27 January 2009 12 answers
Anonymous

Question: My CV is not attracting interviews though I know I am qualified for the positions that I am applying for.

I cannot afford to pay for a CV

Answers (12)

  1. Unfortunately as of late I have noticed many recruitment agencies are experiencing a slow-down in business and taking advantage of this time by posting job descriptions to attract candidates and build their CV database.

    I am in the same position and possess the skill-set covered in the job description and upon delving deeper as to what the recruitment agency’s client is seeking, discover those magic words time and time again “hiring freeze” and the job has been cancelled pending healthier market conditions. Ironically you will see this job posted days to weeks later by the same recruitment agency.

    I’ve experienced this on several occasions. Recruitment agencies are building their candidate books for brighter times.

  2. Honestly, I am facing the same.

  3. A bit optimistic or too self-confident maybe… Try to broaden our job search…

  4. Financial sector is going thru a v hard time – better to just wait it out patiently

  5. I too am facing the same lack of response from my applications and this has been going on for 6 months so your not alone.

  6. While it is true recruitment agencies are building their database through mass applications, SOME recruitment agencies are genuinely trying to help candidates. Recruitment agents are also limited to what their CLIENTs requires rather than whether the candidate feel s/he would be appropriate for a role. It has now become a buyers market… recruitment agencies suffer just as much.

  7. I have found some recruitment agencies to be particularly uncooperative and misleading in their advertisements. I also note a lack of initiative by recruiters who keep wanting to put me in the same box. These recruiters don’t seem to be looking at what I have done and potentially can do, they seem to be looking at how they can place me in order to ensure their deal goes through and pocket the money. Sad, but this is also a fallacy of the recruitment industry. I have experienced it before.

  8. Yap, true
    I don’t know what’s happening in IT market.

  9. I totally agree regarding the recruitment agencies and find it apalling that they take this tact. Dont they realise that the people who are knocking on their doors now looking for work could be the employers of the future. There are many agencies that I have found to be completely unprofessional.

  10. There is one thing you might look at more closely. When you submit a CV for a position do you study that position description and requirements closely and “fit” your CV to reflect your suitability for the position? By “fit” I do not mean that you fudge the facts or your career details. What you need to do is to present your background and experience in a way that corresponds to the requirements of the position always staying within the facts. Unfortunately, many of us use a standard CV for all job applications. We live in an age where computers and internet render it very easy to apply for jobs and quality suffers at the expense of quantity. When you see a job listing that particularly appeals to you, take time and trouble to tweak your CV to make it easier for the reviewer to identify how well you match the job. The extra effort will be worth the results. Hope this helps.

  11. To the people who expect recruitment consultants to “show initiative” and find them roles in a new area: if your client gave you a specific list of criteria would you find them something that meets those criteria or would you try to sell them something they don’t want.
    In this market clients can afford to be descriptive – there are so many candidates around that they will find what they want. At the end of the day it is the client who pays the recruitment consultant, not the candidate.

    I totally agree that some agencies may be posting false jobs / not providing a decent service however these are unsettled times and hiring freezes are common depending on the area you are looking at.

  12. I know this may sound crazy, but have you ever thought about how they carfuly picked employees in the past with all the screening and all… ok guess what if they did a good job then how is it that we have gone into a financial crisis? well again your CV will never be enugh to tell about you or what you can do – but you will always try and sell yourself on a couple of pages … just let them know that if they dont call you … you will be better off making money and great ideas for another employer, dont throw your self at them, make it short and in their face :)