Is Your CV Not Getting Shortlisted? 6 Reasons Why

Is your CV is not getting shortlisted by employers even after your repeated attempts? Granted your qualifications are as per a company’s requirements or you might possess the exact skillset or you may have the right experience, but still you fall short. 

Why? You might find some answers below.

Not Following Application Instructions

This may seem like a small issue but don’t create your own rules while submitting your information to employers.

Be sure to read the instructions very carefully and not ignore even the smallest instruction. If they ask for just one document with both your CV and cover letter, do exactly that. If they ask for the application in a specific format, do that. If they ask for a specific subject line, then write that exact subject line.

Long Paragraphs

Put yourself in the shoes of potential employers. They want a nice CV that quickly gives them all the information they need, they don’t want to read through long paragraphs.

Your CV needs to be easy for the reader to scan and it should quickly get to the important bits regarding your job history, skills and accomplishments.

Try and ensure that your paragraphs are relatively short and bulleted. Use plenty of white space, which will make your CV easier to digest.

Lack of a Cover Letter

This is especially true if it was specifically asked for in the application.

A well written cover letter will spark an employer’s interest and immediately make them more eager to read your CV.

As with your CV, try to ensure that your cover letter doesn’t have that one-size-fits-all feel. You want to keep it short, listing your strengths and exactly why you would be the perfect fit for the organisation you are applying to.

Lack of Contact Details

“It can be infuriating when you have a really good candidate, only to find that they have misspelt their email address or put the wrong digits down on their phone number, making it impossible to contact them,” says one of our recruitment assistants.

Double check your details. You’d be amazed at just how often CVs have inaccurate contact details yet candidates are confused as to why they are not getting any interviews.

A Candidate Picture

This may be something that is acceptable in some parts of the world, but including a headshot on your CV in Kenya might not be the best move.

Unless the line of work requires that you have the right image for the role, i.e. acting or modelling, then there is absolutely no reason to include a photo of yourself.

A candidate will be judged on their ability to do the job based on their skill, work history and education so just concentrate on that.

A CV with insufficient keywords

A CV without the correct keywords is useless. Employers will often scan CVs for relevant keywords connected to the job description.

This means your CV will rank higher if you anticipate the type of keywords they may use.

Pick out a few keywords from the job advert whether it’s certain qualifications or skills and add them naturally throughout your CV.

The Bottom Line,

The job market is highly competitive right now. However, these are the steps you can take to improve your chances of being shortlisted.

Remember, you need to sell yourself to the employer in order to impress them. Professional CV writers can help you with this big task, book a one on one consultation here!

N.B: Looking For A New Job? Find Your Next Job With Us. Click Here To Register Your CV. It's Free.