The job search usually starts with updating the resume. But what is a good resume and what are the do's and don'ts? A European survey by Page Personnel shows that recruiters and candidates do not always think the same. And there are also significant differences between countries.
An important difference concerns the listing of all positions held within one company. 25 percent of candidates say they do not list all positions if they have held multiple positions within the same company. This is a serious miscalculation, considering that as many as 96.7 percent of recruiters consider it relevant. For them, tasks and responsibilities are of vital importance. Among other things, they can read the growth path that a candidate has made.
Other things that recruiters consider important are “conciseness” (98.3%) and “qualifications” (100%). They prefer to see a resume of no more than two pages. This means that candidates should limit themselves to the most important data, without leaving out crucial information. Because every recruiter is the first to consider whether a candidate meets all the requirements stated in the vacancy. Recruiters also pay attention to the logical structure and continuity of a career as reflected in a resume. This tells them to what extent a candidate has specialized and has industry-specific knowledge.
Dutch results
'Styling up your CV' – 44 percent of Dutch recruiters do not mind if candidates present their CVs more rosy than reality. With this view, our country belongs to the three least rigid countries when it comes to a CV that is as truthful as possible. Although the Dutch candidates are slightly more careful with the truth than the recruiters, 23 percent of this group also thinks that you should exaggerate a bit on your resume. The country that judges the truth on the resume most strictly in Europe is Italy. Only 7 percent of Italian recruiters – and 14.3 percent of candidates – think it's allowed to stretch the truth.
A hole in the CV – Where a gap on your CV of longer than six months was traditionally seen as problematic, Dutch candidates no longer have to worry about it. According to the survey, 92 percent of Dutch recruiters find it no problem if a candidate has been out of work for a longer period of time. It is now the most natural thing in the world to take a year-long sabbatical, or to take the time to study or take care of your children. In countries where unemployment has been high over the past decade, a gap on your resume is still problematic. Italy once again tops the list:50 percent of consultants indicate that it is better to have a continuous CV.
Personal Note – Compared to other European countries, Dutch employers value a personal touch on a candidate's CV:90 percent of recruiters think it is important to know the personal motivation of a candidate and 84 percent recommend also mentioning hobbies. Not only does it give the employer a picture of the candidate's personality, it can also ensure that your resume stands out in the big pile.
Loyalty – Recruiters do agree on another aspect. Both the Dutch recruiters (96.2 percent) and candidates (72.2 percent) think it looks very good if you have worked for the same company for more than two years.
Well-known brands – In addition, as a candidate you also have an advantage when you have worked for a well-known brand, according to 81 percent of the candidates and 90.4 percent of the recruiters.
Volunteering – Recruiters, on the other hand, are clearly less interested in volunteering (15.4%) than candidates think (41.6%).
