Received thousands of CVs for one job post? Cutting through the clutter to pick out serious applicants from those who are just trying their luck can be a time-consuming and arduous process. The more time you take, the more likely the suitable applicants could be off the market by the time you start your interviews. Read on for a quick and effective way to sort out those CVs!

Step 1: Set up a simple tracking sheet

Approach the task in a systematic way. Break down the process into smaller steps and have a simple sheet to help you track the applications through the steps. You can use simple identifiers such as candidate’s name, email and source of their application.

Step 2: Get familiar with your “deal breakers”

Know the criteria that you definitely want and the criteria that you can loosen. This step is crucial since it is where you eliminate those that definitely don’t meet the cut. If done right, it can save you a lot of time further down the road.

Step 3: Make notes on each applications

As you review each CV, make notes on your tracking sheet. This can be in a “Remarks” column. It helps you remember what you like or dislike about a particular application. Do not underestimate this step – even if you have a good memory, you are bound to miss out some details after reviewing thousands of CVs!

Step 4: Sort the CVs into three piles

Sort the CVs into “qualified”, “maybe”, “unqualified”. Those that are “qualified” meet all the essential criteria and those that are in “maybe” meet most of your essential criteria.

Step 5: Shortlist CVs

Now look through the “qualified” CVs again, this time in detail. You may wish to look through the “maybe” pile too if your options are limited.

As you are doing this, consider factors such as
•    Additional training that he/she had received and is relevant to the position
•    Employment gaps
•    Salary requirements
•    Current employment
•    Past achievements and awards
•    Number of times he/she has switched jobs in recent times

Step 6: Get a second opinion

Ask one or two other colleagues to have a look at the finalists. Getting a second opinion ensures that the final decision is less biased.

Need Some Help?

An alternative is to outsource this part of the recruitment process to a recruitment agency that knows your business well.

At Evolution, we are dedicated to providing the best recruitment services to our clients. We do not only know the tech industry, we are part of it – we develop all our softwares in-house and actively engage with the tech communities. Being a true consultancy, we also advise our clients on market trends and insights.

Let’s explore how we can work together. Speak to us now.