What recruiters want
By Tom Nuttall
18 March 2002
A survey of over 800 recruitment consultancies and employers reveals what recruiters do and don't want to see in your CV
Which is the key info to include?
Apart from the obvious - work experience, contact details, qualifications - high-scoring features included:
- previous responsibilities
- number of staff under the candidate's management in previous jobs
- budgetary responsibilities
Should you disclose redundancy?
Almost 90% said it made no difference if you mention your redundancy or not.
Or salary?
Most respondents agreed that salary information should be included in a cover letter rather than a CV.
Must it include referees?
Both companies and recruiters agreed that CVs didn't need referee details. References would be taken up later in the recruiting process.
How important are 'hobbies and interests'?
This section was not considered particularly important. Some respondents who provided comments made a plea to keep the section "brief and relevant".
How long should it be?
Up to 97% of respondents prefer a two- to three-page CV, saying this is the ideal length, but this should be governed by the extent and complexity of a candidate's experience.
For a full breakdown of the survey results, carried out by Chiumento Consulting Group and Effective Resources, head to this website.
Next: Part four: CV sins
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| Which colour?
Recruiters recommended white paper for CVs or, at a push, cream. Apart from the fact that using colour to seem eye-catching can appear frivolous, coloured paper can be hard to photocopy or fax - something many recruiters need to do.
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