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CV Advice From a Recruiter: Why I Stopped “Just Sending CVs” (and What You Should Change)

For a long time, I was trained that being a good consultant meant being quick. Get the brief, get the CVs, get them out, keep the process moving.

Speed matters in recruitment. But over time, confidence and experience have changed how I work. Not because I care less about pace, but because I care more about quality.

If you’re applying for roles and not getting interviews, it’s rarely because you’re not good enough. More often, your CV isn’t proving your value clearly enough. This is my recruiter CV advice after years of seeing what gets shortlisted, and what gets overlooked.

Then vs now: the CV conversation

Then: If a CV was out of date, I would ask a simple question: “Have you got a more up to date version?”

That is not wrong. It is just… basic.

Now: I can look at a CV and immediately see what is missing. Not in a nit-picky way, but in a this is why you are being overlooked way.

So instead of asking for a newer version, I will often give candidates a proper CV review and a short report on what needs to change to improve their chances. Because most people are not being rejected because they are not good enough. They are being rejected because they are not demonstrating the right things in the right way.

And that is where a good consultant earns their fee.

Why I push back (and why it helps your CV)

This is the part some people do not expect.

I am not here to agree with everything you say, or to tell you your CV is “fine” when it is not doing you any favours. Hiring managers aren’t reading your CV thinking, “I wonder what they meant.” They’re scanning for proof: have you done this before, yes or no? If you are missing key evidence, if your achievements are vague, if your responsibilities read like a job description, I am going to tell you.

Not to be harsh. To help you get your foot in the door.

Because the market is competitive.

“Can you just rewrite it for me?” (and what actually works)

Someone actually said this to me.

And I will be honest, my first thought was: No. Why would I rewrite your CV to help you secure an £11k pay rise if you cannot be bothered to put any effort in?

But here is the bigger point.

I am happy to work with someone who is busy, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start. That is normal. What I am not here for is laziness.

If you want better outcomes, you have to meet me halfway.

Because the best CVs aren’t “written”. They’re built from real examples, real results, and evidence you can stand behind in an interview.

Duties vs proof: how to write CV achievements that get interviews

This is where most CVs fall down.

People write things like:

  • “Increased revenue”

That tells me nothing.

A stronger version is:

“Worked with the Legal Partners to develop and grow relationships, generating a new revenue stream that brought in £500k of new business in my second year with the firm.”

A simple framework for stronger CV achievements

  • Context: What was the situation or problem?
  • Stakeholders: Who did you work with (partners, clients, leadership, regulators)?
  • Action: What did you actually do?
  • Outcome: What changed because of you?
  • Evidence: Numbers, timeframe, scale, complexity

If you can’t add numbers, add scope: caseload size, client portfolio, turnaround time, processes improved, risk reduced, team size, systems used.

And here is the bonus: when we do this properly, it becomes interview prep without you even realising. Because once you can explain your achievements clearly on paper, you can usually explain them clearly in person.

CV achievement examples (before and after)

A lot of candidates feel awkward talking about their wins. They worry it sounds arrogant. They downplay their role. They write like they are trying not to take up too much space.

I do not have that problem.

But I understand it. And that is why these sessions matter. Sometimes you need someone in your corner to say, “No, that is not a small thing. Put it in. Own it. Prove it.”

Examples:

Before: “Managed client relationships.”
After: “Managed a portfolio of key clients, improving response times and strengthening relationships that led to repeat instructions and referrals over a 12-month period.”

Before: “Supported audits / accounts / matters.”
After: “Supported complex workstreams by coordinating stakeholders, maintaining accurate documentation, and improving process consistency to reduce rework and delays.”

A quick note for legal and accountancy candidates

I see this a lot in legal and accountancy CVs: strong people undersell their impact. Whether you’re in a law firm, practice, or professional services environment, employers want evidence. Not just what you were responsible for, but what you delivered, improved, protected, or influenced.

Treat a recruiter like careers support (not a CV forwarding service)

I genuinely think people should approach a good recruiter the way we used to approach a careers counsellor at school:

  • What do I need to demonstrate?
  • What is the employer actually looking for?
  • What is missing from my application?
  • How do I present this in a way that beats the competition?

If you treat recruitment as purely transactional, you will get transactional results.

If you treat it as a partnership, where you are open to feedback and willing to improve, your outcomes change.

If you “can’t be arsed”… we might not be the agency for you

I will say this politely, but clearly.

If you cannot be bothered to put effort into your own career move, then:

  • A) We are probably not the agency for you.
  • B) It is worth asking whether your reasons for leaving are more push factors than pull factors.

Because if you are only moving out of frustration, burnout, or boredom, without a clear idea of what you are moving towards, it shows. In your CV. In your interview. In your energy.

And it usually leads to the same situation again, just in a different building.

Final thought: fewer CVs, better outcomes

The biggest change in my work over the years is this: I have stopped trying to be everything to everyone.

I would rather send fewer CVs, of a higher quality, with candidates who are properly prepared, than flood a process and hope something sticks.

If you want a recruiter who will be honest with you, help you tighten your story, and push you to show your value properly, I am here.

And if you want someone to do it all for you while you sit back and “can’t be bothered”… you already know what I am going to say.

And if you’re a hiring manager reading this: this is exactly why a smaller, higher-quality shortlist beats a flood of “fine on paper” CVs every time.

Want a quick CV steer?

If you’re applying for roles and not getting traction, drop me a private message with:

  • the role you’re targeting
  • your current CV
  • where you’re getting stuck (no replies, no interviews, final stage)

I’ll tell you what’s likely missing and what to change to improve your chances.

You can also view current roles here: Careers

Contact me on d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com