CV Formatting Tips for Recruiters

Looking for tips to efficiently format candidates' CVs/resumes at scale as a recruitment agency? We've got you covered with the top CV formatting methods for recruiters, their pros and cons, and whether you should even bother formatting.

Regardless of whether you are a large enterprise or a small agency start-up, here are some methods and tips to format your CVs/resumes.

Manual Formatting

This is where your recruiters or administrative staff manually format each CV.

Pros: Full control over content and layout.

Cons: Time-consuming, prone to errors, and often expensive.

While recruitment agencies gain more control over the information they wish to retain in the CVs, manually formatting CVs means recruiters spend about 10 minutes per CV, cutting into crucial recruiting time. Errors are common, and hiring extra staff for this task can be costly.

Outsourcing to an Overseas Labour Force

This is where you outsource formatting to another team, such as an overseas labour force.

Pros: Cost-effective compared to manual formatting.

Cons: Prone to errors, delays due to time zones, and communication challenges.

Outsourcing CV formatting to an overseas team, often in countries like India, can save money. These teams handle bulk formatting using your templates, freeing up your recruiters for more important tasks. However, while outsourcing may save costs, it carries the risk of human error. Time zone differences can delay turnaround times, and conveying feedback can sometimes be difficult, leading to inconsistencies.

Software Tools

Software tools automate CV formatting, ensuring consistency and eliminating human error. They save you time and money, delivering polished CVs instantly.

Pros: Fast, cost-effective, error-free, and immediate.

Cons: Limited customization and handling of specific issues.

Traditional software may struggle with unique formats or complex layouts. However, advanced tools like RemakeCV use AI to manage various file types and formatting issues, offer responsive support, and provide tailored templates.


Why Format CVs?

In all honesty, CV formatting is not a necessity. In fact, it is just an extra step in your recruitment process and operations. So why do all the big recruitment agencies still format their resumes?

One reason is that consistency in CV formatting reinforces your brand. Professional, standardized CVs with your logo help clients quickly associate top candidates with your agency. When clients receive multiple resumes from your firm in a professional, clean, and standardized template, it simplifies their process of identifying where the resume came from. Even better, if you place a strong, hardworking candidate in their company, they'll easily remember that your firm recommended the candidate and naturally associate your agency with high-quality candidates.

Another reason is that it ensures confidentiality by removing sensitive information and highlights key candidate skills, making them stand out.

Conclusion

Choosing the right CV formatting method depends on your agency's needs. To summarise the above CV formatting methods, manual offers control, outsourcing cuts costs, and software tools provide speed and accuracy. For a blend of efficiency and quality, explore advanced solutions like RemakeCV. Optimize your recruitment process and present the best candidates with ease.