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3 Questions An Employer Asks When Reading Your CV

By Ruoro Kairu 

Is your CV getting you interview calls?

The objective of writing a CV is to land your dream job. However, you may find you have a solid CV, yet you’re not getting any interview calls.

Does that mean employers are not looking at your CV? Or maybe they are just biased towards your application?

During a career mentorship forum, Phillip asked why he never gets interview calls despite sending his application numerous times.

You may also be facing the same situation –you feel your CV is okay, but you have been applying for jobs without any feedback.

What could be the issue?

When we’re writing our CVs, we mostly think of ourselves and the job involved. You, however, need to consider the person reading your CV –the employer.

Here are three questions the employer asks themselves while reading your CV. I’ve also included what you can do to maximize your chances of being called in for the interview.

Question #1: “Is it worth my time?”

Yes, this question sounds harsh. But it is one nearly every employer will ask at the start of reading your CV.

When shortlisting the applications, remember the employer has to go through hundreds of applications. This already takes time from their schedule that they would have utilized on another task. As a result, the employer only wants to go through the most promising CVs and anything short of that is tossed to the reject pile.

What should you do to make your CV worth the employer’s time?

  • Make it easy to read – Have a clear structure and avoid cramming everything together. Use a simple and professional font, and utilize bullets points and lists to make the CV easy to read.
  • Tailor the first page of your CV – While your whole CV should be tailored, the first page largely determines if the employer will continue reading or not.
  • Check for grammar and spelling errors – These kinds of errors show a lack of attention to detail. Before applying to a job, go through the CV. You can also get a CV writing expert to help you review the CV.

Question #2: “Can they effectively perform the job?”

Above all, the employer simply wants to know if you possess the relevant experience and skills needed to execute the role.

Then, this means you have to take time before applying to a job and tailor your CV to the role you’re applying to.

Spend some time looking at the job description. Make a list of the skills mentioned in the job description. If you possess any of the skills, include them on your CV.

While many professionals do include relevant keywords in the CV, they often forget to include the keywords and phrases in the profile summary section.

Question #3: “Do they have the required experience?”

Your current or most recent role is significant in writing a professional CV. Through this role, you showcase your experience and ability.

Make sure your most recent job paints you as the perfect candidate for the job.

Some of the information the employer is looking for includes;

  • Your job title/position
  • The purpose of your role
  • Key achievements /targets met
  • Technical tools/software you use
  • The people you interact with (clients, customers, colleagues…)
  • Work you’ve produced (programs, products, websites, articles…)

Ultimately, there are several steps you can take to ensure you impress employers. Put yourself in their shoes.

What would you think if you were reading your CV for the first time?

Need a professional CV to help you get that dream job? Talk to the Professional CV Writers today.