Risks of Prioritizing CV Format in Hiring

"More Than a CV" One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen in hiring is judging a candidate solely by their CV. I get it, on paper - a strong CV can reflect a candidate’s attention to detail, structure, and experience. But here’s the truth: Some of the best hires I’ve made didn’t have the most impressive CVs. They were: Passive candidates whose CVs hadn’t been updated in years Mid-level professionals with real experience, but poor formatting Brilliant problem solvers whose stories didn’t “fit” the typical corporate mold And yet, when we spoke, when I listened, when I dug deeper: 💡I saw potential. 💡I saw competence. 💡I saw the right fit. In recruitment, especially at mid-to-senior levels, we need to stop treating the CV as the full story. Here’s what I’ve learned to pay attention to instead: - Patterns across roles and industries - Transferable skills, not just job titles -Tone, character, and how they speak about their work -References and recommendations - Growth mindset over perfection The CV is a tool, but people are more than papers. Sometimes, what looks like an “average” profile ends up being the best hire in the room. ✳️ To hiring managers: Give your recruiter room to explore potential, not just perfection. ✳️ To recruiters: Don’t dismiss a profile because it’s not flashy. Follow the trail. Ask better questions. Let’s keep remembering—we hire humans, not paper.

🎯 The Flawed Idea of CV Shortlisting 🚫 Relying solely on CVs to shortlist candidates is broken. Why? ➡️ Bias creeps in: Unconscious preferences for certain formats, schools, or job titles. ➡️ Skills ≠ Experience: CVs rarely showcase problem-solving, adaptability, or creativity. ➡️ Missed Innovation: Unconventional paths or self-taught talents often don’t “fit the mold.” 💡 The Fix? ✔️ Focus on skills assessments over paper qualifications. ✔️ Use AI tools to minimize bias (responsibly!). ✔️ Conduct structured interviews to uncover potential. 📢 Let’s rethink hiring: Beyond CVs, towards capabilities.

Are CVs Still Relevant? For years, CVs have been the go-to in hiring—a piece of paper (or PDF) that supposedly tells you everything about a candidate. But let’s be real—how much can you actually learn from a curated list of job titles and bullet points? CVs are just a highlight reel. They strip away context, oversimplify skills, and often reveal more about formatting abilities than real qualifications. They don’t capture adaptability, decision-making, or cultural fit. Worst of all, they reinforce bias—filtering out great talent based on job titles, education, or how polished someone’s wording is. That’s why forward-thinking companies are moving beyond CVs. Traditional hiring is slow, outdated, and disconnected from how modern teams actually work. The best hiring decisions aren’t made from a PDF—they’re based on how someone thinks, communicates, and solves problems in real-time. That’s exactly what we’re building at Mappa — a faster, smarter, and bias-free hiring process. Our AI-driven voice interviews assess candidates beyond the CV, evaluating real skills, decision-making, and cultural fit—things you just can’t capture on paper. If you’re still screening candidates based only on CVs, you’re probably missing out on top talent. The best people for the job aren’t always the ones with the “perfect” CV—they’re the ones who can actually do the job. Have you ever seen a CV mislead—or fail to capture—someone’s real potential? Let’s talk about it in the comments.