How To Sell Yourself on a CV
22 May, 2025
Is A CV Still Relevant When Applying for Jobs?
22 May, 20251 - 2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- If a CV is still relevant when applying for jobs.
- If the CV is no longer relevant, what this might mean for jobseekers.
- Where the latest jobs are and how to apply for them.
The need to submit a CV as part of the recruitment process became popular in the 1950’s and since then, it has remained relatively unchanged (except from a paper copy turning into a digital version).
Despite their popularity, it is considered that hiring off a CV alone is an outdated notion and in fact, it should be used as part of a broader and more rigorous recruitment process.
For employers to successfully hire candidates that will enhance their existing teams, it is important for them to have an overall picture of a person’s skills, experience, expertise and attitudes. Some might say that it is difficult for a professional to successfully portray all of this on a single piece of A4 paper.
In this insights piece, we’re exploring how relevant a CV is when applying for jobs and what this means for jobseekers. Reasons for the CV potentially no longer being completely relevant include:
- CVs only tell half the story.
- Hiring managers are searching for a good cultural fit.
- Education is not as sought after as it used to be.
- There are better ways to screen candidates.
CVs only tell half the story
CVs are constrictive, one dimensional and they only paint a picture of what the candidate wants a hiring manager to see. Sometimes, seeing a candidate in action or assessing their skills with an online test can be a more honest indication of a person’s professional skills.
What this means for jobseekers
If a CV alone isn’t a good indication of whether you’d be a good fit for the role, hiring managers could use a range of methods to screen you during the recruitment process.
This isn’t a reason to put less effort into your CV but it means that you should be aware that other factors could be at play and you may be asked to demonstrate your expertise via a skills based test or practical assessment.
Hiring managers are searching for a good cultural fit
It goes without saying that for certain roles, there will be a criteria which needs to be met in the skills and experience department.
However, it has become increasingly important for hiring managers to find employees whose vision, goals and beliefs align with their unique company culture.
If an employee is a good cultural fit for the business, they are more likely to enjoy their work, be more productive and they will be less likely to search for alternative employment.
What this means for jobseekers
Before applying for jobs, you should research the company culture to see if it matches up with your thoughts and beliefs. Check out their website and social media pages to get an idea of their culture. Do they fundraise for charity? Are team achievements regularly rewarded? Do they engage in team building activities? If it looks like their culture will not align with your personal and professional goals, perhaps this isn’t the job for you.
If the culture looks like a good fit for you, tailor your CV to demonstrate that you would be a good cultural fit. For example, if a business is passionate about sustainability, you could highlight sustainable projects which you are currently involved in or suggest an initiative which the company could get involved in. One such initiative is planting a tree, through an environmental organisation, for every new employee.
Education is not as sought after as it used to be
Qualifications used to be a big part of the CV and it could influence the hiring manager on who would progress to the interview stage.
However, hiring managers have become wise to the fact that hiring on the basis of qualifications alone doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the right person for the job. There’s an old saying that you ‘hire for attitude and train for skill.’
Sometimes, qualifications are not a true reflection of a person’s skills and expertise. If the pressure got to them during an exam, they may not have achieved a grade that truly reflects their ability and therefore hiring managers risk missing out on candidates who could be a fantastic asset to their team.
What this means for jobseekers
This is great news for jobseekers who have poor or no academic qualifications. Most hiring managers would much prefer a candidate who has the right attitude and who is willing to learn ‘on the job’ than someone who has a university degree but their heart isn’t in the job.
Jobseekers should show a hiring manager their dedication to progressing within their career and helping the business achieve its monthly, quarterly and yearly goals.
There are better ways to screen candidates
With Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn seeing millions of monthly users and LinkedIn having more than 1.1 billion member accounts as of January 2025, the majority of jobseekers have left a digital footprint across at least one social media channel.
There are countless studies which indicate that the majority of hiring managers will research your online presence during the recruitment process and furthermore, the content which they find will influence their decision and opinion of you.
What this means for jobseekers
It’s crucial that you spring clean your social media channels before applying for jobs to make sure that a hiring manager doesn’t find anything which will paint you in a bad light.
It might also be an idea to look at the privacy settings of your social media channels to restrict what content can be viewed.
A study from StandOut CV found that 21% of recruiters have rejected a candidate after searching them on Facebook.
It is also advised that you use a professional email address on your CV. The email you set up 10 years ago as a joke might not be the best reflection of you as a professional.
Searching for a new job?
If you’re searching for a new and exciting career opportunity, why not check out the latest jobs available or upload your CV and be contacted when a suitable vacancy arises.
Struggling to recruit?
Recruiting throughout the UK, across eleven different specialisms, we support local authorities, public sector organisations and private companies with their recruitment needs.
If you’re struggling to recruit top talent, why not take a look at everything we offer or submit a vacancy to get the ball rolling today!
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
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