Articles

Here’s the brutal truth: recruiters don’t read CVs. They skim them. I’ve been in recruitment and talent acquisition for almost two decades, and I can tell you the average recruiter spends no more than 30 seconds on a CV during that first look. In fact, for most, it’s closer to 6–10 seconds before they decide whether to keep reading or move on. That might sound unfair, but think about it: when you’re faced with hundreds of applications for one role, you don’t have time to dissect every CV line by line. You scan for quick signals that tell you: Is this person relevant?…

If you’ve been job hunting for a while, you’ve probably come across the theory that an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) automatically rejects CVs. That’s why you can apply for a job at 3am and get a rejection email seconds later right? It’s one of the biggest misconceptions out there, but here’s the reality: an ATS does not automatically reject your CV after you’ve applied. In fact, a human recruiter almost always makes the final decision. What Does an ATS Actually Do? An ATS is a tool that helps organise and filter applications, not reject them. It stores your CV, makes it searchable by…

You’re applying for jobs, maybe even a lot of them, and hearing nothing back. No calls. No interviews. Just silence. Sound familiar? Before you assume it’s the market or some secret tech blocking your applications, it’s time to take a proper look at your CV. Because if you’re not getting shortlisted, there’s a good chance your CV is the problem. Here’s exactly why it’s getting rejected, and how to fix it. You don’t have a job title at the top If the first thing a recruiter sees is your name followed by “Curriculum Vitae”, you’ve already lost them. Your CV…