Researchers from Keele University* recently interviewed 41 graduate employers to find out what they look for in a CV. These employers were both large and small, and came from a range of sectors, including from the pharmaceutical industry, and education.<\/p>\n
Researchers summarised these findings in a table (or \u201crubric\u201d), which assigns an importance weighting (%) for three themes - \u201cPresentation and Structure\u201d, \u201cLinguistic quality\u201d and \u201cContent\u201d. The rubric also\u00a0describes elements within each of these themes\u00a0that would\u00a0contribute to shortlisting or rejection.\u00a0 You can see\u00a0this really useful\u00a0rubric here<\/a>, in MyFuture Resources.<\/p>\n Most of the employers interviewed place importance on the \u201cusual suspects\u201d of good CV writing, including:<\/p>\n See this recent blog<\/a> which looks at some of the above elements in more detail.<\/p>\n Employers look for\u00a0character and cultural fit<\/strong><\/p>\n I think\u00a0a more interesting finding from the research is that many employers view the CV as an opportunity to get a sense of an applicant\u2019s character.<\/em><\/p>\n This may sound odd to\u00a0those who\u00a0assume\u00a0that a CV\u2019s role is just to tell an employer that you have the right skills and experience to do the job. In this way, CVs are part of a rational, logical matching recruitment exercise \u2013 right?<\/p>\n Well yes, they are. But don\u2019t forget that employers are also looking for a good match\u00a0for a team, and for their\u00a0organisational culture.<\/em> \u00a0As one interviewee said, \u201c\u2026so many employers now, ourselves included, are looking for that cultural fit\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n What is \"cultural fit\", and why is it important?<\/strong><\/p>\n A set of core values often sits at the heart of organisational culture.\u00a0 If there's a good cultural fit, it usually means that an employee has the same values.\u00a0 For example, this could mean having the honesty and confidence to share ideas with others in order to reach a goal.\u00a0 It could mean striving for excellence at all times (which could mean\u00a0working long working hours on client projects!).<\/p>\n Most\u00a0employers believe that it is possible to teach someone to technically do a job.\u00a0 But\u00a0it is much more difficult to\u00a0teach someone to\u00a0live the same values. An employee who is not aligned with\u00a0organisational culture\u00a0can cause problems for an employer, even if they're technically fantastic at their job.<\/p>\n How to demonstrate cultural fit<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019re possibly thinking that demonstrating cultural fit is an impossible task. But if you think about it, an employer will usually have given you plenty of clues in\u00a0the job and \/ or person description.\u00a0 Look at those key words and phrases.\u00a0 Are they looking for people who\u00a0love learning? People who are collaborative workers? People who have the confidence to lead? Hopefully your thorough employer research<\/a> will\u00a0have also given you some clues about values and culture.<\/p>\n Check back through your CV to make sure that you've\u00a0demonstrated key values in your evidence.\u00a0 This might be through what you've done, but also crucially how<\/em> you've done things (your personal attributes and skills).\u00a0 Using the same words as the employer can help them to quickly identify your suitability.<\/p>\n The research report also shows that in order to get a sense of character and values, some employers look closely at the personal profile<\/a>, while many look at extra-curricular activities and hobbies and interests<\/a>. So consider\u00a0spending time on these\u00a0sections: they can\u00a0really differentiate\u00a0you from other applicants.<\/p>\n Get feedback<\/strong><\/p>\n You can get feedback on your CV by booking a 15 minute CV and Applications Advice appointment, via MyFuture.<\/p>\n ----<\/p>\n *Source: \"What do graduate employers want in a Curriculum Vitae? Designing a student-friendly rubric that captures employer concensus\". Simkins, B., and Coney, K. (2019). Keele University.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Researchers from Keele University* recently interviewed 41 graduate employers to find out what they look for in a CV. 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