Finding the best candidate for your open role can be challenging under any circumstances, but applicants make it more challenging by sending poorly written, exaggerated and hard to read CVs. How do you ensure that candidates are really who they make themselves to be on the CV? How do you find that best fitting candidate?
Here are 8 CV red flags to look out for in your next hiring process:
Unexplained employment gaps – This could be tricky because you can sometimes include them among the list of resume red flags, but not in all cases. Good candidates with employment gaps explain those gaps, whether on the CV or in a cover letter. It’s the unexplained gaps that you want to be wary of. A candidate who only gives his employment history with years fails to list the months, maybe trying to hide something.
Job-hopping – You might have come across candidates who have spent barely a year in any company they’ve worked for. They might have a dozen company’s in their CV, with no more than a few months in each of these companies. Even if they are solid potential hires, this still tells a lot about their perspective towards commitment and dedication.
Discrepancies – It might take a bit of research efforts to uncover some discrepancies on a candidate’s CV. The best way to go about this is to compare and contrast, read through cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and application letters, compare information and look out for loopholes. If it lacks consistency, then that’s a red flag.
Failure to identify accomplishments – A truly standout candidate uses their resume to show you, the hiring manager or recruiter, how they’ve shined in their current and previous roles. A CV that fails to highlight critical achievements instead just contains bullet points of basic job duties should raise red flags.
Failure to follow directions – You want a candidate who pays attention to details and follows instructions; a candidate’s failure to follow job requirements and instructions down to the letter is a big red flag. Take note of what candidates comply with and ignore during the recruitment process.
Inconsistent career path – It’s not uncommon to see younger people exploring the world of work these days, but it can also pose a risk to your business. If it looks like a candidate is jumping from one industry to another, it shows their lack of consistency and commitment.
Including too many unimpressive skills – Including skills like “Microsoft word proficient” comes across as “ok, this person can type” duhhh. Anyone submitting a digital CV and cover letter can type. These obvious skills are put there to fill up space and offer no real value to you as an employer.
Lack of customisation – As a recruiter, you grow a sixth sense for things like this, and generic emails are not impressive at all. Candidates that do not customise their CV to fit your job description could come off as unserious, which is a red flag.
