CV: Why CVs Matter in 2025 and beyond

In recruitment, the CV remains the cornerstone of the screening process. It’s often the first impression a candidate makes, and it sets the foundation for assessing whether they’re right for the role.

Within the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™, the CV step is the entry point into the "Longlist" stage – where precision, structure, and fairness are introduced to ensure you uncover the best talent.

However, despite their importance, CVs are often assessed inconsistently, leading to missed opportunities or wasted time.

By combining best practices, behavioural insights, and a structured approach, the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™ ensures this crucial step is optimised for success.

What Makes a Good CV?

A good CV provides a clear, concise, and well-organised summary of a candidate’s professional experience, skills, and achievements. It acts as a snapshot, designed to quickly inform a hiring manager of a candidate’s ability to meet the role’s requirements.

Key Characteristics of a Good CV:

• Clear Structure: Logical headings, bullet points, and readable formatting.
• Concise Content: Information is relevant and to the point; typically no more than two pages.
• Role-Relevant Keywords: Incorporates words and phrases directly tied to the job description.
• Accurate and Honest: Contains no exaggerations or misleading claims.
• Professional Presentation: Proper grammar, spelling, and design.

A good CV ensures a candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience are easy to understand and assess. Yet, in a competitive market, a “good” CV is not always enough.

What Makes a GREAT CV?

A great CV goes beyond ticking the basic boxes. It stands out by demonstrating a candidate’s impact, potential, and alignment with the role.

What Sets a GREAT CV Apart?

1. Tailored Content
• A great CV is personalised to the specific role. It highlights relevant experiences, skills, and achievements that align with the job description.
2. Storytelling and Impact
• Instead of listing responsibilities, a great CV focuses on achievements and results. It tells a story of impact, using measurable outcomes where possible.
• For example: “Implemented a new CRM system that increased sales team efficiency by 30%” is far more impactful than “Responsible for CRM implementation”.
3. Differentiation
• A great CV showcases unique qualities, whether it’s through niche skills, standout experiences, or innovative contributions.
4. Professional Tone and Presentation
• The CV is polished, free from errors, and easy to scan. Design supports clarity rather than distracting from content.

A great CV doesn’t just say, “I can do the job.” It shows why the candidate is the best person to do it.

Comparing CVs is Hard

One of the biggest challenges in recruitment is comparing CVs fairly. Why? Because CVs are inherently inconsistent. They vary in format, quality, and detail depending on the candidate’s experience, writing ability, and understanding of CV best practices.

The Challenge of Subjectivity

When recruiters review CVs, unconscious biases and personal preferences often creep in. For instance:

• Eye-catching design may distract from a lack of substance.
• Strong storytelling might hide a lack of technical skills.
• Unpolished formatting may cause a great candidate to be overlooked.

Variability in CV Quality

Not all candidates have access to CV writing advice or tools, which means a poorly written CV doesn’t necessarily reflect a lack of capability. This makes the comparison process inherently unfair.

In the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™, we address these challenges by introducing structured scoring and “normalisation”, ensuring every CV is assessed objectively and fairly. (More on this later.)

The Pitfalls of Using ATS Systems

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become standard tools in recruitment, helping organisations handle large volumes of CVs efficiently. However, their reliance on automated processes can inadvertently filter out excellent candidates.

How ATS Systems Work

ATS tools scan CVs for keywords, skills, and formatting criteria. They’re designed to streamline screening, but they’re far from perfect.

The Limitations of ATS Systems

1. Rejection of Qualified Candidates
• Candidates may be filtered out due to formatting errors, missing keywords, or overly creative designs that confuse the system.
2. Over-Reliance on Keywords
• ATS systems often prioritise keyword matching over actual relevance or quality. A CV packed with buzzwords might pass, while a genuinely qualified candidate is overlooked.
3. Lack of Context
• Automated systems fail to recognise nuance. For example, transferable skills from a different industry might be ignored.

Balancing Automation and Accuracy

While ATS tools are useful, SELECT ensures their limitations don’t compromise results. By introducing a human touch alongside structured processes, we catch great candidates that ATS tools might otherwise miss.

Normalising CVs for Comparison

To ensure a fair and consistent assessment process, CVs must be “normalised”. This means creating a baseline format or scoring method that enables objective comparisons.

What is CV Normalisation?

CV normalisation involves:

• Stripping away irrelevant formatting or stylistic choices.
• Scoring each CV against predefined, role-specific criteria.
• Highlighting key skills, experiences, and achievements in a consistent way.

The Benefits of Normalised CVs

• Objectivity: Removes subjective biases during comparison.
• Fairness: Levels the playing field for all candidates.
• Clarity: Allows recruiters to quickly identify top candidates.

In the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™, we use a structured scoring method that focuses on both competence (skills and experience) and behavioural alignment (will do/won’t do). Normalised CVs create a strong foundation for fair, data-driven decision-making.

The CV Sniff Test: The Recruiter’s Instinct

The “CV sniff test” refers to the initial gut reaction a recruiter has when reviewing a CV. Within seconds, they often form an impression about whether the candidate is worth progressing.

What is the Sniff Test?

It’s that quick judgment based on:

• Formatting and presentation.
• Tone and language.
• Initial alignment with the job requirements.

The Risks of the Sniff Test

While instincts can be valuable, over-reliance on them introduces bias. For example:

• Overlooking great candidates: A poorly presented CV may hide a highly qualified individual.
• False positives: A well-polished CV doesn’t always mean the candidate has the right skills.

In the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™, we balance the sniff test with structured scoring and behavioural insights. This ensures initial instincts are validated (or challenged) through objective data, creating a more reliable recruitment process.

Conclusion

The CV step is critical, but it’s often where traditional recruitment falls short. Inconsistent comparisons, over-reliance on ATS systems, and bias-prone instincts mean great candidates can be missed.

The S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™ framework solves these challenges by:

• Defining what makes a great CV and identifying candidates who stand out.
• Normalising CVs to enable fair, objective comparisons.
• Combining automation and human judgement to catch the candidates others might overlook.
• Introducing structured scoring to balance competence with behavioural alignment.

By optimising the CV process, the S.E.L.E.C.T Framework™ ensures the Longlist stage starts strong, setting the stage for successful recruitment outcomes.