to land job interviews, your CV needs to capture the attention of recruiters and sell your talents effectively.

But all too often, candidates send off multiple job applications, eagerly await responses… and hear nothing back.

This a very common frustration amongst job seekers and can even cause some candidates to lose hope.

If you are struggling to get noticed by recruiters, then some simple adjustments to your CV and job hunting strategy could turn your fortunes around.

By implementing some of the actionable steps below, you should be able to increase your application response rate and start to land more job interviews.

 

Introduce yourself properly

Recruiters will sometimes receive hundreds of emails per day from hopeful candidates, all vying for their attention.

In some cases, recruiters can’t physically read every CV they are sent, let alone respond to every applicant. So if you want to ensure that your CV gets opened, a strong introduction is crucial.

Whether you are applying by email or via a job website, it’s imperative that you craft a short and sharp cover note that explains how you could add value to the employer and support their goals.

Address the recruiter by name if you can find it, and write in a friendly yet professional tone to create the right first impression.

Then explain why you are the perfect fit, by showing how your skills and experience match the job requirements.

Focus on what you have to offer, as opposed to what you want at this stage and keep the message brief to hold the reader’s attention.

 

Give your CV impact

In order for your CV to impress recruiters, it needs to make an impact by instantly showing your suitability for the role.

The top quarter of your CV is the section that is first visible upon opening; usually consisting of your introductory profile and your current role.

If your CV top quarter doesn’t contain the important skills and experience that your target employers are looking for, then they may close your CV down and move on to the next one.

So before you apply for any role; check your CV to see if you are highlighting all of the most important role requirements in the top quarter.

If you are hiding required skills at the bottom of your CV or omitting them completely, adjust your CV to ensure that you highlight them at the top of your CV.

 

Quantify your value

Recruiting a new staff member is a big investment for employers, and one they will expect to see a return from.

If you want to show employers the true value in hiring you, then include some impressive facts and figures to back up the claims in your CV.

Depending on your profession, you can use a range of statistics to demonstrate the value you have brought to previous employers.

Here are some good examples of tangible CV facts to include;

 

“Generated 100 unit sales and £70k in profit during Q2”

“Completed project 2 months ahead of plan and £10k under budget”

“Resolved 99% of customer complaints within 24 hours”

 

A good CV should always include figures like the above, to give employers a real indication of the benefits of hiring you.

 

Follow up

Just because you don’t receive an instant call back after applying for a job, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve been rejected.

Your CV could be sat amongst scores of others and may have just not been reviewed yet, or even been missed.

Sometimes a quick follow up call to the recruiter can be just enough to push your CV on to the shortlist.

If you haven’t had a response for a few days following a job application, then a polite follow up call is a great way to ensure that your CV is read, and sell yourself at the same time.

 

Conclusion

If you are struggling to land job interviews, then it’s likely that your CV and job search strategy could be improved.

If you want to increase your application response rate, take some time to tailor your CV and make sure that you are approaching recruiters in a persuasive and personable manner.

 

Andrew Fennell is an experienced recruiter and founder of CV writing service StandOut CV

 

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