5 things to note when sending your CV to a potential employer

A good CV definitely increases your chances of landing your dream job. [Standard]

As a recruiter, I receive a lot of CVs from people looking to fill job vacancies. In the last one week, I have gone through more than 250 CVs.

So, when I hear job seekers complaining about sending several applications and not getting feedback, I know exactly what the problem is. They (job seekers) simply do not follow instructions.

If you are job hunting, below are five tips to follow when sending your CV to a potential employer.  

1. No attachments please!

Just so you know, for every job opening, prospective employers receive an average of 200 to 250 applications. Recruiters in private sector don’t have the luxury of going through volumes of unsolicited and often irrelevant papers. As a rule, if you have not been asked, do not send attachments of other documents with your CV. Your CV is enough! 

2. Your email name matters

Use an email address that has your official names. Companies have configured their Business Information System to reject and spam all mail from addresses with names that look like creatures from space. Often, those funny email handles and names are the reasons you never get shortlisted and hired.

3. Avoid political statements, just get to the point

You have never been employed but your CV is five pages, PDF and 5MB! Are you for real? Nobody wants to read about career goals, life objectives, profile and other information which is mere grandstanding and political statements. For every application you make, review, revise and only send a CV which matches with the requirements of the job. In HR practice, we look for strategic fit between the candidate and the job. When you start your CV with things like religion, marital status, career objectives, you lose it even before it is read.

4. Criterion bias is real!

All recruiters suffer from something called criterion bias. This means if a candidate has structured his or her CV in a manner that shows the key education and professional qualifications and experiential knowledge that fit what they want, they will always be shortlisted. Do not give long winding stories that are not related to the role you are applying for.

5. Clearly state the schools you attended

Finally, Kenya has zero quality control in academic qualifications. Even a monkey with money can “acquire” a degree. So, when sending a CV, clearly indicate the name of the high school you attended and the grades you got. This is where recruiters start separating the wheat from the chaff.

For more on how to package your CV, listen to this WorkPlace Talk Podcast.